For those who might find it useful the History of 'DD' (Jerboa) Battery, 4th Field Regiment Royal Horse Artillery for October 1941 to May 1945 is available here www.desertrats.org.uk/WarDiaries/DD_Battery Happy reading. The badge below is as per described in the Battery History, as kindly drawn by Derek Barton.
Yes, there was a 4th Field Regiment R.A and 4th RHA, those official title was 4th Field Regiment R.H.A. 4th Fld RA also served in N Africa mainly with different Indian Divisions and was briefly attached to 7th Armd Div for a month at the end on 1942. Ironically, post war as part of the army changes 4th Fld RA was disbanded and later on 4th RHA was renamed as 4th RA and now serves with 4th Mech Bde.
Thanks for clearing that up, I've always got muddled with the 4ths! Dad was reme lad with 4th field, i posted part of the war diary on the forum, they were with 7th armoured during Alamein from 17th Sept. until 31st, Oct.
Pre dating the linked diary 4RHA were at Mersa Matruh and equipped with 3.7" Howitzers. Can anyone tell me how the 3.7" howitzers were transported please?
4 Fd Regt RA had probably the most distinguished RA regimental record in WW2, see the summarising para at the end of this page: http://nigelef.tripod.com.regtsumm The (Jerboa) is an unauthorised affectation, DD was a war-formed battery and has no entitlement to a battery honour title, only five such titles were awarded for WW2 (Asten, Alem Hamza, Meiktila, Hodeghem, Sidi Rezegh)
I have pictures of the use of Dragoon Tractors for 18 pdrs from the pre-war period, it was most likely these that were used, as 3 RHA used the too in Palestine
With reference to the Jerboa title. According the official history for the Battery, the title Jerboa was granted by none other than Brigadier 'Jock' Campbell, commanding 7th Support Group. It was not a battle honour, but just a title that ceased to exist when the battery was disbanded after the war., In I remember correctly the Sidi Rezegh and Hodeghem honours. were awarded to J and K Batteries post war. In 1946 there were moved recorded in the war diaries of 5 RHA, that an application to rename C Battery as C (Campbell's) Battery was made but not accepted.
Gerboa. I am not familiar with this "Dragoon Tractor" of which you speak, are you able to post the pictures you were talking about?
Major, Acting Brigadier Campbell was a gunner but that did not give him the authority to grant battery titles. That prerogative is with the Regimental Committee if not the Captain General. On the other hand a battery logo is probably a matter for the battery. The Jerboa would seem to have been a logo.
After seeing a photo of a Jeep with the DD (Jerboa) Battery Sign on it here is revised version (courtesy of Derek Barton) of it and the original, which is from the NAM and of the Officer who designed the sign Captain G Chilver-Stainer Troop Commander of 'D' Troop, 'DD' (Jerboa) Battery, 4th RHA. Best wishes,
While going through the 4th RHA diaries at TNA, in there I found four months actual War Diaries for DD (Jerboa) Bty, RHA, from May to August. The transcribed versions can be found here. War Diaries For DD Battery Royal Horse Artillery (desertrats.org.uk) Best wishes,
Recently, I found this photo of a Troop Leaders Carrier, TLD, which carries the markings of D Troop, DD Bty RHA. As the junior Bty in 4 RHA, normally the Troop Leaders vehicles should have carried TLE and TLF, but 4 RHA had C Bty, with A & B Trps, F (Sphinx) Bty, with F & G Trps and DD Bty with C & D Trps, so (like 5 RHA) they did not follow the rules. Best wishes,
Just an update on the Battery War Diaries from 1942. While transcribing 4th Regt RHA, 1942, I also found Bty diaries for April 1942. These means that DD (Jerboa) Bty, RHA diaries are available for April to August 1942.
