24 Light Anti-Aircraft/Anti-Tank Regiment RA

Hi all,

I'm new here, and looking forward to finding my way around. I have a question about the 24th Light Anti-Aircraft/Anti-Tank Regiment RA and their involvement in the Admin Box battle in Burma in February 1944.

In the book Burma '44 by James Holland (2016), in the section Order of Battle / Units at the Admin Box, it states that "2 x batteries & RHQ, 24th Light Anti-Aircraft and Anti-Tank Regiment" were present.

And in The War Against Japan, Vol. III, The Decisive Battles by Maj Gen S. Woodburn Kirby (1961), on p. 135, it states that "[t]he 24th Anti-Aircraft/Anti-Tank Regiment, with two of its batteries, was responsible for protecting the Sinzweya maintenance centre in which were the rear echelons of unit and brigade transport, brigade and divisional workshops, supply units, an ordnance field park and a main dressing station."

I believe the regiment had four batteries at this time: 205(Atk), 284(Atk), 86(LAA) and 491(LAA). I don't suppose anyone knows which two batteries the citations above refer to, and where the two batteries that weren't in the Box were?

More generally, does anyone know of the war diaries for this regiment being available anywhere other than the National Archives?

Thanks for reading,
TR

 

Info on this site

24th A/Tk Regiment

24th LAA/Anti-tank Regiment RA

 

Thanks for that, Temujin. I'd found the second of those links before posting, but the first I'd missed. There's some great general info there.

What I'm really hoping to track down is the battery movements during the Admin Box battle (my grandfather was in one of the batteries). I'm guessing that I'll need eyes on the war diaries for that, but I thought I'd post here on the off chance someone had copies/knowledge of them. The second link you posted above does mention the diaries, but it's an old thread, so I was nervous of resurrecting it.

Also, I just clicked through to your wartimes.ca blog and am reading the Building a Soldier's Story Using War Diaries article. Fascinating stuff!

 

PS: regarding my "old thread" comment above, have just realised that Skoyen89 is still an active member here. Is it OK as a new member to private message people here? What's the etiquette for reaching out?

 

Of course it is. You can PM anyone on the site, but of course they may choose “not” to respond, but most of the members of the site will give you an answer or at least point you in the right direction to find what your looking for.

Cheers

 

Just sent Skoyen89 a Private Message (PM) to visit here and help. This may duplicate Temujin.

You can create a PM after x5 posts, but can receive and reply to a PM. To start go to your avatar and select Start a Conversation and it is simple.

 

Brilliant, many thanks!

 

Hi Time Runner

Looked through the WD for the Admin Box for 24th LAA/Anti-Tank Regt. It is quite comprehensive but also quite confusing as the Regiment was split up into small packets, positions changed etc. It seems that the entire Regiment was in the area of the Admin Box during the battle but there were other 'boxes' held by units of 7th Indian Division nearby.

There were two Anti-Tank Batteries (205 and 284), normally equipped with six pounders but they were used as infantry much of the time around Ammunition Hill. Each Battery was split into three Troops and they used Letters (so C Troop was in 205 Battery and J Troop in 284 battery for example) and each troop seems to have had two or three guns. 205 seem to have been equipped with 3" mortars as well.

Then there were two Anti-Aircraft Batteries with Bofors guns - 86 and 491. These were used in an anti-aircraft role and to hit Japanese positions on surrounding hills etc, plus all in the box had a role as infantrymen. Again they split into Troops with two or three guns each (to start with). It is clear that 491 Battery was in the Admin Box but 86 LAA Battery (possibly less one troop which was protecting 7 Indian Field Regt) was with 4/1 GR and 139 Field Regt RA in another Box nearby. To make it more confusing the MT section for the whole Regiment (so drivers etc) and perhaps the clerks etc of 86 Battery were in the Admin Box, as was the RHQ.

Is the query concerning a relative of yours? if so, if he was with the 24th he was caught up in the larger ' Battle of the Admin Box' and unless he was with the guns of 86 Battery more than likely in the Admin Box itself.

 

Hi Skoyen89,

Thank you so much for the detailed response. It's very much appreciated!

Yes, it is. My grandfather – 1149631 Kemp, Lawrence Patrick – was part of 86 LAA Battery. I have a copy of his service record, and it doesn't appear to list any specialisms. He held the rank of Gunner, but I don't know what his actual role was, so any pointers on whether it's possible to find such things out would be gratefully received.

I'm new to this kind of military research, so I'm feeling my way forwards at the mo'.