50th Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery
| 50th Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment, RA | |
|---|---|
 Cap badge of the Royal Artillery | |
| Active | 10 July 1940–31 March 1944 |
| Country |  United Kingdom |
| Branch |  British Army |
| Role | Air defence |
| Size | Regiment |
| Part of | Anti-Aircraft Command 21st Army Group |
| Engagements | The Blitz |
The 50th Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery, (50th LAA Rgt) was an air defence unit of the
Origin
The regiment was formed as part of the rapid expansion of AA Command during the
The Blitz
By the autumn, when the Battle of Britain was turning into the night
Mid-War
The regiment was still with 43rd AA Bde in May 1941, when the Blitz is considered to have ended. That month, 58 LAA Bty was temporarily attached to
At the end of February 1942, the regiment transferred to 56th LAA Bde covering airfields in Kent under 6th AA Division. Then during April the regiment left AA Command entirely; when it returned in the autumn it was unbrigaded. By early November it had joined 45th AA Bde in South Wales as part of a new 3 AA Group. 58 LAA Battery was temporarily attached to 67th AA Bde during November. Before the end of the year the whole regiment had moved into 63rd AA Bde[11][14]
At this time every available LAA gun was being deployed to the South Coast towns of England to defend against 'hit and run' attacks by Luftwaffe Fighter-bombers. By March 1943 the regiment was split up across 3 AA Group, with RHQ and 58 LAA Bty under 63 AA Bde, 93 LAA Bty attached to 60th AA Bde around Exeter, Yeovil and Portland, and 245 LAA Bty attached to 55th LAA Bde around Plymouth and Falmouth. In April the whole came under 55th LAA Bde.[3][15][16]
During May 1943 the regiment became unbrigaded once more, and by 24 July it had left AA Command and joined 21st Army Group under training for the Allied invasion of Normandy, Operation Overlord. The regiment with its three batteries was designated as a semi-mobile unit, intended to defend VPs behind the front line as the campaign developed.[15][17]
Disbandment
In early 1944 it was decided to increase the war establishment of the LAA regiments of the armoured and infantry divisions assigned to Overlord, particularly to man the multiple-barrelled 20 mm guns (usually Oerlikons or Polstens) that were being added to some regiments.[18] 50th LAA Regiment was broken up to provide some of the additional personnel. In the first phase, on 23 February, the regiment's Troops were individually numbered:[2]
- A, B and C Trps of 58 LAA Bty became 30, 31 and 32 Trps
- D, E and F Trps of 93 LAA Bty became 33, 34 and 35 Trps
- G, H and I Trps of 245 LAA Bty became 36, 37 and 38 Trps
In the second phase, on 14 March, these Troops were transferred to other regiments:[2]
- 30, 31 and 32 Trps went to 360, 361 and 362 LAA Btys of 110th LAA Rgt in 43rd (Wessex) Infantry Division[19][20]
- 33, 34 and 35 Trps went to 380, 381 and 382 LAA Btys of 116th LAA Rgt in 53rd (Welsh) Infantry Division[21][22]
- 36, 37 and 38 Trps went to 203, 204 and 278 LAA Btys of 68th LAA Rgt in 59th (Staffordshire) Infantry Division[23][24]
All three divisions landed in Normandy and fought in the campaign in North West Europe.
Finally, RHQ and the battery HQs of 58, 93 and 245 LAA Btys were disbanded on 31 March 1944.[1][2]
Footnote
- D Day), formed 466 LAA Bty from men of low medical categories at the same time.[13]
Notes
- ^ a b Farndale, Annex M.
- ^ a b c d e Frederick, pp. 800–3, 816, 828.
- ^ a b Farndale, Annex D.
- ^ Routledge, pp. 52–5.
- ^ Collier, p. 307.
- ^ Collier, Appendix XIV.
- ^ Collier, Appendix XXX.
- ^ Routledge, pp. 384–5.
- ^ Routledge, Table LXV, p. 397.
- ^ a b Order of Battle of Non-Field Force Units in the United Kingdom, Part 27: AA Command, 12 May 1941, with amendments, The National Archives (TNA), Kew, file WO 212/79.
- ^ a b Order of Battle of Non-Field Force Units in the United Kingdom, Part 27: AA Command, 2 December 1941, with amendments, TNA file WO 212/80.
- ^ Frederick, pp. 806, 840.
- ^ 73 LAA Rgt War Diary 1942, TNA file WO 166/7662.
- ^ Order of Battle of Non-Field Force Units in the United Kingdom, Part 27: AA Command, 1 October 1942, with amendments, TNA file WO 212/82.
- ^ a b Order of Battle of Non-Field Force Units in the United Kingdom, Part 27: AA Command, 13 March 1943, with amendments, TNA file WO 212/83.
- ^ Routledge, pp. 401–5.
- ^ Order of Battle of the Forces in the United Kingdom, Part 2: 21 Army Group, 24 July 1943, with amendments, TNA file WO 212/238.
- ^ Routledge, pp. 78, 306.
- ^ Frederick, p. 837.
- ^ Joslen, p. 69.
- ^ Frederick, p. 838.
- ^ Joslen, p. 87.
- ^ Frederick, p. 831.
- ^ Joslen, p. 93.
References
- Basil Collier, History of the Second World War, United Kingdom Military Series: The Defence of the United Kingdom, London: HM Stationery Office, 1957/Uckfield: Naval & Military, 2004, ISBN 978-1-84574-055-9.
- Gen Sir ISBN 1-85753-080-2.
- J.B.M. Frederick, Lineage Book of British Land Forces 1660–1978, Vol II, Wakefield: Microform Academic, 1984, ISBN 1-85117-009-X.
- Joslen, H. F. (2003) [1960]. Orders of Battle: Second World War, 1939–1945. Uckfield, East Sussex: Naval and Military Press. ISBN 978-1-84342-474-1.
- Brig N.W. Routledge, History of the Royal Regiment of Artillery: Anti-Aircraft Artillery 1914–55, London: Royal Artillery Institution/Brassey's, 1994, ISBN 1-85753-099-3