74th (City of Glasgow) Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery
74th (City of Glasgow) Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery 474 (City of Glasgow) Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery | |
---|---|
Territorial Army | |
Role | Air defence |
Size | Regiment |
Part of | Anti-Aircraft Command Middle East Forces Ninth Army |
Garrison/HQ | Glasgow |
Engagements | World War II |
Commanders | |
Notable commanders | Brevet Colonel John Muirhead, DSO, MC, TD |
74th (City of Glasgow) Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery, was a
Origin
During the period of international tension following the
74th AA Brigade consisted of 230, 231 and 232 AA Batteries and the first officers' commissions (its official date of creation) were dated 1 November 1938. On 1 January 1939, in common with all other AA brigades, it was redesignated a regiment, and in September 1939 it gained its subtitle, becoming 74th (City of Glasgow) AA Regiment. Its regimental headquarters (RHQ) was at 34 West George Street, Glasgow.
Mobilisation
In June 1939, as the international situation worsened, a partial mobilisation of TA units was begun in a process known as 'couverture', whereby each AA unit did a month's tour of duty in rotation to man selected AA and searchlight positions. On 24 August, ahead of the declaration of war, Anti-Aircraft Command was fully mobilised at its war stations.[9]
On 1 June 1940 those AA regiments like 74th equipped with 3-inch or the newer 3.7-inch guns were termed Heavy Anti-Aircraft (HAA) to distinguish them from the new Light Anti-Aircraft (LAA) units being formed.[5][6]
Although Glasgow like other British cities was soon to be heavily bombed during
Middle East
On 8 January 1941 the regiment came under the command of 2 AA Bde, newly arrived in Cairo. By the end of January 1941 the regiment under Col Muirhead was stationed in the Suez Canal Line of Communication Area under British Troops in Egypt, with 230 HAA Bty under Major L.C. Dunn detached to Port Said and 232 HAA Bty defending the Canal and Alexandria.[13][14][15][16][17]
After the
The regiment remained with
During 1944 the Eastern Mediterranean AA Group began to be run down: the air threat had diminished and the need to provide manpower for combat tasks elsewhere had become urgent. Surplus AA units in the region began to be disbanded. In June 1944, 74th HAA Rgt was in Alexandria under 17 AA Bde, but the following month that brigade was disbanded and 74th (City of Glasgow) HAA Regiment with 230, 232 and 683 HAA Btys passed into suspended animation on 14 November.[5][13][22][27][28]
Postwar
When the TA was reconstituted on 1 January 1947, the regiment reformed as 474 (City of Glasgow) HAA Regiment, with its RHQ at Yorkhill Parade drill hall, Glasgow. It formed part of 77 AA Bde (the wartime 51 AA Bde, based in Glasgow).[5][6][29][30][31][32][33]
On 2 May 1950 the regiment absorbed 592 (Glasgow) LAA Rgt, without change of title or role. AA Command was disbanded on 10 March 1955 and there were wholesale amalgamations amongst its units. 474 HAA Regiment was amalgamated with the remaining units of 77 AA Bde, 483 (Blythswood) HAA Rgt and 591 (Cameronians) LAA Rgt. The combined unit was designated 445 (Cameronians) LAA Rgt, in which 474 Rgt formed R (Glasgow) Bty.[6][29][30][34]
Honorary Colonel
Alan Burns, 4th Baron Inverclyde, was appointed Honorary Colonel of the regiment on 11 January 1939.[3][35]
Notes
- ^ Obituary, The Times, 19 February 1972.
- ^ Who was Who 1917–1980.
- ^ a b c Army List, various dates.
- ^ a b Muirhead at Generals of WWII.
- ^ a b c d e Frederick, pp. 755, 774.
- ^ a b c d Litchfield, p. 290.
- ^ Routledge, Table LX, p. 378.
- ^ AA Command 3 September 1939 at Patriot Files.
- ^ Routledge, pp. 65–6, 371.
- ^ Farndale, p. 130.
- ^ Playfair, Vol I, pp. 213–4.
- ^ Routledge, pp. 127–8.
- ^ a b c d "74 HAA Rgt at RA 39–45".
- ^ Farndale, p. 119.
- ^ Joslen, p. 479.
- ^ Routledge, p. 129; Table XIX, p. 141.
- ^ a b 2 AA Bde War Diary, Middle East, 1941, The National Archives (TNA), Kew, file WO 169/1560.
- ^ Playfair, Vol II, pp. 298–301.
- ^ Farndale, Annex J.
- ^ Joslen, p. 482.
- ^ Routledge, Table XXII, p. 143.
- ^ a b c Joslen, pp. 484–5.
- ^ Joslen, p. 487.
- ^ Routledge, Table XXIV, p. 162.
- ^ Frederick, p.763.
- ^ Routledge, Table XXV, p. 164.
- ^ a b Routledge, Table XXVI, p. 165.
- ^ Routledge, pp. 160–1.
- ^ a b Frederick, pp. 1017.
- ^ a b 474–519 Rgts RA at British Army 1945 onwards.
- ^ Farndale, Annex M.
- ^ Litchfield, Appendix 5.
- ^ Watson, TA 1947.
- ^ Frederick, p. 1014, 1025.
- ^ Burke's.
References
- Burke's Peerage, Baronetage and Knightage, 100th Edn, London, 1953.
- 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.
- Norman E.H. Litchfield, The Territorial Artillery 1908–1988 (Their Lineage, Uniforms and Badges), Nottingham: Sherwood Press, 1992, ISBN 0-9508205-2-0.
- Maj-Gen I.S.O. Playfair, "History of the Second World War, United Kingdom Military Series: The Mediterranean and Middle East", Vol I: The Early Successes against Italy (to May 1941), London: HMSO, 1954/Uckfield, Naval & Military Press, 2004 ISBN 1-845740-65-3.
- Maj-Gen I.S.O. Playfair, "History of the Second World War, United Kingdom Military Series: The Mediterranean and Middle East", Vol II: The Germans come to the aid of their Ally (1941), London: HMSO, 1956/Uckfield, Naval & Military Press, 2004 ISBN 1-845740-66-1.
- 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