123rd Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment, R.A. - 16th (East Africa) Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment, E.A.A.

The Regimental H.Q., 16th (E.A.) H.A.A. Regiment was formed by the redesignation of the 123rd H.A.A. Regiment, R.A. in East Africa on 13th June 1942.  The 123rd Regiment was despatched from the United Kingdom to provide training and cadres for new East African units.

 

123rd Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment, R.A. (T.A.)

The 123rd Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment, R.A. (T.A.) was formed at King’s Park, Glasgow on 27th February 1941.  On 10th March, the 402nd, 403rd and 404th Batteries were regimented and were joined on 10th April by the 417th Battery.[1]

The 414th Battery joined from the 8th H.A.A. Regiment, R.A. on 10th December 1941.  The 403rd Battery may have left the Regiment at this time.  The 414th Battery did not stay long with the Regiment and joined the 64th H.A.A. Regiment, R.A. on 12th January 1942.  This battery was replaced by the 403rd Battery, which rejoined from being under War Office Control, before leaving again 10th July to join the 147th H.A.A. Regiment, R.A., following the departure overseas of the 123rd Regiment[2]

As from 30th April 1942, the Regiment passed from the Air Defence of Great Britain to War Office Control.  Lt. Colonel A.V. Young returned from a course and resumed command of the Regiment on 1st May.  At this time, the Regiment was located at Stockton-on-Tees.  Lt. Colonel Young relinquished command on 7th May to take command of the 114th H.A.A. Regiment, R.A.  He was succeeded by Lt. Colonel H.G.T. de Sausmarez.  By 9th May, the Regiment had completed a move to Leeds.  By 26th May, the Regiment had embarked upon H.M.T. Warwick Castle at King George V Docks, Glasgow.  The ship sailed on 1st June and joined convoy WS19P.  At South Africa, the convoy was reorganised and the Warwick Castle continued as part of convoy WS19L.  The Warwick Castle detached on 13th July and under the escort of the cruiser Caledon sailed to Mombasa where it arrived later the same day.  The Regiment disembarked the next day.[3]

On 6th August 1942, the Regimental H.Q. moved from Nyali Transit Camp to Tudor House, Mombasa.  The Batteries of the Regiment moved from the Transit Camp on 13th August:

- 402nd H.A.A. Battery, R.A. to gun site H.1,
- 404th H.A.A. Battery, R.A. to gun site H.3,
- 417th H.A.A. Battery, R.A. to gun site H.2.[4]

‘B’ Section, 417th Battery moved site H.2 on 26th August 1942.[5]

The Regiment was deployed at Mombasa under the command of the 19th A.A. Brigade.  On 25th January 1943, a troop of the 404th H.A.A. Battery was relieved by the 152nd (E.A.) H.A.A. Battery, E.A.A., at gun site H.6 at Makupa and moved to H.5.  ‘A’ Troop, 152nd Battery, was attached to the 123rd H.A.A. Regiment, R.A. at Makupa on 23rd February, while the Battery H.Q. and ‘B’ Troop embarked at Mombasa together with the R.H.Q. 15th Regiment.  This troop was then attached to the 404th H.A.A. Battery, R.A. on 25th February.[6]

The 153rd (E.A.) H.A.A. Battery, E.A.A. became permanently attached to the Regiment on 23rd March 1943.  The main body of this battery left the A.A.T.C. at Shimo-la-Tewa on 29th March and occupied gun sites H.4. and H.5  ‘B’ Troop, 417th H.A.A. Battery, R.A., at H.4 was relieved by the incoming East Africans and moved to H.1 where it relieved in turn the Battery H.Q. and ‘A’ Troop of the 402nd H.A.A. Battery, R.A.  This battery provided the British element of the 154th (E.A.) H.A.A. Battery, E.A.A. and these men moved to a camp adjoining H.1.  This cadre left Mombasa for the A.A.T.C. at Shimo-la-Tewa on 2nd April.[7]

The 402nd H.A.A. Battery, R.A. was disbanded on 3rd April 1943.[8]

The British element of the 155th (E.A.) H.A.A. Battery, E.A.A., formed from the 404th H.A.A. Battery, R.A., on 12th June 1943 moved to gun site H5.A, Simanzi.  The surplus personnel of the 404th Battery moved to sites H.1 and H.2, occupied by the 417th H.A.A. Battery, R.A.  The 404th Battery appears to have been disbanded effectively this day.[9]

On 13th June 1943, with effect from 1st June, the 123rd H.A.A. Regiment, R.A., converted to become the 16th (East Africa) H.A.A. Regiment, E.A.A.  The 417th and 153rd (E.A.) and 154th (E.A.) Batteries joined the new regiment.[10]

 

16th (East Africa) Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment, East African Artillery

The 16th (East Africa) Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment, East African was formed at Mombasa with effect from 1st June 1943 by the conversion of the 123rd H.A.A. Regiment, R.A.  Lt. Colonel H.G.H. DeSausuares, R.A. was the Commanding Officer.[11]

The 417th and 153rd (E.A.) and 154th (E.A.) Batteries were regimented with the new regiment.[12]

‘A’ Troop, 152nd Battery, had been attached to the 123rd H.A.A. Regiment, R.A. at Makupa on 23rd February, while the Battery H.Q. and ‘B’ Troop embarked at Mombasa together with the R.H.Q. 15th Regiment.  It remained attached to the newly formed 16th Regiment from 1st June.  With effect from 20th June, this Troop became attached to the 154th (E.A.) H.A.A. Battery for all purposes. On 8th October, it ceased to be attached to the Regiment and left for Madagascar.[13] 

The 153rd (East Africa) Heavy Anti-Aircraft Battery, East African Artillery was regimented from 1st June 1943.[14]

Upon completion of training, the 154th (East Africa) Heavy Anti-Aircraft Battery, East African Artillery, left Athi River on 12th June 1943 for Mombasa, where it arrived the next day.  Upon arrival, the Battery was re-regimented with the 16th (E.A.) H.A.A. Regiment, E.A.A. (as the 402nd Battery, R.A. having been originally regimented with the 123rd H.A.A. Regiment, R.A.) with the 16th (E.A.) H.A.A. Regiment, E.A.A.[15]

Lt. Colonel W.J. Feist, R.A. assumed command of the Regiment during July 1943.  He was succeeded by Lt. Colonel J.S. Smith, R.A. on 11th September 1943.

The 155th (E.A.) H.A.A. Battery, E.A.A., arrived in Mombasa on 12th September 1943, having completed training at the A.A. Artillery Depot and Training Centre at Athi River, and became regimented with the 16th (E.A.) H.A.A. Regiment, E.A.A.  The Battery relieved the 417th Battery at H.3 and H.6.  The 417th Battery then left for Athi River and the next day had ceased to be regimented with the 16th (E.A.) H.A.A. Regiment.[16] 

On 17th February 1944, the Battery H.Q. and ‘A’ Troop of the 156th (East Africa) H.A.A. Battery, E.A.A., having completed training at Athi River, moved to Mombasa and occupied sites H.5A and H.7 respectively.  ‘B’ Troop remained at Athi River.  By the now the Battery had been designated as a composite battery, with the title of 156th (E.A.) Composite A.A. Battery, E.A.A.  The Battery was regimented with the 16th (E.A.) H.A.A. Regiment, E.A.A. on arrival.  When the 207th (E.A.) L.A.A. Battery, moved to the airfield from Nyali Transit camp on 10th April, ‘C’ Troop of that battery was attached to the 156th Battery.[17]

Lt. Colonel J.E.N. Yates, R.A. assumed command on 17th March 1944, being posted from the 20th (E.A.) L.A.A. Regiment, E.A.A.[18]

‘C’ Troop from the 206th Battery was posted to the 156th (E.A.) Composite A.A. Battery, 16th (E.A.) H.A.A. Regiment, on 20th May 1944, and remained deployed on sites L.1, L.3.-L.6.  Site L.5. was closed on 20th June and ‘C’ Troop took over L.9 and L.10.  The 206th L.A.A. Battery was attached to the 16th (E.A.) H.A.A. Regiment for all purposes on 23rd June.  ‘C’ Troop left Mombasa on 25th July 1944 and moved to Athi River, where it came under command of the Depot and Training Centre there.[19]

‘B’ Troop, 156th (E.A.) H.A.A. Battery, E.A.A., was in turn, posted to the 207th (E.A.) L.A.A. Battery on 20th May 1944.  The 207th Battery left for Athi River on 30th May.   Having completed training at Athi River, the Troop returned to Mombasa on 26th June 1944 and relieved the 155th Battery of commitments at site H.7.  ‘B’ Troop was formed of men originally trained as light anti-aircraft gunners, who had converted to use the heavy anti-aircraft guns.[20]

The 157th (East Africa) H.A.A. Battery, E.A.A., having completed training at Athi River, arrived at Mombasa on 22nd March 1944.  The Battery occupied site H.5 with the Battery H.Q. at L.9A.  The Battery was regimented with the 16th (E.A.) H.A.A. Regiment, E.A.A. upon arrival.[21]

On 23rd June 1944, at Mombasa, the 153rd, 154th and 155th H.A.A. Batteries, E.A.A. ceased to be regimented with the 16th H.A.A. Regiment, E.A.A. and became regimented with the 15th (E.A.) H.A.A. Regiment.[22]

Until August 1944, the Regiment is listed as serving under the A.A. Defence Commander, but from August it came under the H.Q. Coast Sub Area.[23]

The 16th (E.A.) H.A.A. Regiment, E.A.A. was disbanded on 30th September 1944.[24]

5 April 2025

[1] "Lineage Book of the British Army; Mounted Corps and Infantry, 1660-1968", Frederick J.B.M., Hope Farm Press (1969); War diary 154th H.A.A. Battery, E.A.A., WO 169/14096

[2] Frederick

[3] War diary 123rd H.A.A. Regiment, R.A., WO 169/7011, WO 169/14094; War diary 19th A.A. Brigade, WO 169/7009; WS Convoys, WO 193/55; https://www.naval-history.net/xAH-WSConvoys05-1942A.htm (accessed 9th April 2024)

[4] War diary 19th A.A. Brigade, WO 169/7009

[5] War diary 19th A.A. Brigade, WO 169/7009

[6] War diary 15th (E.A.) H.A.A. Regiment, E.A.A., WO 169/14093; WO 169/14094

[7] WO 169/14094

[8] Frederick; War diary H.Q. East Africa Command, WO 169/13953

[9] WO 169/14094; Frederick

[10] WO 169/14094; Frederick

[11] War diary 16th (E.A.) H.A.A. Regiment, E.A.A., WO 169/14094

[12] War diary 19th A.A. Brigade, WO 169/7009

[13] War diary 15th (E.A.) H.A.A. Regiment, E.A.A., WO 169/14093; WO 169/14094

[14] WO 169/14094

[15] WO 169/14096

[16] WO 169/14094

[17] War diary 16th (E.A.) H.A.A. Regiment, E.A.A., WO 169/18322; War diary 20th (E.A.) L.A.A. Regiment, WO 169/18327

[18] WO 169/18322

[19] WO 169/18322

[20] WO 169/18322; WO 169/18327

[21] WO 169/18322

[22] WO 169/18322

[23] War diary 16th (E.A.) H.A.A. Regiment, E.A.A., WO 169/18322; War diary A.A. Defence Commander, WO 169/14091, WO 169/18322

[24] WO 169/18322