151st (East AFrica) Heavy Anti-Aircraft Battery, E.A.A

The 151st (East Africa) H.A.A. Battery, E.A.A., formed as a cadre battery at the A.A.T.C. Shimo-la-Tewa with personnel transferred from ‘A’ Troop, 162nd H.A.A. Battery, R.A., with effect from 19th September 1942, and was regimented with the 15th (E.A.) H.A.A. Regiment, E.A.A. that same day.  Forty-five British Other Ranks formed the cadre and began training 150 African gunners.  The Battery Commander, Captain F.W. Volrath arrived on 28th September.  On 12th October, the cadre battery was confirmed as the 151st (East Africa) Heavy Anti-Aircraft Battery, E.A.A. on 12th October, with a formation date of 19th September 1942.[1]

On 15th November 1942, the 151st Battery left Shimo-la-Tewa to take over the gun site H.6, with Battery H.Q. going to Makupa, under the command of the 19th A.A. Brigade.  On 18th December the gun site at Kipevu was visited by Wakamba and Jaluo Chiefs.  On 3rd January, the gun site was handed over to the 404th H.A.A. Battery, R.A. while the B.H.Q. handed over to the 152nd H.A.A. Battery.  The following day, the 151st Battery moved to Kilindini Docks where it embarked for Madagascar.  The Battery arrived and disembarked at Diego Suarez on 7th January, where it immediately took over sites H.1 - H.3 and Battery H.Q. from the 154th H.A.A. Battery, Royal Artillery.  The Battery is presumed to have been under the command of the H.Q. R.A. Diego Suarez Fortress, under the Headquarters Island Area.  The H.Q. 15th Regiment with the 152nd H.A.A. Battery, E.A.A. disembarked at Antsirane, Madagascar on 27th February 1943.  The R.H.Q took over from the B.H.Q., 151st H.A.A. Battery, E.A.A., which now came under command of the Regiment, while the 152nd Battery H.Q. and ‘B’ Troop took over the site H.3 from the 151st Battery, which moved to Polygone Point H.1., with ‘B’ Troop at Caimans H.2.  The gun site at Caimans (H.2) was handed over by ‘B’ Troop, 151st H.A.A. Battery to ‘A’ Troop, 152nd H.A.A. Battery on 2nd December.[2] 

A warning order for the return to Kenya of the Regimental H.Q., together with the 151st and 201st Batteries, was received from the H.Q. Islands Area on 28th April 1944.  The embarkation order was received on 21st June and the Battery left Polygone Point and embarked at Diego Suarez on 30th June.[3]

The 151st H.A.A. Battery returned to Kenya, sailing on 1st July 1944 and disembarking at Mombasa on the evening of 3rd July.  The following day, the Battery went by train to the A.A.T.C. at Athi River.  On 10th October, ‘A’ Troop, 152nd H.A.A. Battery, E.A.A. was attached for all purposes, the 151st becoming a three-troop battery.  The Battery H.Q. and ‘B’ Troop, 152nd Battery arrived at Athi River on 1st November.  The 151st H.A.A. Battery was disbanded on 10th November 1944, all ranks being posted to the 152nd H.A.A. Battery, E.A.A. to form a three troop, 152nd H.A.A. Battery, E.A.A.[4]

26 January 2025