156th (East Africa) Composite A.A. / H.A.A. Battery, E.A.A.

  

156th (East Africa) Composite A.A. Battery, E.A.A.

The original H.Q. East Africa Command formation letter authorising the formation of the 156th (E.A.) Heavy Battery, E.A.A. (to form on 21st August 1943), was superseded on 11th September 1943 by a new formation letter authorising the formation of the 251st (E.A.) Composite A.A. Battery, E.A.A.  The new Battery was to form with effect from 21st August 1943.  The amendment to the Location Statement for H.Q. Central Area, dated 1st October 1943, lists both the 156th (E.A.) H.A.A. and the 251st (E.A.) Composite Batteries present at Athi River.  By 1st November, only the 156th Battery is listed and is designated as a Composite Battery.  It appears that 251st Battery was either partially raised or never formed and the 156th (East Africa) Composite Anti-Aircraft Battery, E.A.A. was raised in its stead.[1]

The 156th (East Africa) Composite Anti-Aircraft Battery, E.A.A., formed at Athi River.  The British element of the Battery, supplied by the 417th H.A.A. Battery, R.A., moved from sites H.3 and H.6 to the A.A. Artillery Depot and Training Centre at Athi River, leaving Mombasa on 12th September 1943.  Upon arrival the next day, it came under the command of Centre.[2]

On 17th February 1944, the Battery H.Q. and ‘A’ Troop of the Battery, 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.[3]

‘B’ Troop, with the 207th (E.A.) L.A.A. Battery, moved from Athi River to Nyali Transit Camp on 22nd March 1944.[4]

The Battery moved to site H.2 on 5th May 1944.  On 20th May, a troop from the 206th Battery, 20th (E.A.) L.A.A. Regiment, E.A.A., was posted to the 156th Battery and remained deployed on sites L.1, L.3-L.6.  This troop appears to have been designated ‘C’ Troop.  It left sites L.3 and L.5 and took over sites L.9 and L.10 on 20th June 1944.  ‘B’ Troop, having completed training at Athi River, arrived at Mombasa on 25th June 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.[5]

‘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.[6]

 

156th (East Africa) Heavy Anti-Aircraft Battery, E.A.A.

The 16th (E.A.) H.A.A. Regiment, E.A.A. was disbanded on 30th September 1944 and the Battery became an independent unit the following day.  It appears to have been redesignated a heavy anti-aircraft battery at this time, formed of ‘A’ and ‘B’ Troops.  The Battery now assumed the role of A.A.D.C Mombasa.  The Commander was Major R.H. Henderson.[7]

Major N.F. Godfrey was posted to command the Battery from the 152nd (E.A.) H.A.A. Battery, E.A.A. on 1st April 1945.[8]

On 14th June 1945, the Battery personnel left Mombasa for Athi River, all gun sites being handed over to the 152nd Battery.  Between 11th and 22nd September, the Battery returned to Mombasa.  Major F.A. Passells assumed command of the Battery on 27th October.  The Battery remained in Mombasa throughout 1946.[9]

06 April 2025