19th Anti-Aircraft Brigade, R.A.<

The 19th Anti-Aircraft Brigade, R.A., was formed at Woolwich on 1st May 1942, with Brigadier A.C. Hancocks, M.C. in command.  The Brigade left Woolwich on 25th May 1942 and moved to the port of embarkation where it boarded the next day on what is presumed to have been the troopship Warwick Castle, which sailed as part of Convoy WS 19P.  The ship carrying the Brigade personnel arrived at Mombasa on 14th July and the men disembarked the next day.  Also disembarked were eight 3.7-inch static guns and twenty-four 40mm Bofors light anti-aircraft guns.  The Brigade Headquarters may have come under the command of the H.Q. Fortress Mombasa.[1]

Training of African gunners began at Shimo-La-Tewa on 23rd July 1942.  Additional guns were unloaded from the City of York on 24th July: four 3.7-inch static guns and four mobile 3.7-inch guns.

Under command were:

- ‘F’ Regiment, R.A.,
- 123rd H.A.A. Regiment, R.A.,
- 96th L.A.A. Regiment, R.A.

On 6th August 1942, the Regimental H.Q., 123rd H.A.A. Regiment, R.A. and that of the 96th L.A.A. Regiment R.A. moved from Nyali Transit Camp to Tudor House, Mombasa.  The Batteries of the 123rd Regiment were deployed to gun sites on 6th August.  Additional guns – sixteen static 3.7-inch and twelve 40mm Bofors, arrived on 16th August.  The Brigade H.Q. moved from the old Fortress H.Q. to Shankland’s House, Kizingo Road West, Mombasa on 18th August.[2]

On 22nd August, the first cadre of seven British Officers and Other Ranks was sent to the A.A.T.C. at Shimo-la-Tewa for ‘Africanisation’ to form the cadre known as ‘2/76 L.A.A. Battery’.  The H.Q., ‘F’ Regiment, R.A. moved from the Transit Camp at Nyali to Nvita Road East, Mombasa on 31st August.  R.D.F. equipment arrived from the United Kingdom on 5th September.[3]

Major I.F. Bowater was appointed as C.R.A., Islands Area on 13th September.  The following day, Brigadier Hancocks relinquished command of the Brigade and went to Nairobi to assume the post of B.R.A. E.A. Command.  Lt Colonel W.J. Feist, Commanding Officer of the 96th L.A.A. Regiment, R.A., assumed command of the Brigade.[4]

‘Africanisation’ continued when on 19th September 1942 with the 2nd Cadre, 162nd H.A.A. Battery moving to the A.A.T.C.  The Battery H.Q., 300th Battery, 96th L.A.A. Regiment, R.A. moved to Azania Drive, Mombasa on 26th September.

[Location statement 2nd September 1942] 

On 24th October, the first ‘Africanised’ anti-aircraft battery, the 201st (E.A.) L.A.A. Battery, E.A. left the A.A.T.C. at Shimo-la-Tewa and went to Nyali Camp.  The 479th Battery, 96th L.A.A. Regiment, R.A. left the camp and moved to Mombasa.  That same day, a second cadre – the ‘1/76 L.A.A. Battery’ moved to the A.A.T.C.

The 151st (E.A.) H.A.A. Battery, E.A.A. left the A.A.T.C on 15th November 1942 to relieve the ‘1/162 H.A.A. Battery’ at site H.6.  This cadre moved to the A.A.T.C.  A formation letter, dated 13th November 1942, was received on 18th November, sanctioning the formation of the 152nd (E.A.) H.A.A. and the 202nd (E.A.) Light A.A. Batteries.  Further letters received on 4th December authorised the disbandment of ‘F’ Regiment, R.A and the formation of the 15th (E.A.) H.A.A. Regiment, E.A.A., the 20th (E.A.) L.A.A. Regiment, E.A.A. and the 203rd (E.A.) L.A.A. Battery, E.A.A.  With effect from 14th November 1942, ‘F’ A.A. Regiment, R.A. was re-designated to become the 15th H.A.A. Regiment, E.A.A.[5] 

[Location statement 5th November 1942] 

On 6th December 1942, senior officers and regiment commanders went to Diego Suarez, Madagascar, to consult with the C.R.A. Islands Area about the deployment of equipment at Diego Suarez, the Seychelles and Mauritius.  The 145th L.A.A. Troop, R.A. (independent) disembarked at Mombasa from the S.S. Taklewa from Diego Suarez on 29th December.  On 28th December, orders were issued by the Brigade confirming the imminent departure of the 151st (E.A.) H.A.A. Battery for Madagascar.[6]

On 3rd January 1943, the gun site H.6 was handed over by the 151st (E.A.) Battery 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 (E.A.) Battery moved to Kilindini Docks where it embarked for Madagascar.[7]

The 202nd (East African) Light Anti-Aircraft Battery, E.A.A. completed formation on 2nd January 1943 and moved to Nyali Transit Camp for further training.  On 4th January, the 151st Battery moved to Kilindini Docks where it embarked for Madagascar.  The British element of 203rd (E.A.) L.A.A. Battery, E.A.A. moved to the A.A.T.C. at Shimo-la-Tewa that same day.  On 23rd January, the 152nd Battery took over the Battery H.Q. at Makupa, Mombasa, and gun site H.6, relieving the 404th Battery, 123rd H.A.A. Regiment R.A.  The 404th Battery moved to site H.5.  The 201st (E.A.) L.A.A. Battery, by now attached to the 96th L.A.A. Regiment, R.A., was ordered to embark for Madagascar, as listed in the 19th A.A. Brigade Movement Order No.2, dated 17th January.  The Battery embarked at Kilindini on 21st January to relieve the 238th L.A.A. Battery, R.A.  The 201st Battery disembarked at Diego Suarez on 27th January and the 238th L.A.A. Battery moved to Kenya, where it disembarked at Mombasa on 2nd February and went to Nyali Transit Camp.[8]

[Instead of repeating details of battery movements here – when complete, create a summary of toings and froings based on individual battery accounts.]

[Location statement 1st February 1943] 

During March 1943, the A.A.T.C. moved from Shimo-la-Tewa to Camp 27 at Athir River.  On 23rd March, the first party left for Athi River, followed by the main party on 25th March.

 

H.Q. Air Defence Commander Mombasa

The H.Q. 19th A.A. Brigade ceased to be designated so on 3rd May 1943, from which time it was became H.Q. Air Defence Commander Mombasa.[9]  Colonel W.J. Feist assumed this position, located at Mombasa.

Colonel Feist assumed command of the 16th (E.A.)  H.A.A. Regiment, E.A.A., in addition to his existing duties, on 23rd July 1943, following the relinquishment of command of the Regiment by Lt. Colone H.G.T. De Sausmares.

[The war diary A.A. Defence Commander ends on 31st May 1944.]

References to the A.A.D.C. continue to be made in the war diary of the 16th (E.A.) H.A.A. Regiment, E.A.A. war diary until the end of July 1944.  From August 1944, this Regiment is listed as serving under the H.Q. Coast Sub Area but was then itself disbanded on 30th September.[10]

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