203rd (East African) Light Anti-Aircraft Battery, E.A.A.
The H.Q. 19th A.A. Brigade received on 4th December 1942, sanction to form the 203rd (E.A.) L.A.A. Battery, E.A.A. The cadre (five Officers and eighty-four B.O.R.s) of the 203rd (E.A.) L.A.A. Battery, E.A.A. (posted from the 96th L.A.A. Regiment, R.A.) moved to gun site L.8 on 30th December.[1]
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 to begin formation on 4th January 1943. It is listed in the 19th A.A. Brigade location statement dated 1st February 1943 as being at the A.A.T.C., under the command of Major J.H.S. Walton.[2]
The Battery is listed as having formed with effect from 5th March 1943.[3]
The Battery was due to complete its training at the A.A.T.C on 13th March 1943. However, the A.A.T.C. moved to Athi River on 25th March, on which date the 203rd Battery was regimented with the 96th L.A.A. Regiment, R.A., whilst remaining at Shimo-la-Tewa.[4] The designation of the 96th L.A.A. Regiment, R.A. was changed on 15th May 1943 to become the 20th (E.A.) Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment, E.A.A.[5]
304th (E.A.) L.A.A. Regiment, E.A.A.
The 203rd (E.A.) L.A.A. Battery, E.A.A. moved from Shimo-la-Tewa to Athi River, arriving on 3rd June. On arrival, it was regimented with the 304th (E.A.) L.A.A. Regiment, E.A.A.[6]
305th (E.A.) L.A.A. Regiment, E.A.A.
The Regiment was redesignated as the 305th (E.A.) L.A.A. Regiment, E.A.A. on 14th October 1943.[7]
304th (E.A.) Anti-Tank/L.A.A. Regiment, E.A.A.
On 1st February 1944, the 305th (E.A.) L.A.A. Regiment, E.A.A. was merged with the 304th (E.A.) Anti-Tank Regiment, E.A.A. to form the 304th (E.A.) Anti-Tank/L.A.A. Regiment, E.A.A. The personnel of the 203rd and 204th L.A.A. Batteries were posted to the new regiment.[8]
The Regiment left Athi River for Kilindini, Mombasa on 20th February 1944 and the next day, the R.H.Q., 304th Regiment embarked on H.M.T. W.53; the 203rd and 204th Batteries embarked on H.M.T. W.52. These units disembarked at Colombo on 5th March 1944 and moved to Illimbe Camp, Horana, coming under the command of the 11th (E.A.) Infantry Division.[9]
The Regiment embarked on 18th June 1944 or India, where it disembarked at Chittagong on 26th June, before moving to Dohazari the next day. It left Dohazari by train on 10th August, arriving at Kakching village, near Palel, Imphal on 20th August.[10]
At Kakching, on 26th August 1944, the Regiment re-organised as an anti-tank/mortar regiment. Regimented were the 101st, 102nd and 103rd Anti-Tank/Mortar Batteries (the 103rd being reorganised from personnel of the 204th L.A.A. Battery). Surplus personnel were posted to the 203rd L.A.A. Battery, which on 11th October, was transferred to the 11th (E.A.) Division Transit Camp for return to East Africa for disbandment.[11]
A draft of former personnel of the 203rd L.A.A. Battery arrived at the E.A.A. Depot & Training Centre at Athi River, Kenya from the S.E.A.C. theatre on 4th April 1945.[12]
Summary history of the 203rd (East Africa) L.A.A. Battery, E.A.A.
© Steve Rothwell
27 March 2025
[1] War diary 96th L.A.A. Regiment, R.A, WO 169/7016; War diary 19th A.A. Brigade, WO 169/7009
[2] War diary A.A. Defence Commander, WO 169/14091
[3] War diary 304th (E.A.) L.A.A. Regiment, E.A.A., WO 169/14098
[4] WO 169/14091
[5] WO 169/14097
[6] WO 169/14091; WO 169/14098
[7] War diary 305th (E.A.) L.A.A. Regiment, E.A.A., WO 169/14099
[8] War diary 304th (E.A.) Atk/L.A.A. Regiment, E.A.A., WO 172/6522
[9] WO 172/6522
[10] WO 172/6522
[12] War diary E.A.A. Depot & Training Centre, Athi River, WO 172/6522