204th (East African) Light Anti-Aircraft Battery, E.A.A.

On 19th February 1943, the H.Q. 19th A.A. Brigade received a formation letter, dated 16th February (referring to the War Office signal sanctioning the formation of the Battery, dated 18th May 1942), authorising the formation of the 204th Battery.[1]

The 204th (East African) Light Anti-Aircraft Battery, E.A.A. was formed at the A.A.T.C., Shimo-la-Tewa on 13th March 1943 and regimented with the 304th (East Africa) Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment, E.A.A.[2]

304th (E.A.) L.A.A. Regiment, E.A.A.

The 299th Battery provided the British element of the 204th (E.A.) L.A.A. Battery, E.A.A.[3]

On 23rd March 1943, two British N.C.O.s moved from Mombasa to Camp 27, Athi River, as part of the relocation of the A.A.T.C.  A second party moved two days later, at which point the Battery was attached to the A.A.TC. for all purposes.  Additional personnel left Mombasa for Athi River on 2nd April, arriving the next day.[4]

305th (E.A.) L.A.A. Regiment, E.A.A.

The 304th (E.A.) L.A.A. Regiment was redesignated as the 305th (E.A.) L.A.A. Regiment, E.A.A. on 14th October 1943.  The existing Batteries – 203rd-205th – remained regimented at Athi River. 

304th (E.A.) Anti-Tank/L.A.A. Regiment, E.A.A. 

On 1st February 1944 the 305th Regiment 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.[5]

The 204th Battery, with the R.H.Q. and the 203rd Battery embarked for Ceylon on 21st February 1944, where they disembarked on 5th March and went to Illimbe Camp, Horana.  On 9th April, the Regiment left for Dambulla.  The two L.A.A. batteries left on 9th May for Trincomalee for training, returning to Dambulla on 31st May.  The Battery left with the Regiment for Colombo between 14th and 18th June where they embarked for India.  Leaving Ceylon on 20th June, the men disembarked at Chittagong on 13th July and moved to Dohazari the next day.[6]

The Regiment left Dohazari by train on 10th August, arriving at Kakching village, near Palel, Imphal on 20th August.[7]

On 3rd September 1944, at Kakching, near Palel, Imphal, personnel of the 204th (E.A.) L.A.A. Battery were re-organised to become a new 103rd (E.A.) Anti-Tank/Mortar Battery, E.A.A.  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.  [A previous 103rd Anti-Tank Battery converted to become a field battery with the 308th (E.A.) Field Regiment, E.A.A. in Kenya on 1st March 1944.] [8]

29 March 2025