205th (East African) Light Anti-Aircraft Battery, E.A.A.

304th (E.A.) Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment, E.A.A.

The 205th (East African) Light Anti-Aircraft Battery, E.A.A. was formed at the A.A.T.C., Shimo-la-Tewa on 5th March 1943 and regimented with the 304th (East Africa) Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment, E.A.A.[1]

On 18th March 1943, the H.Q. 19th A.A. Brigade received the formation letter, dated 17th March 1943, for the 304th L.A.A. Regiment, the 205th (E.A.) L.A.A. Battery and the 154th (E.A.) H.A.A. Battery, E.A.A.[2]

The European element of the Battery underwent pre-cadre training under arrangements with the 96th L.A.A. Battery, R.A.  On 23rd March 1943, one Officer and two British N.C.O.s moved 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.[3]

On 22nd May 1943, the Regiment, with the 204th and 205th Batteries, concentrated at Camp 27A, Athi River; the 203rd Battery was in Mombasa until it moved from Shimo-la-Tewa to Athi River, arriving on 3rd June.[4]

305th (E.A.) Light Anti-Aircraft 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.[5]

Independent

The 305th (E.A.) L.A.A. Regiment remained in readiness for overseas transfer throughout January 1944, however, on 1st February it 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 whilst the 205th L.A.A. Battery became an independent battery, under the command of Major T.St.G. Caulfield, and attached to the 304th (E.A.) Atk/L.A.A. Regiment until 20th February when the Regiment left Athi River.[6]

In February 1944, the Battery exchanged locations with the 202nd (E.A.) L.A.A. Battery, E.A.A.  On 28th February, the Battery left Athi River for Port Reitz, whilst the 202nd Battery left Port Reitz for Athi River.  The Battery took over at Port Reitz on 1st March in a non-operational role.  The 205th Battery left Port Reitz aerodrome on 10th April for Athi River, which was reached by road on 12th April.  Major H. Middlehurst assumed command on 1st July 1944.[7]

The 205th (E.A.) L.A.A. Battery arrived at Gilgil on 6th September 1944 for conversion, training as an anti-tank/mortar battery and for regimentation with the 105th Anti-Tank Battery with the yet-to-be-formed 311th (E.A.) Anti-Tank Regiment, E.A.A.  However, no date for the formation of this regiment had been received up to that date.  Throughout the month, the Battery assisted with the anti-tank training of the 205th Battery, while continuing to train itself with the 3-inch mortar.[8]

On 25th September 1944, at Gilgil, the Battery was converted and redesignated to become the 106th (E.A.) Anti-Tank Battery, E.A.A.  Together with the 105th (E.A.) Anti-Tank Battery, it was regimented with the 311th (E.A.) Anti-Tank Regiment, E.A.A., which was also formed on 25th September.[9]

29 March 2025