305th (East Africa) Regiment, E.A.A.

The 305th (East Africa) Regiment, E.A.A. began as the 304th (East Africa) Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment, E.A.A. before being redesignated as the 305th (E.A.) L.A.A. Regiment.  Later, it became (briefly) an anti-tank regiment.  Here is a summary:

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

5th March 1943 (wef)     formed
5th May 1943                may not have completed formation until this date
14th October 1943         redesignated as the 305th (E.A.) L.A.A. Regiment, E.A.A.

305th (East Africa) Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment, E.A.A.

14th October 1943         by re-designation of the 304th (E.A.) L.A.A. Regiment, E.A.A.
1st February 1944         appears to have reformed as the 305th (E.A.) Anti-Tank Regiment, E.A.A.

305th (East Africa) Anti-Tank Regiment, E.A.A.

1st February 1944         appears to have formed from the 305th (E.A.) L.A.A. Regiment, E.A.A.
1st March 1944             converted to become the 308th (E.A.) Field Regiment, E.A.A.

 

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

The 304th (East Africa) Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment, E.A.A. appears to have formed with effect from 5th March 1943, but may not have completed formation until 5th May 1943.  Regimented were the 203rd, 204th and 205th (E.A.) L.A.A. Batteries; formed respectively on 5th March 1943, 13th March and 5th March.  However, on 25th March the 203rd Battery was regimented with the 96th L.A.A. Regiment, R.A., whilst remaining at Shimo-la-Tewa.[1] 

The Regiment was formed on a mobile establishment for service as Divisional Artillery with the 11th (E.A.) Infantry Division.    Lt. Colonel E.R. Mayer arrived from the United Kingdom to assume command of the Regiment on 6th May 1943.

The Regiment was formally designated as Divisional Artillery, 11th (E.A.) Infantry Division when the Divisional H.Q. opened at Moshi on 17th May 1943.[2]

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

The Regiment was redesignated as the 305th (E.A.) L.A.A. Regiment, E.A.A. on 14th October 1943.[5]

 

305th (East Africa) Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment, E.A.A.

The 304th (East Africa) Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment, E.A.A. 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.  The unit remained at Athi River.  The Commanding Officer was Lt. Colonel E.R. Colonel Mayer.[6]

In early November 1943, the Commanding Officer attended a conference to discuss the transfer of the Regiment to Ceylon as part of the fourth flight of the 11th (E.A.) Infantry Division.  During December, mobilisation was completed.[7]

However, having been formed as the Divisional L.A.A. regiment for the 11th (E.A.) Infantry Division, the unit remained in Kenya and never joined the Division in SEAC.  Infantry divisions serving in SEAC lost their L.A.A. regiments (being largely redundant and an unnecessary burden on the logistics chain) during 1943.  Anti-aircraft defence was provided for by reorganisation of the divisional anti-tank and L.A.A. regiments to form combined L.A.A./anti-tank regiments.  This is why the 305th Regiment did not join the 11th (E.A.) Division in India; the anti-aircraft/anti-tank role later being served by the 304th (E.A.) Regiment.

The 305th (E.A.) L.A.A. Regiment remained in readiness for overseas transfer throughout January 1944, however, on 1st February personnel from the Regiment together with those from the 304th (E.A.) Anti-Tank Regiment, E.A.A. combined to form the 304th (E.A.) Anti-Tank/L.A.A. Regiment, E.A.A.  Surplus British Officers of the 304th Regiment were posted to the 305th (E.A.) Anti-Tank Regiment, E.A.A.  The personnel of the 203rd and 204th L.A.A. Batteries were posted to the 304th Regiment whilst the 205th L.A.A. Battery became an independent battery attached to the 304th (E.A.) Anti-Tank/L.A.A. Regiment until 20th February.[8]

 

305th (East Africa) Anti-Tank Regiment, E.A.A.

The 305th (E.A.) Anti-Tank Regiment, E.A.A. was formed, or intended to have formed, briefly during February 1944.  Surplus British Officers of the 304th Regiment were posted to the 305th (E.A.) Anti-Tank Regiment, E.A.A.  The 305th (E.A.) Anti-Tank Regiment was formed of the 103rd, 104th and the 105th (E.A.) Anti-Tank Batteries.[9]

Whether the anti-tank regiment completed reorganisation is not known, but on 1st March 1944, the 305th Regiment converted to become a field regiment: the 308th (E.A.) Field Regiment, E.A.A. with the 70th and 71st Field Batteries converted from the 103rd and 104th Batteries.  The 105th Battery was de-regimented from the 305th Regiment to become an independent battery.[10]

03 April 2025