‘F’ Anti-Aircraft Regiment, R.A. - 15th (East Africa) Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment, E.A.A.

The Regimental H.Q., 15th (E.A.) H.A.A. Regiment was formed by the redesignation of the H.Q., ‘F’ A.A. Regiment, R.A. in East Africa on 14th November 1942.

 

‘F’ Anti-Aircraft Regiment, R.A.

The Headquarters, ‘F’ Anti-Aircraft Regiment, R.A. was formed at Woolwich on 15th April 1942.  The H.Q. was formed to provide a cadre for the training and formation of East African anti-aircraft units.  The Commanding Officer was Lt. Colonel G.D. Ross.  Officers were posted to the Headquarters during April and twelve Other Ranks joined from ‘E’ Battery, R.A. Depot.  The majority went on embarkation leave.  On 25th May, the unit left Woolwich for Glasgow where it embarked the next day on H.M.T. H.2, with a strength of four Officers and twenty-two Other Ranks.  The ship sailed on 27th May and would appear to have joined up with Convoy WS19P.  The troopship appears to have been the Warwick Castle, which after leaving South Africa with Convoy WS 19L on 7th July, detached from the convoy and under the escort of the cruiser Caledon arrived at Mombasa on 14th July 1942.[1]

At Mombasa, the personnel disembarked the next day and went to the Nyali Transit & Detail Camp.  On 15th July, the 162nd H.A.A. and the 76th L.A.A. Batteries, R.A. were regimented.  The Regiment came under the command of the 19th A.A. Brigade.  The 76th L.A.A. Battery vacated the sites it occupied at Port Reitz aerodrome on 22nd July and moved to Rassini Road.  The 162nd H.A.A. Battery moved to the junction of Makindi and Makupa roads on 1st August.  Training and practice firing began and the first detachment left for the Anti-Aircraft Training Centre  at Shimo-La-Tewa on 22nd August.  The Regimental H.Q. left Nyali on 31st August.  Major J.E.N. Yates handed over command of the 76th L.A.A. Battery to Major D.E. Winder on 14th September.[2]

The first stage of ‘Africanisation’ began on 19th September 1942, with the first detachment going to the A.A.T.C. that day, being drawn from the 2nd Cadre, 162nd H.A.A. Battery.  Thirty African Other Ranks transferred from the 96th L.A.A. Regiment, R.A. to the 76th L.A.A. Battery on 1st October.  Surplus British personnel were posted away from the 76th L.A.A. Battery.  On 11th October, a formation letter was received from the 19th A.A. Brigade for the formation of the 201st L.A.A. Battery, East African Artillery with effect from 8th August 1942; this was begun with the “2/76” cadre.  On 14th October, the first cadre of personnel for the 151st (E.A.) H.A.A. Battery, East African Artillery was posted from the 162nd H.A.A. Battery.  Others were posted from the 76th L.A.A. Battery to join the 201st (E.A.) L.A.A. Battery, E.A.A.  The latter battery moved from Shimo-La-Tewa to Nyali on 24th October.  The first half of the 76th L.A.A. Battery (“1/76”) went to the A.A.T.C. on 24th October to complete ‘Africanisation’.  The 151st (E.A.) H.A.A. Battery, E.A.A. left Shimo-La-Tewa on 15th November to take up positions at Makupa.[3]

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.[4]

15th (East Africa) Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment, E.A.A.

With effect from 14th November 1942, ‘F’ A.A. Regiment, R.A. was re-designated to become the 15th (East Africa) H.A.A. Regiment, E.A.A.  The Commanding Officer was Lt. Colonel G.D. Ross, R.A.  The 151st (E.A.) H.A.A. Battery, E.A.A., formed at the A.A.T.C. Shimo-la-Tewa on 19th September 1942, was regimented that same day.  The 152nd and 153rd (E.A.) H.A.A. Batteries, E.A.A. were to be regimented upon completion of training at the A.A.T.C.  Pending final regimentation, the 201st (E.A.) L.A.A. Battery had been attached to ‘F’ Regiment, R.A. for all purposes, and remained so to the 15th Regiment, albeit briefly.  The Battery was confirmed as remaining attached to the 15th Regiment by order of the 19th A.A. Brigade, dated 12th December 1942.  However, this was rescinded from 20th December.[5]

The additional batteries to be regimented were formed on the following dates:

- 152nd Battery – 14th November 1942,
- 153rd Battery – 23rd January 1943.

In the event, the 153rd Battery remained in Kenya when the Regiment went to Madagascar and was permanently attached to the 123rd H.A.A. Regiment, R.A. on 23rd March 1943 (the 123rd Regiment subsequently became the 16th (E.A.) H.A.A. Regiment, E.A.A. with effect from 1st June 1943).[6]

On 15th November 1942, the 151st Battery left Shimo-la-Tewa to take over the gun site H.6, with Battery H.Q. going to Makupa, under the command of the 19th A.A. Brigade.  On 18th December the gun site at Kipevu was visited by Wakamba and Jaluo Chiefs.[7]

The 151st H.A.A. Battery, E.A.A. embarked for Madagascar on 4th January 1943 and disembarked at Diego Suarez on 7th January, where it immediately took over sites H.1 - H.3 and Battery H.Q. from the 154th H.A.A. Battery, Royal Artillery.  On 14th January, the 201st L.A.A. Battery, E.A.A. was provisionally regimented with the 15th Regiment.  The Regimental H.Q. Advance Party left for Madagascar on 21st January.  On 23rd January, the 152nd H.A.A. Battery, E.A.A., formed on 14th November 1942, completed training and ‘Africanisation’ at the A.A.T.C. at Shimo-La-Tewa and was regimented with the 15th Regiment.  It took over the Battery H.Q. at Makupa and gun site H.6, relieving the 404th Battery, 123rd H.A.A. Regiment R.A.  A warning order was received on 31st January for the move of the Regiment and the 152nd H.A.A. Battery to Madagascar.  The 201st L.A.A. Battery, E.A.A., embarked at Mombasa on 21st January 1943 and disembarked at Diego Suarez on 26th January.  The following day, the Battery relieved the 238th L.A.A. Battery, Royal Artillery at sites L.7-12.  The Battery was to now operate in an independent role under the direct command of H.Q.R.A. Islands Area.  The 201st L.A.A. Battery was deployed at La Pyro by 18th February (gun sites L.10. – L.12 and L.14).  On 18th February, the 15th Regiment with the 152nd H.A.A. Battery, less one troop, were placed under twenty-four hours’ notice to move to Madagascar, with effect from 24th February.  ‘A’ Troop, 152nd Battery, was attached to the 123rd H.A.A. Regiment, R.A. at Makupa on 23rd February, while the Battery H.Q. and ‘B’ Troop embarked at Mombasa together with the R.H.Q. 15th Regiment.[8]

The 15th Regiment and the 152nd Battery disembarked at Antsirane, Madagascar on 27th February 1943.  The R.H.Q took over from the B.H.Q., 151st H.A.A. Battery, E.A.A., which now came under command of the Regiment, while the 152nd Battery H.Q. and ‘B’ Troop took over the site H.3 from the 151st Battery, which moved to Polygone Point H.1., with ‘B’ Troop at Caimans H.2.  The 201st L.A.A. Battery appears to have been regimented (re-regimented?) with the Regiment upon the latter’s arrival on the island.  By July 1943, the 201st L.A.A. Battery was manning sites L.7 – L.9 at Cap Diego.  New war establishments for the Regimental H.Q. and all batteries were received on 1st August, effective from 16th June.  During September, the 201st L.A.A. Battery formed a mobile troop, with four Bofors withdrawn from La Pyro.  On 18th September, the Mobile Troop came under the command of the 27th (North Rhodesia) Infantry Brigade and moved to Sakaramy.  The Troop returned to the 201st L.A.A. Battery at La Pyro on 3rd October and relieved detachments there for mobile training.  On 13th October, ‘A’ Troop, 152nd H.A.A. Battery disembarked at Diego Suarez from Kenya and rejoined the parent battery.  The 201st L.A.A. Battery redeployed on 14th November, with ‘A’ Troop at sites L.7 – L.9; ‘B’ Troop at sites L.10 – 12 and L.14; ‘C’ Troop at La Pyro, but non -operational.  The gun site at Caimans (H.2) was handed over by ‘B’ Troop, 151st H.A.A. Battery to ‘A’ Troop, 152nd H.A.A. Battery on 2nd December.  On 9th December, ‘B’ Troop, 201st L.A.A. Battery was incorporated with 152nd H.A.A. Battery as ‘C’ Troop, and the H.A.A. battery was re-designated to become the 152nd (Composite) A.A. Battery, E.A.A.  Lt. Colonel Ross left for Kenya on 22nd December to take up a post attached to the H.Q. R.A. East Africa Command.  Acting Commanding Officer, Major N.F. Godfrey replaced him.[9]

On 20th December 1943, Major N.F. Godfrey, R.A. assumed command of the Regiment following the posting of Lt. Colonel Ross to the H.Q. C.R.A.  ‘C’ Troop, 201st L.A.A. Battery moved from La Pyro to the Artillery Barracks at Antsirane on 7th January 1944.  Lt. Colonel Ross returned to re-assume command on 4th March 1944.  A warning order for the return to Kenya of the Regimental H.Q., with the 151st and 201st Batteries was received from the H.Q. Islands Area on 28th April.  The Battery H.Q., 201st Battery moved to Orangea on 24th May.[10]

The 201st L.A.A. Battery ceased to be regimented with the Regiment on 14th June 1944. The Battery embarked for Kenya on 29th June 1944, arriving at Athi River on 1st July and was disbanded with effect from 2nd August 1944.[11] 

The Regimental H.Q. embarked at Diego Suarez for Kenya on 16th June 1944 and disembarked at Mombasa on 22nd June.  On 23rd June, at Mombasa, the 153rd, 154th and 155th H.A.A. Batteries, E.A.A. ceased to be regimented with the 16th H.A.A. Regiment, E.A.A. and became regimented with the 15th Regiment.[12]

‘B’ Troop, 155th Battery, was relieved at Kipevu by ‘B’ Troop, 156th Composite A.A. Battery, E.A.A on 26th June 1944 and moved to Changamwe.  During July, the Battery went on embarkation leave.  Both 154th and 155th Batteries began training with mobile guns from the middle of the month, followed by the 153rd Battery at the end of July.  Training continued until the end of September and on 27th September the engagement of ground targets with mobile guns was practiced.  Final fitness (route marches) and jungle training was undertaken during October. [13]

The 15th H.A.A. Regiment, E.A.A., with the 153rd, 154th and 155th Batteries, embarked at Mombasa, Kenya, on 6th November 1944, on board the transport Salween for service overseas with South-East Asia Command (S.E.A.C.).  The transport sailed the next day and arrived at Chittagong on 2nd December.  The Regiment and batteries disembarked, and the Regimental H.Q. was opened, coming under command of the 13th A.A. Brigade.  The Batteries went to Punjab Lines, Chittagong.  On 4th December, the 155th Battery moved by rail to Feni, where it relieved the 313th (W.A.) H.A.A. Battery.  The following day, the Battery H.Q. and ‘A’ Troop, 154th Battery went to ‘Z’ site, Chittagong where it became operational later that afternoon.  The Battery was visited the next day by the Commanding Officer, Lt. Colonel Ross.  ‘B’ Troop, 153rd Battery went to ‘V’ site at Hathazari on 6th December where it deployed.  Two days later, Battery H.Q. and ‘A’ Troop went to Comilla and deployed upon arrival.  At Feni, the 155th Battery recorded no enemy action during the month but did receive several plots from the R.A.F.[14]

On 21st January 1945, the advance party of the 153rd Battery left for Charinga, arriving the next day.  The 153rd Battery, less ‘B’ Troop, left Comilla for Charinga on 26th January, where it arrived the following day to relieve the 35th Battery, 6th H.A.A. Regiment, I.A.  ‘B’ Troop, 153rd Battery, was in turn relieved by the Indian 35th Battery at Hathazari on 28th January.  The Troop then joined the Battery at Charinga later that day.  The Battery Commander, Major J.N. Lindop, was appointed A.A.D.C. Charinga that day, taking over from the Battery Commander, 48th Battery, 15th L.A.A. Regiment, I.A.  The Regiment was by now disposed as follows:[15]

- Regimental H.Q. at Chittagong,
- 153rd Battery at Charinga,
- 154th Battery at Chittagong,
- 155th Battery at Feni.

Four mobile 3.7-inch anti-aircraft guns arrived at Charinga from Chittagong on 5th February 1945, making the position at Charinga an eight-gun position.  All guns were in action by 7th February.  The Commander-in-Chief, East Africa Command, visited the R.H.Q. and the 154th Battery position at ‘Z’ site, Chittagong, on 21st February.  At Charinga, on 23rd February, a Beaufighter crashed 200 yards from a 153rd Battery gun site.  ‘B’ Troop, 153rd Battery left Charinga and moved to Chittagong on 13th March.  They were joined by Battery H.Q. and ‘A’ Troop the next day.  Meanwhile, on 13th March, Lt. Colonel Ross left by plane for a reconnaissance of Akyab.  The 153rd Battery went to Feni on 15th March, where it relieved the 155th Battery which returned to Chittagong later that day.  Lt. Colonel Ross returned to Chittagong that day.  The 155th Battery embarked for Akyab on 25th March and sailed the next day.  Upon arrival on 27th March, the Battery disembarked.  It came under the command of the XV Indian Corps.  At Akyab, ‘A’ Troop, 155th Battery relieved one troop of the 8th (Belfast) H.A.A. Regiment, R.A.  The Battery vehicles left Chittagong on 30th March and arrived on 1st April.[16]

The 153rd Battery left Feni on 8th April 1945 and went to the River Ghat Camp, Chittagong.  However, on 12th April, the Battery was forced out of the camp due to flooding.  The ‘A’ Troop deployed to a gun site in Chittagong on 24th April.  The Regiment came under the command of the 3rd Indian A.A. Brigade on 29th April, in a non-operational role, under training.  The 155th Battery on Akyab remained under the command of the 13th A.A. Brigade, acting as an independent battery attached to the XV Indian Corps.  The Battery Commander, Major R.B. Robson, was appointed as A.A.D.C. Akyab.  ‘A’ Troop, 153rd Battery moved from Chittagong to Feni on 30th April where they were joined by Battery H.Q. and ‘B’ Troop the next day.  The Regiment reverted to the command of the 13th A.A. Brigade on 7th June.  Two days later, Regimental H.Q. moved to Feni.  The gun position at Chittagong manned by the 154th Battery was handed over to the 48th Battery, 15th H.A.A. Regiment, I.A. on 22nd June and the 154th Battery moved to Feni.  Lt. Colonel Ross left on release on 24th June and was succeeded by Major R.S. Murray.  A reinforcement draft of one British officer and 20 African Other Ranks arrived from East Africa to join the Regiment on 28th June.[17]

The anti-aircraft defences at Akyab and Ramree were taken out of action on 21st July 1945.  A new Commanding Officer, Lt. Colonel A.P.M.B. Parkinson assumed command on 23rd July.  Three African chiefs visited the troops at Feni on 24th July.  Eight 3.7-inch guns left Feni for Ferozepore (Firozpur) on 8th August.  A further reinforcement draft arrived at Feni on 16th August.  However, instructions for the return of the Regiment to East Africa for disbandment were received on 19th August.  At Akyab, the 155th Battery handed in all guns and equipment on 20th August and embarked for Chittagong on 27th August.  The Battery arrived the next day and went to Feni to re-join the Regiment the following day.[18]

[The war diary ends on 31st August 1945.]

The Regiment, however, did not return to East Africa immediately.  It remained at Feni until 4th October 1945, when it entrained for Calcutta for repatriation.  The personnel of the Regiment reached the R.A. Depot & Training Centre at Athi River, Kenya on 21st October 1945.[19]

The Regiment, together with the 153rd, 154th and 155th Batteries, disbanded on 1st January 1946.[20]

6 April 2025