103rd* (East Africa) Battery, E.A.A.

103rd (E.A.) Anti-Tank/Mortar Battery, E.A.A. 

On 3rd September 1944, at Kakching, near Palel, Imphal, personnel of the 204th (E.A.) L.A.A. Battery were re-organised to become the 103rd (E.A.) Anti-Tank/Mortar Battery, E.A.A., of the 304th (E.A.) Atk/Mortar Regiment, 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.] [1]

The Regiment received a movement order dated 17th September 1944, to move to the Divisional concentration area in the area Sunle-Khampat in the Kabaw Valley. However, the 103rd Battery did not join the Regiment in action until it arrived in the Kalemyo area on 19th November 1944 where, on 3rd December, it was allocated twelve anti-tank guns.[2]

On 18th December, the Regiment, less the 103rd Battery, left the front for the Divisional Rest Area near Bokajan, to the north of Dimapur, arriving on 22nd December.  The 103rd Battery set off on 23rd December, rejoining the Regiment in the rest camp on 29th December; ‘H’ Troop being the last to arrive on 2nd January 1945.[3]

The Regiment reverted to the war establishment of an anti-tank regiment on 2nd February 1945, becoming known once again as the 304th (E.A.) Anti-Tank Regiment, E.A.A.[4]

103rd* (E.A.) Anti-Tank Battery, E.A.A. 

While at the 11th (E.A.) Infantry Division rest camp at Bokajan, north of Dimapur, on 2nd February 1945, the 304th (E.A.) Atk/Mortar Regiment, E.A.A. reverted to the war establishment of an anti-tank regiment, becoming known once again as the 304th (E.A.) Anti-Tank Regiment, E.A.A.  Regimented were the 101st, 102nd and 103rd Anti-Tank Batteries.  The 103rd Battery went to Dhansirmukh between 29th March and 1st April.[5]

The Regiment left Bokajan for Chas on 17th April 1945, arriving on 21st April.  Between 21st-29th May, the Regiment moved to Ranchi.  Training and practice firing at the nearby Piska ranges continued throughout the month.[6]

During January and February 1946 preparations began for demobilisation.  In February, the 6-pounder anti-tank guns were handed in to the Ordnance Depot at Jubbulpore.  The 3-inch mortars were transferred to the 306th (E.A.) Field Regiment, E.A.A.[7]  Personnel of the 304th Regiment may have returned to East Africa during March 1946 and been disbanded shortly thereafter.[8]

04 April 2025