109th Light Anti-Aircraft/Anti-Tank Battery, W.A.A.
The 109th L.A.A./Anti-Tank Battery, W.A.A. formed in West Africa by 1st July 1943 by the conversion of the 109th L.A.A. Battery, R.A. The Battery then appears to have been re-designated to become the 84th L.A.A. Battery, W.A.A. by or during July 1944. The 84th L.A.A. Battery was disbanded later that month and its personnel were posted to join with the mortar troops of the light batteries to form a new mortar unit – initially known as ‘X’ Mortar Regiment, W.A.A. Here is a summary:
109th Light Anti-Aircraft Battery, R.A.
August 1939 formed in the United Kingdom
1st July 1943 reorganised as the 109th L.A.A./Anti-Tank Battery, W.A.A.
109th L.A.A./Anti-Tank Battery, W.A.A.
1st July 1943 by reorganisation of the 109th Light Anti-Aircraft Battery, R.A.
July 1944 reorganised and re-designated as the 84th L.A.A. Battery, W.A.A.
July 1944 by reorganisation of the 109th L.A.A./Anti-Tank Battery, W.A.A.
July 1944 disbanded to form ‘X’ Mortar Regiment, W.A.A.
109th Light Anti-Aircraft/Anti-Tank Battery, W.A.A.
The 109th L.A.A./Anti-Tank Battery, W.A.A. was formed by the conversion of the 109th L.A.A. Battery, R.A., by 1st July 1943. This was the date that the 6th H.A.A Regiment, W.A.A. reformed and reorganised as the 2nd L.A.A/Anti-Tank Regiment, W.A.A. – the Regiment which the reformed 109th Battery would shortly join. The conversion was undertaken at Lagos, Nigeria and the Battery appears to have remained attached to the 5th H.A.A. Regiment, W.A.A. before leaving on 9th August to sail to the Gold Coast to join the new Regiment. The Commanding Officer was Major M.C. Lucas, R.A.[1]
The Battery disembarked at Takoradi, Gold Coast on 11th August 1943 and was regimented with the 2nd L.A.A./Atk Regiment, W.A.A., joining it at Accra the next day. The Regiment formed part of the Divisional Troops, 82nd (W.A.) Infantry Division. Eight Bofors guns were taken over on 25th August, followed by a further fifteen on 23rd September. Motor transport was collected during October. On 27th October, orders were issued for the Regiment to leave the Gold Coast to continue training in Nigeria. Leaving on 4th November, the Battery arrived at Ede Camp, Nigeria on 9th November.[2]
On 22nd January 1944, the Regiment was reorganised to have two L.A.A. batteries and two anti-tank batteries:
- 5th and 109th L.A.A. Batteries
- 64th and ‘Z’ Anti-Tank Batteries.
The Regiment remained at Ede throughout February 1944. The war diary for the Battery makes no mention of becoming an L.A.A. Battery during this period. The 109th Battery appears to have been re-designated to become the 84th L.A.A. Battery, W.A.A. by or during July 1944.[3]
Summary history of the 109th Light Anti-Aircraft/Anti-Tank Battery, W.A.A.
© Steve Rothwell
23 July 2025