2nd Heavy Anti-Aircraft Battery, W.A.A.

The 2nd Heavy Anti-Aircraft Battery, W.A.A. was formed at Freetown with effect from 1st May 1941.  It was regimented with the 1st H.A.A. Regiment, W.A.A. and was commanded by Major S. Morrison.  The initial personnel were nine other British Officers and 104 British Other Ranks (B.O.R.s), the majority of whom were posted from the 197th H.A.A. Battery, R.A.  For the time being, the personnel remained attached to the 197th Battery.  ‘Africanisation’ of the Battery was expected at an early date.  The 2nd Battery immediately took over the manning of the 3.7-inch gun station at Cape Sierra Leone (H.1) and it was planned to take over two new gun stations (H.3 and H.5) which were being constructed.  The H.1 site was formally handed over to the 2nd Battery on 6th July.  Freetown had been visited regularly by Vichy French reconnaissance aircraft and on 22nd August, the H.1 gun fired one round at one of these aircraft, which was subsequently shot down by Hurricanes flying from Hastings Aerodrome.  The incidence of malaria was high and only around half of the Battery’s personnel were available for duty.  Gun site H.3 was taken over on 1st September and became operational on 16th September.  The Battery H.Q. moved from Wilberforce Girls School to the H.1 site on 28th September. [1]

The H.5 gun station was occupied on 14th October 1941 but did not become operational until 22nd November.  To man this site, two Officers and forty-two B.O.R.s were transferred from the H.1 site, which was taken over by a section of the 197th H.A.A. Battery, R.A., attached to the 2nd Battery for this purpose.  The personnel manning both H.3. and H.5 gun sites included an ‘Africanised’ section at each site.  On 14th October, a draft of twenty-one B.O.R.s of the 313th H.A.A. Battery, R.A. arrived at H.1.  Two mobile 3.7-inch guns at site H.1 were handed over to the 2nd H.A.A. Regiment, W.A.A. on 12th December.[2]

‘B’ Troop exchanged the H.3 site with the 197th H.A.A. Battery, R.A., taking over the H.1 site on 5th January 1942.  The Battery continued to man the H.5 site.  The gun sites were renamed on 6th March: Group Control at Goderich became ‘A’ Station; Lumley (H.5) became A.1; Cape Sierra Leone (H.1) became A.2.  On 25th March, the attached personnel of the 313th H.A.A. Battery, R.A. embarked to re-join their unit.  During late June and early July, anti-aircraft guns were practice-fired in the ground role.  ‘A’ Troop moved to the B.1 gun site for a refresher course  on 14th December. Its place at A.1 was taken over by ‘A’ Troop, 5th H.A.A. Battery, W.A.A.  When ‘A’ Troop returned to A.1 on 31st December, ‘B’ Troop took its turn at B.1.[3]

‘B’ Troop returned from refresher training on 15th January 1943, and took over the A.1 site from the 5th H.A.A. Battery, W.A.A.  On 27th January, Captain J.R.N. Holdsworth took over command of the Battery.  ‘A’ Troop moved to A.1. on 9th February, ‘B’ Troop moving to A.2.  During April, the Battery began de-mounting equipment and handing it over to the West African Base Ordnance Depot in preparation for a move overseas.  This work was completed in early May and on 26th May, the Battery embarked at Freetown with the 1st H.A.A. Regiment, W.A.A. en route to India.  Sailing via South Africa, the ship arrived at Bombay on 9th July 1943, the Battery disembarked on 11th July and moved to Kedgaon Camp, Ahmednagar.[4]

The Regiment, less the 2nd H.A.A. Battery, W.A.A., arrived at Manipur Road on 8th/9th September and relieved the 2nd H.A.A. Regiment, Indian Artillery.  The 2nd Battery went to Gauhati where it relieved the 1st H.A.A. Battery, Indian Artillery.  The Regiment came under the command of the 9th A.A. Brigade.  During October 1943, the Battery became known officially as the 2nd (W.A.) H.A.A. Battery, W.A.A.[5]

The 2nd H.A.A. Battery moved to Golaghat on 12th December 1943.  On 13th December, the Regiment returned to the command of the 14th (W.A.) A.A. Brigade, when this Headquarters arrived in Assam.  The 2nd H.A.A. Battery moved again on 24th January 1944, to Hailakandi and then to Sylhet on 14th June, with four 3.7-inch mobile guns.  In May, the Battery Commander, Major J.R.N. Holdsworth, was succeeded by Major W.J.B. Girardet.  On 18th December, it moved from Sylhet to Tulihal, Imphal.  It moved to Manipur Road on 11th August 1945. [6]

On 17th September 1945, the 197th and 2nd Batteries entrained, en route for Kalyan where they arrived on 23rd September.  From Kalyan, the two Batteries went to Bombay on 28th September where they embarked on the ship H.M.T. Highland Princess (code-named B.T. 11), being played on board by the Sierra Leone Band.  The ship weighed anchor the next day and arrived at Freetown on 19th October 1945 and the personnel disembarked on 20th October.[7]

After service in Assam, the 1st H.A.A. Regiment remained at Manipur Road Base from 13th August 1945, awaiting orders for the return to West Africa.  Finally, on 16th September, the 2nd Regiment, together with the 197th and 2nd Batteries, left Manipur Road for Kalyan, near Bombay, en route to embarkation.  These units arrived at Kalyan on 22nd/23rd September. 

On 17th September, the 197th and 2nd Batteries entrained, en route for Kalyan where they arrived on 23rd September.  From Kalyan, the two Batteries went to Bombay on 28th September where they embarked on the ship H.M.T. Highland Prince (code-named B.T. 11), being played on board by the Sierra Leone Band.  The ship weighed anchor the next day and arrived at Freetown on 20th October 1945 and the personnel disembarked on 21st October and went to Juba Barracks, Lumley where the African gunners were either demobilised or posted to other units.[8]

The 1st Regiment H.Q. did not leave Manipur Road until 29th September when it headed for the transit camp at Kalyan, near Bombay.  It arrived there on 5th October and embarked at Bombay on the H.M.T. Bergensfjord between 6th and 9th October.  Disembarking at Freetown on 31st October, the men went to the demobilisation camp.  The 1st H.A.A. Regiment, W.A.A. was officially disbanded on 15th November 1945.[9]

14 August 2025