61st Anti-Tank Battery, W.A.A.

The 61st Anti-Tank Battery, W.A.A. was formed by the reorganisation of the 2nd L.A.A./Anti-Tank Battery, W.A.A. on 2nd May 1944.  The 2nd Battery had itself been formed by the reorganisation of the 2nd L.A.A. Battery, W.A.A. on 9th March 1943.  Here is a summary:

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

23rd/24th Sept. 1941     formed at Takoradi, Gold Coast
9th March 1943             reorganised as the 2nd L.A.A./Anti-Tank Battery, W.A.A.

2nd L.A.A./Anti-Tank Battery, W.A.A.

9th March 1943            by reorganisation of the 2nd Light Anti-Aircraft Battery, W.A.A.
2nd May1944               reorganised and re-designated as the 61st Anti-Tank Battery, W.A.A.

61st Anti-Tank Battery, W.A.A.

2nd May 1944              by redesignation of the 2nd L.A.A./Anti-Tank Battery, W.A.A.
1946                            disbanded in West Africa.

 

61st Anti-Tank Battery, W.A.A.

Orders were received on 25th April 1944 for the batteries of the 1st L.A.A./Atk Regiment, W.A.A. to be reorganised to form the 61st and 62nd Anti-Tank Batteries and the 81st and 82nd L.A.A. Batteries.  The 2nd L.A.A. Battery W.A.A. was re-designated at Chittagong to become the 61st Anti-Tank Battery, W.A.A. on 2nd May.  The Battery was regimented with the 1st L.A.A./Atk Regiment, W.A.A. and the Commanding Officer was Major A.J. Bark.[1]

The Battery continued training and practice firing with the 2-pounder anti-tank guns issued to its predecessor, the 2nd L.A.A./Atk Battery, W.A.A.  Major M.J. Boenish assumed command of the Battery on 12th June 1944.  The war establishment for a 6-pounder anti-tank battery was received on 18th July.[2]

The 61st Battery left Chittagong on 15th September 1944, arriving at Chiringa on 17th September.  The next day, the Battery left for Alikadam by march route, arriving on 21st September.  Here, the Battery, to act in the infantry role, was under the command of the 5th (W.A.) Infantry Brigade, and was given the duty of the defence of Alikadam on the Sangu River, near Bandarban.  On 28th September, ‘E’ Troop crossed to the opposite bank of the river.  The Battery conducted many patrols in the area.  Meanwhile, at Chittagong, on 1st October 1944, the 1st L.A.A./Atk Regiment, W.A.A. was redesignated as the 1st Anti-Tank Regiment, W.A.A.  It became the 21st Anti-Tank Regiment, W.A.A. on 23rd October.  On 5th November, the Battery was ordered to Frontier Hill where it arrived on 11th November.  It left here for Satpaung on 24th November, arriving the next day.  On 28th November it began the march to Auklo, arriving on 1st December.  However, the next day it was ordered  to move again, this time to Kyingri, on the Pi Chaung, to the West of the Kaladan River.[3]

At the beginning of 1945, with the successful conclusion of the second Kaladan campaign, the 81st (W.A.) Infantry Division was withdrawn to the Chiringa area.  In January, the 21st Regiment returned to Chiringa, leaving Kyingri on 19th January to arrive at Chiringa on 26th January.  The 61st Battery arrived at Chiringa on 25th  January.  Here the Regiment remained, beginning training with the 6-pounder anti-tank gun.  Major J.W. Calver assumed command o the Battery on 3rd February.[4]

With the Regiment, the Battery left Chiringa on 5th March to embark on the S.S. Ethiopia at Chittagong, from where it sailed the next day to disembark at Madras on 10th March.  From Madras, the Regiment moved to nearby Puttur on 13th February, where it stayed throughout March and into early July.  Major A.H. French assumed command of the Battery on 17th April.  Thirty-six 6-pounder anti-tank guns were received on 23rd April.[5]

6 July 2025