81st Light Anti-Aircraft Battery, W.A.A.
The 81st L.A.A. Battery, W.A.A. began life as the 1st Light Anti-Aircraft
Battery, W.A.A. on 1st May 1941. The Battery was
then reorganised and redesignated as the 1st L.A.A./Anti-Tank Battery, W.A.A.
1st Light Anti-Aircraft Battery, W.A.A.
1st May 1941
formed at Freetown, Sierra Leone
8th March 1943
reorganised as the 1st L.A.A./Anti-Tank Battery, W.A.A.
1st L.A.A./Anti-Tank Battery, W.A.A.
8th March 1943
by reorganisation of the 1st Light
Anti-Aircraft Battery, W.A.A.
2nd May 1944
reorganised and
re-designated as the 81st L.A.A. Battery, W.A.A.
81st L.A.A. Battery, W.A.A.
2nd May 1944
by reorganisation of the 1st L.A.A./Anti-Tank Battery, W.A.A.
9th October 1944
redesignated as the 65th Anti-Tank Battery, W.A.A.
65th Anti-Tank Battery, W.A.A.
23rd October 1944
by redesignation of the 81st L.A.A. Battery, W.A.A.
1946
disbanded in West Africa.
81st Light Anti-Aircraft Battery, W.A.A.
The 1st L.A.A./Anti-Tank Battery, W.A.A. was re-designated to
become the 81st L.A.A. Battery, W.A.A. on 2nd May 1944.
The C.O. was Major D.N. Isaac. The Battery
remained with both troops – ‘A’ and ‘B’ – deployed at Chittagong.
On 11th May, ‘A’ Troop, 81st L.A.A. Battery moved from
Hathazari to Ramu, to join ‘A’ Troop, 82nd Battery and where both
were joined by the Battery H.Q., 82nd L.A.A. Battery from
Chittagong. On 17th May, ‘B’ Troop of the 81st
Battery was relieved in Chittagong by a troop from the 8th (Sikh)
L.A.A. Regiment, I.A. The Troop concentrated at
Battery H.Q. ‘A’ Troop returned and concentrated
at the Battery H.Q. at Chittagong on 7th June. A
provisional war establishment for an anti-tank battery was received
on 19th July.[6]
On 27th August 1944, the Battery entrained for Dohazari, arriving
that evening. The next day, it embarked in
sampans (‘kistis’) and left for Bandarban where it arrived on
29th August. West African troops operating in the
Bandarban area were in need of relief and the newly arrived 81st
Battery now began to operate in the infantry role.
Major Issac was appointed Officer Commanding Troops Bandarban
on 1st September, and the Battery was now responsible for the
defence of the area under the command of the 6th (W.A.) Infantry
Brigade. Orders were received on 27th September
for the Battery to proceed to Thanchi on around 15th October.[7]
On 2nd October 1944, the Battery was informed of a change to a
new war establishment, presumably that of an anti-tank battery, for
on 9th October it became designated as the
65th Anti-Tank Battery,
W.A.A.[8]
Summary history of the 81st L.A.A. Battery, W.A.A.
© Steve Rothwell
05
July 2025
[1] War diary 1st L.A.A./Atk
Battery,W.A.A, WO 173/727
[2] War diary 1st L.A.A./Atk
Regiment, W.A.A.,WO 173/725, WO 172/4074; War diary 1st
L.A.A./Atk Battery, W.A.A., WO 172/4075
[3] WO 172/4075
[4] War diary 1st L.A.A./Atk
Battery, W.A.A., WO 172/6643; War diary 1st L.A.A./Atk
Regiment, W.A.A., WO 172/6639; War diary 13th A.A. Brigade,
WO 172/4471
[5] WO 172/4075; War diary
81st L.A.A. Battery, W.A.A., WO 172/6650
[6] War diary 81st L.A.A.
Battery, W.A.A., WO 172/6650
[7] WO 172/6650
[8] War diary 65th Anti-Tank
Battery, W.A.A., WO 172/6649