82nd Light Anti-Aircraft Battery, W.A.A.

The 82nd L.A.A. Battery, W.A.A. began as the 4th L.A.A. Battery, W.A.A., which formed at Lagos on 1st April 1942.  The Battery was then reorganised and redesignated to become the 4th L.A.A./Anti-Tank Battery W.A.A. by 1st March 1943.  In November 1943, the Battery moved to India with the 1st L.A.A./Atk Regiment, W.A.A.  At Chittagong on 2nd May 1944, the batteries of the 1st L.A.A./Atk Regiment, W.A.A. were reorganised and redesignated – the 4th L.A.A./Atk Battery becoming the 82nd L.A.A. Battery, W.A.A.  The Battery was reorganised as a mortar regiment on 23rd August 1944.  Here is a summary:

4th Light Anti-Aircraft Battery, W.A.A.

1st April 1942               formed at Lagos, Nigeria
1st March 1943             reorganised as the 4th L.A.A./Anti-Tank Battery, W.A.A.

4th L.A.A./Anti-Tank Battery, W.A.A.

1st March 1943            by reorganisation of the 4th Light Anti-Aircraft Battery, W.A.A.
2nd May1944               reorganised and re-designated as the 82nd L.A.A. Battery, W.A.A.

82nd L.A.A. Battery, W.A.A.

2nd May 1944              by redesignation of the 2nd L.A.A./Anti-Tank Battery, W.A.A.
23rd August 1944        reorganised as the 103rd Mortar Regiment, W.A.A.

 

82nd Light Anti-Aircraft Battery, W.A.A.

On  25th April 1944, orders were received 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 Advance Battery H.Q., 4th Battery returned from Dohazari to the Chittagong area on 1st May and the Battery was reorganised the next day to become the 82nd L.A.A. Battery, W.A.A.[1]

On 11th May 1944, the Advance Battery H.Q. moved to Ramu with ‘A’ Troop, which took over a vital point from the 43rd L.A.A. Battery, Indian Artillery.[2]

On 1st June 1944, the Battery was advised of yet another proposed reorganisation to become a 3-inch mortar unit.  At an as then unspecified future date, the Battery was to be formed of three troops each equipped with eight 3-inch mortars.  ‘A’ Troop returned from Ramu to rejoin the Battery on 4th June.  Four 3-inch mortars arrived on 6th June and the tractors for the Bofors guns were handed back during the month.  Mortar training began on 19th June for all Officers and British N.C.O.s.  Three additional mortars were taken over from the 101st Light Regiment, W.A.A. on 26th June.  The first practice firing of the mortars took place on 29th June.  On 12th July, twelve Bofors were handed over to the 81st L.A.A. Battery, W.A.A.  The next day, the 81st Battery moved from Chittagong to the 81st (W.A.) Infantry Division area at Chiringa.  During July, Major J.A. Macnabb succeeded Major Boenisch as Battery commander.[3] 

On 23rd August 1944, the Battery reorganised provisionally a mortar regiment, with a Regimental H.Q. and two mortar batteries – 1st and 2nd.[4]

At Chiringa, from 1st September 1944, the Battery began forming within the 81st (W.A.) Infantry Division as the 103rd Mortar Regiment, W.A.A., with the 7th, 8th and 9th Mortar Batteries.  It was later confirmed that the 103rd Mortar Regiment had in fact been authorised to form with effect from 1st August 1944.[5]

28 July 2025