West African Field Artillery
[Note: this section is incomplete and under research. It will be expanded as new material has been prepared.]
The only field artillery present in West Africa before the war were 18-pounders of World War One vintage. In 1939, at Accra, Gold Coast, a light battery was formed within the Gold Coast Regiment, equipped with four 3.7-inch howitzers (two of which were in the United Kingdom undergoing repair). The battery was under the command of the 4th (Gold Coast) Infantry Brigade. In May 1940, the battery left with the Brigade for East Africa. On arrival, the Brigade joined the 2nd (African) Infantry Division with the light battery becoming divisional troops. The battery was redesignated as the 51st (Gold Coast) Light Battery in October 1940. Personnel of the Battery returned to West Africa in early 1942, upon successful conclusion of the East African campaign.[1]
The Nigeria Regiment also formed a light battery of 3.7-inch howitzers, which from September 1941 became known as the 1st (W.A.) Light Battery, W.A.A. This Battery was also sent to East Africa, arriving at Mombasa at the end of June 1940. It was attached to the 1st (East Africa) Infantry Brigade until joining the 1st (African) Infantry Division at the end of July. On 18th October 1940, the Battery was redesignated as the 52nd (Nigeria) Light Battery. It returned to West Africa in September 1941, by now designated as the 1st West Africa Light Battery and was attached to the 1st (W.A.) Infantry Brigade Group on arrival.[2]
Additional independent light batteries were formed, giving six in total, and were attached to the infantry brigade groups with the role of defending the territories.
Two infantry divisions were formed in Nigeria – the 1st, soon becoming the 81st, in March 1943 and the 82nd in August 1943. With three infantry brigade groups each under command, the light batteries now formed part of these two divisions whilst remaining attached to their brigade groups. The divisions transferred to India, the 81st being the first to arrive in August 1943. In March 1944, the independent three light batteries of the 81st (W.A.) Division were regimented under what was at first known as the 81st (W.A.) Divisional Light Artillery Regiment. On 6th May 1944, this headquarters was redesignated as the 101st Light Artillery Regiment, W.A.A., with the 3rd, 5th and 6th Light Batteries. The independent light batteries of the 82nd (W.A.) Infantry Division appear to have been regimented in West Africa on 1st April 1944, shortly before leaving for India. This regiment was at first known as the 2nd Light Regiment, W.A.A. but on 25th April became the 102nd Light Regiment, W.A.A., with the 1st, 2nd and 4th Light Batteries, W.A.A. This regiment converted to become a field regiment, equipped with 25-pounder field guns, on 1st September 1945.
During the latter half of 1943, West African units within India Command acquired the designation ‘West African’ as part of the unit title. This designation was added after the unit number and usually abbreviated to “W.A.” enclosed in parentheses, for example: “22nd (W.A.) Anti-Tank Regiment, W.A.A.” The addition of what might be called a ‘national identifier’ to unit titles was by now common practice within India Command and the newly designated 14th Army (from 22nd October 1943), its purpose being to reduce the risk of misidentification of units of the same type and bearing the same unit number.
Additional field units were organised for the two West African divisions. Three L.A.A./anti-tank batteries were allocated to the 1st (W.A.) Infantry Division (retitled the 81st (W.A.) Infantry Division from 4th March 1943.) and were to be sent to India without guns, on the assumption that they would be equipped upon arrival. These batteries were to be attached one per infantry brigade within the division but this changed when a regimental headquarters was formed, the 1st L.A.A./Anti-Tank Regiment, W.A.A., to which were regimented the three batteries, all reorganised from the 1st L.A.A. Regiment, W.A.A. The regiment was then attached to the 81st (W.A.) Infantry Division as Divisional Troops. The Division was concentrated in Nigeria, with the 3rd, 5th and 6th Infantry Brigade Groups and with units assigned as Divisional Troops, such as artillery, engineers and signals. The 1st L.A.A./Anti-Tank Regiment, W.A.A. arrived in Nigeria to join the Division in early May 1943. The Division arrived in India in August 1943, followed by the 1st L.A.A./Atk Regiment in November. The Regiment was sent to Chittagong in January 1944 where two batteries were deployed to reinforce the anti-aircraft defences of the town.
The 2nd L.A.A./Atk Regiment was formed by conversion of the 6th H.A.A. Regiment, W.A.A. for service with the 82nd (W.A.) Infantry Division and arrived in India in July 1944. It was reorganised on 1st August 1944 as an anti-tank regiment (the 2nd, later the 22nd) but subsequently operated as infantry. Meanwhile, the 1st L.A.A./Atk Regiment had also been reorganised as an anti-tank regiment (the 1st, later the 21st) and it too saw action in Burma in the infantry role. The 22nd Anti-Tank Regiment, W.A.A. was converted to become the 22nd Light Regiment, W.A.A. in June-August 1945 and was equipped with 3.7-inch howitzers.
Two divisional mortar units were formed in India in 1944. The Regimental H.Q., ‘X’ Mortar Regiment, W.A.A. was formed in cadre at Jhalida on 1st August 1944, together with ‘X’ and ‘Y’ Mortar Batteries. Both batteries were incomplete and a third battery, ‘Z’ Battery, yet to be formed. On 1st September, it was redesignated as the 42nd Mortar Regiment, W.A.A. with the 104th, 105th and 106th Mortar Batteries. The 42nd Mortar Regiment, W.A.A. was Divisional Troops, 82nd (W.A.) Infantry Division. At Chiringa, from 1st September 1944, the 82nd L.A.A. Battery, W.A.A. 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. The Regiment was equipped with the 3-inch mortar. The Regiment and its batteries were re-designated on 29th September 1944 to become the 41st Mortar Regiment, W.A.A. and the 101st, 102nd and 103rd Mortar Batteries respectively.
16 September 2025