Sierra Leone Heavy Battery, R.A.
The Sierra Leone Heavy Battery, R.A. was formed at Freetown on 1st September 1938 from a previous independent role. The Battery was regimented with the Sierra Leone Heavy Regiment, R.A. when the Regiment formed on 3rd July 1939. The Regiment was mobilised at Tower Hill, Freetown on 1st September 1940. The Commanding Officer was Major E.C. Were, R.A. Two Officers and five N.C.O.s disembarked the M.V. Abosso from the United Kingdom on 1st September 1940 and joined the Battery. Captain Were was admitted to hospital on 18th September and Captain College assumed command.[1]
On 20th September 1940, the 4-inch gun at Aberdeen was manned by a detachment of the Battery, made up of thirteen British Other Ranks. On 26th September, orders were received that despite air attacks on Gibraltar and operations off Dakar, all Vichy French warships approaching port were to be treated as neutral. On 30th September Captain Pope assumed command of the Battery. The 6-inch gun at Aberdeen was manned by a mixed detachment of British and African gunners on 4th November, seemingly under the command of Lieutenant Lawrie. Captain College assumed command of the Aberdeen Battery on 17th December. The Aberdeen Battery took over the role of Examination Battery on 23rd December.[2]
On 4th February 1941, the Sierra Leone Heavy Regiment was reorganised to consist of a Regimental Headquarters with ‘A’, ‘B’ and ‘C’ Batteries (it had been intended to title these batteries as the 1st, 2nd and 3rd, however the war diary confirms that they were referred to as ‘A’, ‘B’ and ‘C’). The Sierra Leone Heavy Battery, R.A. thus ceased to exist.[3]
Summary history of the Sierra Leone Heavy Battery, R.A.
© Steve Rothwell
13 April 2025
[1] War diary Sierra Leone Heavy Regiment, WO 173/32; War diary Sierra Leone Heavy Battery, WO 173/31; War diary Aberdeen Battery, R.A.,WO 173/30
[2] WO 173/30; WO 173/31
[3] War diary 16th Coast Regiment, R.A., WO 173/153; West Africa OB, 1940-1941, WO 212/294