28:
73:
Later, as the Home
Defence strategy developed, the Royal Artillery formed a number of 'Defence Batteries' to deploy around the coastline for general beach defence. These were not part of the fixed defences of the RA's Coast Artillery branch covering the ports (although it had long been the practice
681:
on 24 February 1941 from 13th Mobile Coast Rgt (itself converted from 26th Anti-Tank Rgt on 3 September 1939). As
Regular Army units, the batteries retained their existing numbers on conversion rather than take the defence battery numbers (969–72) reserved for them, and on 29 June 1941 the regiment
730:
as a Mobile Coast Rgt on 1 December 1940 with one field, one medium and one anti-tank battery, and redesignated 18th Def Rgt on 1 April 1941. Regimental
Headquarters (RHQ) became RHQ 18th Medium Rgt on 5 January 1944 and the batteries were disbanded on 5 March 1944. 18th Medium Rgt later served in
547:
By the beginning of 1942 the imminent threat of invasion had passed, the coast artillery batteries were fully established, and the RA required gunners for the field forces. The remaining defence regiments and independent batteries in the UK were disbanded or converted into field artillery on 12
94:
82:, but equipped with whatever old direct-fire guns were available they freed up scarce field artillery from semi-static beach defence for the mobile counter-attack forces. Most of these batteries were formed on 1 September 1940.
604:
Most of these new field regiments served in reserve or holding formations, training reinforcements for units serving in active theatres, though 172nd Field Rgt did serve through the
1097:
78:
artillery units to be equipped with a handful of mobile guns, in addition to their primary fixed guns, for similar usage), nor were they included in the field forces under
509:
90:
770:
In addition, 965 Defence Bty, converted from 36 Heavy Bty, HKSRA, and equipped with 18-pdr and 2-pdr guns, served as part of the mobile coast defences of
63:
472:
440:
414:
394:
368:
346:
101:
coastline with a variety of obsolete guns. The 135th also supplied 64 gunners, but these were recruits who had only just joined the regiment.
598:
589:
583:
574:
568:
559:
553:
304:
282:
231:
174:
142:
109:
70:
and the UK was threatened with invasion, a crash programme of installing coastal artillery batteries was implemented in the summer of 1940.
609:
309:
79:
687:
818:
628:
A number of defence batteries and regiments were also formed during the war in
British overseas garrisons:
647:
712:
663:
690:
and then on 18 September 1943 was converted into 26th Medium Rgt for service in the
Italian Campaign.
1068:
Orders of Battle, United
Kingdom and Colonial Formations and Units in the Second World War, 1939–1945
419:
54:. Once they had served their purpose they were disbanded or converted into units of field artillery.
17:
1070:, London: HM Stationery Office, 1960/Uckfield: Naval & Military Press, 2003, ISBN 1-843424-74-6.
1047:
History of the Royal
Regiment of Artillery: The Years of Defeat: Europe and North Africa, 1939–1941
775:
758:
329:
1034:
History of the Second World War, United
Kingdom Military Series: The Defence of the United Kingdom
652:
converted from 30 Mobile Coast Bty (or 34 Coast Bty?), Hong Kong–Singapore Royal
Artillery (HKSRA)
1032:
67:
51:
771:
640:
605:
1082:
The
Hertfordshire Yeomanry Regiments, Royal Artillery, Part 1: The Field Regiments 1920-1946
86:
1084:, Welwyn: Hertfordshire Yeomanry and Artillery Trust/Hart Books, 1999, ISBN 0-948527-05-6.
1042:
351:
39:
1049:, Woolwich: Royal Artillery Institution, 1988/London: Brasseys, 1996, ISBN 1-85753-080-2.
639:
on 24 February 1941 from 10th Mobile Coast Rgt. It was captured by the Japanese at the
617:
47:
27:
1091:
1028:
613:
481:
287:
43:
717:
formed and joined 22 August 1941; transferred to 5th Coast Rgt, RMA, 1 June 1942
449:
240:
207:
423:
203:
179:
147:
114:
104:
Most of the defence batteries were grouped into regiments on 4 October 1940:
727:
636:
1054:
History of the Royal Regiment of Artillery: The Far East Theatre 1939–1946
1036:, London: HM Stationery Office, 1957/Uckfield: Naval & Military, 2004
477:
403:
377:
260:
236:
594:
12th Defence Rgt disbanded, personnel of 956 Def Bty to 172nd Field Rgt
445:
399:
151:
98:
1063:, Vol II, Wakefield: Microform Academic, 1984, ISBN 1-85117-009-X.
678:
118:
373:
264:
183:
597:
14th Defence Rgt with personnel of 958 (Ind) Def Bty became
95:
135th (East Anglian) (Hertfordshire Yeomanry) Field Regiment
26:
567:
7th Defence Rgt with personnel of 923 (Ind) Def Bty became
564:
5th Defence Rgt disbanded, personnel to 172nd Field Rgt
612:
campaigns, and 177th Field Rgt was used to reform the
761:
on 25 October 1943 and disbanded on 30 November 1943
616:'s 25th Field Rgt, which had been captured at the
943:
941:
913:
911:
849:
847:
845:
843:
841:
839:
85:The batteries would have been formed around a
1077:, Valetta: Mondial, 1999, ISBN 99909-68-84-5.
1061:Lineage Book of British Land Forces 1660–1978
1056:, London: Brasseys, 2002, ISBN 1-85753-302-X.
814:
812:
93:was commanded by an officer transferred from
89:of gunners from existing units. For example,
8:
985:
983:
973:
971:
1098:Units and formations of the Royal Artillery
337:936, 937, 938, 939, 940, 941 Def Btys –
668:converted from 22 Mobile Coast Bty, HKSRA
774:and was captured by the Japanese at the
897:
895:
872:
870:
868:
786:
755:805th Defence Regiment, Royal Artillery
656:967 Def Bty, HKSRA (18-pounder guns) –
50:was threatened with invasion after the
724:18th Defence Regiment, Royal Artillery
675:17th Defence Regiment, Royal Artillery
658:converted from 21 Mobile Coast Bty, RA
633:16th Defence Regiment, Royal Artillery
518:902, 906, 923, 942, 943 (Ind) Def Btys
473:15th Defence Regiment, Royal Artillery
441:14th Defence Regiment, Royal Artillery
415:13th Defence Regiment, Royal Artillery
395:12th Defence Regiment, Royal Artillery
369:11th Defence Regiment, Royal Artillery
347:10th Defence Regiment, Royal Artillery
326:9th Defence Regiment, Royal Artillery
305:8th Defence Regiment, Royal Artillery
283:7th Defence Regiment, Royal Artillery
257:6th Defence Regiment, Royal Artillery
232:5th Defence Regiment, Royal Artillery
200:4th Defence Regiment, Royal Artillery
175:3rd Defence Regiment, Royal Artillery
143:2nd Defence Regiment, Royal Artillery
110:1st Defence Regiment, Royal Artillery
18:6th Defence Regiment, Royal Artillery
7:
25:
704:48/71 Def Bty from 22 August 1941
695:15/40 Def Bty from 22 August 1941
42:created for beach defence during
535:from 13th Def Rgt 15 March 1941
465:from 15th Def Rgt 12 April 1941
356:944, 946, 948, 950 Def Btys –
310:Leven, East Riding of Yorkshire
80:Commander-in-Chief, Home Forces
529:from 4th Def Rgt 15 March 1941
433:independent from 15 March 1941
218:independent from 15 March 1941
167:from 1st Def Rgt 15 March 1941
1:
1075:The Guns and Gunners of Malta
498:to 14th Def Rgt 12 April 1941
91:901 (Independent) Defence Bty
748:converted from anti-tank bty
135:to 2nd Def Rgt 15 March 1941
682:was itself redesignated as
64:British Expeditionary Force
1114:
1016:Maurice-Jones, pp. 258–63.
806:Maurice-Jones, pp. 227–32.
292:924, 927, 928 Def Btys –
273:920, 921, 922 Def Btys –
97:, which was defending the
1052:Gen Sir Martin Farndale,
742:converted from medium bty
579:9th Defence Rgt disbanded
490:962, 963, 964 Def Btys –
935:Frederick, pp. 621, 918.
917:Frederick, pp. 620, 886.
736:converted from field bty
686:. It served through the
588:11th Defence Rgt became
582:10th Defence Rgt became
1080:Lt-Col J.D. Sainsbury,
1038:ISBN 978-1-84574-055-9.
573:8th Defence Rgt became
558:3rd Defence Rgt became
552:2nd Defence Rgt became
523:disbanded 15 March 1941
456:disbanded 12 April 1941
384:disbanded 15 March 1941
358:disbanded 15 March 1941
339:disbanded 15 March 1941
319:disbanded 15 March 1941
314:930, 932, 933, Def Btys
294:disbanded 15 March 1941
275:disbanded 15 March 1941
269:disbanded 15 March 1941
250:disbanded 15 March 1941
224:disbanded 15 March 1941
212:disbanded 15 March 1941
190:disbanded 15 March 1941
161:disbanded 15 March 1941
129:disbanded 15 March 1941
123:disbanded 15 March 1941
862:Sainsbury, pp. 159–60.
819:Collier, Chapter VIII.
731:the Italian Campaign.
514:disbanded 3 March 1941
505:Independent batteries:
492:disbanded 9 April 1941
486:disbanded 9 April 1941
388:952, 953, 954 Def Btys
362:945, 947, 949 Def Btys
298:925, 926, 929 Dev Btys
194:912, 913, 914 Def Btys
68:evacuated from Dunkirk
31:
853:Frederick, pp. 931–3.
778:on 25 December 1941.
713:Royal Malta Artillery
643:on 15 February 1942.
317:931, 934 Def Btys –
30:
1066:Lt-Col H.F. Joslen,
764:A & B Field Btys
662:968 Def Bty, HKSRA (
533:958 (Ind) Def Bty –
527:915 (Ind) Def Bty –
521:910 (Ind) Def Bty –
127:903, 904 Def Btys –
330:Newcastle upon Tyne
1059:J.B.M. Frederick,
998:Rollo, Appendix A.
989:Joslen, pp. 484–5.
956:Frederick, p. 888.
947:Frederick, p. 732.
759:Middle East Forces
52:Dunkirk evacuation
38:were units of the
32:
889:Joslen, pp. 75–6.
776:Fall of Hong Kong
641:Fall of Singapore
510:901 (Ind) Def Bty
460:960, 961 Def Btys
408:955, 956 Def Btys
245:917, 918 Def Btys
156:907, 808 Def Btys
36:Defence Batteries
16:(Redirected from
1105:
1017:
1014:
1008:
1005:
999:
996:
990:
987:
978:
975:
966:
963:
957:
954:
948:
945:
936:
933:
927:
924:
918:
915:
906:
899:
890:
887:
881:
874:
863:
860:
854:
851:
834:
827:
821:
816:
807:
804:
798:
791:
757:, was formed in
684:26th Defence Rgt
248:919 Def Btys –
21:
1113:
1112:
1108:
1107:
1106:
1104:
1103:
1102:
1088:
1087:
1043:Martin Farndale
1025:
1020:
1015:
1011:
1007:Joslen, p. 552.
1006:
1002:
997:
993:
988:
981:
977:Joslen, p. 467.
976:
969:
965:Joslen, p. 464.
964:
960:
955:
951:
946:
939:
934:
930:
926:Joslen, p. 557.
925:
921:
916:
909:
900:
893:
888:
884:
878:Years of Defeat
875:
866:
861:
857:
852:
837:
831:Years of Defeat
828:
824:
817:
810:
805:
801:
795:Years of Defeat
792:
788:
784:
648:18-pounder guns
626:
599:177th Field Rgt
590:176th Field Rgt
584:175th Field Rgt
575:174th Field Rgt
569:173rd Field Rgt
560:172nd Field Rgt
554:171st Field Rgt
545:
496:964 Def Bty –
463:964 Def Bty –
382:951 Def Bty –
352:Mere, Wiltshire
165:905 Def Bty –
159:909 Def Bty –
60:
40:Royal Artillery
23:
22:
15:
12:
11:
5:
1111:
1109:
1101:
1100:
1090:
1089:
1086:
1085:
1078:
1071:
1064:
1057:
1050:
1039:
1024:
1021:
1019:
1018:
1009:
1000:
991:
979:
967:
958:
949:
937:
928:
919:
907:
891:
882:
864:
855:
835:
822:
808:
799:
785:
783:
780:
768:
767:
766:
765:
752:
751:
750:
746:975 Def Bty –
744:
740:974 Def Bty –
738:
734:973 Def Bty –
721:
720:
719:
709:
706:
700:
697:
688:Siege of Malta
672:
671:
670:
664:2-pounder guns
660:
654:
625:
622:
618:Fall of Tobruk
602:
601:
595:
592:
586:
580:
577:
571:
565:
562:
556:
548:January 1942:
544:
541:
540:
539:
538:
537:
531:
525:
519:
516:
502:
501:
500:
494:
469:
468:
467:
461:
458:
454:959 Def Bty –
437:
436:
435:
431:958 Def Bty –
429:
411:
410:
409:
391:
390:
389:
386:
365:
364:
363:
360:
343:
342:
341:
335:
323:
322:
321:
315:
301:
300:
299:
296:
279:
278:
277:
254:
253:
252:
246:
228:
227:
226:
222:916 Def Bty –
220:
216:915 Def Bty –
197:
196:
195:
192:
188:911 Def Bty –
171:
170:
169:
163:
157:
139:
138:
137:
133:905 Def Bty –
131:
59:
56:
48:United Kingdom
24:
14:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1110:
1099:
1096:
1095:
1093:
1083:
1079:
1076:
1073:Denis Rollo,
1072:
1069:
1065:
1062:
1058:
1055:
1051:
1048:
1044:
1040:
1037:
1035:
1030:
1029:Basil Collier
1027:
1026:
1022:
1013:
1010:
1004:
1001:
995:
992:
986:
984:
980:
974:
972:
968:
962:
959:
953:
950:
944:
942:
938:
932:
929:
923:
920:
914:
912:
908:
904:
898:
896:
892:
886:
883:
879:
873:
871:
869:
865:
859:
856:
850:
848:
846:
844:
842:
840:
836:
832:
826:
823:
820:
815:
813:
809:
803:
800:
796:
790:
787:
781:
779:
777:
773:
763:
762:
760:
756:
753:
749:
745:
743:
739:
737:
733:
732:
729:
725:
722:
718:
714:
710:
707:
705:
702:48 Def Bty –
701:
698:
696:
693:15 Def Bty –
692:
691:
689:
685:
680:
676:
673:
669:
665:
661:
659:
655:
653:
649:
646:966 Def Bty (
645:
644:
642:
638:
634:
631:
630:
629:
623:
621:
619:
615:
611:
607:
600:
596:
593:
591:
587:
585:
581:
578:
576:
572:
570:
566:
563:
561:
557:
555:
551:
550:
549:
542:
536:
532:
530:
526:
524:
520:
517:
515:
511:
508:
507:
506:
503:
499:
495:
493:
489:
488:
487:
483:
479:
475:
474:
470:
466:
462:
459:
457:
453:
452:
451:
447:
443:
442:
438:
434:
430:
427:
426:
425:
421:
417:
416:
412:
407:
406:
405:
401:
397:
396:
392:
387:
385:
381:
380:
379:
375:
371:
370:
366:
361:
359:
355:
354:
353:
349:
348:
344:
340:
336:
333:
332:
331:
327:
324:
320:
316:
313:
312:
311:
307:
306:
302:
297:
295:
291:
290:
289:
285:
284:
280:
276:
272:
271:
270:
266:
262:
258:
255:
251:
247:
244:
243:
242:
238:
234:
233:
229:
225:
221:
219:
215:
214:
213:
209:
205:
201:
198:
193:
191:
187:
186:
185:
181:
177:
176:
172:
168:
164:
162:
158:
155:
154:
153:
149:
145:
144:
140:
136:
132:
130:
126:
125:
124:
120:
116:
112:
111:
107:
106:
105:
102:
100:
96:
92:
88:
83:
81:
77:
71:
69:
65:
57:
55:
53:
49:
45:
41:
37:
29:
19:
1081:
1074:
1067:
1060:
1053:
1046:
1033:
1012:
1003:
994:
961:
952:
931:
922:
902:
885:
877:
858:
830:
825:
802:
794:
789:
769:
754:
747:
741:
735:
726:, formed in
723:
716:
711:13 Def Bty,
703:
694:
683:
677:, formed in
674:
667:
657:
651:
635:, formed in
632:
627:
614:Regular Army
603:
546:
534:
528:
522:
513:
504:
497:
491:
485:
482:Warwickshire
476:, formed at
471:
464:
455:
444:, formed at
439:
432:
418:, formed at
413:
398:, formed at
393:
383:
372:, formed at
367:
357:
350:, formed at
345:
338:
328:, formed at
325:
318:
308:, formed at
303:
293:
288:Lincolnshire
286:, formed in
281:
274:
268:
259:, formed at
256:
249:
235:, formed at
230:
223:
217:
211:
202:, formed at
199:
189:
178:, formed at
173:
166:
160:
146:, formed at
141:
134:
128:
122:
113:, formed at
108:
103:
84:
75:
72:
61:
58:Home defence
44:World War II
35:
33:
543:Field Force
450:South Wales
428:957 Def Bty
334:935 Def Bty
241:West Sussex
208:East Sussex
1023:References
905:, Annex A.
901:Farndale,
880:, Annex M.
876:Farndale,
829:Farndale,
797:, Annex B.
793:Farndale,
708:71 Def Bty
699:40 Def Bty
424:Lancashire
204:Eastbourne
180:Horsmonden
148:Saxmundham
115:Chelmsford
62:After the
833:, p. 103.
772:Hong Kong
728:Gibraltar
637:Singapore
46:when the
1092:Category
1041:Gen Sir
903:Far East
715:(RMA) –
624:Overseas
606:Tunisian
478:Alcester
420:Hightown
404:Somerset
378:Cornwall
261:Eynsford
237:Steyning
76:garrison
610:Italian
446:Swansea
400:Dunster
152:Norfolk
99:Norfolk
782:Notes
679:Malta
119:Essex
87:cadre
650:) –
608:and
374:Bude
265:Kent
184:Kent
74:for
66:was
34:The
666:)–
1094::
1045:,
1031:,
982:^
970:^
940:^
910:^
894:^
867:^
838:^
811:^
620:.
512:–
484:–
480:,
448:,
422:,
402:,
376:,
267:–
263:,
239:,
210:–
206:,
182:,
150:,
121:–
117:,
20:)
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
