508:
91st LAA Rgt were reduced from 54 to 36 guns – their surplus personnel being converted to other roles, particularly infantry. At the same time the AA guns were finding other uses. LAA troops were included in fireplans for defended localities and Bofors guns were often employed to harass known enemy machine gun and mortar positions out to a range of 1,000 yards (910 m) or more. A concentrated burst of fire at 120 rounds per minute when a machine gun opened fire was usually effective at suppression. Some infantry commanders were keen for Bofors to 'brown' any area from which an attack was anticipated.
338:
290:
366:
442:
183:
33:
60:
77:
298:
358:
were subjected to regular dive-bombing and ground attacks. Ammunition expenditure by the LAA batteries was high, often wasted by the newly-arrived and inexperienced regiments engaging unsuitable targets at long range, and supply was sometimes erratic. With greater experience of 'snap' actions against fast low-flying aircraft, Bofors gun units increasingly abandoned using the
246:
555:
was suffering from such shortages of pilots, aircraft and fuel that serious air attacks could be discounted. As a result further cuts could be made in AA units to address the
British reinforcement crisis. 91st Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment left 4th Division on 6 November, and while the rest of the
507:
was unable to influence any of these operations. Meanwhile
British forces in Italy were suffering an acute manpower shortage. In June 1944 the Chiefs of Staff decided that the number of AA regiments in Italy must be reduced – corps LAA regiments were disbanded and divisional LAA regiments such as
357:
being spread across the field gun area in whatever pattern suited the ground, the individual gun sites being chosen by the troop commanders and gun
Numbers 1. Moving and deploying AA guns in the rough country with underpowered gun tractors was difficult but necessary as units in the forward areas
425:
After the Axis defeat in North Africa, 4th
Division remained there for the next nine months while the Allies invaded first Sicily and then mainland Italy. At the end of 1943 4th Division was converted back into a standard infantry division, exchanging its armoured brigade for an infantry brigade
345:
The Torch landings began on 8 November 1942, and First Army's units and formations were progressively fed into the fighting. V Corps' Advanced HQ and some of its divisions arrived on 22 November, but 4th
Division was still in the UK: 91st LAA Rgt was photographed undergoing a combined operations
316:
4th
Division was a field army formation under GHQ Home Forces, training in Southern Scotland in early 1942. In June it was converted into a 'mixed' division, consisting of two infantry brigades and one tank brigade trained to fight together. On 15 July it was assigned to
412:
before the armour could break through. 4th
Division entered the battle on 24 April. Axis air attacks were maintained until 25 April, doing considerable damage, but tailed off thereafter. By early May the Axis forces were crumbling, and a final thrust
346:
training exercise in
Scotland on 17 November. 4th Division did not sail from the UK until 12 March 1943, landing on 23 March and reaching the front between 3 and 6 April in time for the final phases of the fighting in the
221:
battalion, the 12th does not appear to have been assigned to any field force or home defence formation. However it was converted into a normal infantry battalion on 24 October 1940 and on 11 December it joined
1068:
1058:
274:
535:, supported 'by neutralising fire from all weapons' and it cleared San Aquilina on the opposite ridge by the afternoon of 19 September. It returned to the line in early October, crossing the
1063:
931:
658:
353:
Typically, a divisional LAA regiment in this campaign allocated one battery to each of the division's field artillery regiments, the three LAA
310:
223:
168:
114:
963:
875:
341:
A Bofors gun of 91st LAA Rgt being loaded onto a landing craft in a combined operations training exercise in
Scotland on 17 November 1942.
1042:
1027:
1004:
985:
947:
924:
909:
894:
231:
337:
289:
435:
254:
227:
176:
278:
473:
213:
196:
160:
22:
657:
Order of Battle of Non-Field Force Units in the United
Kingdom, Part 27: AA Command, 2 December 1941, with amendments,
531:
beginning on 12 September after a heavy artillery programme. On the night of 17/18 September 4th Division crossed the
326:
397:
and tank-busting missions. During the Oued Zarga battle (7–15 April) 15 were shot down in V Corps' deployment area.
253:
At the end of 1941 the battalion was selected to be retrained in the light anti-aircraft (LAA) role equipped with
497:
235:
365:
318:
528:
458:
441:
378:
382:
306:
472:
After its exertions, 4th Division went into Army Reserve, returning to the front between 1 and 6 June.
182:
390:
484:. After hard fighting the defences were breached on 28 June. By 4 July the division was heading for
887:
History of the Royal Regiment of Artillery: The Years of Defeat: Europe and North Africa, 1939–1941
1016:
History of the Second World War, United Kingdom Military Series: The Mediterranean and Middle East
993:
History of the Second World War, United Kingdom Military Series: The Mediterranean and Middle East
974:
History of the Second World War, United Kingdom Military Series: The Mediterranean and Middle East
936:
History of the Second World War, United Kingdom Military Series: The Mediterranean and Middle East
867:
History of the Second World War, United Kingdom Military Series: The Defence of the United Kingdom
543:
on 25/26 October. The increasingly bad weather effectively ended the campaign for the time being.
461:). By early on 13 May the river had been bridged and the division was pushing westwards along the
864:
431:
359:
218:
841:
Jackson, Vol VI, Pt II, pp. 225–6, 232, 241, 265, 274–5, 279, 288–9, 294–5, 403, 409–10, 429–33.
1038:
1023:
1000:
981:
959:
943:
920:
905:
890:
871:
347:
266:
172:
524:
454:
414:
405:
269:. Surplus men were drafted on 26 November to 211th Heavy Anti-Aircraft Training Regiment at
128:
124:
978:
The Campaign in Sicily 1943 and the Campaign in Italy 3rd September 1943 to 31st March 1944
1011:
882:
512:
400:
After V Corps had broken the back of the defence, First Army began its final offensive on
322:
258:
164:
136:
76:
38:
32:
481:
477:
450:
203:
132:
65:
1052:
540:
536:
496:
loop east of Florence, the division had to lay on a fullscale assault on the hilltop
466:
386:
374:
373:
V Corps was given the task of securing the ground necessary to open the Oued Zarga–
532:
385:
since December. Two weeks of hard slogging followed for 4th Division, during which
313:
on 26 January 1942; it would stay with this formation for the rest of its service.
156:
152:
80:
480:
after the fall of Rome, and on 21 and 22 June 4th Division deployed to attack the
417:) took the First Army into Tunis on 7 May; the Axis forces surrendered on 13 May.
1022:, London: HM Stationery Office, 1966/Uckfield, Naval & Military Press, 2004,
999:, London: HM Stationery Office, 1987/Uckfield, Naval & Military Press, 2004,
980:, London: HM Stationery Office, 1973/Uckfield, Naval & Military Press, 2004,
942:, London: HM Stationery Office, 1987/Uckfield, Naval & Military Press, 2004,
430:. It then went on a five-day sea voyage from Tunisia to the British base area in
558:
516:
297:
239:
427:
321:, one of the formations earmarked for the planned landings in North Africa (
100:
1035:
History of the Royal Regiment of Artillery: Anti-Aircraft Artillery 1914–55
273:
where they joined a new 494 (Mixed) Heavy AA Bty that was being formed for
869:, London: HM Stationery Office, 1957/Uckfield: Naval & Military, 2004
489:
409:
394:
270:
104:
520:
309:, but left before it was allocated to a brigade, and instead it joined
889:, Woolwich: Royal Artillery Institution, 1988/London: Brasseys, 1996,
485:
207:
265:, comprising Regimental Headquarters (RHQ) and 314, 315 and 316 LAA
245:
488:, though it was held up for a while by counter-attacks, then on to
438:
on 15 February 1944 in exchange for an exhausted British division.
562:) on 12 December, 91st LAA Rgt was disbanded on 18 December 1944.
440:
408:) on 22 April, which involved five days' hard fighting across the
401:
364:
354:
336:
296:
288:
244:
242:, defending the South Coast of England against possible invasion.
181:
784:
Jackson, Vol VI, Pt II, pp. 5, 23, 39, 42–5, 76–8, 88–95, 138–40.
997:
Victory in the Mediterranean, Part I: 1st April to 4th June 1944
556:
division sailed for service against the uprising in Greece (the
527:. The rest of the division was called up for the assault on the
493:
462:
449:
The division's first operation was an assault crossing of the
230:. At the time this division was training in Wales as part of
940:
Victory in the Mediterranean, Part I|: June to October 1944
362:
in favour of the simple 'Stiffkey Stick' deflection sight.
293:
A Bofors 40 mm LAA gun crew under training, January 1942.
748:
Playfair & Molony, Vol IV, pp. 434–6, 440–1, 448–57.
539:
on 20 October, but failed to 'bounce' a crossing at the
1037:, London: Royal Artillery Institution/Brassey's, 1994,
434:, arriving on 23 December. It was then shipped to the
191:
12th (Pioneer) Battalion, South Staffordshire Regiment
1069:
Military units and formations disestablished in 1944
1059:
Light anti-aircraft regiments of the Royal Artillery
766:
Molony, Vol VI, Pt I, pp. 81–2, 104–7, 115–9, 123–6.
523:
area, but its artillery was sent forward to support
249:
47th (London) Division's 'Bow Bells' formation sign.
958:. Uckfield, East Sussex: Naval and Military Press.
707:
Playfair & Molony, Vol IV, pp. 167; Appendix 7.
369:
Bofors gun and crew in action near Tunis, May 1943.
202:The unit was originally formed on 22 April 1940 at
159:. Initially raised as an infantry battalion of the
120:
110:
96:
86:
71:
53:
45:
20:
149:91st Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery
1064:Military units and formations established in 1941
195:Not to be confused with 12th (Labour) Battalion,
151:, (91st LAA Rgt) was an air defence unit of the
919:, Vol II, Wakefield: Microform Academic, 1984,
465:, turning the flank of the German defenders on
904:, Vol I, Wakefield: Microform Academic, 1984,
623:
621:
581:
579:
577:
575:
956:Orders of Battle: Second World War, 1939–1945
917:Lineage Book of British Land Forces 1660–1978
902:Lineage Book of British Land Forces 1660–1978
792:
790:
519:defences. 4th Division was in reserve in the
8:
1020:The Destruction of the Axis forces in Africa
281:were integrated into the unit's personnel).
257:: on 15 November 1941 it transferred to the
301:4th Division's 'one-fourth' formation sign.
179:until it was disbanded at the end of 1944.
726:
724:
722:
602:
600:
31:
739:Playfair & Molony, Vol IV, pp. 395–9.
685:
683:
681:
679:
677:
675:
673:
671:
669:
667:
445:Bofors gun and crew in Italy, April 1944.
453:during the night of 11/12 May to launch
305:The new regiment was originally part of
277:('Mixed' indicating that women from the
635:
633:
571:
476:was pursuing the German forces towards
716:Playfair & Molony, Vol IV, p. 388.
17:
234:. In February 1941 it became part of
26:91st Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment, RA
7:
377:road, and then moving on to capture
186:The South Staffordshires' cap badge.
850:Jackson, Vol VI, Pt II, pp. 371–2.
814:Jackson, Vol VI, Pt II, pp. 137–8.
757:Molony, Vol VI, Pt I, pp. 81, 106.
14:
805:Molony, Vol VI, Pt I, pp. 448–50.
285:91st Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment
659:The National Archives (TNA), Kew
75:
58:
49:22 April 1940 – 18 December 1944
228:47th (London) Infantry Division
163:in 1940, it transferred to the
511:The next Allied offensive was
1:
775:Molony, Vol VI, Pt I, p. 256.
279:Auxiliary Territorial Service
167:in late 1941. It served with
214:South Staffordshire Regiment
197:South Staffordshire Regiment
161:South Staffordshire Regiment
23:South Staffordshire Regiment
426:drawn from the garrison of
1085:
1014:& Brig C.J.C. Molony,
615:Collier, Maps 17 & 20.
212:12th (Pioneer) Battalion,
194:
796:Molony, Vol V, pp. 421–3.
393:were active in low-level
30:
627:Frederick, pp. 804, 835.
954:Joslen, H. F. (2003) .
459:Battle of Monte Cassino
381:, which had defied the
457:(the fourth and final
446:
370:
342:
302:
294:
250:
187:
1033:Brig N.W. Routledge,
832:Routledge, pp. 280–1.
730:Routledge, pp. 182–7.
503:The gravely weakened
444:
391:Messerschmitt Bf 109s
368:
340:
311:4th Infantry Division
307:Anti-Aircraft Command
300:
292:
275:143rd (Mixed) HAA Rgt
248:
185:
169:4th Infantry Division
991:Brig C.J.C. Molony,
606:Joslen, pp. 41, 272.
972:Brig C.J.C. Molony,
823:Routledge, pp. 278.
915:J.B.M. Frederick,
900:J.B.M. Frederick,
648:Frederick, p. 760.
639:Farndale, Annex M.
585:Frederick, p. 311.
551:By late 1944, the
498:Incontro Monastery
447:
371:
360:Kerrison Predictor
343:
303:
295:
251:
188:
965:978-1-84342-474-1
876:978-1-84574-055-9
689:Joslen, pp. 45–6.
661:, file WO 212/80.
348:Tunisian Campaign
263:91st LAA Regiment
255:Bofors 40 mm guns
142:
141:
37:Cap badge of the
1076:
969:
851:
848:
842:
839:
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699:
698:Collier, Map 27.
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649:
646:
640:
637:
628:
625:
616:
613:
607:
604:
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525:I Canadian Corps
455:Operation Diadem
415:Operation Strike
406:Operation Vulcan
238:and deployed to
129:Operation Diadem
125:Operation Vulcan
79:
64:
62:
61:
35:
21:12th Battalion,
18:
1084:
1083:
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1012:I.S.O. Playfair
966:
953:
932:William Jackson
883:Martin Farndale
865:Basil Collier,
860:
855:
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568:
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513:Operation Olive
492:. To clear the
423:
335:
323:Operation Torch
287:
259:Royal Artillery
232:Western Command
200:
193:
165:Royal Artillery
145:
137:Operation Olive
135:
131:
127:
103:
91:
59:
57:
41:
39:Royal Artillery
25:
12:
11:
5:
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548:
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515:to breach the
482:Trasimene Line
478:Lake Trasimeno
422:
419:
387:Junkers Ju 87s
334:
331:
286:
283:
204:Blandford Camp
192:
189:
143:
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133:Trasimene Line
122:
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66:United Kingdom
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3:
2:
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1043:1-85753-099-3
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1028:1-845740-68-8
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1005:1-845740-70-X
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948:1-845740-71-8
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925:1-85117-009-X
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910:1-85117-007-3
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895:1-85753-080-2
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467:Monte Cassino
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436:Italian Front
433:
429:
420:
418:
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411:
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384:
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379:Longstop Hill
376:
375:Medjez el Bab
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144:Military unit
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40:
34:
29:
24:
19:
16:
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694:
653:
644:
611:
590:
557:
552:
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510:
504:
502:
471:
451:River Rapido
448:
424:
410:Medjez Plain
399:
372:
352:
344:
315:
304:
262:
252:
224:25th Brigade
211:
201:
157:World War II
153:British Army
148:
146:
115:4th Division
111:Part of
81:British Army
15:
559:Dekemvriana
547:Disbandment
541:River Ronco
537:River Savio
529:Rimini Line
517:Gothic Line
474:Eighth Army
463:Liri Valley
240:West Sussex
121:Engagements
92:Air defence
1053:Categories
1018:, Vol IV:
995:, Vol VI:
938:, Vol VI:
858:References
533:River Ausa
494:River Arno
327:First Army
199:, 1916–17.
976:, Vol V:
553:Luftwaffe
505:Luftwaffe
428:Gibraltar
325:). under
267:Batteries
101:Battalion
1010:Maj-Gen
930:Gen Sir
881:Gen Sir
490:Florence
395:Strafing
271:Oswestry
261:(RA) as
236:IV Corps
105:Regiment
90:Infantry
594:Joslen.
521:Foligno
333:Tunisia
319:V Corps
219:pioneer
217:. As a
173:Tunisia
155:during
54:Country
1041:
1026:
1003:
984:
962:
946:
923:
908:
893:
874:
486:Arezzo
383:Allies
355:Troops
208:Dorset
72:Branch
63:
46:Active
566:Notes
432:Egypt
421:Italy
402:Tunis
210:, as
177:Italy
1039:ISBN
1024:ISBN
1001:ISBN
982:ISBN
960:ISBN
944:ISBN
921:ISBN
906:ISBN
891:ISBN
872:ISBN
389:and
175:and
147:The
97:Size
87:Role
226:in
171:in
1055::
934:,
885:,
789:^
721:^
666:^
632:^
620:^
599:^
574:^
500:.
469:.
350:.
329:.
206:,
1030:.
1007:.
988:.
968:.
950:.
927:.
912:.
897:.
878:.
413:(
404:(
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
