Author Topic: HAA RA  (Read 18026 times)

Offline ADM199

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Re: HAA RA
« Reply #9 on: Friday 16 April 10 16:46 BST (UK) »
Sorry about that but didn't get that impression.




Hi,
   a Field Regiment is not a Heavy Anti Aircraft Regiment. Try looking at the research guides on The National Archives web site. www.nationalarchives.gov.uk  You should be able to find the Reference to the Regiments War Diaries.

                                  Good Luck

Perfectly aware of this myself

Prisoners of War. North Africa,Italy and Germany

Offline Niksmum

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Re: HAA RA
« Reply #10 on: Friday 16 April 10 17:17 BST (UK) »
Hi Jonny

I really would like to know where he was and when.  In fact anything you can tell me would be great. Dad never spoke about the war and as we were young when he died we never had the chance to ask.

Irene
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Offline ADM199

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Re: HAA RA
« Reply #11 on: Friday 16 April 10 19:08 BST (UK) »
War Diaries for 115 H.A.A. Rgt.

WO 166/2405  Apr.- Dec 1941 -- WO 166/7483  Jan. - Dec 1942  - WO 166/11598  Jan.- Dec 1943

WO 171/1159   Jan - Dec  1944  - WO 171/4922  Jan.- Dec 1945.


WO 166 Are the War Diaries for Home Forces and WO 171 are those for Allied Expeditionary Forces.

So it looks as though the Regiment was in the U.K. until after D.Day.

Hope this helps.

Brian
Prisoners of War. North Africa,Italy and Germany

Offline Niksmum

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Re: HAA RA
« Reply #12 on: Friday 16 April 10 19:38 BST (UK) »
Thanks Brian. Any idea how I can get copies of the diaries as I am in the US so a visit to Kew is not possible.

Irene
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Offline ADM199

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Re: HAA RA
« Reply #13 on: Friday 16 April 10 20:43 BST (UK) »
To get Kew to copy the Files is usually very expensive.
I make regular visits but from Sunday I am out of the Country for a couple of weeks or I would have copied them for you.

I would think that the two that would be of most interest would be the WO 171 Files which would cover his time overseas.

Brian
Prisoners of War. North Africa,Italy and Germany

Offline jonny

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Re: HAA RA
« Reply #14 on: Friday 16 April 10 21:21 BST (UK) »
Irene,

You can get copies of the War Diaries but it will not be cheap. I have similar for a RAF Squadron and obtained them on CD, but you are probably talking a few hundred dollars.

My interest starts when my grandfather joined the Regiment in May 1944, so please forgive the lack of information prior to that point. John Henry Hipkins (aka 'Jack') had been Coastal Artillery, but the need for Coastal gunners diminished as the war dragged on and he was re-rolled as an AA Radar Operator.  You are probably aware that the 115th Heavy Anti Aircraft (HAA) Regiment was a Territorial Army unit raised for service in the war.  It was equipped with the excellent British QF 3.7 inch (94 mm) Anti Aircraft gun, primarily used in the Anti Aircraft role but also capable of engaging ground targets using High Explosive air and ground burst munitions.  Broadly speaking the Regiment consisted of a Regimental Headquarters and 3 Batteries (numbered 361, 365 and 367) and like most HAA Regiments at the time was controlled at a very high level i.e. they were Army or Army Group troops and were very rarely commanded by any smaller formation. They used the Tactical Number of ‘169’ on all their vehicles.

The Regiment moved to the Southampton area in May 1944 as part of 74th Anti Aircraft Brigade (AA Bde). They came under temporary command of Southern Command and Regimental Headquarters (RHQ) was located at a house called 'The Walls' in Nursling.  In preparation for a deployment to the Continent, all ranks were recalled to the unit on the 3rd August 1944.  A total of 36 Officers and 910 Other Ranks (ORs) embarked at the port of Tilbury on the 9th.  The ships they boarded were 'SS Ignatius Donelly' (carrying the CO, Adjutant, part of RHQ and 361 Battery), the 'SS Robert Heize' (carrying 365 Bty, part of RHQ and the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (REME) Detachment) and the ‘SS Ocean Strength’ (carrying 367 Bty).  The vessels anchored off the town of Graye-sur-mer, Normandy on the 12th and landed across Juno Beach on the 13th of August.  On the 26th of the month they were in action around the town of St Julien.  On the 29th they came under command of 107th AA Bde, part of 1st Canadian Army, 21st Army Group and were employed in the AA role defending the Normandy beach head.  Like most units at this time, they moved around quite a lot, but at various times they defended Caen and were in action around Falaise.  With the break out from the beach head in late August, they moved into Belgium and by the 21st of September were in action around Antwerp.  At this stage of the war, the Regiment was being used in a dual role; engaging both air and ground targets (the latter mainly in support of Canadian formations).  An extract from the War Diary dated 3 Oct 1944, states: “Since the Regiment has been in their present location there has been increasing requests for the engagement of targets by HAA both by Field Artillery and Infantry.  Tasks that have been accepted and successfully engaged have been; Harassing Fire, Counter Battery, Barrage, O.P. controlled both by ground and air O.P.” (O.P. standing for Observation Post).  Throughout the remainder of the year they were fairly static in Holland and when one understands the operational and tactical situation at the time you can understand why.  The following is a transcription of the War Diary and gives a flavour of what they were doing and where:


Offline jonny

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Re: HAA RA
« Reply #15 on: Friday 16 April 10 21:23 BST (UK) »
1 November 1944: Regiment in action at Oud-Gastel (Brabant), ground targets engaged in support of 49 Division.
 
3 November 1944: Ground targets engaged by 361 Battery, 32 rounds fired. 361 Battery fired further 32 rounds against enemy re-forming for counter attack.   Emergency target engaged in support of 104 US Division. 104 US Division report air burst effective and enemy mortar fire considerably relieved as result.
 
4 November 1944: Ground targets engaged throughout day.
 
6 November 1944: Regiment moved to area Fijnaart. Batteries deployed in area. RHQ established in Fijnaart. Ground targets engaged in support 104 US Division and 49 Division.
 
7 November 1944: Ground targets engaged by 367 Battery throughout day.
 
8 November 1944: Ground targets engaged by 367 and 365 Batteries throughout the day.
 
9 November 1944: 361 Battery deployed in support Polish Armd Division.
 
10 November 1944: Regiment less 361 Battery moved to rest area at Roosendaal. RHQ established at Roosendaal.
 
11 November 1944: L/Sgt W.H. Cragg killed by bomb whilst in Antwerpen. Gunner H. Bennett of 361 Battery injured by mine. 361 Battery engaged ground target in support Polish Armd Division.
 
13 November 1944: 361 Battery moved to rest area at Roosendaal.
 
15 November 1944: Regiment moved to Nijmegen area and took over from 90 HAA Regiment under comd 74 AA Brigade. RHQ established in wood. 361 Battery shelled during occupation of gun position. No casualties.
 
16 November 1944: 365 Battery fired 12 rounds against ground targets.
 
19 November 1944: ME 109 flying low engaged by 361 Battery. 17 rounds fired.
 
20 November 1944: 361 Battery BHQ and gun position subjected to consistent shelling throughout night. BHQ received direct hit, no casualties to personnel. One three ton lorry damaged.
 
21 November 1944: ME 109 flew low over 361 Battery gun position. Unable to engage. 365 Battery engaged, 2 round fired. 365 Battery engaged ME 262, 26 rounds fired. ME 262 flying out of cloud dropped on 361 Battery gun position. Bomb failed to explode.
 
26 November 1944: 365 Battery fired 6 rounds against ground target.
 
1 December 1944: Capt H.W. Plucha was appointed adjudant vice Capt Francis posted to 365 Battery as Battery Captain. H3 ground targets engaged by C. D. E & H Troops 288 rounds fires including airbursts - percussions. 367 Bty fired 126 rounds against ground targets. 361 Battery gun position and BHQ subjected to continuous shelling.
 
2 December 1944: Shelling of 361 Battery continues and intensified. Sgt Chadwick and Sgt P. Lyon (REME) killed. Considerable damage to vehicles and equipment. Secret telephone line was laid to CBO. Great difficulty was experienced in locating hostile batteries.
 
3 December 1944: Major E.H. Bigland assumed command of the Regiment during illnes of Lt. Col R.O.E. Eve.  E Troop fired 24 rounds against ground targets.
 
4 December 1944: Shelling of 361 Bty continued. All Transport moved out + BHQ moved, less Bty Comd and BQMS.
 
5 December 1944: 365 Bty fired 15 rounds for calibration. 367 Bty fired 69 rounds against ground targets.
 
6 December 1944: Shelling of 361 Bty continued. No further damage of casualties.
 
7 December 1944: 367 Bty fired 36 rounds against ground targets. 361 Bty moved from present position + occupied new positions.
 
8 December 1944: F Troop fired 39 rounds against ground targets
 
9 December 1944: 365 Bty fired 11 rounds as practice ranging from OP. 369 Bty fired 120 rounds against ground targets.
 
10 December 1944: 365 Bty fired 6 HE Tasks. Expended 40 rounds airbursts and 40 rounds percussions. 367 Bty fired 105 rounds against hostile aircraft. Aircraft dropped bombs in Nijmegen and was afterwards destroyed by fighters. Two ME 262 aircraft engaged by 365 Bty 4 rounds fired.
 
11 December 1944: HE Tasks fired by 365 Bty as follows 16 rounds airbursts. F Troop fired 40 rounds on HE Tasks.
 
12 December 1944: 365 Bty fired 16 rounds on HE Tasks.
 
13 December 1944: E Troop fired 3 rounds against ground targets. 365 Bty fired 6 HE Tasks, 48 rounds fired. 365 Bty fired 8 rounds against ground target. 365 Bty fired 3 HE Tasks, 24 rounds fired. 365 Bty fired 16 rounds on HE Tasks.
 
14 December 1944: 365 & 367 Bty fired 7 HE Tasks 84 rounds fired.
 
15 December 1944: 365 Bty fired two rounds only as practice OP ranging owing to poor visibility. F Troop fired 3 rounds against ground targets.
 
16 December 1944: Lt A.H. Higgins RA proceeded on course to school of Signals Gatwick. 365 & 367 Bty fired 3 HE Tasks, 48 rounds fired. 365 Bty fired 2 HE Tasks, 16 rounds fired. 361 BHQ moved to new location. 365 Bty fired 8 rounds on HE Tasks.
 
17 December 1944: 365 Bty fired 5 HE Tasks, 20 rounds fired. 365 Bty fired 49 rounds for practice op ranging.
 
18 December 1944: 365 Bty fired 49 rounds for practice op ranging. 365 & 367 Bty fired 1 HE Task, 64 rounds fired.
 
19 December 1944: 365 & 367 Btys fired 72 rounds on 3 HE Tasks. Sporadic shelling adjacent to 361 Bty BHQ during night, no damage or casualties.
 

Offline jonny

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Re: HAA RA
« Reply #16 on: Friday 16 April 10 21:24 BST (UK) »
20 December 1944: Lt. L.A. Wade proceeded on Radar course to UK. 367 Bty fired 116 rounds against ground targets.
 
21 December 1944: Information received of many Para Troops and Transport aircraft concentrating in North Holland. Ground defence schemes received and adjacent units contacted with view to coordination. F Troop fired 100 rounds against ground targets.
 
22 December 1944: F Troop fired 37 rounds against ground target.
 
23 December 1944: E Troop fired 96 rounds against ground targets (HE Tasks). 365 Bty fired 7
rounds against aircraft, height 3500 ft. B Troop engaged ME 262. Ht 3200 ft Results not known.
 
24 December 1944: 365 Bty fired 13 rounds at aircraft, heigth 10,000ft.
 
25 December 1944: Hostile a/c (F.W. 190) engaged at tree-top height by B Troop with Bren gun. A/c was engaged by LAA guns and crashed.
 
26 December 1944: 361 and 365 Btys engaged ME 262 Ht 30,000. Results not known, 14 rounds fired. B Troop engaged unseen hostile aircraft Ht 3200, fired 32 rounds. JU 88 afterwards reported crashed. Claim submitted for Cat I. 367 Bty engaged unseen hostile aircraft Ht 3200. Results unknown.

27 December 1944: 365 Bty fired 20 rounds as practice O.P. ranging.
 
29 December 1944: Four Typhoons attacked power station at Nijmegen, four rounds were fired by 365 Bty. Typhoons dived to 800 ft and were escorted away by Spitfires.

Apart from a move to Njmegan, things didn’t really alter that much for the men of 115 HAA Regt in the New Year. They supported various formations during the spring e.g. 3 (Can) Div in February and 49 (West Riding) Div in March and ended the war with the Regimental Rear Party at Njmegan and the Btys at Alkmaar (North of Amsterdam) and Zwartebroek (East of Amtserdam).

I hope this helps in your quest for information.

Rgds

Jonny


 

Offline Niksmum

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Re: HAA RA
« Reply #17 on: Friday 16 April 10 21:40 BST (UK) »
Oh my this is wonderful....thank you sooo much.
I have printed this off and will read it again later when all is quiet. This is a lot to take in and I am amazed that you have done this for me....

Thank you again for your kindness

Irene
Buckinghamshire-Babbs<br />Somerset-Smith<br />Woolwich-Elliott<br />London-Elliott, Hare,Baker

Restorers please do NOT use any restores done by me without my permission