Royal Field Artillery - help in locating info

[vapcq45]

I have a deceased Uncle, Edward Martin Loftus b 1915, No. 830693.  His Granddaughter has given me the following info but I can't find anything useful online so would appreciate some help - I think it might because I'm not clear about what is Regiment/Brigade/Battery/TA?

This is what I have been given:

He joined the Royal Field Artillery 63rd/5th Territorial Army in Brixton in 1933
He moved to the 25th/1st Field Battery Royal Artillery T.A.
He was dismissed in 1936 for absence but then re-engaged in 1937, then became a Bombardier.
He was discharged from Brixton 21/02/1939 having served 5 years.

AMENDED:

He Re-enlisted to the 63rd (6th London) Field Brigade Royal Artillery TA (I can't find anything on this unit either) in November 1939 in Peckham.
He was posted to Royal Artillery 83rd Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment in Sevenoaks as a Gunner 3/11/1939  (I'm assuming this is no longer the TA?)

His record then shows the following:

148 Light 43 Anti-Aircraft (Southampton) 16/12/39 - May 1940

137/ 35 Light Anti-Aircraft Gunner May 1940 (Southern Command, Oxford)

137/46th Light Anti-Aircraft Royal Artillery August 1940 (5AA Brigade, Gloucester)

5th LAA Regt Gunner 11/08/41

Nov 40 - Home Forces ?

Sept 42 Malta Command, Malta.  September – November 1942 – Just after the Air 'Siege of Malta'

Nov 42 the unit was attached to Middle East Command, N.Africa

Jun 44 the unit was back with Malta Command, Malta

65 Light Anti-Aircraft Regt, Royal Armoured Corp (TK) (x4) He was promoted to Acting Bombardier, 27/09/44 – Does this mean he was in charge of x4 tanks?
Discharged 1946.


Any guidance you could give for unravelling his story would be very welcome.

Thank you!

Val

[rosie99]

If you are looking for his service records they will still be with the MOD
https://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=651361.0

[vapcq45]

Thanks Rosie, yes. His son has his papers but it’s been difficult to get all his info from him and I don’t want to hound him. So I was trying to flesh out what I could with the info I’ve been given.

[rosie99]

I did wonder if you may have had access to them 

Hopefully our military experts can fill in lots more details for you 

[vapcq45]

Thanks Rosie, fingers crossed

[vapcq45]

I've just amended my original post with more info.  I stupidly missed this first time round.  Apologies.

[MaxD]

While we wait for an expert to come along, here's my first take on the information.

The term "Royal Field Artillery" was discontinued in 1924 so all units were then simply Royal Artillery.
 In 1938, artillery brigades were renamed regiments, both had three or four sub-units called batteries.

In the 1933-39 period he was a Territorial Army soldier ie a part time soldier, some evenings and weekends and annual camp, carrying on his civilian trade primarily.  His units were 5 Battery of 63 Field Regiment Royal Artillery (TA), 1st Battery of 25 Field Regiment RA  (** Brigades up to 1938 then Regiments)

His promotion to Bombardier was the two stripe non-commissioned officer rank, he must therefore have been Gunner and lance Bombardier prior to that.

More soon.

MaxD

[MaxD]

Next complication.  When he joined in 1939 he may have enlisted as regular soldier although the regiments listed were all TA.  That would be clear on his attestation.  As far as the regiments were concerned, when war broke out, their part time status disappeared so although still called TA, they were now on a par with regular units.  New regiments formed for the war, and there were hundreds, were also TA for the duration.

Assuming the record is using the normal convention of battery number/regiment number in that order, his units were:
148 Battery of 43 Light Anti Aircraft Regiment Royal Artillery (TA)
137 Bty of 46 LAA Regt RA TA
became 137 Bty of 5 LAA Regt RA TA (5 was formed from 46)

The 11/08/41 onwards is not clear.  I can't immediately reconcile batteries/regiments and places or the reference to Royal Armoured Corps and tanks
The X 4 (ie letter X 4) may well be "List X 4" a designation when a man was away from his "own" unit usually awaiting posting to another.

I do understand the difficulties but I would only be confident with a time line if I saw the record, including other parts of it.   The postings and promotions sheet and the casualty and service form can be cross referenced and clarify places and start and finish dates.  Dare I say too that transcriptions may not be 100%.
I don't like to do guesswork (not much anyway!) but stand ready to look at the record if at all possible.   

MaxD

[vapcq45]

Lol, 'while we wait for an expert'!  Expert you definitely are.

TA was definitely confusing me. 

I've asked his Granddaughter if there is any way we can get a photo or scan of his service document...might take a while.  In the meantime she also sent me this:

Courses he attended:
Attd A/C Recog [Attended Air craft Recognition?]
Course ARB 3 @ Malta. Classification awarded: 'Q2'

Discharged from engagement in 10.02.1954  ?

Medals: Africa Star & Italy Stars

His release documents had the following testimonial:

Military Conduct: Exemplary

Testimonial: He was a detachment Commander in the RA [Royal Artillery] & a Tank commander in the RAC [Royal Armoured Corps]. He has carried out these responsible duties, keenly & efficiently. He is industrious & painstaking, honest sober and most trustworthy and he is highly recommended for re-employment in his pre-service trade.

Will post again when I hear from his Granddaughter.  Thanks Max.