99th (London Welsh) Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery
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The 99th (London Welsh) Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery was an air defence unit of Britain's Territorial Army (TA) during
World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
. It defended London during the early part of the war, and later served in the campaign in North West Europe.


Origin

The 99th Anti-Aircraft (AA) Regiment, Royal Artillery, was formed on 1 April 1939 as part of the expansion of the TA in the months leading up to the outbreak of war. It was raised from Welshmen living in London and was affiliated to the
Welsh Guards The Welsh Guards (WLSH GDS; ), part of the Guards and Parachute Division, Guards Division, is one of the Foot guards, Foot Guards regiments of the British Army. It was founded in 1915 as a single-battalion regiment, during the World War I, First ...
. It was based at Inverna Gardens,
Kensington Kensington is an area of London in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, around west of Central London. The district's commercial heart is Kensington High Street, running on an east–west axis. The north-east is taken up by Kensingt ...
, the drill hall of the
Kensington Regiment (Princess Louise's) The Kensington Regiment (Princess Louise's) is a unit of the British Army, which originated in the Volunteer Rifle Corps' movement of the 1850s. In 1908 it became a battalion of the London Regiment in the Territorial Force. It was an infantry reg ...
of the TA, and initially consisted of Regimental Headquarters (RHQ) with 302 and 303 AA Batteries.Frederick, pp. 756–7, 779.Litchfield, p. 168.


World War II


Mobilisation

In June 1939, as the international situation deteriorated, a partial mobilisation of
Anti-Aircraft Command Anti-Aircraft Command (AA Command, or "Ack-Ack Command") was a British Army command of the Second World War that controlled the Territorial Army anti-aircraft artillery and searchlight formations and units defending the United Kingdom. Origin ...
was begun in a process known as 'couverture', whereby each TA unit did a month's tour of duty in rotation to man selected AA positions. 99th (LW) AA Regiment was embodied under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel J.M. Davies, MC, at Iverna Gardens on 19 August and went to the AA Practice Camp at
Aberporth Aberporth is a seaside village, community (Wales), community and electoral ward in Ceredigion, Wales. The population at the 2001 Census, was 2,485, of whom 49 per cent could speak the Welsh language. At the 2011 Census, the population of the co ...
in Wales. On 24 August, ahead of the declaration of war, AA Command was fully mobilised at its war stations. The regiment returned by train and established RHQ at 31 Mitcham Lane,
Streatham Streatham ( ) is a district in south London, England. Centred south of Charing Cross, it lies mostly within the London Borough of Lambeth, with some parts extending into the neighbouring London Borough of Wandsworth. Streatham was in Surrey ...
, with 302 AA Bty taking over gunsite ZS17 at
Mitcham Mitcham is an area within the London Borough of Merton in South London, England. It is centred southwest of Charing Cross. Originally a village in the county of Surrey, today it is mainly a residential suburb, and includes Mitcham Common. It ...
, and 303 AA Bty at ZS15 (
Norbury Norbury is an List of areas of London, town and suburb in south London. It shares the postcode London SW16 with neighbouring Streatham. The area is mainly in the borough of Croydon London Borough Council, Croydon, with some parts extending int ...
) and ZS13 (
Shirley Shirley may refer to: Arts and entertainment * ''Shirley'' (novel), an 1849 novel by Charlotte Brontë * ''Shirley'' (1922 film), a British silent film * ''Shirley'' (2020 film), an American biographical film about Shirley Jackson * ''Shirley'' ( ...
). The regiment formed part of 48 AA Brigade in 1 AA Division tasked with defending London.99 HAA Rgt War Diary, 1939–41, The National Archives (TNA), Kew, file WO 166/2389.AA Command 3 September 1939 at Patriot Files.
/ref>


Phoney War

During the
Phoney War The Phoney War (; ; ) was an eight-month period at the outset of World War II during which there were virtually no Allied military land operations on the Western Front from roughly September 1939 to May 1940. World War II began on 3 Septembe ...
period there were numerous changes of battery locations around south and south-east London, with RHQ moving to the Wickham Court Hotel,
West Wickham West Wickham is an area of South East Greater London, London, England, in the London Borough of Bromley. It lies south of Park Langley, Eden Park, London, Eden Park, Beckenham and Bromley town centre, west of Hayes, Bromley, Hayes and north o ...
, in September. There was a shortage of heavy AA (HAA) guns, and 302 AA Bty spent periods manning AA
Light machine gun A light machine gun (LMG) is a light-weight machine gun designed to be operated by a single infantryman, with or without an assistant, as an infantry support weapon. LMGs firing cartridge (firearms), cartridges of the same caliber as the othe ...
s (AALMGs) at
Tolworth Tolworth is a suburban area in the Surbiton district, Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames, Greater London. It is southwest of Charing Cross. Neighbouring places include Berrylands, Chessington, Epsom, Ewell, Kingston upon Thames, Kingston, Lo ...
and
Kingston Vale Kingston Vale with Kingston Hill is a district in the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames in south-west London. It is a residential area between Richmond Park, the much smaller Putney Vale, Wimbledon Common, Coombe/Coombe Hill and the Norb ...
(October 1939) and
Cricklewood Cricklewood is a town in North London, England, in the London Boroughs of Camden, Barnet, and Brent. The Crown pub, now the Clayton Crown Hotel, is a local landmark and lies north-west of Charing Cross. Cricklewood was a small rural hamlet ...
(April 1940) before returning to man HAA gunsites. One of the HAA sites taken over was at
Hayes Common Hayes Common is a 79-Hectare (195 acre) area of public open land in Hayes in the London Borough of Bromley. It is owned and managed by Bromley Council. It is Site of Metropolitan Importance for Nature Conservation, and a small area is part of ...
, equipped with 3-inch guns. In May 1940 an official photographer pictured 303 AA Battery manning guns at this site. On 15 February 1940, the regiment sent a cadre of officers and non-commissioned officers (NCOs) to 218 AA Training Rgt at
Oswestry Oswestry ( ; ) is a market town, civil parish and historic railway town in Shropshire, England, close to the England–Wales border, Welsh border. It is at the junction of the A5 road (Great Britain), A5, A483 road, A483 and A495 road, A495 ro ...
, where it became the basis of 318 AA By, formed on 22 February and regimented on 1 April as the third battery of 99th (LW) AA Rgt. The new battery first went to
Towyn Towyn () is a seaside resort in the Conwy County Borough, Wales. It is also an electoral ward to the town and county councils. Location It is located between Rhyl, in Denbighshire, and Abergele in Conwy. Demography According to the 2001 ...
AA practice camp on 15 April and then to 54th (City of London) AA Rgt's area for training on 4.5-inch guns at site ZS4 ( Bostall Heath). On 15 May, 318 AA Bty took over sites ZS14 (
Dulwich Dulwich (; ) is an area in south London, England. The settlement is mostly in the London Borough of Southwark, with parts in the London Borough of Lambeth, and consists of Dulwich Village, East Dulwich, West Dulwich, and the Southwark half of H ...
) and ZS16 (
Clapham Clapham () is a district in south London, south west London, England, lying mostly within the London Borough of Lambeth, but with some areas (including Clapham Common) extending into the neighbouring London Borough of Wandsworth. History Ea ...
) from 54th AA Rgt and established Battery HQ at College Road, Dulwich. In April, Lt-Col R.B. Rowett, MC, a Regular Army officer, took over as Commanding Officer (CO) of the regiment. On 1 June 1940, the AA Regiments were redesignated Heavy AA (HAA) to distinguish them from the new Light AA (LAA) regiments being formed.


Battle of Britain

On 5 June 1940 99th (LW) HAA Rgt moved to
Felixstowe Felixstowe ( ) is a port town and civil parish in the East Suffolk District, East Suffolk district, in the county of Suffolk, England. The estimated population in 2017 was 24,521. The Port of Felixstowe is the largest Containerization, containe ...
on the East Coast and joined 37 AA Bde in 6 AA Division. 302 HAA Battery was stationed at
Martlesham Martlesham is a village in Suffolk, England about two miles (3 km) south-west of Woodbridge, Suffolk, Woodbridge and east of Ipswich. It is often referred to as "old Martlesham" by locals in order to distinguish this old village from the ...
(H9),
Waldringfield Heath Waldringfield is a village and civil parish in the East Suffolk district, in the county of Suffolk, England. It is situated on the bank of the River Deben within the Suffolk Coast and Heaths Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, south of the to ...
(H10) and
Ipswich Ipswich () is a port town and Borough status in the United Kingdom, borough in Suffolk, England. It is the county town, and largest in Suffolk, followed by Lowestoft and Bury St Edmunds, and the third-largest population centre in East Anglia, ...
(H12), and 303 HAA Bty at Felixstowe (H2); Lt-Col Rowett took over as AA Defence Commander (AADC) for the
Harwich Harwich is a town in Essex, England, and one of the Haven ports on the North Sea coast. It is in the Tendring district. Nearby places include Felixstowe to the north-east, Ipswich to the north-west, Colchester to the south-west and Clacton-o ...
Gun Defence Area (GDA) covering Harwich, Ipswich, Felixstowe, Parkeston and
Dovercourt Dovercourt is a seaside town and former civil parish, now in the parish of Harwich, in the Tendring district, in the county of Essex, England. It is older than its smaller but better-known neighbour, the port of Harwich. The name is common B ...
, with its Gun Operations Room (GOR) at Felixstowe. On the night of 18/19 June the regiment fired its first shots against hostile aircraft, when single bombers over the GDA were illuminated by searchlights (S/Ls). On 26 June the Harwich defences came under the command of 29 (East Anglian) AA Bde to allow 37 AA Bde to concentrate of the 'Thames North' defences covering London. At the end of the month 318 HAA Bty arrived to join the Harwich defences (H1 and H3). By 11 July the Harwich GDA had 17 HAA guns available.Collier, ''Defence of the UK'', Appendix XXIII.
/ref> In July 1940 there were almost daily attacks on shipping off the East Coast. In August, while the
Battle of Britain The Battle of Britain () was a military campaign of the Second World War, in which the Royal Air Force (RAF) and the Fleet Air Arm (FAA) of the Royal Navy defended the United Kingdom (UK) against large-scale attacks by Nazi Germany's air force ...
was progressing by day over
Kent Kent is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South East England. It is bordered by Essex across the Thames Estuary to the north, the Strait of Dover to the south-east, East Sussex to the south-west, Surrey to the west, and Gr ...
and
Essex Essex ( ) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in the East of England, and one of the home counties. It is bordered by Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, the North Sea to the east, Kent across the Thames Estuary to the ...
, ''
Luftwaffe The Luftwaffe () was the aerial warfare, aerial-warfare branch of the before and during World War II. German Empire, Germany's military air arms during World War I, the of the Imperial German Army, Imperial Army and the of the Imperial Ge ...
''
seaplane A seaplane is a powered fixed-wing aircraft capable of takeoff, taking off and water landing, landing (alighting) on water.Gunston, "The Cambridge Aerospace Dictionary", 2009. Seaplanes are usually divided into two categories based on their tech ...
s regularly dropped
parachute mine A parachute mine is a naval mine dropped from an aircraft by parachute. They were mostly used in the Second World War by the Luftwaffe The Luftwaffe () was the aerial warfare, aerial-warfare branch of the before and during World War II. ...
s in the harbours and estuaries by night, which 29 AA Bde's guns and S/Ls attempted to counter. The HAA sites' GL Mk I gunlaying radar proved useful in spotting these raiders. On 15 August ''
Erprobungsgruppe 210 ''Schnellkampfgeschwader'' 210 (SKG 210) was a Luftwaffe fast-bomber wing during the Second World War. The unit was created in April 1941 and absorbed by the Zerstörergeschwader 1 on 4 January 1942. Operational history SKG 210 had its origi ...
'' slipped through to attack
RAF Martlesham Heath Royal Air Force Martlesham Heath or more simply RAF Martlesham Heath is a former Royal Air Force station located southwest of Woodbridge, Suffolk, England. It was active between 1917 and 1963, and played an important role in the development o ...
and got away without loss, despite being engaged by the Harwich AA guns while withdrawing. The number of HAA guns at Harwich dwindled from 15 on 21 August to 8 on 11 September as 6 AA Division redeployed them to guard the RAF's vital fighter airfields.


Blitz

As the ''Luftwaffe'' shifted from attacking airfields to raiding London in September (the beginning of the
London Blitz London is the capital and largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Western Europe, with a population of 14.9 million. London stands on the River Tha ...
), 303 HAA Bty was sent to reinforce the city's defences, first taking over two gunsites in East London under the command of 8th (Belfast) HAA Rgt, where it fired large numbers of rounds, mostly at night. The rest of the regiment sent reinforcements to this hard-pressed battery. It also sent another cadre to 211th AA Training Rgt at Oswestry to form 380 HAA Bty (this later joined 109th HAA Rgt).Order of Battle of Non-Field Force Units in the United Kingdom, Part 27: AA Command, 12 May 1941, with amendments, TNA file WO 212/79. On 27 October another daylight raid was made on Martlesham by about 40
Messerschmitt Bf 109 The Messerschmitt Bf 109 is a monoplane fighter aircraft that was designed and initially produced by the Nazi Germany, German aircraft manufacturer Messerschmitt#History, Bayerische Flugzeugwerke (BFW). Together with the Focke-Wulf Fw 190, the ...
fighter-bomber A fighter-bomber is a fighter aircraft that has been modified, or used primarily, as a light bomber or attack aircraft. It differs from bomber and attack aircraft primarily in its origins, as a fighter that has been adapted into other roles, wh ...
s, which were engaged by the HAA guns on their way in and out. The regiment claimed that the raiders were disrupted by the fire, and the bomb damage was slight. Later that day three
Dornier Do 17 The Dornier Do 17 is a twin-engined light bomber designed and produced by the German aircraft manufacturer Dornier Flugzeugwerke. Large numbers were operated by the ''Luftwaffe'' throughout the Second World War. The Do 17 was designed during ...
s came in low to machine-gun site H12. Gunner Stanley Martin, manning the site's close defence AALMG, held his fire until one was close, and then fired a full drum into it, causing it to crash in the River Stour. Gunner Martin was later awarded the
Military Medal The Military Medal (MM) was a military decoration awarded to personnel of the British Army and other arms of the British Armed Forces, armed forces, and to personnel of other Commonwealth of Nations, Commonwealth countries, below commissioned o ...
. This was the first of a number of low-level attacks on coastal AA sites during the winter. On 29 October 303 Bty (now at Mitcham) suffered casualties when site ZS17 was bombed. During November the battery moved around London, relieving gunners on different sites as the ''Luftwaffe'' continued to pound the city by night. Between 24/25 October and 2 January, the Italian ''
Corpo Aereo Italiano The ''Corpo Aereo Italiano'' (literally, "Italian Air Corps"), or CAI, was an Expeditionary warfare, expeditionary force from the Italian ''Regia Aeronautica'' (Italian Royal Air Force) that participated in the Battle of Britain and the Blitz in ...
'' made 10 raids (totalling 87 bomber
sortie A sortie (from the French word meaning ''exit'' or from Latin root ''surgere'' meaning to "rise up") is a deployment or dispatch of one military unit, be it an aircraft, ship, or troops, from a strongpoint. The term originated in siege warf ...
s) against Harwich from its bases in occupied
Belgium Belgium, officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. Situated in a coastal lowland region known as the Low Countries, it is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeas ...
. In the only daylight raid, on 11 November, 3 of the 10 attacking bombers and 3 of the 40 escorting righters were shot down by the AA and fighter defences. 303 HAA Battery rejoined the regiment during December, being sent to man 3-inch gunsites at
RAF North Weald North Weald Airfield is an operational general aviation aerodrome, in the civil parish of North Weald Bassett in Epping Forest (district), Epping Forest, Essex, England. It was an important fighter station during the Battle of Britain, when it ...
(under 29 AA Bde) and
RAF Wattisham Royal Air Force Wattisham or more simply RAF Wattisham was, between 1939 and 1993, the name of a Royal Air Force station located in East Anglia just outside the village of Wattisham, south of Stowmarket in Suffolk, England. During the Cold W ...
(under 6 AA Bde). In January 1941 the regiment established a Regimental Training Depot at site H4 (
Shotley Shotley is a village and civil parish south-east of Ipswich in the English county of Suffolk. It is in the Babergh District, Babergh district and gives its name to the Shotley peninsula between the Rivers River Stour, Suffolk, Stour and River ...
) and took in its first intake of new recruits. The regiment was credited with a number of 'kills' during February.


Orkney

In early May 1941, the batteries were relieved and RHQ closed down, and the regiment entrained for Scotland and then ferried to
Orkney Orkney (), also known as the Orkney Islands, is an archipelago off the north coast of mainland Scotland. The plural name the Orkneys is also sometimes used, but locals now consider it outdated. Part of the Northern Isles along with Shetland, ...
to serve in 59 AA Bde of the Orkney and
Shetland Shetland (until 1975 spelled Zetland), also called the Shetland Islands, is an archipelago in Scotland lying between Orkney, the Faroe Islands, and Norway, marking the northernmost region of the United Kingdom. The islands lie about to the ...
Defence Force (OSDEF) protecting the great
Royal Navy The Royal Navy (RN) is the naval warfare force of the United Kingdom. It is a component of His Majesty's Naval Service, and its officers hold their commissions from the King of the United Kingdom, King. Although warships were used by Kingdom ...
anchorage at
Scapa Flow Scapa Flow (; ) is a body of water in the Orkney Islands, Scotland, sheltered by the islands of Mainland, Graemsay, Burray,S. C. George, ''Jutland to Junkyard'', 1973. South Ronaldsay and Hoy. Its sheltered waters have played an impor ...
. RHQ was established at
St Margaret's Hope St Margaret's Hope is a village in the Orkney Islands, off the north coast of Scotland. It is known locally as The Hope or The Hup. With a population of about 550, it is Orkney's third largest settlement after Kirkwall and Stromness. St Margare ...
,
South Ronaldshay South Ronaldsay (, also , ) is one of the Orkney Islands off the north coast of Scotland. It is linked to the Orkney Mainland by the Churchill Barriers, running via Burray, Glimps Holm and Lamb Holm. Name Along with North Ronaldsay, the islan ...
, with 302 HAA Bty at sites R1 and R2 on South Ronaldshay, 303 HAA Bty at R3 on South Ronaldshay and at B1 on
Burray Burray () is one of the Orkney Islands in Scotland. It lies to the east of Scapa Flow and is one of a chain of islands linked by the Churchill Barriers. Geography and geology Burray lies between Mainland, Orkney and South Ronaldsay, and is ...
, 318 HAA Bty at F1 and F2 on
Flotta Flotta () is a small island in Orkney, Scotland, lying in Scapa Flow. The island is known for its large oil terminal and is linked by Orkney Ferries to Houton on the Orkney Mainland, Lyness on Hoy and Longhope on South Walls. The island ha ...
. The gunsites practised firing a 'Fleet Barrage', but the only ''Luftwaffe'' aircraft generally seen were single reconnaissance flights that were fired at with occasional claims of damage inflicted.99 HAA Rgt War Diary, 1942, TNA file WO 166/7467. The regiment sent another cadre to 211th HAA Training Regiment at
Oswestry Oswestry ( ; ) is a market town, civil parish and historic railway town in Shropshire, England, close to the England–Wales border, Welsh border. It is at the junction of the A5 road (Great Britain), A5, A483 road, A483 and A495 road, A495 ro ...
for a new 519 (Mixed) HAA Bty ('Mixed' units were those into which women from the
Auxiliary Territorial Service The Auxiliary Territorial Service (ATS; often pronounced as an acronym) was the women's branch of the British Army during the World War II, Second World War. It was formed on 9 September 1938, initially as a women's voluntary service, and existe ...
were integrated). This was formed on 13 January 1942 and later joined 152nd (Mixed) HAA Rgt. The regiment's tour of duty in Orkney came to an end in August 1942, when RHQ, 302 and 303 HAA Btys were relieved by 119th HAA Rgt and embarked on SS ''Amsterdam'' for
Invergordon Invergordon (; or ) is a town and port in Easter Ross, in Ross and Cromarty, Highland (council area), Highland, Scotland. It lies in the parish of Rosskeen. History The town built up around the harbour which was established in 1828. The area ...
. It then went to take over four gunsites at St Botolphs near
Milford Haven Milford Haven ( ) is a town and community (Wales), community in Pembrokeshire, Wales. It is on the north side of the Milford Haven Waterway, an estuary forming a natural harbour that has been used as a port since the Middle Ages. The town was ...
by 14 August, where it came under 67 AA Bde in 3 AA Group. 318 HAA Battery remained in OSDEF under the command of 119th HAA Rgt, while 99th (LW) Rgt was joined by 399 HAA Bty from 138th HAA Rgt. At the end of the month Lt-Col P. Hodder-Williams, MBE, replaced Lt-Col Rowett as CO.


Mobile training

318 HAA Battery returned to the regiment in place of 399 HAA Bty in mid-September, though it was posted at
Port Talbot Port Talbot (, ) is a town and community (Wales), community in the county borough of Neath Port Talbot, Wales, situated on the east side of Swansea Bay, approximately from Swansea. The Port Talbot Steelworks covers a large area of land which d ...
under 45 AA Bde. RHQ and 302 HAA Bty moved to
Margam Castle Margam Castle, Margam, Port Talbot, Wales, is a late Georgian country house built for Christopher Rice Mansel Talbot. Designed by Thomas Hopper, the castle was constructed in a Tudor Revival style over a five-year period, from 1830 to 1835. ...
on 29 September, leaving 303 HAA Bty at Milford Haven under a
Royal Marines The Royal Marines provide the United Kingdom's amphibious warfare, amphibious special operations capable commando force, one of the :Fighting Arms of the Royal Navy, five fighting arms of the Royal Navy, a Company (military unit), company str ...
brigade HQ. While at Milford Haven the regiment had been joined by a Workshop Section of the
Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers The Corps of Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (REME ) is the maintenance arm of the British Army that maintains the equipment that the Army uses. The corps is described as the "British Army's professional engineers". History Prior t ...
(REME), a precursor to becoming a mobile unit, and on 3 October it was informed that it was on the mobile roster. The regiment moved to Bentham House at
Shurdington Shurdington is a village near Cheltenham in Gloucestershire, England. The area constitutes a civil parish within the Borough of Tewkesbury. It is located south of Cheltenham on the A46. The population at the 2011 census was 1,936 Shurdington ...
, near
Cheltenham Cheltenham () is a historic spa town and borough adjacent to the Cotswolds in Gloucestershire, England. Cheltenham became known as a health and holiday spa town resort following the discovery of mineral springs in 1716, and claims to be the mo ...
, to begin the first phase of mobilisation, while the batteries remained operational under AA Command (303 HAA Bty in the
Swansea Swansea ( ; ) is a coastal City status in the United Kingdom, city and the List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, second-largest city of Wales. It forms a Principal areas of Wales, principal area, officially known as the City and County of ...
GDA and 318 HAA Bty in the
Gloucester Gloucester ( ) is a cathedral city, non-metropolitan district and the county town of Gloucestershire in the South West England, South West of England. Gloucester lies on the River Severn, between the Cotswolds to the east and the Forest of Dean ...
GDA). Additional drivers were posted to the regiment, and the Gun Tractor Vehicles (GTVs) collected mobile 3.7-inch guns for training, while parties were sent to a Battle Training School at
Leighton Buzzard Leighton Buzzard ( ) is a market town in Bedfordshire, England, in the southwest of the county and close to the Buckinghamshire border. It lies between Aylesbury, Tring, Luton/ Dunstable and Milton Keynes, near the Chiltern Hills. It is nor ...
. On 24 December the whole regiment concentrated at
Wotton Underwood Wotton Underwood is a village and civil parish in Buckinghamshire, England, north of Thame, Oxfordshire. The toponym is derived from the Old English for "farm near a wood". It is recorded in the ''Anglo-Saxon Chronicle'' of AD 848 as ''Wudotun ...
for a month's battle training, followed by a month's mobile training with 11 AA Bde at
Leigh-on-Sea Leigh-on-Sea (), commonly referred to simply as Leigh, is a List of towns in England, town and civil parish within the city of Southend-on-Sea, located in the ceremonial county of Essex, England. In 2011 it had a population of 22,509. Geograph ...
. Afterwards it went to Norton Court near
Bristol Bristol () is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, the most populous city in the region. Built around the River Avon, Bristol, River Avon, it is bordered by t ...
, and then to
Headingley Headingley is a suburb of Leeds, West Yorkshire, England, approximately two miles out of the city centre, to the north west along the A660 road. Headingley is the location of the Beckett Park campus of Leeds Beckett University and Headingley ...
,
Leeds Leeds is a city in West Yorkshire, England. It is the largest settlement in Yorkshire and the administrative centre of the City of Leeds Metropolitan Borough, which is the second most populous district in the United Kingdom. It is built aro ...
, where the order for full mobilisation was received on 13 March 1943 and it came under
War Office The War Office has referred to several British government organisations throughout history, all relating to the army. It was a department of the British Government responsible for the administration of the British Army between 1857 and 1964, at ...
control. By July it was part of
21st Army Group The 21st Army Group was a British headquarters formation formed during the Second World War. It controlled two field armies and other supporting units, consisting primarily of the British Second Army and the First Canadian Army. Established ...
training for the Allied invasion of mainland Europe (
Operation Overlord Operation Overlord was the codename for the Battle of Normandy, the Allies of World War II, Allied operation that launched the successful liberation of German-occupied Western Front (World War II), Western Europe during World War II. The ope ...
), in which it was designated a semi-mobile unit.99 HAA Rgt War Diary, 1943, TNA file WO 166/11584. It was usual for AA units to be lent back to AA Command for operational use when not engaged in training. From the end of April to 1 June 302 and 318 HAA Btys deployed to positions defending
Lincoln Lincoln most commonly refers to: * Abraham Lincoln (1809–1865), the 16th president of the United States * Lincoln, England, cathedral city and county town of Lincolnshire, England * Lincoln, Nebraska, the capital of Nebraska, U.S. * Lincoln (na ...
under 50 AA Bde, and 303 HAA Bty to
York York is a cathedral city in North Yorkshire, England, with Roman Britain, Roman origins, sited at the confluence of the rivers River Ouse, Yorkshire, Ouse and River Foss, Foss. It has many historic buildings and other structures, such as a Yor ...
under 31 AA Bde. Then after a month at the AA Practice Camp at Aberporth, the regiment deployed around
Canterbury Canterbury (, ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, city and UNESCO World Heritage Site, in the county of Kent, England; it was a county borough until 1974. It lies on the River Stour, Kent, River Stour. The city has a mild oceanic climat ...
under 104 AA Bde covering large-scale exercises in Kent until the end of September when it carried out sea firing at
Ramsgate Ramsgate is a seaside resort, seaside town and civil parish in the district of Thanet District, Thanet in eastern Kent, England. It was one of the great English seaside towns of the 19th century. In 2021 it had a population of 42,027. Ramsgate' ...
. There were long-distance moves to Yorkshire and to Redesdale Practice Camp (where the gunners trained in anti-tank and ground shooting) before the regiment returned to Ramsgate and then moved to
Eastbourne Eastbourne () is a town and seaside resort in East Sussex, on the south coast of England, east of Brighton and south of London. It is also a non-metropolitan district, local government district with Borough status in the United Kingdom, bor ...
by the end of the year. After further training, at
Larkhill Larkhill is a garrison town in the civil parish of Durrington, Wiltshire, England. It lies about west of the centre of Durrington village and north of the prehistoric monument of Stonehenge. It is about north of Salisbury. The settlement ...
on
Salisbury Plain Salisbury Plain is a chalk plateau in southern England covering . It is part of a system of chalk downlands throughout eastern and southern England formed by the rocks of the Chalk Group and largely lies within the county of Wiltshire, but st ...
and at Tŷ Croes on
Anglesey Anglesey ( ; ) is an island off the north-west coast of Wales. It forms the bulk of the Principal areas of Wales, county known as the Isle of Anglesey, which also includes Holy Island, Anglesey, Holy Island () and some islets and Skerry, sker ...
, the regiment moved to
Southend-on-Sea Southend-on-Sea (), commonly referred to as Southend (), is a coastal city and unitary authorities of England, unitary authority area with Borough status in the United Kingdom, borough status in south-eastern Essex, England. It lies on the nor ...
in April 1944 to join 76 AA Bde under which it was to operate in 'Overlord'.99 HAA Rgt War Diary, 1944, TNA file WO 171/1149.


Normandy

The command and reconnaissance groups of the regiment embarked with their vehicles on Motor Transport (MT) ships 77 and 102 at
Tilbury Docks The Port of Tilbury is a port located on the River Thames at Tilbury in Essex, England. It serves as the principal port for London, as well as being the main United Kingdom port for handling the importation of paper. There are extensive facili ...
on 5–6 June and landed at
Arromanches-les-Bains Arromanches-les-Bains (; or simply Arromanches) is a Communes of France, commune in the Calvados (department), Calvados Departments of France, department in the Normandy (administrative region), Normandy Regions of France, region of north-western ...
in Normandy on 9 June (D + 3) followed the next day by all but six of the regiment's guns. 76 AA Brigade's role was to provide an Inner Artillery Zone (IAZ) to protect
Gold Beach Gold, commonly known as Gold Beach, was the code name for one of the five areas of the Allies of World War II, Allied invasion of German military administration in occupied France during World War II, German-occupied France in the Normandy la ...
, Arromanches where the
Mulberry harbour The Mulberry harbours were two temporary portable harbours developed by the Admiralty (United Kingdom), British Admiralty and War Office during the Second World War to facilitate the rapid offloading of cargo onto beaches during the Allies of ...
was being built, and the little harbour of
Port-en-Bessin Port-en-Bessin-Huppain () is a commune in the Calvados department in the Normandy region in northwestern France. The commune contains the two towns of Port-en-Bessin and Huppain. Population History The name ''Huppain'' stems from Norse/ ...
where the Pipe-Line Under The Ocean (Pluto) oil facilities would be sited.76 AA Bde War Diary, 1944, TNA file WO 171/1084. Eight of the regiment's guns were deployed to Port-en-Bessin on 11 June, and B Troop fired the regiment's first rounds on ground targets in the village of
Hottot-les-Bagues Hottot-les-Bagues () is a commune in the Calvados department and Normandy region of north-western France. Geography Hottot-les-Bagues lies 14 kilometres south-east of Bayeux. History The fiefdom of Normandy was created for the Viking leader ...
. The remainder of the regiment's guns arrived the same day, and the REME workshop landed on 14 June amid shellfire and high waves that 'drowned' most of their vehicles, which had to be recovered. As the beachhead was expanded, RHQ moved to the village of
Sommervieu Sommervieu () is a commune in the Calvados department in the Normandy region in northwestern France. Population See also *Communes of the Calvados department The following is a list of the 526 Communes of France, communes of the Calvados ...
on 21 June. Over the early days of the campaign the regiment fired a large number of rounds, both in the AA role (claiming several 'kills' of
Junkers Ju 88 The Junkers Ju 88 is a twin-engined multirole combat aircraft designed and produced by the German aircraft manufacturer Junkers Aircraft and Motor Works. It was used extensively during the Second World War by the ''Luftwaffe'' and became one o ...
night intruders) and in the ground role. The regiment was commended by XXX Corps for the accuracy of the
airburst An air burst or airburst is the detonation of an explosive device such as an anti-personnel artillery shell or a nuclear weapon in the air instead of on contact with the ground or target. The principal military advantage of an air burst over ...
concentrations fired by B Trp in support of
49th (West Riding) Division The 49th (West Riding) Infantry Division was an infantry division of the British Army. The division fought in the First World War in the trenches of the Western Front, in the fields of France and Flanders. During the Second World War, the divi ...
. A number of officers were attached to RA medium regiments to familiarise them with fire control methods in case the regiment was used in that role. During July the regiment submitted a number of claims of bombers and fighter-bombers shot down, as well as one
V-1 flying bomb The V-1 flying bomb ( "Vengeance Weapon 1") was an early cruise missile. Its official Reich Aviation Ministry () name was Fieseler Fi 103 and its suggestive name was (hellhound). It was also known to the Allies as the buzz bomb or doodlebug a ...
. The rear echelon of the regiment arrived from Tilbury on 18 July aboard MT 41 (the '' Empire Canyon''). At the end of August broke out of the Normandy beachhead and began to pursue the beaten enemy up the coast. 76 AA Brigade followed this advance, leaving 99th (LW) HAA Rgt in Normandy. Together with the lorries of 1671 Artillery Platoon of the
Royal Army Service Corps The Royal Army Service Corps (RASC) was a corps of the British Army responsible for land, coastal and lake transport, air despatch, barracks administration, the Army Fire Service, staffing headquarters' units, supply of food, water, fuel and do ...
(RASC) it was transferred on 26 August to 101 AA Bde defending the port of
Cherbourg Cherbourg is a former Communes of France, commune and Subprefectures in France, subprefecture located at the northern end of the Cotentin peninsula in the northwestern French departments of France, department of Manche. It was merged into the com ...
in the
US Army The United States Army (USA) is the primary land service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is designated as the Army of the United States in the United States Constitution.Article II, section 2, clause 1 of the United Stat ...
sector. On 3 September 5 Royal Marine AA Bde HQ and 111th HAA Rgt began arriving to take over these commitments and 99th (LW) HAA Rgt prepared to move out with 101 AA Bde behind 21st Army Group.


Belgium

101 AA Brigade HQ handed over responsibility for Cherbourg on 4 September and immediately set out for
Brussels Brussels, officially the Brussels-Capital Region, (All text and all but one graphic show the English name as Brussels-Capital Region.) is a Communities, regions and language areas of Belgium#Regions, region of Belgium comprising #Municipalit ...
, which had been liberated the day before, but 99th (LW) HAA Rgt had to wait until 111th HAA Rgt and its equipment had all arrived before moving out on 10 September. It bivouacked near
Rouen Rouen (, ; or ) is a city on the River Seine, in northwestern France. It is in the prefecture of Regions of France, region of Normandy (administrative region), Normandy and the Departments of France, department of Seine-Maritime. Formerly one ...
until 14 September, awaiting the fall of
Boulogne Boulogne-sur-Mer (; ; ; or ''Bononia''), often called just Boulogne (, ), is a coastal city in Hauts-de-France, Northern France. It is a Subprefectures in France, sub-prefecture of the Departments of France, department of Pas-de-Calais. Boul ...
; the CO was appointed AADC-designate of Boulogne. However, the regiment was then ordered into Belgium, reaching Ostend on 18 September, where it took on a joint AA and coastal defence (CD) role under 75 AA Bde 99th (LW) HAA Regiment remained at Ostend, with 318 HAA Bty at
Middelkerke Middelkerke () is a municipality located in the Belgian province of West Flanders, on the North Sea, west of Ostend. The municipality comprises the villages of Leffinge, Lombardsijde, Mannekensvere, Middelkerke proper, Schore, Sint-Pieters-K ...
, throughout October and November. Apart from occasional AA engagements there was little action, but the regiment received the new Radar No 3 Mark V (the
SCR-584 radar The SCR-584 (short for '' Set, Complete, Radio # 584'') was an automatic-tracking microwave radar developed by the MIT Radiation Laboratory during World War II. It was one of the most advanced ground-based radars of its era, and became one of the ...
set) and No 10 Predictor (the all-electric Bell Labs AAA Computer), which had proved their value in AA Command's
Operation Diver Operation Diver was the British code name for the V-1 flying bomb campaign launched by the German in 1944 against London and other parts of Britain. Diver was the code name for the V-1, against which the defence consisted of anti-aircraft guns ...
against V-1 flying bombs (codenamed 'Divers'). Brussels was now under heavy attack by V-1s and on 1 December the regiment was rejoined by 1671 Pln RASC and prepared to rejoin 101 AA Bde in the Diver or 'X' defences of that city. The regiment began the move to
Louvain Leuven (, , ), also called Louvain (, , ), is the capital and largest city of the province of Flemish Brabant in the Flemish Region of Belgium. It is located about east of Brussels. The municipality itself comprises the sub-municipalities of ...
, near Brussels, on 5 December, and took over 'very poor' sites where 'the mud was indescribable'. When the Germans began their offensive in the
Ardennes The Ardennes ( ; ; ; ; ), also known as the Ardennes Forest or Forest of Ardennes, is a region of extensive forests, rough terrain, rolling hills and ridges primarily in Belgium and Luxembourg, extending into Germany and France. Geological ...
in December 1944 (the
Battle of the Bulge The Battle of the Bulge, also known as the Ardennes Offensive or Unternehmen Die Wacht am Rhein, Wacht am Rhein, was the last major German Offensive (military), offensive Military campaign, campaign on the Western Front (World War II), Western ...
) and briefly threatened to break through to
Antwerp Antwerp (; ; ) is a City status in Belgium, city and a Municipalities of Belgium, municipality in the Flemish Region of Belgium. It is the capital and largest city of Antwerp Province, and the third-largest city in Belgium by area at , after ...
, 80 AA Bde (which was operating the Diver early warning radar system) was warned to prepare to convert into an
Army Group Royal Artillery An Army Group Royal Artillery (AGRA) was a British Commonwealth military formation during the Second World War and shortly thereafter. Generally assigned to Army corps, an AGRA provided the medium and heavy artillery to higher formations within t ...
(AGRA) at short notice. AGRAs were groups of (usually) medium and heavy artillery held at
Corps Corps (; plural ''corps'' ; from French , from the Latin "body") is a term used for several different kinds of organization. A military innovation by Napoleon I, the formation was formally introduced March 1, 1800, when Napoleon ordered Gener ...
level. If necessary, 99th (LW) HAA Rgt would come under that formation operating in the medium artillery and anti-tank (A/T) role supporting
11th Armoured Division The 11th Armoured Division was an armoured division of the British Army which was created in March 1941 during the Second World War. The division was formed in response to the unanticipated success of the German panzer divisions. The 11th Armour ...
and 3 AGRA. The brigade would also be responsible for the ground defence of the approaches to
Tirlemont Tienen (; ) is a city and municipality in the province of Flemish Brabant, in Flanders, Belgium. The municipality comprises Tienen itself and the towns of Bost, Goetsenhoven, Hakendover, Kumtich, Oorbeek, Oplinter, Sint-Margriete-Houtem and Visse ...
, taking anti-paratroop measures. The regiment established the necessary observation posts (OPs) and A/T positions, but they were not required. Despite concerted attacks on nearby airfields by ''Luftwaffe'' fighters on 1 January (
Operation Bodenplatte Operation Bodenplatte (; "Baseplate"), launched on 1 January 1945, was an attempt by the German Luftwaffe to cripple Allies of World War II, Allied air forces in the Low Countries during the World War II, Second World War. The goal of ''Bodenpl ...
), the ground situation was well under control and the AGRA and local defence plans were cancelled on that day.


Netherlands

The vital port of Antwerp was the main 'Diver' target, and the number of V-1s launched against Brussels declined sharply after December. In January the regiment was released from the 'X' defences and moved up to
Helmond Helmond (; called ''Hèllemond'' in the local dialect) is a List of cities in the Netherlands by province, city and Municipalities of the Netherlands, municipality in the Metropoolregio Eindhoven of the Provinces of the Netherlands, province of ...
in the
Netherlands , Terminology of the Low Countries, informally Holland, is a country in Northwestern Europe, with Caribbean Netherlands, overseas territories in the Caribbean. It is the largest of the four constituent countries of the Kingdom of the Nether ...
. Despite bad weather and campsites, the regiment came into action on 9 January, with 303 HAA Bty firing in the ground role at
Overloon Overloon is a village with 3,626 inhabitants on the outskirts of the Peel region, in the former municipality of Boxmeer, North Brabant. Since 2022 it has been part of the new municipality of Land van Cuijk. Located on the outskirts is the Nati ...
. Over the following weeks the battery was engaged as medium artillery firing percussion-fused and airburst high explosive (HE) rounds in support of
II Canadian Corps II Canadian Corps was a corps-level formation that, along with I (British) Corps (August 1, 1944, to April 1, 1945) and I Canadian Corps (April 6, 1943, to November 1943, and April 1, 1945, until the end of hostilities), comprised the First C ...
and VIII British Corps, sometimes carrying out several shoots a day against targets of opportunity. The intensity of this work increased on 8 February with the opening of
First Canadian Army The First Canadian Army () was a field army and a formation of the Canadian Army in World War II in which most Canadian elements serving in North-West Europe were assigned. It served on the Western Front from July 1944 until May 1945. It was Cana ...
's offensive in the Reichswald (
Operation Veritable Operation Veritable (also known as the Battle of the Reichswald) was the northern part of an Allies of World War II, Allied pincer movement that took place between 8 February and 11 March 1945 during the final stages of the World War II, Second ...
) when the battery's 8 guns frequently fired over 1000 rounds per day.99 HAA Rgt War Diary, 1944, TNA file WO 171/4911. On 27 February the regiment (less 303 HAA Bty still operating the ground role) moved to
Roosendaal Roosendaal () is both a city and a municipality in the southern Netherlands, in the province of North Brabant. Towns/villages of the municipality * Roosendaal (population: 66,760) * Wouw (4,920) * Heerle (1,900) * Nispen (1,440) * Wouwse ...
to join the Antwerp 'X' defences, with four 4-gun sites constantly in action against V-1s and occasional
Messerschmitt Me 262 The Messerschmitt Me 262, nicknamed (German for "Swallow") in fighter versions, or ("Storm Bird") in fighter-bomber versions, is a fighter aircraft and fighter-bomber that was designed and produced by the German aircraft manufacturer Messers ...
reconnaissance jets during early March. By April the Diver offensive was virtually over, and on 17 April the regiment moved to
South Beveland Zuid-Beveland (; "South Beveland") is part of the province of Zeeland in the Netherlands north of the Western Scheldt and south of the Eastern Scheldt. Topography It is a former island, now peninsula, crossed by the Canal through Zuid-Bevelan ...
to join the defences of the
Scheldt The Scheldt ( ; ; ) is a river that flows through northern France, western Belgium, and the southwestern part of Netherlands, the Netherlands, with its mouth at the North Sea. Its name is derived from an adjective corresponding to Old Englis ...
estuary under 76 AA Bde. F ('Fox') Troop of 318 HAA Bty was detached to
North Beveland Noord-Beveland (; "North Beveland") is a municipality and region in the southwestern Netherlands and a former island, now part of the Walcheren-Zuid-Beveland-Noord-Beveland peninsula. Noord-Beveland is enclosed by the Oosterschelde estuary to the ...
where it operated as 'Tom Group' firing on ground targets in support of
4th Commando Brigade The 4th Special Service Brigade was a brigade-sized formation of the British Commandos formed during the Second World War in March 1944 from battalion-sized units of the Royal Marines. Due to the success of the British Army Commandos' operations ...
. On 21 April Tom Group was reinforced by a Troop of 352 HAA Bty, 112th HAA Rgt and a survey Troop, all under Major D.S. Harries, the second-in-command of 99th (LW) HAA Rgt. Although the South Scheldt defences were quiet, Tom Group was in daily action, suffering a few casualties from enemy
Counter-battery Counter-battery fire (sometimes called counter-fire) is a battlefield tactic employed to defeat the enemy's indirect fire elements (multiple rocket launchers, artillery and mortars), including their target acquisition, as well as their command a ...
fire. On one occasion a gun was redeployed to engage a troublesome enemy OP in a tower; it fired 17 rounds, of which two hit the difficult target.76 AA Bde War Diary January–July 1945, TNA file WO 171/4889. On 25 April Tom Gp fired 600 shells into German positions without any retaliation, and two days later the battery commander flew over Schowen in an air observation post (AOP) aircraft and saw no sign of life: the Germans had retreated. The brigade was ordered to cease fire on 3 May 1945 when a local truce came into effect to allow supplies to be sent to civilians in enemy-occupied Holland (
Operation Manna Operation Manna was the Code word (communication), codeword for a Second World War operation by the British and Greek forces in Greece in mid-October 1944, following the gradual withdrawal of the Axis Occupation of Greece, German occupying for ...
). This was followed on 4 May by the
German surrender at Lüneburg Heath On 4 May 1945, at 18:30 British Double Summer Time, at Lüneburg Heath, south of Hamburg, British Field Marshal Sir Bernard Montgomery accepted the unconditional surrender of the German forces in the Netherlands, northwest Germany including ...
. On 7 May Tom Gp covered Operation Paul, a Commando landing at Schowen to take the surrender of the garrison. The war in Europe ended the following day (
VE Day Victory in Europe Day is the day celebrating the formal acceptance by the Allies of World War II of Germany's unconditional surrender of its armed forces on Tuesday, 8 May 1945; it marked the official surrender of all German military operations ...
). On 14 May the regiment was ordered to reorganise for garrison duties, and it handed in its guns and many of its vehicles, moving at the end of the month to
Hamburg Hamburg (, ; ), officially the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg,. is the List of cities in Germany by population, second-largest city in Germany after Berlin and List of cities in the European Union by population within city limits, 7th-lar ...
under 101 AA Bde where it took over responsibility for camps of
Displaced Persons Forced displacement (also forced migration or forced relocation) is an involuntary or coerced movement of a person or people away from their home or home region. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, UNHCR defines 'forced displaceme ...
awaiting evacuation, and guarded
Joachim von Ribbentrop Ulrich Friedrich-Wilhelm Joachim von Ribbentrop (; 30 April 1893 – 16 October 1946) was a German Nazi politician and diplomat who served as Minister for Foreign Affairs (Germany), Minister of Foreign Affairs of Nazi Germany from 1938 to 1945. ...
, who had been arrested as a war criminal. The regiment was still with
British Army of the Rhine British Army of the Rhine (BAOR) was the name given to British Army occupation forces in the Rhineland, West Germany, after the First and Second World Wars, and during the Cold War, becoming part of NATO's Northern Army Group (NORTHAG) tasked ...
when it was placed in suspended animation on 1 April 1946.


Postwar

When the TA was reconstituted on 1 January 1947, the regiment was reformed as 499 (M) HAA Regiment (London Welsh), the 'M' now indicating a 'Mixed' regiment into which members of the
Women's Royal Army Corps The Women's Royal Army Corps (WRAC; sometimes pronounced acronymically as , a term unpopular with its members) was the corps to which all women in the British Army belonged from 1949 to 1992 except medical, dental and veterinary officers and chap ...
were integrated. It formed part of 64 AA Brigade (the wartime 38 Light AA Bde).Frederick, p. 1018.474–519 Rgts RA at British Army 1945 on.
/ref> However, by 1951, there were only three Welshmen serving in the regiment. The following year the regiment was adopted by the
Royal Borough of Kensington The Metropolitan Borough of Kensington was a metropolitan borough in the County of London from 1900 to 1965, which since 1901 was known as the Royal Borough of Kensington, following the death of Queen Victoria, in accordance with her wishes. His ...
and changed its designation to 499th (M) Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment, RA (Kensington). AA Command was abolished on 10 March 1955 and 499th HAA Rgt was disbanded at the same time.


Insignia

From formation until about 1942, the regiment wore a shoulder title bearing the words LONDON WELSH embroidered in yellow on dark blue, similar to the pattern worn by the Welsh Guards. Between 1947 and 1951 the 499th HAA Rgt wore a regimental flash consisting of the Welsh flag. After the change of title in 1951 this was replaced by a supplementary arm title with the word KENSINGTON in red on navy blue, worn underneath the Royal Artillery shoulder title.


Honorary Colonel

General Sir Henry ap Rhys Pryce was Honorary Colonel of the regiment during World War II.


Other London Welsh units

The London Welsh Rifles were formed in 1861 as part of the Rifle Volunteer Movement. At the beginning of the year about 150 men were reported to be drilling at the Floral Hall in
Covent Garden Covent Garden is a district in London, on the eastern fringes of the West End, between St Martin's Lane and Drury Lane. It is associated with the former fruit-and-vegetable market in the central square, now a popular shopping and tourist sit ...
and at Sir Watkyn Williams Wynn's house. In May 1861 drills were being held at the Ward School in
Aldersgate Aldersgate is a Wards of the City of London, Ward of the City of London, England, named after one of the northern City gate, gates in the London Wall which once enclosed the City. The Ward of Aldersgate is traditionally divided into Aldersga ...
. By January 1862 the unit had been accepted as the 5th (London Welsh) City of London Rifle Volunteer Corps of two companies and it adopted a silver badge bearing the title 'London Welsh Rifle Corps' with a rampant dragon as centrepiece. The unit had disappeared by May 1862. The 15th (Service) Battalion (1st London Welsh) and 18th (Reserve) Battalion (2nd London Welsh) of the
Royal Welsh Fusiliers The Royal Welch Fusiliers () was a line infantry regiment of the British Army, and part of the Prince of Wales's Division, that was founded in 1689, shortly after the Glorious Revolution. In 1702, it was designated a fusilier regiment and becam ...
were formed at
Gray's Inn The Honourable Society of Gray's Inn, commonly known as Gray's Inn, is one of the four Inns of Court (professional associations for barristers and judges) in London. To be called to the bar in order to practise as a barrister in England and Wale ...
as part of '
Kitchener's Army The New Army, often referred to as Kitchener's Army or, disparagingly, as Kitchener's Mob, was an (initially) all-volunteer portion of the British Army formed in the United Kingdom from 1914 onwards following the outbreak of hostilities in the F ...
in 1914–15. The service battalion fought on the Western Front, seeing action on the
Somme __NOTOC__ Somme or The Somme may refer to: Places *Somme (department), a department of France * Somme, Queensland, Australia * Canal de la Somme, a canal in France *Somme (river), a river in France Arts, entertainment, and media * ''Somme'' (book), ...
and at
Ypres Ypres ( ; ; ; ; ) is a Belgian city and municipality in the province of West Flanders. Though the Dutch name is the official one, the city's French name is most commonly used in English. The municipality comprises the city of Ypres/Ieper ...
, until it was broken up to provide reinforcements for other units in February 1918.James, pp. 67–8.


Footnotes


Notes


References

* Maj A.F. Becke,''History of the Great War: Order of Battle of Divisions, Part 3b: New Army Divisions (30–41) and 63rd (R.N.) Division'', London: HM Stationery Office, 1939/Uckfield: Naval & Military Press, 2007, ISBN 1-847347-41-X.
Basil Collier, ''History of the Second World War, United Kingdom Military Series: The Defence of the United Kingdom'', London: HM Stationery Office, 1957.
* Richard Collier, ''Eagle Day: The Battle of Britain, August 6–September 15, 1940'', London: Hodder & Stoughton, 1966/Pan Books, 1968, . * Major L.F. Ellis, ''History of the Second World War, United Kingdom Military Series: Victory in the West'', Vol II: ''The Defeat of Germany'', London: HM Stationery Office, 1968/Uckfield: Naval & Military, 2004, . * Gen Sir
Martin Farndale General Sir Martin Baker Farndale, (6 January 1929 – 10 May 2000) was a British Army officer who reached high office in the 1980s. Military career Educated at Yorebridge Grammar School, Askrigg, and the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, Farn ...
, ''History of the Royal Regiment of Artillery: The Years of Defeat: Europe and North Africa, 1939–1941'', Woolwich: Royal Artillery Institution, 1988/London: Brasseys, 1996, . * J.B.M. Frederick, ''Lineage Book of British Land Forces 1660–1978'', Vol II, Wakefield, Microform Academic, 1984, . * Brig E.A. James, ''British Regiments 1914–18'', London: Samson Books, 1978, ISBN 0-906304-03-2/Uckfield: Naval & Military Press, 2001, ISBN 978-1-84342-197-9. * Norman E.H. Litchfield, ''The Territorial Artillery 1908–1988 (Their Lineage, Uniforms and Badges)'', Nottingham: Sherwood Press, 1992, . * Brig N.W. Routledge, ''History of the Royal Regiment of Artillery: Anti-Aircraft Artillery 1914–55'', London: Royal Artillery Institution/Brassey's, 1994, * Ray Westlake, ''Tracing the Rifle Volunteers'', Barnsley: Pen and Sword, 2010, ISBN 978-1-84884-211-3.


Online sources


British Army units from 1945 on

Orders of Battle at Patriot Files


{{refend Military units and formations in London Military units and formations in Kensington Heavy anti-aircraft regiments of the Royal Artillery Military units and formations established in 1939 Military units and formations disestablished in 1955