The Birmingham Rifles was a
volunteer
Volunteering is an elective and freely chosen act of an individual or group giving their time and labor, often for community service. Many volunteers are specifically trained in the areas they work, such as medicine, education, or emergency ...
unit of the
British Army
The British Army is the principal Army, land warfare force of the United Kingdom. the British Army comprises 73,847 regular full-time personnel, 4,127 Brigade of Gurkhas, Gurkhas, 25,742 Army Reserve (United Kingdom), volunteer reserve perso ...
founded in
Birmingham
Birmingham ( ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, city and metropolitan borough in the metropolitan county of West Midlands (county), West Midlands, within the wider West Midlands (region), West Midlands region, in England. It is the Lis ...
in 1859. As the 5th Battalion,
Royal Warwickshire Regiment
The Royal Warwickshire Regiment, previously titled the 6th Regiment of Foot, was a line infantry regiment of the British Army in continuous existence for 283 years. The regiment saw service in many conflicts and wars, including the Second Boer War ...
, it served as
infantry
Infantry, or infantryman are a type of soldier who specialize in ground combat, typically fighting dismounted. Historically the term was used to describe foot soldiers, i.e. those who march and fight on foot. In modern usage, the term broadl ...
on the
Western Front and in
Italy
Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe, Western Europe. It consists of Italian Peninsula, a peninsula that extends into the Mediterranean Sea, with the Alps on its northern land b ...
during
World War I
World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
. Its successor units served in air defence during the early part of
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 ...
, and later as anti-tank gunners in the
Burma Campaign
The Burma campaign was a series of battles fought in the British colony of British rule in Burma, Burma as part of the South-East Asian theatre of World War II. It primarily involved forces of the Allies of World War II, Allies (mainly from ...
.
Volunteers
The enthusiasm for the
Volunteer movement
The Volunteer Force was a citizen army of part-time rifle, artillery and engineer corps, created as a popular movement throughout the British Empire in 1859. Originally highly autonomous, the units of volunteers became increasingly integrate ...
following an invasion scare in 1859 saw the creation of many Rifle Volunteer Corps (RVCs) composed of part-time soldiers eager to supplement the Regular
British Army
The British Army is the principal Army, land warfare force of the United Kingdom. the British Army comprises 73,847 regular full-time personnel, 4,127 Brigade of Gurkhas, Gurkhas, 25,742 Army Reserve (United Kingdom), volunteer reserve perso ...
in time of need. One such unit was the 1st (Birmingham Rifles) Warwickshire RVC, formed on 20 October 1859 by
Colonel
Colonel ( ; abbreviated as Col., Col, or COL) is a senior military Officer (armed forces), officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations.
In the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries, a colon ...
the Hon Charles Granville Scott, formerly of the
Scots Fusilier Guards
Scots may refer to:
People and cultures
* Scots language
* Scottish people
* Scoti, a Latin name for the Gaels
Other uses
* SCOTS, abbreviation for Royal Regiment of Scotland
* Scottish Corpus of Texts and Speech (SCOTS), a linguistic resource
* ...
, on behalf of the
Lord Lieutenant of Warwickshire
This is an incomplete list of people who have served as Lord Lieutenant of Warwickshire. Since 1728, all Lord Lieutenants have also been Custos Rotulorum of Warwickshire.
Lord Lieutenants of Warwickshire
*Ambrose Dudley, 3rd Earl of Warwick 1569� ...
. Shortly afterwards
Lieutenant-Colonel John Sanders, late of the
41st Bengal Native Infantry, assumed command. In March the following year it absorbed two other Birmingham-based units, the 3rd Warwickshire RVC raised on 8 November 1859, and the 6th raised on 8 February 1860. The whole was consolidated as the 1st Warwickshire RVC in March 1860 and the 'Birmingnham' subtitle was authorised by September.
[Frederick, pp. 281–2.][Westlake, pp. 241–42.][5th Warwicks at Regiments.org]
/ref>[Jeff, pp. 6–7.][Jeff, p. 13.] Further companies were raised, and the unit soon reached a strength of 12 companies, one recruited from newspaper workers, one from gunmakers, and another from Scots residents in the city. A cadet corps of the battalion existed at King Edward's School from 1864 to 1866, and again from 1883 to 1884. At first the uniform was grey with green facings, then Rifle green
Varieties of the color green may differ in hue, chroma (also called saturation or intensity) or lightness (or value, tone, or brightness), or in two or three of these qualities. Variations in value are also called tints and shades, a tin ...
with red facings was adopted in 1863.[''Army List'']
On 14 June 1871, retired Major-General John Hinde, CB, (1814–81) formerly of the 8th Foot, was appointed Lieutenant-Colonel Commandant of the Birmingham Rifles.[ On 4 March 1882 he was succeeded by Colonel William Swynfen Jervis, late of the ]Royal Munster Fusiliers
The Royal Munster Fusiliers was a line infantry regiment of the British Army from 1881 to 1922. It traced its origins to the East India Company, East India Company's Bengal European Regiment raised in 1652, which later became the 101st Regiment ...
, and one of the founders of Warwickshire County Cricket Club
Warwickshire County Cricket Club is one of eighteen first-class cricket, first-class county cricket, county clubs within the domestic cricket structure of England and Wales. It represents the Historic counties of England, historic county of ...
.[
In its early months the battalion paraded at Beardsworth's Horse Repository, but as numbers grew it moved at the invitation of the Cattle Show committee to ]Bingley Hall
Bingley Hall in Birmingham was the first purpose-built exhibition hall in Great Britain. It was built in 1850 and burned down in 1984. The International Convention Centre now stands on the site.
Precursor
The precursor of Bingley Hall was an " ...
. This arrangement was never satisfactory, because the battalion could not use the hall for the duration of the cattle show in November and December each year. When the show committee also let the hall to a circus for three months in the spring of 1879, the battalion was temporarily housed in Mr Wiley's factory in Graham Street. The battalion now acquired a site of its own and a drill hall was built at Thorp Street, which remained in use until 1968.
Under the 'Localisation of Forces' scheme introduced by the Cardwell reforms
The Cardwell Reforms were a series of reforms of the British Army undertaken by Secretary of State for War Edward Cardwell between 1868 and 1874 with the support of Liberal prime minister William Ewart Gladstone. Gladstone paid little attentio ...
, the Volunteers in Warwickshire were grouped with the two Regular battalions of the 6th Foot (Royal Warwickshire Regiment
The Royal Warwickshire Regiment, previously titled the 6th Regiment of Foot, was a line infantry regiment of the British Army in continuous existence for 283 years. The regiment saw service in many conflicts and wars, including the Second Boer War ...
) and the two Warwickshire Militia
A militia ( ) is a military or paramilitary force that comprises civilian members, as opposed to a professional standing army of regular, full-time military personnel. Militias may be raised in times of need to support regular troops or se ...
regiments into Sub-District No 28 (County of Warwick), forming Brigade No 28 (Warwickshire).[
Following the ]Childers Reforms
The Childers Reforms of 1881 reorganised the infantry regiments of the British Army. The reforms were done by Secretary of State for War Hugh Childers during 1881, and were a continuation of the earlier Cardwell Reforms.
The reorganisation w ...
, the battalion became a Volunteer Battalion (VB) of the Royal Warwickshire Regiment on 1 July 1881, and was designated the 1st Volunteer Battalion of the regiment on 1 January 1883. Four new companies were added in 1891, the unit reorganising as a double battalion, the 1st Battalion having 'A' to 'H' Companies, the 2nd 'I' to 'Q' Companies. A cyclist section formed in 1894 had become a full company by 1900, together with 'U' Company formed of staff and students of Birmingham University
The University of Birmingham (informally Birmingham University) is a Public university, public research university in Birmingham, England. It received its royal charter in 1900 as a successor to Queen's College, Birmingham (founded in 1825 as ...
. New cadet corps were formed at Solihull Grammar School and King Edward's School in 1904 and 1907 respectively.[
The ]Stanhope Memorandum The Stanhope Memorandum was a document written by Edward Stanhope, the Secretary of State for War of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, on 8 December 1888. It set out the overall strategic aims of the British Empire, and the way the B ...
of 1888 proposed a Mobilisation Scheme for units of the Volunteer Force
The Volunteer Force was a citizen army of part-time rifle, artillery and engineer corps, created as a Social movement, popular movement throughout the British Empire in 1859. Originally highly autonomous, the units of volunteers became increa ...
, which would assemble by brigades at key points in case of war. In peacetime the brigades provided a structure for collective training. The Volunteer Battalions of the Royal Warwickshire, Leicestershire
Leicestershire ( ) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in the East Midlands of England. It is bordered by Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire and Lincolnshire to the north, Rutland to the east, Northamptonshire to the south-east, Warw ...
, Worcestershire
Worcestershire ( , ; written abbreviation: Worcs) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in the West Midlands (region), West Midlands of England. It is bordered by Shropshire, Staffordshire, and the West Midlands (county), West ...
and Northamptonshire
Northamptonshire ( ; abbreviated Northants.) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in the East Midlands of England. It is bordered by Leicestershire, Rutland and Lincolnshire to the north, Cambridgeshire to the east, Bedfordshi ...
regiments were formed into a South Midland Volunteer Infantry Brigade, which in the event of war was to assemble at Warwick
Warwick ( ) is a market town, civil parish and the county town of Warwickshire in the Warwick District in England, adjacent to the River Avon, Warwickshire, River Avon. It is south of Coventry, and south-east of Birmingham. It is adjoined wit ...
. Later, a separate Worcester and Warwickshire Volunteer Infantry Brigade was formed.[
]
Commanding Officers
The following officers commanded the unit while it was part of the Volunteer Force:[
* Col Hon C.G. Scott (September–November 1859)
* Lt-Col J.W. Sanders (1859–60)
* Lt-Col J. Oliver Mason (1860–67)
* Lt-Col C. Ratcliffe (1867–71)
* Maj-Gen J. Hinde, CB (1871–81)
* Col William Swynfen Jervis (1882–1900)
* Col W. Cox (1900–01; Lt-Col No 2 Bn 1891–1900)
* Col C.J. Hart, CB, VD, TD (1901–08; Lt-Col No 1 Bn 1900–01)
* Lt-Col W.R. Ludlow (No 2 Bn 1901–08)
]
Boer War
The Volunteer Battalions provided service companies to serve alongside the Regulars during the Second Boer War
The Second Boer War (, , 11 October 189931 May 1902), also known as the Boer War, Transvaal War, Anglo–Boer War, or South African War, was a conflict fought between the British Empire and the two Boer republics (the South African Republic and ...
. Despite the large number who volunteered, only a half company was sent from the two battalions of the 1st VB. The contingent left Birmingham on 17 January 1900 and joined the 2nd Bn Royal Warwickshires, taking part in six actions at Elandsfontein, Pretoria
Pretoria ( ; ) is the Capital of South Africa, administrative capital of South Africa, serving as the seat of the Executive (government), executive branch of government, and as the host to all foreign embassies to the country.
Pretoria strad ...
, Pienaarsport, Diamond Hill
Diamond Hill is a hill in the east of Kowloon, Hong Kong. The name also refers to the area on or adjacent to the hill. It is surrounded by Ngau Chi Wan, San Po Kong, Wong Tai Sin and Tsz Wan Shan. Its northeast is limited by the ridge. It is ...
, Edendale and Belfast
Belfast (, , , ; from ) is the capital city and principal port of Northern Ireland, standing on the banks of the River Lagan and connected to the open sea through Belfast Lough and the North Channel (Great Britain and Ireland), North Channel ...
. The 58-strong detachment suffered seven casualties, all but one dying from sickness. The battalion earned its first Battle Honour
A battle honour is an award of a right by a government or sovereign to a military unit to emblazon the name of a battle or Military operation, operation on its flags ("colours"), uniforms or other accessories where ornamentation is possible.
In ...
: South Africa 1900–02.
Territorial Force
When the Volunteers were subsumed into the Territorial Force
The Territorial Force was a part-time volunteer component of the British Army, created in 1908 to augment British land forces without resorting to conscription. The new organisation consolidated the 19th-century Volunteer Force and yeomanry in ...
(TF) in 1908 as part of the Haldane Reforms
The Haldane Reforms were a series of far-ranging reforms of the British Army made from 1906 to 1912, and named after the Secretary of State for War, Richard Burdon Haldane. They were the first major reforms since the " Childers Reforms" of the e ...
, the 1st and 2nd Battalions of the Birmingham Rifles became the 5th Battalion, Royal Warwickshire Regiment, and 6th Battalion, Royal Warwickshire Regiment, respectively and the cyclist company was disbanded, while 'U' Company and the cadet corps became part of the Officer Training Corps
The University Officers' Training Corps (UOTC), also known as the Officers' Training Corps (OTC), are British Army reserve units, under the command of the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, which recruit exclusively from universities and focus on ...
. The battalion adopted the red uniform with blue facings of the Royal Warwickshire Regiment.[ Both the 5th and 6th battalions were in the Warwickshire Brigade of the TF's South Midland Division.][Becke, Pt 2a, pp. 77–83.][James, pp. 48–9.]
World War I
Mobilisation
On the outbreak of war in August 1914, the units of the South Midland Division had just arrived at Rhyl
Rhyl (; , ) is a seaside town and community in Denbighshire in Wales. The town lies on the coast of North Wales, at the mouth of the River Clwyd.
To the west is Kinmel Bay and Towyn, to the east Prestatyn, and to the south-east Rhuddlan ...
for annual training when orders recalled them to their home depots for mobilisation. 5th Battalion mobilised at Thorps Street under the command of Lt-Col A.I. Parkes.[Jeff, p. 24.][Jeff, p. 100.] The Warwickshire Brigade first went to its war station at Portland
Portland most commonly refers to:
*Portland, Oregon, the most populous city in the U.S. state of Oregon
*Portland, Maine, the most populous city in the U.S. state of Maine
*Isle of Portland, a tied island in the English Channel
Portland may also r ...
. The division then concentrated around Chelmsford
Chelmsford () is a city in the City of Chelmsford district in the county of Essex, England. It is the county town of Essex and one of three cities in the county, along with Colchester and Southend-on-Sea. It is located north-east of London ...
, where it formed part of Central Force
In classical mechanics, a central force on an object is a force that is directed towards or away from a point called center of force.
\mathbf(\mathbf) = F( \mathbf )
where F is a force vector, ''F'' is a scalar valued force function (whose abso ...
. While the battalions trained for overseas service, so-called 2nd-Line battalions were authorised on 31 August to be formed at the home depots from men who either had not volunteered for overseas service or were unfit, together with the recruits flooding in. Thus the parent battalion at Chelmsford was designated the 1/5th Battalion, that at Thorp Street was the 2/5th Battalion. Later, a 3rd-Line or reserve battalion was also formed to train drafts for the other two.[Royal Warwicks at Long, Long Trail.]
/ref>[48 Division at Long, Long Trail]
/ref>
/ref>
1/5th Royal Warwicks
The South Midland Division was selected to proceed to France to join the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) early in 1915. Lt-Col A.C. Stewart, Corps of Guides, took over command of 1/5th Warwicks in February 1915.[ The battalion embarked at ]Southampton
Southampton is a port City status in the United Kingdom, city and unitary authority in Hampshire, England. It is located approximately southwest of London, west of Portsmouth, and southeast of Salisbury. Southampton had a population of 253, ...
for Le Havre
Le Havre is a major port city in the Seine-Maritime department in the Normandy (administrative region), Normandy region of northern France. It is situated on the right bank of the estuary of the Seine, river Seine on the English Channel, Channe ...
on 22 March 1915. Within days it began learning the routine of trench warfare around St Yves, Messines
Messines may refer to:
* Mesen (in French: Messines), a village in Belgium
**Battle of Messines (disambiguation), World War I battles
* Messines, Quebec, a municipality in Canada
* São Bartolomeu de Messines
São Bartolomeu de Messines, also ref ...
and Ploegsteert
Ploegsteert (; ; ) is a village of Wallonia and a district of the municipality of Comines-Warneton, located in the province of Hainaut, Belgium.
It is the most westerly settlement of Wallonia. It is approximately north of the French border. Cr ...
.[ On 12 May, the division was designated the ]48th (South Midland) Division
The 48th (South Midland) Division was an infantry Division (military), division of the British Army. Part of the Territorial Force (TF) and raised in 1908, the division was originally called the South Midland Division, and was redesignated as th ...
and the brigade became numbered as the 143rd (1/1st Warwickshire) Brigade.[
On 12 July 1915, Captain G.C. Sladen, ]Rifle Brigade
The Rifle Brigade (The Prince Consort's Own) was an infantry rifle regiment of the British Army formed in January 1800 as the "Experimental Corps of Riflemen" to provide sharpshooters, scouts, and skirmishers. They were soon renamed the "Rifle ...
, assumed command with the rank of Temporary Lt-Col. The battalion moved south to a section of the line around Hébuterne, Foncquevillers
Foncquevillers () is a commune in the Pas-de-Calais department in the Hauts-de-France region of France.
Geography
A farming village situated south of Arras, at the junction of the D3, D6 and the D28 roads.
Population
World War I
Foncquev ...
and Gommecourt.[Jeff, p. 26.]
Somme
The first offensive operation of the 1/5th Battalion, Royal Warwickshire Regiment was on 1 July 1916 at the Battle of the Somme
The Battle of the Somme (; ), also known as the Somme offensive, was a battle of the First World War fought by the armies of the British Empire and the French Third Republic against the German Empire. It took place between 1 July and 18 Nove ...
. Together with 1/7th, the battalion held a two-mile stretch of trench adjoining the attack of 31st Division towards Serre. They were not to attack, but made simulated preparations for doing so. The enemy wire was cut, and they released smoke just before zero hour, but no assembly trenches had been dug nor was the British wire cut, and the German defenders were not fooled. 31st Division was dreadfully cut up, as was the rest of 143 Brigade, which had attacked with 4th Division In military terms, 4th Division may refer to:
Infantry divisions
*4th (Quetta) Division, British Indian Army
* 4th Alpine Division Cuneense, Italy
* 4th Blackshirt Division (3 January), Italy
*4th Canadian Division
*4th Division (Australia)
* 4th ...
.
During the Battle of Bazentin Ridge
The Battle of Bazentin Ridge was part of the Battle of the Somme on the Western Front in France, during the First World War. On 14 July, the British Fourth Army (General Henry Rawlinson) made a dawn attack against the German 2nd Army (Gene ...
, the battalion captured Ovillers-la-Boisselle
Ovillers-la-Boisselle is a commune in the Somme department in Hauts-de-France in northern France.
Geography
The commune of Ovillers-la-Boisselle is situated northeast of Amiens and extends to the north and south of the D 929 Albert–Bapaume ...
on the night of 15/16 July. The prospects for the attack were unpromising: the troops were exhausted before the attack and were suffering from the effects of lachrymatory gas shells; the men were too closely bunched and the waves too close together; and there was no artillery support. Nevertheless, in the dark, a party of the 1/5th Battalion led by Charles Carrington
Charles Carrington (1867–1921) was a leading British publisher of erotica in late-19th- and early-20th-century Europe. Born Paul Harry Ferdinando in Bethnal Green, England on 11 November 1867, he moved in 1895 from London to Paris where he pub ...
hit on a weak spot in the German defences with no machine gun cover, and captured a trench well behind the German main position without losing a man. Carrington persuaded his superiors not to withdraw his men, and the following morning the cut-off main German position surrendered.
The 1/5th Battalion was involved in the following further operations during the Battle of the Somme:[
* Battle of Pozières Ridge, 23–27 July and 13–28 August 1916
* ]Battle of the Ancre Heights
The Battle of the Ancre Heights (1 October – 11 November 1916), is the name given to the continuation of British attacks after the Battle of Thiepval Ridge from during the Battle of the Somme. The battle was conducted by the Reserve Army ( ...
, 3–11 November 1916
* Battle of the Ancre
The Battle of the Ancre was fought by the British Fifth Army (Lieutenant-General Hubert Gough), against the German 1st Army (General Fritz von Below). The Reserve Army had been renamed the Fifth Army on 30 October. The battle was the las ...
, 13–18 November 1916
Lt-Col Sladen was promoted to command 143rd Bde, and Lt-Col C. Retallack was appointed to succeed him as CO on 4 September. By December the battalion occupied trenches at Le Sars
Le Sars is a commune in the Pas-de-Calais department in the Hauts-de-France region of France south of Arras.
Population
See also
*Communes of the Pas-de-Calais department
References
Sars
Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS ...
. Casualties during the Somme campaign had been heavy. Company Serjeant-Major F. Townley was awarded the Military Cross
The Military Cross (MC) is the third-level (second-level until 1993) military decoration awarded to officers and (since 1993) Other ranks (UK), other ranks of the British Armed Forces, and formerly awarded to officers of other Commonwealth of ...
(MC) after he had twice taken command of A Company when all the officers became casualties.[
The 1/5th Battalion was involved in the following operations during the German Retreat to the ]Hindenburg Line
The Hindenburg Line (, Siegfried Position) was a German Defense line, defensive position built during the winter of 1916–1917 on the Western Front (World War I), Western Front in France during the First World War. The line ran from Arras to ...
in March and April 1917:[
* Occupation of Peronne, 18 March 1916
* The battalion advanced on ]Épehy
Épehy (Picard: ''Épy'' ) is a commune in the Somme department in Hauts-de-France in northern France. Valentine Fleming died there in 1917.
Geography
Épehy is situated in the northeast of the department, on the D24 and D58 roads some north- ...
in April[
]
Ypres
In July the battalion entrained at Authie for Proven
Proven is a rural village in the Belgian province of West Flanders, and a "deelgemeente" of the municipality Poperinge. The village has about 1400 inhabitants.
The church and parish
A parish is a territorial entity in many Christianity, Chr ...
in Belgium. After a short period of training it took part in the Third Battle of Ypres
The Third Battle of Ypres (; ; ), also known as the Battle of Passchendaele ( ), was a campaign of the First World War, fought by the Allies against the German Empire. The battle took place on the Western Front, from July to November 1917, f ...
[
* Battle of Langemarck, 16–18 August 1917: Serious losses were suffered in an impossible situation near St Julien; Lt-Col Retallack was severely wounded, leaving Capt W.H. Bloomer in temporary command][
* ]Battle of Polygon Wood
The Battle of Polygon Wood (26 September to 3 October 1917) was fought during the second part of the Third Battle of Ypres in the First World War. The battle was fought near Ypres in Belgium, from the Menin road to Polygon Wood and thence north, ...
, 28 September–3 October 1917
* Battle of Broodseinde
The Battle of Broodseinde was fought on 4 October 1917 near Ypres in Belgium, at the east end of the Gheluvelt plateau, by the British Second and Fifth armies against the German 4th Army. The battle was the most successful Allied attack of t ...
, 4 October 1917: Lt-Col W.C.C. Gell, who had assumed command in September, led another attack at St Julien, which was an outstanding success[
* ]Battle of Poelcappelle
The Battle of Poelcappelle was fought in Flanders, Belgium, on 9 October 1917 by the British Second Army and Fifth Army against the German 4th Army, during the First World War. The battle marked the end of the string of highly successful Briti ...
, 9 October 1917
The battalion was moved to Vimy
Vimy lemish: Wimi or ; ) is a commune in the French department of Pas-de-Calais. Located west of Vimy is the Canadian National Vimy Memorial dedicated to the Battle of Vimy Ridge and the Canadian soldiers who were killed during the First Wor ...
and returned to trench duty and rest periods.[
]
Italy
On 10 November 1917, the 48th Division received orders to move to Italy. The battalion entrained at Ligny-Saint-Flochel;[ HQ and C Companies travelled via the Mont Cenis Tunnel, A, B and D Companies by the ]Riviera
() is an Italian word which means , ultimately derived from Latin , through Ligurian . It came to be applied as a proper name to the coast of Liguria (the Genoa region in northwestern Italy) in the form , then shortened in English.
Riviera may a ...
route. They detrained at Bovolone
Bovolone is a town and a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Verona in the Italian region Veneto, located about west of Venice and about southeast of Verona.
Bovolone borders the following municipalities: Cerea, Concamarise, Isola de ...
near Verona
Verona ( ; ; or ) is a city on the Adige, River Adige in Veneto, Italy, with 255,131 inhabitants. It is one of the seven provincial capitals of the region, and is the largest city Comune, municipality in the region and in Northeast Italy, nor ...
on 27 November. By 1 December the division had concentrated around Legnago
Legnago (; Venetian: ''Lenjago'') is a town and ''comune'' in the Province of Verona, Veneto, northern Italy, with population (2012) of 25,439. It is located on the Adige river, about from Verona. Its fertile land produces crops of rice, other c ...
on the Adige
The Adige is the second-longest river in Italy, after the Po. It rises near the Reschen Pass in the Vinschgau in the province of South Tyrol, near the Italian border with Austria and Switzerland, and flows through most of northeastern Italy ...
. On 1 March 1918, the division relieved 7th Division in the front line of the Montello sector on the Piave Front, and held the line until 16 March. On 1 April, it moved westward into reserve for the middle sector of the Asiago Plateau
Asiago (; Venetian: ''Axiago'', Cimbrian: ''Slege'', German: ''Schlägen'' ) is a minor township (population roughly 6,500) with the title of ciin the surrounding plateau region (the ''Altopiano di Asiago'' or '' Sette Comuni, Altopiano dei Se ...
Front.[
When the ]Austrians
Austrians (, ) are the citizens and Nationality, nationals of Austria. The English term ''Austrians'' was applied to the population of Archduchy of Austria, Habsburg Austria from the 17th or 18th century. Subsequently, during the 19th century, ...
attacked the Asiago Plateau during the Battle of the Piave River
The Second Battle of the Piave River (or Battle of the Solstice), fought between 15 and 23 June 1918, was a decisive victory for the Italian Army against the Austro-Hungarian Empire during World War I, as Italy was part of the Allied Forces, whi ...
on 15 June, 1/5th Bn was occupying the Cesuna re-entrant. The understrength D Company occupied the right front, with partly obscured fields of fire, while B Company on the left had good fields of fire. A and C Companies were in support between the Cesuna switch trench and Battalion HQ at Perghele Farm., a high promontory with steep clear slopes to the front and sides. D Company was quickly overrun and its commander captured. The neighbouring battalions were also driven back, opening a potentially dangerous breach in the line. When Battalion HQ went forward to investigate, the acting CO, second-in-command, adjutant and intelligence officer all became casualties, leaving Regimental Serjeant-Major Townley to take charge once more. He organised a defensive post of battalion cooks and orderlies at Perghele Farm, even though the farmhouse had been captured, and held out for 4 hours until relieved by a company of 1/6th Warwicks, while 1/7th Warwicks restored the line. The following day 143rd Bde went over to the counter-attack and regained all the lost ground. 1/6th Battalion was relieved on 17 June and went into reserve at Busibello where Lt-Col Gell returned to take command. The 1/5th Battalion took part in other engagements during August and September in the Mount Kaberlaba sector, returning to Granezza between each tour of duty.[Jeff, pp. 30–32.]
At the end of October, the Austrians began to withdraw (the Battle of Vittorio Veneto
The Battle of Vittorio Veneto was fought from 24 October to 3 November 1918 (with an armistice taking effect 24 hours later) near Vittorio Veneto on the Italian Front during World War I. After having thoroughly defeated Austro-Hungarian troops ...
) and 143rd Bde followed up along the Valle d'Assa, covering up to per day. Led by 1/5th Bn, it reached Osteria del Termine on 2 November, being the first British formation to enter enemy territory on the European fronts. The following day the 48th Division surrounded and captured a large force of Austrian troops including the corps commander and three divisional commanders. By 15.00 on 4 November, when the Armistice with Austria came into force, the division had pushed forward into the Trentino with 1/5th Bn at Faida. After the conclusion of hostilities the division was withdrawn to Italy for the winter.[
]Demobilisation
Demobilization or demobilisation (see spelling differences) is the process of standing down a nation's armed forces from combat-ready status. This may be as a result of victory in war, or because a crisis has been peacefully resolved and milita ...
for 1/5th Bn began on 23 December and parties left at intervals. On 3 April 1919, the residual cadre of battalion under Maj Bloomer marched through Birmingham from New Street Station
Birmingham New Street, also known as New Street station, is the largest and busiest of the Birmingham station group, three main railway stations in Birmingham city centre, England, and a central hub of the Rail transport in Great Britain, Brit ...
to Thorp Street by torchlight.[Jeff, p. 39.] The battalion was formally disembodied on 2 May 1919.[
]
2/5th Royal Warwicks
The 2/5th Battalion, Royal Warwickshire Regiment was formed in Birmingham in October 1914, but at first the men lived at home, and little or nothing was available in terms of uniforms, arms or equipment. It was not until the 2nd South Midland Division concentrated at Northampton
Northampton ( ) is a town and civil parish in Northamptonshire, England. It is the county town of Northamptonshire and the administrative centre of the Unitary authorities of England, unitary authority of West Northamptonshire. The town is sit ...
in January 1915 that the men were issued with .256-in Japanese Ariska rifles with which to train. Here they formed part of First Army of Central Force, but when the 1st South Midland Division went to France, the 2nd took its place at Chelmsford and became part of Third Army of Central Force, with a definite role in Home Defence. The battalions formed their machine gun sections while at Chelmsford, but the strength of the battalions fluctuated widely as they were drawn upon for drafts for their 1st-Line battalions. In August 1915 the division was numbered as the 61st (2nd South Midland) Division
The 61st (2nd South Midland) Division was an infantry division of the British Army raised in 1915 during the Great War as a second-line reserve for the first-line battalions of the 48th (South Midland) Division. The division was sent to the W ...
and the brigade became the 182nd (2nd Warwickshire) Brigade
The 182nd (2/1st Warwickshire) Brigade was an infantry brigade of the British Army that saw active service in the First World War with the 61st (2nd South Midland) Division. It remained in the United Kingdom throughout the Second World War, servin ...
.[Becke, Pt 2b, pp. 33–39.][61 Division at Long, Long Trail.]
/ref>
In February and March 1916 the units of 61st Division moved to 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 ...
to begin final training for overseas service. Here they were issued with .303 SMLE rifles in place of the Japanese weapons, and Lewis guns in place of dummy guns and antique Maxim gun
The Maxim gun is a Recoil operation, recoil-operated machine gun invented in 1884 by Hiram Maxim, Hiram Stevens Maxim. It was the first automatic firearm, fully automatic machine gun in the world.
The Maxim gun has been called "the weapon most ...
s. Final leave was granted in April and May and the division entrained for France, concentrating at IX Corps' rest area by 28 May.[
The 2/5th Battalion's first action was the ]Battle of Fromelles
The Attack at Fromelles ( (Battle of Fromelles, Battle of Fleurbaix or ) 19–20 July 1916, was a military operation on the Western Front during the First World War. The attack was carried out by British and Australian troops and was subsidiary ...
on 19 July 1916, a diversionary attack in support of the Somme Offensive. The attack was badly handled and casualties were heavy. The 61st Division was so badly mauled that it was not used offensively again in 1916.[
Thereafter, the battalion was involved in the following operations:][
* Operations on the Ancre, 11–15 January 1917
* German Retreat to the Hindenburg Line, 14 March–5 April 1917
* Battle of Langemarck, 16–18 August 1917
* Battle of Cambrai:
** German counter-attacks, 1–3 December 1917.
Due to the manpower shortage being suffered by the BEF, 2/5th Bn Royal Warwickshire Regiment was disbanded on 20 February 1918; some of the men being drafted into the 2/6th Bn, the rest into 24th ]Entrenching Battalion
Entrenching battalions were temporary units formed in the armies of the British Empire during the First World War. Entrenching Battalions were trained as infantry, but were primarily utilized for manual labour duties such as trench repair, wire l ...
.[
]
3/5th Royal Warwicks
The 3/5th Battalion, Royal Warwickshire Regiment formed in Birmingham in May 1915 and joined the South Midland Reserve Group, moving to Weston-super-Mare
Weston-super-Mare ( ) is a seaside town and civil parish in the North Somerset unitary district, in the county of Somerset, England. It lies by the Bristol Channel south-west of Bristol between Worlebury Hill and Bleadon Hill. Its population ...
in Somerset
Somerset ( , ), Archaism, archaically Somersetshire ( , , ) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South West England. It is bordered by the Bristol Channel, Gloucestershire, and Bristol to the north, Wiltshire to the east ...
. It became the 5th (Reserve) Battalion, Royal Warwicks, on 8 April 1916, moved to Ludgershall, Wiltshire
Ludgershall ( , with a hard g) is a town and civil parish north east of Salisbury, Wiltshire, England. It is on the A342 road between Devizes and Andover. The parish includes Faberstown which is contiguous with Ludgershall, and the hamlet ...
, and absorbed the 6th Reserve Battalion on 1 September that year, when the reserve group was entitled the South Midland Reserve Brigade in the Training Reserve. It spent the winter of 1916–17 at 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 ...
in Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire ( , ; abbreviated Glos.) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South West England. It is bordered by Herefordshire to the north-west, Worcestershire to the north, Warwickshire to the north-east, Oxfordshire ...
, moving to Catterick, North Yorkshire
North Yorkshire is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in Northern England.The Unitary authorities of England, unitary authority areas of City of York, York and North Yorkshire (district), North Yorkshire are in Yorkshire and t ...
, by March. In the summer of 1917, it moved to Northumberland
Northumberland ( ) is a ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in North East England, on the Anglo-Scottish border, border with Scotland. It is bordered by the North Sea to the east, Tyne and Wear and County Durham to the south, Cumb ...
and remained in Blyth as part of the Tyne Garrison until the end of the war. It was disbanded on 17 April 1919 at Cramlington
Cramlington is a town and civil parish in Northumberland. It is north of Newcastle upon Tyne. The name suggests a probable founding by the Danes or Anglo-Saxons.
The population was 28,843 as of 2021 census data from Northumberland County Cou ...
.[
]
18th Royal Warwicks
The remaining Home Service men were separated from the 3rd Line battalions in May 1915 and formed into Provisional Battalions for home defence. The men of the four TF Bns of the Royal Warwicks (5th, 6th, 7th and 8th) formed 81st Provisional Battalion in 10th Provisional Brigade
1 (one, unit, unity) is a number, numeral, and glyph. It is the first and smallest positive integer of the infinite sequence of natural numbers. This fundamental property has led to its unique uses in other fields, ranging from science to sp ...
.[Porter]
/ref>
The Military Service Act 1916
The Military Service Act 1916 (5 & 6 Geo. 5. c. 104) was an Act of Parliament, act passed by the Parliament of the United Kingdom during the First World War to impose conscription in Great Britain, but not in Ireland or any other British jurisdi ...
swept away the Home/Foreign service distinction, and all TF soldiers became liable for overseas service, if medically fit. The Provisional Battalions thus became anomalous, and on 1 January 1917 became numbered battalions of their parent units, the 81st becoming 18th Battalion, Royal Warwickshire Regiment, at Bath, Somerset
Bath (Received Pronunciation, RP: , ) is a city in Somerset, England, known for and named after its Roman Baths (Bath), Roman-built baths. At the 2021 census, the population was 94,092. Bath is in the valley of the River Avon, Bristol, River A ...
, and transferred to 215th Brigade in 72nd Division. It moved to Bedford
Bedford is a market town in Bedfordshire, England. At the 2011 Census, the population was 106,940. Bedford is the county town of Bedfordshire and seat of the Borough of Bedford local government district.
Bedford was founded at a ford (crossin ...
later in January, and then to 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, ...
in May 1917. Part of the unit's role was physical conditioning to render men fit for drafting oversea, and 18th Royal Warwicks remained in the East Coast defences for the rest of its service. It was disbanded on 19 January 1918.[
]
Interwar
The 5th Battalion, Royal Warwickshire Regiment, was reformed on 7 February 1920 when the TF was reconstituted (retitled Territorial Army (TA) in 1921).[ Lieutenant-Colonel E.V. Sydenham, DSO, was appointed CO, with Maj W.C.C. Gell, DSO, MC, as second-in-command; Maj Gell succeeded to the command on 16 February 1924. Two companies of the battalion paraded at Thorp Street on Tuesday each week, the other two on Thursday, while 6th Warwicks paraded on Mondays and Wednesdays.][ Once again, both battalions formed part of 143rd (Warwickshire) Infantry Brigade in the 48th (South Midland) Infantry Division. At this period the 5th Bn had the Five Ways Grammar School Cadet Corps and Birmingham Cadet Corps, Jewish Lads' Brigade attached to it.][
]
Anti-Aircraft conversion
In the 1930s the increasing need for anti-aircraft (AA) defence for Britain's cities was addressed by converting a number of Territorial infantry battalions into searchlight battalions of the Royal Engineers
The Corps of Royal Engineers, usually called the Royal Engineers (RE), and commonly known as the ''Sappers'', is the engineering arm of the British Army. It provides military engineering and other technical support to the British Armed Forces ...
(RE). The 5th Royal Warwickshires was one unit selected for this role, becoming 45th (The Royal Warwickshire Regiment) AA Battalion, RE on 9 December 1936, consisting of HQ and four AA companies (378–381). At the same time, 6th Warwicks converted to 69th (Royal Warwickshire Regiment) Anti-Aircraft Brigade, Royal Artillery. Since the establishment of an AA battalion was much larger than an infantry battalion or an AA brigade, 69th AA Bde moved out of Thorp Street to Kings Heath
Kings Heath (historically, and still occasionally King's Heath) is a suburb of south Birmingham, England, four miles south of the city centre. Historically in Worcestershire, it is the next suburb south from Moseley on the A435 road, A435 Alces ...
, 379 Company to a new drill hall at Kingstanding
Kingstanding is an area in north Birmingham, England. It gives its name to a ward in the Erdington council constituency. Kingstanding ward includes the areas; Perry Common, Witton Lakes. The other part of Kingstanding falls under the Oscott ...
, and 381 Company to one at Golden Hillock Road near the Birmingham Small Arms Company
The Birmingham Small Arms Company Limited (BSA) was a major British industrial combine, a group of businesses manufacturing military and sporting firearms; bicycles; motorcycles; cars; buses and bodies; steel; iron castings; hand tool, hand, po ...
factory.[Frederick, pp. 859, 867.][Watson & Rinaldi, pp. 110, 114.]
Both the new units were subordinated to 32nd (South Midland) Anti-Aircraft Group (later Brigade) in 2nd Anti-Aircraft Division.[2nd AA Division 1936 at British Military History](_blank)
/ref>
In 1937, 45th AA Battalion formed an additional company at Birmingham, numbered 399. In November 1938 this company was transferred to the Royal Artillery
The Royal Regiment of Artillery, commonly referred to as the Royal Artillery (RA) and colloquially known as "The Gunners", is one of two regiments that make up the artillery arm of the British Army. The Royal Regiment of Artillery comprises t ...
(RA) to provide the cadre for a new 59th (Warwickshire) Searchlight Regiment, Royal Artillery.[
][Jeff, p. 43.] 45th AA Battalion was transferred to 34th AA Brigrade in 1938, but was in a new 54th AA Brigade by the outbreak of war.[
]
World War II
Mobilisation
The TA's AA units, including 45th AA Bn, were mobilised on 23 September 1938 during the Munich Crisis
The Munich Agreement was reached in Munich on 30 September 1938, by Nazi Germany, the United Kingdom, the French Republic, and the Kingdom of Italy. The agreement provided for the German annexation of part of Czechoslovakia called the Sudete ...
, with units manning their emergency positions within 24 hours, even though many did not yet have their full complement of men or equipment. The emergency lasted three weeks, and they were stood down on 13 October.[ In February 1939, the existing AA defences came under the control of a new ]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
...
. In June, a partial mobilisation of TA units was begun in a process known as 'couverture', whereby each AA unit did a month's tour of duty in rotation to man selected AA and searchlight positions. The battalion was mobilised on 15 July and until 15 August it manned a S/L layout in the East Midlands.[Jeff, p. 45.] On 24 August, ahead of the declaration of war, AA Command was fully mobilised at its war stations, with 45th AA Bn manning 50 S/L sites around Birmingham by 27 August.[
]
45th Searchlight Regiment
Home Defence
On the outbreak of 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 ...
, 45th AA Bn was assigned to a new 54th AA Brigade being formed at Sutton Coldfield
Sutton Coldfield or the Royal Town of Sutton Coldfield ( ), is a town and civil parish in the city of Birmingham, West Midlands County, West Midlands, England. The town lies around 8 miles northeast of Birmingham city centre, 9 miles south of L ...
near Birmingham, as part of 4th AA Division.[4 AA Division 1939 at British Military History](_blank)
/ref> The battalion established its HQ at Kingstanding Drill Hall, and the S/L sites were manned by 380 and 381 AA Companies, with HQs at Halesowen
Halesowen ( ) is a market town in the Metropolitan Borough of Dudley, in the county of the West Midlands (county), West Midlands, England.
Historic counties of England, Historically an exclave of Shropshire and, from 1844, in Worcestershire, ...
and Maxstoke Castle
Maxstoke Castle is a privately owned moated castle dating from the 14th century, situated to the north of Maxstoke in Warwickshire, England.
History
Maxstoke Castle was built by Sir William de Clinton, 1st Earl of Huntingdon, in 1345 to a rect ...
respectively. Meanwhile, 378 and 379 AA Companies manned Lewis guns in the Light Anti-Aircraft (LAA) role to defend various vital points (VPs), including Castle Bromwich Aircraft Factory, RAF Cosford
Royal Air Force Cosford or RAF Cosford (formerly DCAE Cosford) is a Royal Air Force station near to the village of Cosford, Shropshire, England just to the northwest of Wolverhampton and next to Albrighton.
It is a training station, home to ...
, RAF Shawbury
Royal Air Force Shawbury, otherwise known as RAF Shawbury, is a Royal Air Force station near the village of Shawbury in Shropshire in the West Midlands of England.
History The First World War
The station at Shawbury was first used for milita ...
and RAF Ternhill
Royal Air Force Tern Hill, or more simply RAF Tern Hill, was a Royal Air Force station at Ternhill in Shropshire, England, near the towns of Newport, Shropshire, Newport and Market Drayton.
The station closed in 1976, with the technical and a ...
.[
By mid-December, the commitments at the VPs had been handed over to specialist LAA units, and the battalion was wholly engaged in S/L duties, with company HQs distributed as follows:][
* 378 at Maxstoke Castle, later at Sheldon and then Shenstone during 1940–41
* 379 at Halesowen
* 380 at Shirley, with a temporary operational HQ at ]Hewell Grange
Hewell Grange is a former country house in Tardebigge, Worcestershire, England. "One of the most important late 19th century country houses in England", the mansion was built between 1884 and 1891 by George Frederick Bodley and Thomas Garner fo ...
in November–December 1940
* 381 at Pendeford Hill, later at Shenstone, Wightwick Hall, Weston Park
Weston Park is a country house in Weston-under-Lizard, Staffordshire, England, set in more than of park landscaped by Capability Brown. The park is located north-west of Wolverhampton, and east of Telford, close to the border with Shropshire ...
and finally Arbury Park
In August 1940, the remaining AA units of the RE were transferred to the RA, the unit being redesignated 45th (The Royal Warwickshire Regiment) Searchlight Regiment, RA, and the AA companies becoming S/L batteries.[Litchfield, pp. 242–43.][Farndale, ''Years of Defeat'', Annex M, pp. 338–39.]
In a reorganisation of AA Command in November 1940, 54 AA Bde assumed responsibility for searchlight provision for the Gun Defence Areas (GDAs) of the West Midlands under a new 11th AA Division.
After the initial deployment, the periods of greatest activity for 45th S/L Rgt were in August 1940, when it suffered five casualties in the first raids of the Birmingham Blitz
The Birmingham Blitz was the The Blitz, heavy bombing by the Nazi German ''Luftwaffe'' of the city of Birmingham and surrounding towns in central England, beginning on 9 August 1940 as a fraction of the greater The Blitz, Blitz, which was par ...
, in November when there were heavy raids on Birmingham and Coventry
Coventry ( or rarely ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands (county), West Midlands county, in England, on the River Sherbourne. Coventry had been a large settlement for centurie ...
, and again in March and April 1941.[
The regiment supplied a cadre of experienced officers and men to 237th S/L Training Rgt at ]Holywood
Holy Wood or Holywood may refer to:
Places
* Holywood, County Down, a town and townland in Northern Ireland
** Holywood, County Down (civil parish), a civil parish in County Down, Northern Ireland
** Holywood railway station (Northern Ireland)
...
, County Down
County Down () is one of the six counties of Northern Ireland, one of the nine counties of Ulster and one of the traditional thirty-two counties of Ireland. It covers an area of and has a population of 552,261. It borders County Antrim to the ...
, where it provided the basis for a new 552 S/L Bty formed on 16 January 1941. This battery later joined a newly-forming 91st S/L Rgt.
The S/L layouts had been based on a spacing of 3500 yards, but due to equipment shortages this had been extended to 6000 yards by September 1940. In November this was changed to clusters of three lights to improve illumination, but this meant that the clusters had to be spaced 10,400 yards apart. Each S/L Troop manned two clusters. The cluster system was an attempt to improve the chances of picking up enemy bombers and keeping them illuminated for engagement by AA guns or Night fighter
A night fighter (later known as all-weather fighter or all-weather interceptor post-Second World War) is a largely historical term for a fighter aircraft, fighter or interceptor aircraft adapted or designed for effective use at night, during pe ...
s. Eventually, one light in each cluster was to be equipped with SLC radar and act as 'master light', but the radar equipment was still in short supply.[
In May 1941, site BGo 31 at Shirley was credited with bringing down a ]Heinkel He 111
The Heinkel He 111 is a German airliner and medium bomber designed by Siegfried and Walter Günter at Heinkel Flugzeugwerke in 1934. Through development, it was described as a wolf in sheep's clothing. Due to restrictions placed on Germany a ...
bomber. The Troop officer, Lt P.A.G. Osler, described how the Heinkel flew over the site four times, being illuminated by the lights and engaged with small arms fire (each S/L site was equipped with Lewis guns). After the fourth run the aircraft veered away and crashed into trees, where its bombload exploded.[ In June 1941, two S/L sites received direct hits and three men were wounded, but there was little activity of the rest of the year.][Jeff, p. 46.]
On 1 September 1941, Brevet Colonel A.W. Ward-Walker, TD, who had been Commanding Officer since 16 February 1934, relinquished command and was succeeded by Lt-Col C.D. Oliver, promoted from 44th (Leicestershire Regiment) S/L Rgt.[
In 1941, the searchlight layout over the Midlands was reorganised, so that any hostile raid approaching the GDAs around the towns must cross more than one searchlight belt, and then within the GDAs the concentration of lights was increased. The regiment was undergoing redeployment in December 1941 when it was announced that it was being considered for conversion to the LAA gun role. This opportunity for greater involvement was welcomed by the regiment, which handed over its S/L sites to 80th S/L Rgt in December and January 1942.][
]
122nd Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment
A cadre of six officers and 30 other ranks went to Bradford
Bradford is a city status in the United Kingdom, city in West Yorkshire, England. It became a municipal borough in 1847, received a city charter in 1897 and, since the Local Government Act 1972, 1974 reform, the city status in the United Kingdo ...
for training on Bofors gun
AB Bofors ( , , ) is a former Swedish arms manufacturer which today is part of the British arms manufacturer BAE Systems. The name has been associated with the iron industry and artillery manufacturing for more than 350 years.
History
Locate ...
s before the regiment formally converted on 2 February 1942 as 122nd (Royal Warwickshire) Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment, with the batteries renumbered as 400–403 LAA Batteries.[Frederick, pp. 806–7, 839.][122 LAA Rgt at RA 39–45.]
/ref> The rest of the regiment went for training on 12 February and a month later the batteries moved from Bradford to various practice camps. In April they took over defence of VPs, three batteries in North Staffordshire
The federation of Stoke-on-Trent was the 1910 amalgamation of the six Staffordshire Potteries towns of Burslem, Tunstall, Stoke-upon-Trent, Hanley, Fenton and Longton into the single county borough of Stoke-on-Trent. The federation was one of ...
and one 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 ...
, with RHQ near Chester
Chester is a cathedral city in Cheshire, England, on the River Dee, Wales, River Dee, close to the England–Wales border. With a built-up area population of 92,760 in 2021, it is the most populous settlement in the borough of Cheshire West an ...
.[
]
During the spring of 1942, 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 ...
'' began a new tactic of 'hit and run' raids by single-engined 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 against targets along the South Coast of England, and AA Command moved LAA units south to deal with this threat. In July, 122nd LAA Rgt moved from 54 AA Bde to join 71 AA Bde in 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 ...
, deployed as follows:[
* RHQ at ]Shepherdswell
Shepherdswell (also Sibertswold or Sibert's Wold) is a village and former civil parish, now in the parish of Shepherdswell with Coldred, in the Dover district of Kent, England. In 2011 it had a population of 1630.
Culture and community
Village ...
* 400 LAA Bty at Rye, East Sussex
Rye is a town and civil parish in the Rother District, Rother district of East Sussex, England, from the sea at the confluence of three rivers: the River Rother (Eastern), Rother, the River Tillingham, Tillingham and the River Brede, Brede. An ...
* 401 LAA Bty at Betteshanger
Betteshanger () is a village and former civil parish. now in the parish of Northbourne, in the Dover district, in east Kent, UK, near Deal. It gave its name to the largest of the four chief collieries of the Kent coalfield. In 1931 the parish h ...
* 402 LAA Bty at Minster-in-Thanet
Minster, also known as Minster-in-Thanet, is a village and civil parish in the Thanet District of Kent, England. It is the site of Minster in Thanet Priory. The village is west of Ramsgate (which is the post town) and to the north east of Ca ...
, later at Rye, where it was awarded a Category 1 'kill' on 12 October
* 403 LAA Bty at Shepherdswell.
122nd LAA Rgt was now selected for overseas service. On 3 October, 403 LAA Bty was re-regimented with a newly formed 143rd LAA Rgt and the rest of the regiment, now with the three-battery organisation of a mobile AA unit, left AA Command and moved to Dropmore Hall, Burnham, Buckinghamshire
Burnham is a large village and civil parish that lies north of the River Thames in Buckinghamshire, between the towns of Maidenhead and Slough, about 24 miles west of Charing Cross, London. It is probably best known for the nearby Burnham Beech ...
, for battle training. A month later it went for mobile training 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 ...
, 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 ...
. While awaiting overseas postings, AA units were usually loaned back to AA Command, and on 22 December the regiment took over operational sites in Cornwall
Cornwall (; or ) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South West England. It is also one of the Celtic nations and the homeland of the Cornish people. The county is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, ...
under 63 AA Bde, with RHQ at Perranporth
Perranporth () is a seaside resort town on the north coast of Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. It is 2.1 miles east of the St Agnes Heritage Coastline, and around 7 miles south-west of Newquay. Perranporth and its long beach face the Atla ...
and sites at RAF St Eval
Royal Air Force St Eval or RAF St Eval is a former Royal Air Force station for the RAF Coastal Command, southwest of Padstow in Cornwall, England, UK. St Eval's primary role was to provide anti-submarine and anti-shipping patrols off the south ...
, St Austell
Saint Austell (, ; ) is a town in Cornwall, England, United Kingdom, south of Bodmin and west of the border with Devon.
At the 2021 Census in the United Kingdom, census it had a population of 20,900.
History
St Austell was a village centred ...
and Porthcothan
Porthcothan () is a coastal village between Newquay and Padstow in Cornwall, England, UK. It is within the civil parish of St Eval.
Porthcothan lies within the Cornwall Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB). Almost a third of Cornwall ha ...
. In January–February 1943, it attended No 13 AA Practice Camp at Aberaeron
Aberaeron (), previously anglicised as Aberayron, is a town, community and electoral ward in Ceredigion, Wales. Located on the coast between Aberystwyth and Cardigan, its resident population was 1,274 in the 2021 census.
The name of the town i ...
, before coming 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. On 14 February, it moved to 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 ...
under orders to mobilise for a tropical climate.[
]
India
The regiment embarked at Gourock
Gourock ( ; ) is a town in the Inverclyde council areas of Scotland, council area and formerly a burgh of the County of Renfrew in the west of Scotland. It was a resort town, seaside resort on the East shore of the upper Firth of Clyde. Its ma ...
on the Firth of Clyde
The Firth of Clyde, is the estuary of the River Clyde, on the west coast of Scotland. The Firth has some of the deepest coastal waters of the British Isles. The Firth is sheltered from the Atlantic Ocean by the Kintyre, Kintyre Peninsula. The ...
on 10 March 1943 aboard HM Transport ''Strathnaver''. It docked at Durban
Durban ( ; , from meaning "bay, lagoon") is the third-most populous city in South Africa, after Johannesburg and Cape Town, and the largest city in the Provinces of South Africa, province of KwaZulu-Natal.
Situated on the east coast of South ...
on 14 April and the regiment went into camp for six weeks before re-embarking on HMT ''Strathmore'' on 14 May, to land at Bombay
Mumbai ( ; ), also known as Bombay ( ; its official name until 1995), is the capital city of the Indian States and union territories of India, state of Maharashtra. Mumbai is the financial centre, financial capital and the list of cities i ...
on 10 June. The regiment then travelled across India
India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...
to Ranchi
Ranchi (; ) is the capital city and also the largest district by population of the Indian state of Jharkhand. Ranchi was the centre of the Jharkhand movement, which called for a separate state for the tribal regions of South Bihar, northern ...
to join 7th Indian Infantry Division
The 7th Infantry Division is a war-formed infantry Division (military), division, part of the British Indian Army that saw service in the Burma Campaign.
History
The division was created on 1 October 1940 at Attock, under the command of Major-ge ...
. On 20 August the regiment moved to Khumbargaon and joined 36th Indian Infantry Division. Early in September the regiment received its lorries and Bofors guns and began intensive training. On 30 November the regiment underwent a major change in organisation and role. Two of its LAA batteries, 400 and the newly formed 'X' Bty, joined 100 (Gordon Highlanders
The Gordon Highlanders was a line infantry regiment of the British Army that existed for 113 years, from 1881 until 1994, when it was amalgamated with The Queen's Own Highlanders (Seaforth and Camerons) to form The Highlanders (Seaforth, Go ...
) Anti-Tank Regiment, RA, and in exchange it received 168 and 321 A/T Btys (the latter being newly formed) equipped with 6-pounder A/T guns. The regiment was subsequently redesignated 122 LAA/AT Regiment.[Frederick, pp. 927–8.][Joslen, pp. 526–27.][Jeff, p. 50.][Farndale, ''Far East'', Annex K.][36 Indian Division at British Military History](_blank)
/ref>
The division was training for Operation Porpoise, a projected amphibious assault, but the opening of the Japanese offensive in the Arakan in February 1944 changed everything, and elements of the division (including 168 A/T Bty serving with 130th Field Rgt) were employed in mopping up after the attack had been stopped.[Jeff, p. 51.]
The amphibious plans were cancelled and, in May 1944, 122 LAA/AT Rgt moved by rail and riverboat to Shillong
Shillong (, ) is a hill station and the capital of Meghalaya, a Indian state, state in northeastern India. It is the headquarters of the East Khasi Hills district. Shillong is the list of most populous cities in India, 330th most populous city ...
, where it was rejoined by 168 A/T Bty and where 36th Indian Division reorganised as a standard infantry division. Early in July 1944, infantry units of the division started to fly from Ledo into Myitkyina airfield in North Burma to reinforce the US-led Northern Combat Area Command
The Northern Combat Area Command (NCAC) was a subcommand of the Allies of World War II, Allied South East Asia Command (SEAC) during World War II. It controlled Allied ground operations in northern Burma. For most of its existence, NCAC was com ...
. They saw much bitter fighting in the following campaign, but left the divisional artillery behind. However, 321 A/T Bty did move up to Ledo under the command of 178th Field Rgt, ready to move into the forward area; it returned to the regiment at Shillong in September. The division was recategorised as British on 1 September 1944, becoming 36th British Infantry Division.[Joslen, pp. 63–64.]
122nd Anti-Tank Regiment
Burma
Meanwhile, 122 LAA/AT Rgt was redesignated 122 (Royal Warwickshire Regiment) A/T Rgt on 14 September, and lost its LAA guns, reorganising into three batteries, each composed of twelve 6-pounder A/T guns and twelve 3-inch mortars, still commanded by Lt-Col Oliver.[ Once it rejoined, it served as the divisional anti-tank regiment in 36th Division until the end of the war.][
On 29 October 1944, 168 Bty moved to Moran and three days later was flown to the forward area. Under the command of 26 Indian Bde it remained in contact with the enemy until the closing weeks of the campaign. It distinguished itself on 1–2 February 1945 supporting 2nd Bn ]The Buffs (Royal East Kent Regiment)
The Buffs (Royal East Kent Regiment), formerly the 3rd Regiment of Foot, was a line infantry regiment of the British Army traditionally raised in the English county of Kent and garrisoned at Canterbury. It had a history dating back to 1572 and ...
at Myitson where an attempt to infiltrate over the Shweli River
Shweli River (; zh, 瑞丽江) is a river in China and Myanmar (Burma). Also known as the Nam Mao (; ) in Shan or Dai, and Ruili River or Longchuan River (龙川江) in Chinese, it forms 26 km of the boundary between Burma and China. It is on ...
had miscarried, but suffered its heaviest casualties on 3 February.[Jeff, pp. 52–53.]
The main body of the regiment (RHQ, F Troop of 321 Bty and 402 Bty) remained at Shillong until 12 November, when it was moved by road to the Ledo area and began intensive training. On 22 December, it left Ledo in convoy and moved up to join he forward troops of 36th Division. It crossed the Irrawaddy River
The Irrawaddy River (, , Ayeyarwady) is the principal river of Myanmar, running through the centre of the country. Myanmar’s most important commercial waterway, it is about 1,350 miles (2,170 km) long. Originating from the confluence of the ...
between 13 and 16 January 1945.[
During early February 1945, a further reorganisation took place: 168 and 402 Btys were now wholly equipped with 3-inch mortars, leaving only F Trp, 321 Bty, with 6-pounders. The regiment was now also engaged in the attempts to cross the Shweli, where the Japanese were well dug-in. It crossed between 25 February and 2 March, having fired 9500 mortar rounds and 120 6-pounder rounds in a month of supporting the infantry units held up on the far bank, sometimes dropping mortar bombs accurately only a few yards in front of them.][
During the advance, 26th Indian Bde converged with the rest of 36th Indian Division on the Shweli River, until 168 Bty was back in touch with the regiment. It was relieved by 402 Bty on 12 March. During March and April, F Trp operated firstly with 72 Bde and later with 29 Bde at ]Thazi Township
Thazi Township () is a township of Meiktila District in the Mandalay Region of Burma
Myanmar, officially the Republic of the Union of Myanmar; and also referred to as Burma (the official English name until 1989), is a country in northw ...
, frequently firing its A/T guns over the river into Japanese bunkers.[
It was not possible to maintain all the divisions in Burma, and many troops from 36th Division were due for repatriation to the UK under the 'Python' scheme, having served in the Far East for longer than 3 years and 8 months. The division was therefore sent back to India. 122nd A/T Regiment was flown from ]Meiktila
Meiktila (; ) is a city in central Burma on the banks of Meiktila Lake in the Mandalay Region at the junctions of the Bagan- Taunggyi, Yangon- Mandalay and Meiktila-Myingyan highways. Because of its strategic position, Meiktila is home to Myanm ...
to Imphal
Imphal (; , ) is the capital city of the Indian state of Manipur. The metropolitan centre of the city contains the ruins of Kangla Palace (officially known as Kangla Fort), the royal seat of the former Kingdom of Manipur, surrounded by a ...
and Chittagong
Chittagong ( ), officially Chattogram, (, ) (, or ) is the second-largest city in Bangladesh. Home to the Port of Chittagong, it is the busiest port in Bangladesh and the Bay of Bengal. The city is also the business capital of Bangladesh. It ...
, then began the long journey by road and rail to Poona
Pune ( ; , ISO 15919, ISO: ), previously spelled in English as Poona (List of renamed Indian cities and states#Maharashtra, the official name until 1978), is a city in the state of Maharashtra in the Deccan Plateau, Deccan plateau in Western ...
on 6 May.[
Once at Poona, the regiment rested and reorganised, while 36th Division where it went into training for ]Operation Zipper
During World War II, Operation Zipper was a British plan to capture either Port Swettenham or Port Dickson, Malaya, as staging areas for the recapture of Singapore in Operation Mailfist. However, due to the end of the war in the Pacific, it ...
, the proposed amphibious invasion of Malaya
Malaya refers to a number of historical and current political entities related to what is currently Peninsular Malaysia in Southeast Asia:
Political entities
* British Malaya (1826–1957), a loose collection of the British colony of the Straits ...
. However, the war had ended with the Surrender of Japan
The surrender of the Empire of Japan in World War II was Hirohito surrender broadcast, announced by Emperor Hirohito on 15 August and formally Japanese Instrument of Surrender, signed on 2 September 1945, End of World War II in Asia, ending ...
on 15 August, Lieutenant-Colonel Oliver relinquished the command on 26 June, being replaced on 20 August by Lt-Col J.W. Calver from 21st West African A/T Rgt. The regiment was transferred from 36th Division to XV Corps at Coimbatore
Coimbatore (Tamil: kōyamputtūr, ), also known as Kovai (), is one of the major Metropolitan cities of India, metropolitan cities in the States and union territories of India, Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is located on the banks of the Noyy ...
and re-equipped with 4.2-inch mortars in place of the 3-inch. Demobilisation began in October 1954 and the regiment was placed in suspended animation on 15 September 1946.[
]
Postwar
When the TA was reconstituted on 1 January 1947, the regiment reformed at Birmingham as 580 (The Royal Warwickshire Regiment) Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment, RA, with RHQ and two batteries at Thorp Street, and one battery at the Drill Hall, Shirley. It reverted to the LAA role in 1950 and about that time the subtitle changed to '5th Battalion, The Royal Warwickshire Regiment'. It formed part of 80 AA Brigade (the former 54 AA Brigade) at Sutton Coldfield. In 1952, one battery moved from Thorp Street to Taunton Road, Balsall Heath
Balsall Heath is an inner-city area of Birmingham, West Midlands, England. It has a diverse cultural mix of people and is the location of the Balti Triangle.
History
The name is first found as Bordeshale in 1275, which is derived from the ...
, and the battery at Shirley moved to Mossfield Road, Kings Heath. The following year a fourth battery was raised.[Frederick, p. 1024.][Jeff, pp. 62–64.]
[564–591 Rgts at British Army 1945 on.]
/ref>
When AA Command was disbanded in 1955, there was a reduction in the number of AA units in the TA. 580 LAA Rgt was amalgamated with 469 (The Royal Warwickshire Regiment) HAA Rgt, 594 (Warwickshire) LAA Regiment and 672 (Worcestershire) HAA Regiment to form 442 LAA Regiment, Royal Artillery. (469 Rgt was the former 6th Battalion, Royal Warwicks, formed from the Birmingham Rifles in 1908, and 594 Regiment was the former 59th Searchlight Regiment formed in 1938 from a cadre provided by the 45th.) The new unit was organised as follows:[Frederick, p. 1014.][414–443 Rgts at British Army 1945 on.]
/ref>
* RHQ and 'P (5/6th Royal Warwicks)' Battery at Thorpe Street – ''from 469 and 580 Regiments''
* 'Q (Warwickshire)' Battery – ''from 594 Regiment''
* 'R (Worcestershire)' Battery – ''from 672 Regiment''
In 1961, 442 LAA Regiment was broken up: 'Q' Battery joined 268 (Warwickshire) Field Regiment, 'R' Battery joined 444 (Staffordshire) LAA Regiment. The remainder of the regiment (RHQ and 'P (5/6th Royal Warwicks)' Battery) were absorbed by the 7th Battalion, Royal Warwicks. This battalion had previously absorbed the 8th Battalion, so the lineages of all four TA battalions of the Royal Warwickshire Regiment were merged. C Company of 7th Bn was based at Thorp Street until the drill hall went out of use in 1968.[
]
Insignia
From 1947 to 1955, the regiment wore an arm flash in the form of a horizontal scarlet strip.[
]
Honorary Colonel
The following served as Honorary Colonel of the battalion:[
* Col C.J. Hart, CB, ]CBE
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding valuable service in a wide range of useful activities. It comprises five classes of awards across both civil and military divisions, the most senior two o ...
, VD, TD (Lt-Col Commandant 7 July 1901) appointed 8 October 1909, joint Hon Col of 5th and 6th Bns [
* Col A. Parkes, TD, appointed 15 December 1921
* Lt-Col E.V. Sydenham, DSO, TD, appointed 17 February 1932
* Air Vice-Marshal W.C.C. Gell, DSO and bar, MC, TD, (1888–1969) former commanding officer, 1917 and 1924–29, appointed 16 February 1937; later Air Officer Commanding ]RAF Balloon Command
Balloon Command was the Royal Air Force Command (military formation), command which was responsible for controlling all the United Kingdom-based barrage balloon units during the Second World War.
History
Prior to the establishment of Balloon ...
Prominent members
* Charles Carrington
Charles Carrington (1867–1921) was a leading British publisher of erotica in late-19th- and early-20th-century Europe. Born Paul Harry Ferdinando in Bethnal Green, England on 11 November 1867, he moved in 1895 from London to Paris where he pub ...
(1897–1990), author of ''A Subaltern's War'' (1929) (as 'Charles Edmonds') and ''Soldier From The Wars Returning'' (1964); commissioned while under age, he served with the 1/5th Bn on the Western and Italian Fronts and won an MC.[Charles Carrington at Firstworldwar.com]
/ref>
Battle Honours
The 1st Volunteer Battalion carried the Battle Honour South Africa 1900–02 awarded for providing volunteers for the service companies in the Second Boer War. During the Great War, the battalion contributed to the Honours of the Royal Warwicks. The Royal Artillery does not carry Battle Honours, so none were awarded to the regiment for its service during the Second World War.
Notes
References
* Maj A.F. Becke,''History of the Great War: Order of Battle of Divisions, Part 2a: The Territorial Force Mounted Divisions and the 1st-Line Territorial Force Divisions (42–56)'', London: HM Stationery Office, 1935/Uckfield: Naval & Military Press, 2007, .
* Maj A.F. Becke,''History of the Great War: Order of Battle of Divisions, Part 2b: The 2nd-Line Territorial Force Divisions (57th–69th), with the Home-Service Divisions (71st–73rd) and 74th and 75th Divisions,'' London: HM Stationery Office, 1937/Uckfield: Naval & Military Press, 2007, .
* Ian F.W. Beckett, ''Riflemen Form: A study of the Rifle Volunteer Movement 1859–1908'', Aldershot: Ogilby Trusts, 1982, .
* Col John K. Dunlop, ''The Development of the British Army 1899–1914'', London: Methuen, 1938.
* Brig-Gen Sir James E. Edmonds, ''History of the Great War: Military Operations, France and Belgium, 1916'', Vol I, London: Macmillan,1932/Woking: Shearer, 1986, .
* 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, .
* Gen Sir Martin Farndale, ''History of the Royal Regiment of Artillery: The Far East Theatre 1939–1946'', London: Brasseys, 2002, .
* J.B.M. Frederick, ''Lineage Book of British Land Forces 1660–1978'', Vol I, Wakefield, Microform Academic, 1984, .
* J.B.M. Frederick, ''Lineage Book of British Land Forces 1660–1978'', Vol II, Wakefield, Microform Academic, 1984, .
* Paddy Griffith, ''Battle Tactics of the Western Front: The British Army's Art of Attack 1916–18'', Newhaven, CT, & London: Yale University Press, 1994, .
* Brig E.A. James, ''British Regiments 1914–18'', Samson Books 1978/Uckfield: Naval & Military Press, 2001, .
* John Jeff, ''The 5th Battalion, The Royal Warwickshire Regiment, T.A.: its Predecessors, Successors and Historians'', Kingswinford, 1986, .
*
* N.B. Leslie, ''Battle Honours of the British and Indian Armies 1695–1914'', London: Leo Cooper, 1970, .
* 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,
* ''Titles and Designations of Formations and Units of the Territorial Army'', London: War Office, 7 November 1927.
* Graham E. Watson & Richard A. Rinaldi, ''The Corps of Royal Engineers: Organization and Units 1889–2018'', Tiger Lily Books, 2018, .
* War Office, ''Army Council Instructions Issued During January 1916'', London: HM Stationery Office, 1916.
* War Office, ''Army Council Instructions Issued During December 1916'', London: HM Stationery Office, 1916.
* Ray Westlake, ''Tracing the Rifle Volunteers'', Barnsley: Pen and Sword, 2010, .
* Maj-Gen S. Woodburn Kirby, ''History of the Second World War, United Kingdom Military Series: The War Against Japan'' Vol III, ''The Decisive Battles'', London: HM Stationery Office, 1961/Uckfield: Naval & Military, 2004, .
* Maj-Gen S. Woodburn Kirby, ''History of the Second World War, United Kingdom Military Series: The War Against Japan'' Vol IV, ''The Reconquest of Burma'', London: HM Stationery Office, 1955/Uckfield: Naval & Military, 2004, .
Online sources
British Army units from 1945 on
British Military History
Cricket Archive
Nat Gould, His life and Books
The Long, Long Trail
Orders of Battle at Patriot Files
{{Webarchive, url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180612140042/http://www.patriotfiles.com/index.php?name=Sections&req=listarticles&secid=17 , date=12 June 2018
David Porter's work on Provisional Brigades at Great War Forum
* ttps://ra39-45.co.uk The Royal Artillery 1939–45
Graham Watson, ''The Territorial Army 1947''
Firstworldwar.com
Military units and formations in Warwickshire
Military units and formations in Birmingham
Military units and formations established in 1859
1859 establishments in the United Kingdom