Royal Artillery Formation Badges

[54Bty]

Here is a start to the Formation badges worn by members of the Royal Regiment of Artillery.

1st Anti Aircraft Division formed in December 1935 and disbanded in September 1942. The badge worn by members of this Division was described as "A red sword point upwards to pierce a black Dornier".

[Peter Brydon]

54Bty,
You may be the person to help me I have a presentation piece to the Adjutant of the Chester Garrison.
Part of the piece is the attached plaque. Do you have any idea which regiments made up the 23 Artillery Brigade and the dates that it was in existance ?
Regards
P.B.

P.S. keep on showing the R.A. Formation Signs

[54Bty]

23rd Artillery Brigade (Volunteers)

The Brigade was originally formed in January 1968 as 23rd Air Defence Group Royal Artillery, with three TAVR Light Air Defence Regiments 102, 103 and 104 and two Regular Regiments 22 and 36. Headquarters was based in Chester as part of HQ Chester Garrison.

In April 1972 the Group was redesignated 23rd Artillery Brigade (Volunteers), and had under command all the RA TAVR units both Air Defence and Field.

In September 1974 the Field Regiments moved to 21 Artillery Brigade leaving the three Light Air Defence Regiments with 23 Artillery Brigade (V).

The formation sign which was painted on all Brigade vehicles was "Taurus the Bull" (second sign of the Zodiac) previously used and worn by 2nd Army Group Royal Artillery (Anti Aircraft) and later 40th Army Group Royal Artillery (Anti Aircraft) (Territorial Army), a cloth badge was not worn by 23 Arty Bde (V). The colour was changed from white on black to red on blue.

[Peter Brydon]

54 Bty,

Many thanks,you would not believe the number of people I have asked who could not help me.

The association with 103 Light Air Defence Regt means it has a connection with my interests and I shall keep it in my collection.

I seem to remember the Headquaters of the Brigade was opposite the Cheshire Military Museum in Chester,but surprisingly I could not find any reference to this brigade anywhere.

Thanks again

Peter

[Peter Brydon]

54Bty,
After your help on the previous query I wonder if you can tell me the regiments that made up the 33rd Anti Aircraft Brigade please

Thanks in anticipation

Peter

[54Bty]

33rd Anti Aircraft Brigade (WWII)

70th (3rd West Lancashire) Heavy Anti Aircraft Regt RA (TA)
93rd Heavy Anti Aircraft Regt RA (TA) [cadre from 70th HAA Regt RA (TA) (Liverpool)]
38th (The King's Regiment) Search Light Regt RA (TA) [6th (Rifle) Bn The King's Regiment (Liverpool)
62nd (The Loyals) Search Light Regt RA (TA) [4th Bn The Loyal Regt (North Lancashire)


33rd Anti Aircraft Brigade (c1955)

452 Heavy Anti Aircraft Regt RA (London) (TA)
457 Heavy Anti Aircraft Regt RA (Wessex) (TA)
284 Light Anti Aircraft Regt RA (The King's Own Royal Regiment, Norfolk Yeomanry) (TA)
512 Light Anti Aircraft Regt RA (Finsbury Rifles) (TA)
517 Light Anti Aircraft Regt RA (5 Essex) (TA)
571 Light Anti Aircraft Regt RA (9 Bn Middlesex Regt) (TA)

Further information on the units can be obtained from "The Territorial Artillery 1908-1988" by Norman E.H. Litchfield, ISBN 0-9508205-2-0.

[OwenMartin]

Hi my great uncle was in ww2, unfortunately I never got to meet him but he left his uniform and other personal belongings to my nan, I have now got the uniform since my nan died and one one of his jackets there is a patch that I am unfamiliar with, the date has been ripped out but in my opinion it looks like it would date from the mid to late 30s. I know he was in a anti aircraft battery in the Greek civil war around the end of the war were he won the military medal. I would put a photo up but I'm not sure how so the patch is square and Navy blue with a red witch flying on a broomstick, there is no unit name above so I'm quite lost.
Thanks
Owen

[Peter Brydon]

Owen.

Sounds like the attached.

P.B.

[54Bty]

2nd Anti Aircraft Division 1941-1942 version.

Marc

[Mike Jackson]

In translation, the Latin motto would be "We sweep the skies"?
2 AA Div.jpg 2 AA Div.2.jpg

[Postwarden]

I was interested in Mike's comment about the sign for the CATC.

Strictly speaking wartime Training Centres and units were not permitted to wear any form of distinctive sign and there is much evidence on the War Office files at Kew showing official resistance and reluctance to authorise them. I doubt therefore that the sign ever received authority for wear other than from the Centre itself hence the lack of recognition of its similarity to the sign of 61st Division.

The attachment shows it worn.

Jon

Hi, do you know what formation Insignia the 118th Light AA Regt, RA wore during WWII?
I know they were part of the 55th AA Brigade along the south coast between Cornwall and Hampshire in 1942.
Many thanks. 👍