War Diary of 15th (Isle Of Man) Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery 1942

War Diaries of 15th (Isle Of Man) Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery - Summary

1942

January 1942 Commanding Officer: Lt. Col. MacClellan
Place	Date	Hour	Summary of Events and Information	References to Appendices
	21		Information received – the 15 L.A.A. Regt to be reorganised to consist of R.H.Q. Ancillaries 41st – 42nd – 1st L.A.A. Batteries and to be withdrawn from Canal defences and held in readiness to relieve a L.A.A. Regt in the 8th Army.
	25		15 L.A.A. Regt reorganised and assembled at QUASSASIN. The 1st L.A.A. Bty arrived from ABU ZAMINAH (Gulf of Suez). O.C. 42 L.A.A. took over A.A.D.C. Kasfareet from O.C. 15 L.A.A. Regt.
	29		QUASSASIN. Draft of 27 men from Isle of Man received from R.A. Base Depot.

February 1942 Commanding Officer: Lt. Col. MacClellan
Place	Date	Hour	Summary of Events and Information	References to Appendices
QUASSASIN.	12		1st L.A.A. Bty by road to railhead (AMIRIYA) and then to unknown destination. R.H.Q. 41 and 42 Btys by rail, spent day of 13th at MERSA MATRUH
	23-24		R.H.Q. and Batteries ordered to move to TRIG CAPUZZO. A violent dust storm developed reducing visibility to 10 yards. The greater part of column late arriving – completed march by Coast Road and arrived GAMBUT in the evening.
	25		15 L.A.A. Regt relieved 2nd L.A.A. Regt and guns & transport taken over – Guns showing much wear as the result of active operations in the Western Desert.
	27		Attacked by air – 42 Bty fired 76 rounds, 41 Bty fired 9 rounds, possible one hit.
GAMBUT.	28		R.H.Q. – 41 and 42 Batteries. The position of 1st L.A.A. Bty is obscure – it was definitely attached to 15 L.A.A. Regt as a permanent measure to complete the Rgt. but having been detached – position not clear. 129 Bty in abeyance owing to losses in Crete

March 1942 Commanding Officer: Lt. Col. MacClellan
Place	Date	Hour	Summary of Events and Information	References to Appendices
GAMBUT	1-8		Two hostile attacks – 42 Bty claimed 3 hits. These attacks were delivered by M.E.109s travelling low – probably at 400 M.P.H. and they lasted for probably half a minute – no warnings received from R.A.F. – G.D.R
	10-21		Continuing attacks – 3 R.A.F. planes destroyed on ground. This resulted in orders for a Bofors barrage – each gun to fire 40 rounds in 20 secs. in the event of an attack. But! 90% of rounds being fired away from target.
	25		Sudden appreciation by Higher Authority of the complete inadequacy of the ground defences of landing grounds as a result of a letter from O.C. 15 L.A.A. Regt. 3 platoons of S.A. Infantry plus 2nd Camerons arrived.
	31		R.H.Q. and 42 Bty GAMBUT. - 41 Bty GASR EL ARYD (about 6 miles away)

April 1942 Commanding Officer: Lt. Col. Eustace Smith
Place	Date	Hour	Summary of Events and Information	References to Appendices
GAMBUT	1-30		No change in location
	2		A further draft of 15 Manxmen arrived
	4		Lt. Col. Eustace Smith arrived to take over command of Regt. From Lt. Col. G.P. MacClellan D.S.O. O.B.E. R.A. retiring on account of age.
	5		Raid on GAMBUT by 15 E/A 70 bombs dropped – 1 A/C burnt out – L.A.A. fired 2000 rounds – Gunner Jones of 42 Battery killed by bomb splinter. This was the first man of 42 Bty killed in action since outbreak of war.
	7		Officers of Regt. Foregather to bid farewell to Lt. Col. MacClellan.
	14		1st L.A.A. Bty arrived and deployed on Gambut.
	27		H.R.H. Duke of Gloucester inspects R.A.F. and A.A. defences of GAMBUT – Visits site of Sgt Knight, 42 Bty

May 1942 Commanding Officer: Lt. Col. Eustace Smith
Place	Date	Hour	Summary of Events and Information	References to Appendices
GAMBUT	1-31		No change in location
	24		Bombs on GAMBUT area – R.H.Q. has its nearest bombs since war began – 202 yards away!
	27		New Campaign in Desert begins with a German advance

June 1942 Commanding Officer: Lt. Col. Eustace Smith
Place	Date	Hour	Summary of Events and Information	References to Appendices
GAMBUT	1-15
	16		Preparations to move
	17		Orders received to move all guns to SIDI AZEIZ on the withdrawal of R.A.F. from Gambut
	22		Advance parties move to BAGUSH
	23		All guns move to BAGUSH
	26-27		Main R.H.Q. and all guns move to DABA.
	28		Main R.H.Q. to BURG EL ARAB
	29		All guns to AMIRYA area

July 1942 Commanding Officer: Lt. Col. Eustace Smith
Place	Date	Hour	Summary of Events and Information	References to Appendices
BURG EL ARAB	1
	11		42 Bty to SIDI EL HAMMAN
	12		Major C. Kniveton appointed 2nd in Command of 15 L.A.A. Regt.
	22		R.H.Q. – 1st Bty – 42 Bty rendezvous South of road EL ALAMEIN – ALEXANDRIA
	28		Major C. Kniveton detached from R.H.Q. to command 41 L.A.A. Bty – O.C. 41 Bty evacuated with wounds.
	31		41st Bty under command and Regt. Employed in A.A. defence of 22nd Armoured Brigade.

August 1942 Commanding Officer: Lt. Col. Eustace Smith
Place	Date	Hour	Summary of Events and Information	References to Appendices
DABA	1-31		In the field.
	9		Privilege leave re-opens. 5% of strength allowed to proceed on leave.
	23		All leave cancelled

September 1942 Commanding Officer: Lt. Col. Eustace Smith
Place	Date	Hour	Summary of Events and Information	References to Appendices
DABA	1-30		In the field.
	2		Regiment under command 7th Armoured Div.
	6		Regimental first aid team wins final round of 7th Armoured Div. competition and now represents 7th Armoured in 13 Corps competition
	16		Final of 13 Corps competition – 15 L.A.A. Regiment first – 40 teams took part
	17		Regimental Commander holds Battery Commanders Conference and gives them general outline of attack to be made. All officers to be advised on 21st of month and all ranks on 22nd.
	22		Rear 7th Armoured Div attacked by 109’s. Troops of 1 L.A.A. Bty shot down 3!
	23		Regimental Commander calls special parade and reads out ‘Order of the Day’ by Lt. Gen Montgomery.
	24		One gun of 1 L.A.A. Bty knocked out by Enemy shelling – but recovered and evacuated.

October 1942

Commanding Officer: Lt. Col. Eustace Smith

Place

Date

Hour

Summary of Events and Information

References to Appendices

No entries

November 1942 Commanding Officer: Lt. Col. Eustace Smith
Place	Date	Hour	Summary of Events and Information	References to Appendices
In the field	1-30
	2		Regt. moves with 7th Armoured Div.
	6-7		Heavy rain – Transport Bogged – Movement ceases
	10		15 Regt. moves with 7th Armoured Div.
	22		EL ADEM area
	23		LIBYAN ERIN

December 1942 Commanding Officer: Lt. Col. Eustace Smith
Place	Date	Hour	Summary of Events and Information	References to Appendices
In the field	1-31		Regt. continued to move with 7 Armoured Div
	25		MARBLE ARCH.

Courtesy of The Museum of the Manx Regiment.