Thames and Medway Coast Artillery

Last updated

Thames & Medway Heavy Brigade, RA
516th (Thames & Medway) Coast Rgt, RA
517th (Thames & Medway) Coast Rgt, RA
518th (Thames & Medway) Coast Rgt, RA
415th (Thames & Medway) Coast Rgt, RA
Koning Soldaat., item 60.jpg
Cap badge of the Royal Artillery (pre-1953)
Active1932–1956
CountryFlag of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom
Branch Flag of the British Army.svg Territorial Army
RoleCoast Artillery
Size1–3 Regiments
Part ofThames and Medway Defences
Garrison/HQ Rochester, Kent
Gravesend, Kent
Engagements World War II

The Thames and Medway Coast Artillery, which at its peak comprised three full regiments, was formed in Britain's Territorial Army in 1932 to man coastal defence guns on both banks of the Thames Estuary. It served in this role during World War II, at the end of which it sent troops to work in the rear areas in Europe. It was reformed postwar but was broken up when the coast artillery branch was abolished in 1956.

Contents

Origin

When Britain's Territorial Force (TF) was reconstituted on 7 February 1920 after World War I, the former Essex and Suffolk Royal Garrison Artillery, which had defended the ports around Harwich, was split into separate sections. The Essex Royal Garrison Artillery was redesignated the Essex Coast Brigade, Royal Garrison Artillery the following year when the TF was reorganised as the Territorial Army (TA). It consisted of a headquarters at Dovercourt and a single battery numbered 175. When the Royal Garrison Artillery was subsumed into the Royal Artillery (RA) in 1924, the unit was redesignated again as the Essex Heavy Brigade, RA. [1] [2]

Thames & Medway Heavy Brigade

In 1926 it was decided that the coastal defence guns of Great Britain should be solely manned by part-time soldiers of the TA. This involved some reorganisation of existing units and the creation of some new units. By 1932 the reorganisation had taken its final form: the defences of the ports of Eastern England would be responsibility of three RA heavy brigades. The Suffolk Hvy Bde would man the Harwich batteries, the Kent and Sussex Hvy Bdes would combine as the Kent and Sussex to man the batteries from Dover to Newhaven, and a newly-formed Thames and Medway Heavy Brigade would be responsible for the Thames Estuary including the Medway defences. [3] The new unit was formed on 1 October 1932, comprising two batteries transferred from the Kent Hvy Bde and absorbing the single-battery Essex Hvy Bde, giving the following organisation: [1] [4] [5] [6]

Fort Clarence, Rochester, HQ of the Thames & Medway Heavy Brigade. Fort Clarence, Rochester - geograph.org.uk - 1067732.jpg
Fort Clarence, Rochester, HQ of the Thames & Medway Heavy Brigade.

In line with the RA's modernisation of its titles, the brigade was termed a regiment from 1 November 1938. As the TA was increased in size after the Munich Crisis, the Thames & Medway (T&M) Hvy Rgt formed a new 192 Hvy Bty at Southend by August 1939. [1] [4] [5]

9.2-inch Coastal gun preserved at Imperial War Museum Duxford. 9.2 inch Coastal Defence Gun - geograph.org.uk - 844689.jpg
9.2-inch Coastal gun preserved at Imperial War Museum Duxford.
Mk VII 6-inch gun in typical coast defence emplacement, preserved at Newhaven Fort. BL6inchGunMkVIINewhavenFort1March2008.jpg
Mk VII 6-inch gun in typical coast defence emplacement, preserved at Newhaven Fort.

World War II

Mobilisation

On the outbreak of war on 3 September 1939 the regiment was responsible for the following guns: [7]

These were controlled by: [6]

under the command of RA Fixed Defences, Eastern Ports, with its HQ at Sheerness

Home Defence

With the danger of invasion after the British Expeditionary Force was evacuated from Dunkirk, the coastal artillery regiments underwent a major reorganisation in the summer of 1940. On 14 July the three T&M heavy batteries were expanded into three complete coast regiments: [1] [4] [8] [9]

516th (Thames & Medway) Coast Regiment

Formed with A, B, C and D Btys, later organised as: [8] [10] [11]

  • 357 Bty – joined 31 December 1940, at Shornemead Fort; transferred to 518th (T&M) Coast Rgt by 1 April 1940
  • 284 Bty – formed from part of A Bty 1 April 1941, at Grain Fort
  • 285 Bty – formed from part of A Bty 1 April 1941, at Martello battery
  • 286 Bty – formed from B Bty 1 April 1941, at Whitehall Farm, moved to Canvey Island by 16 March 1943
  • 287 Bty – formed from C Bty 1 April 1941, at Garrison Point, moved to Grain Fort by 16 April 1943
  • 288 Bty – formed from D Bty 1 April 1941, as Garrison anti-Motor Torpedo Boat battery
  • 220 Bty – formed 16 January 1941 by 72 Coast Training Rgt at Norton Camp, joined 30 April 1941 at Sheerness

517th (Thames & Medway) Coast Regiment

Formed with A and B Btys, later organised as: [8] [10] [12]

  • B Bty – disbanded 31 December 1940
  • 332 Bty – joined 31 December 1940, at Foulness, moved to Bawdsey 10 February 1942
  • 356 Bty – joined 31 December 1940, at Coalhouse Fort
  • 419 Bty – formed 21 September 1940, joined 31 December 1940, at Shoeburyness
  • 167 Bty – formed from part of A Bty 1 April 1941, 6-inch battery at Canvey Island, moved to Garrison Point 16 March 1943
  • 168 Bty – formed from part of A Bty 1 April 1941, 3-pounder battery at Canvey Island, moved to Scars Elbow and St Mary's Bay by November 1941

518th (Thames & Medway) Coast Regiment

Formed with A and B Btys, later organised as: [8] [10] [13]

  • 334 Bty – joined 31 December 1940, at Shellness, moved to No 1 Bastion 7 December 1942
  • 289 Bty – formed from A Bty 1 April 1941
  • 290 Bty – formed from B Bty 1 April 1941; transferred to 540th Coast Rgt 16 April 1941
  • 357 Bty – joined from 516th (T&M) Rgt 15 September 1941; transferred to 524th (Lancashire & Cheshire) Coast Rgt 23 October 1941
  • 109 Bty – joined from 524th (L&C) Rgt 23 October 1941, at Shornemead Fort

During the summer of 1940 a number of emergency batteries of ex-Royal Navy guns were installed, including: [14] [15]

5.5-inch gun in wartime emergency position, preserved on the Faroe Islands. British gun, skansin (Faroe Islands).jpg
5.5-inch gun in wartime emergency position, preserved on the Faroe Islands.
6-pounder Mark I guns in twin coastal artillery mount. Twin6pdr10cwtCoastMount1943.jpg
6-pounder Mark I guns in twin coastal artillery mount.
  • Shoeburyness – 2 x 6-inch
  • Coalhouse Fort – 2 x 5.5-inch
  • Shornemead Fort – 2 x 5.5-inch
  • Shellness – 2 x 6-inch

By November 1940 the Thames & Medway guns comprised: [16]

Mid-War

By September 1941, when Britain's coast defences were at their height, the Thames & Medway fixed guns were: [14] [15]

After the rapid expansion in the early part of the war, there was some rationalisation among coast artillery units, with 518th (T&M) Coast Rgt being disbanded on 1 October 1941 and its batteries distributed amongst the other two regiments, which then had the following organisation under the command of HQ Thames and Medway Defences: [4] [8] [10] [13] [17] [18] [19] [20]

516th (Thames & Medway) Coast Regiment

517th (Thames & Medway) Coast Regiment

By July 1942 Coastal Artillery Plotting Rooms had been created to coordinate the 'coast watching' radar of the CODs, with No 13 plotting room assigned to Sheerness. [18] [21]

By the end of 1942 the threat from German attack had diminished and there was demand for trained gunners for the fighting fronts. A process of reducing the manpower in the coast defences began in 1943, [22] but there were few organisational changes for the Thames & Medway defences closest to the enemy. [19] [20]

The manpower requirements for the forthcoming Allied invasion of Normandy (Operation Overlord) led to further reductions in coast defences in April 1944. By this stage of the war many of the coast battery positions were manned by Home Guard detachments or in the hands of care and maintenance parties. [23] On 1 April 168 and 286 Btys were transferred from 517th to 516th Coast Rgt, and 220 Bty was transferred in the opposite direction, while No 3 COD was disbanded. [8] [20] [24]

Late war

By the end of 1944 serious naval attacks on the coast could be discounted and the WO began reorganising surplus coastal units into garrison infantry battalions. On 3 December RHQ of 516th Coast Rgt was converted into 516th (Thames & Medway) Garrison Rgt, RA, and its batteries (167, 168, 286, 287, 288, 334, 356, 425) became independent and then transferred to 517th (T&M) Coast Rgt. [4] [8] [11] [24] [25] [26] By January 1945 21st Army Group operating in North West Europe was suffering a manpower crisis, so the WO went further and converted the RA garrison regiments (and some other RA units) into infantry battalions for duties in the rear areas. 516th (T&M) Garrison Rgt was converted into 614th (Thames & Medway) Infantry Rgt, RA, comprising five batteries designated A–E. It served in Europe until after the end of the war, passing into suspended animation between 5 and 25 July 1946. On 1 June 1945, shortly after VE Day, RHQ of 517th Coast Rgt had gone into suspended animation together with its TA batteries, while the war-formed batteries were disbanded. [4] [8] [12] [24] [25] [26] [27] [28]

Postwar

When the TA was reconstituted on 1 January 1947, 614 (T&M) Rgt was reformed as 415 (Thames & Medway) Coast Rgt with RHQ at Gravesend and R (Essex) Bty at Artillery House, Stratford Green. It formed part of 101 Coast Bde at Dover. [4] [8] [9] [29] [30] [31] [32]

The Coast Artillery Branch of the RA was disbanded during 1956, [33] and on 31 October the regiment was broken up. Its Kent batteries amalgamated with 263 (6th London) Medium Rgt to form 263 (6th London) Light Rgt, while the Essex batteries amalgamated with 353 (London) Medium Rgt. In 1961 the Essex (Canvey Island and Southend) batteries of 353 Med Rgt were absorbed into 304 (Essex Yeomanry Royal Horse Artillery) Field Rgt, while the Kent (Sheerness and Gravesend) batteries of 263 Med Rgt were amalgamated with a battery of 458 (Kent) Light Anti-Aircraft Rgt and 211 Field Squadron, Royal Engineers to become 211 (Thames & Medway) Field Sqn in 44th (Home Counties) Divisional/District Engineers. [4] [29] [32] [34] [35] [36] [37] [38]

Honorary Colonels

The following served as Honorary Colonel of the unit: [5]

Insignia

415 Coast Rgt is believed to have worn an unofficial supplementary shoulder title with 'THAMES & MEDWAY' embroidered in the RA colours of red on navy blue. [4]

Notes

  1. 1 2 3 4 Frederick, pp. 601, 614–6.
  2. ↑ Litchfield, p. 65.
  3. ↑ Maurice-Jones, pp. 206–7.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Litchfield, p 111.
  5. 1 2 3 Army List, various dates.
  6. 1 2 Eastern Command, 3 September 1939, at Patriot Files.
  7. ↑ Maurice-Jones, p. 220.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Frederick, pp. 602–11, 627–8.
  9. 1 2 Farndale, Annex M.
  10. 1 2 3 4 Order of Battle of Non-Field Force Units in the United Kingdom, Part 20: Coast Artillery, 1 June 1941, with amendments, The National Archives (TNA), Kew, file WO 212/117.
  11. 1 2 516 Rgt at RA 1939–45.
  12. 1 2 517 Rgt at RA 1939–45.
  13. 1 2 518 Rgt at RA 1939–45.
  14. 1 2 Farndale, Annex B.
  15. 1 2 Maurice-Jones, pp. 229–32.
  16. ↑ Collier, Appendix XIX.
  17. ↑ Order of Battle of Non-Field Force Units in the United Kingdom, Part 20: Coast Artillery and AA Defence of Merchant Ships, 16 December 1941, with amendments, TNA file WO 212/118.
  18. 1 2 Order of Battle of Non-Field Force Units in the United Kingdom, Part 30: Coast Artillery, Defence Troops, Royal Artillery, and AA Defence of Merchant Ships, 14 May 1942, with amendments, TNA file WO 212/122.
  19. 1 2 Order of Battle of Non-Field Force Units in the United Kingdom, Part 30: Coast Artillery, Defence Troops, Royal Artillery, and AA Defence of Merchant Ships, 12 December 1942, with amendments, TNA file WO 212/123.
  20. 1 2 3 Order of Battle of Non-Field Force Units in the United Kingdom, Part 7: Coast Artillery, Defence Troops, Royal Artillery, and AA Defence of Merchant Ships (July 1943), with amendments, TNA file WO 212/124.
  21. ↑ Maurice-Jones, pp. 234–5.
  22. ↑ Collier, Chapter XIX.
  23. ↑ Collier, Chapter XXI.
  24. 1 2 3 Order of Battle of the Forces in the United Kingdom, Part 7, Coast Artillery and AA Defence of Merchant Ships (1 April 1944), with amendments, TNA file WO 212/120.
  25. 1 2 Frederick, pp. 880–1.
  26. 1 2 516 Garrison Rgt at RA 1939–45.
  27. ↑ Ellis, pp. 141–2; Appendix IV.
  28. ↑ 614 Infantry Rgt at RA 1939–45.
  29. 1 2 Frederick, p. 1011.
  30. ↑ Litchfield, Appendix 5.
  31. ↑ Watson, TA 1947.
  32. 1 2 414–443 Rgts RA at British Army 1945 on.
  33. ↑ Maurice-Jones, p. 277.
  34. ↑ Frederick, pp. 998, 1003, 1007.
  35. ↑ Litchfield, pp. 67, 156, 162.
  36. ↑ 235–265 Rgts RA at British Army 1945 on.
  37. ↑ Watson & Rinaldi, pp. 289, 301.
  38. ↑ 100–225 Sqns RE at British Army 1945 on.
  39. 1 2 Burke's: 'Cornwallis'.

Related Research Articles

The Tynemouth Volunteer Artillery claims to be the oldest volunteer artillery unit of the British Army. It served coastal and siege guns in World War I and World War II, and also served in the infantry role.

28th Anti-Aircraft Brigade was an air defence formation of the British Territorial Army created in 1925 to command anti-aircraft units in Kent and around the militarily important Medway Towns, which it defended during the Second World War. In 1940 the brigade was responsible for the defences on the south side of the Thames Estuary including the Royal Naval Dockyard at Chatham and the Port of Dover. The brigade was heavily engaged throughout the Battle of Britain, in the summer of 1940, and The Blitz, from autumn 1940 to spring 1941, operating a total of 70 heavy anti-aircraft (HAA) guns controlled from a gun operations room (GOR) at Chatham. During 1942 many of the brigade's experienced units were transferred to active theatres overseas. Increasingly the brigade included women of the Auxiliary Territorial Service (ATS).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">55th (Kent) Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery</span> Military unit

55th (Kent) Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery was a volunteer air defence unit of Britain's Territorial Army from 1925 until 1955. In World War II it defended the Thames Estuary, Medway Towns and Dover during The Blitz and later served in Iraq and North Africa. It then supported British Eighth Army and US Fifth Army during the Sicily and Italian campaigns until the end of the war.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">4th Home Counties Brigade, Royal Field Artillery</span> Military unit

The IV Home Counties (Howitzer) Brigade, Royal Field Artillery was a new volunteer unit formed in Kent as part of the Territorial Force (TF) in 1908. It saw active service on the Western Front during World War I and was reconstituted as medium artillery in the interwar years. Later it converted to anti-aircraft artillery, in which role it served in The Blitz, North Africa and Italy during World War II and continued under various designations until its disbandment in 1969.

The 1st Durham Volunteer Artillery was a unit of Britain's Volunteer Force and Territorial Army from 1860 to 1956. During World War I, it was the only coastal defence unit to engage the enemy, and it also trained siege gunners for service on the Western Front. It continued its coast defence role in World War II, after which it was converted into air defence and engineer units.

The 37th Anti-Aircraft Brigade was an air defence formation of Britain's Territorial Army (TA) formed just before the outbreak of the Second World War. It was engaged in defending the Thames Estuary during the war, and continued to form part of Anti-Aircraft Command in the postwar era.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cornwall Fortress Royal Engineers</span> Military unit

The Cornwall Fortress Royal Engineers, was a volunteer unit of Britain's Royal Engineers formed in 1908. It helped to defend the coastal towns of Cornwall and sent engineer units to work on the Western Front. Converted to an air defence role before World War I, it served as a searchlight unit during the Battle of Britain, the Blitz, then, as a light anti-aircraft gun unit, it served in the most heavily attacked part of the South Coast of England throughout 1942–44, including the V-1 flying bomb campaign.

The 86th Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery was an air defence unit of Britain's Territorial Army (TA) that served throughout World War II. It defended London during The Blitz, landed on Juno Beach on D-Day, and defended the cities of Belgium against V-1 flying bombs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2nd Devonshire Artillery Volunteers</span> Military unit

The 2nd Devonshire Artillery Volunteers was a unit of the British Volunteer Force and Territorial Army. The unit and its successors defended Plymouth Dockyard and the Devon coast from 1861 to 1961.

The 1st Kent Artillery Volunteers was a part-time unit of the British Army's Royal Artillery from 1860 to 1956. Primarily serving as coastal artillery defending the Port of Dover and other harbours in South-East England, the unit's successors also served in the heavy artillery role on the Western Front during World War I and as anti-aircraft artillery during the Blitz and later in the North African and Italian campaigns of World War II.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">85th (Tees) Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery</span> Military unit

85th (Tees) Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery was a part-time unit of Britain's Territorial Army (TA) formed from forces around the river Tees just before the outbreak of World War II. Its service during the war included the Battle of France and Dunkirk evacuation, the Battle of Britain and Blitz, and the North African and Italian campaigns. It continued to serve in the air defence role until 1961.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">East Riding Royal Garrison Artillery</span> Military unit

The East Riding Royal Garrison Artillery (ERRGA) was a part-time unit of Britain's Royal Artillery based at Hull in the East Riding of Yorkshire. It provided coastal defence artillery along the Humber Estuary from 1908 to 1956, manned siege batteries on the Western Front during World War I at the Somme and Ypres and played a role in the pursuit of the German army during the Hundred Days Offensive. It served as infantry in Allied-occupied Germany after World War II. Its successor units in the Territorial Army included anti-aircraft artillery and field engineers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">North Scottish Royal Garrison Artillery</span> Military unit

The North Scottish Royal Garrison Artillery and its successors were Scottish part-time coast defence units of the British Army from 1908 to 1961. Although the unit saw no active service, it supplied trained gunners to siege batteries engaged on the Western Front during World War I.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Clyde Royal Garrison Artillery</span> Former Scottish defence units of the British Army

The Clyde Royal Garrison Artillery and its successors were Scottish part-time coast defence units of the British Army from 1910 to 1967. Although they unit saw no active service, they supplied trained gunners to siege batteries engaged on the Western Front during World War I.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Forth Royal Garrison Artillery</span> Military unit

The Forth Royal Garrison Artillery and its successors were Scottish part-time coast defence units of the British Army from 1908 to 1956. Although they saw no active service, they supplied trained gunners to siege batteries engaged on the Western Front during World War I.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Orkney Heavy Regiment, Royal Artillery</span> Former British Army unit

The Orkney Heavy Regiment was a Territorial Army unit of Britain's Royal Artillery raised in the Orkney Islands just before World War II. During the war it was greatly expanded to defend the vital naval base of Scapa Flow. It was reformed postwar and later became an air defence battery.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">90th Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery</span> Military unit

The 90th Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery was an air defence regiment of Britain's Territorial Army (TA) formed in the London suburbs of Middlesex during the period of international tension leading up to the outbreak of World War II. It defended London during the Battle of Britain and the Blitz of 1940–41 and later served in the campaign in North West Europe. The unit continued in the postwar Territorial Army until it was disbanded in 1955.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">143rd (Mixed) Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery</span> Military unit

143rd Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment was an air defence unit of Britain's Royal Artillery formed during World War II. It started out as a 'Mixed' regiment with around two-thirds of its personnel being women from the Auxiliary Territorial Service (ATS). The regiment defended the West of England from 1942 to the end of the war when it moved to South East England. The regiment continued in the postwar British Army.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1st Lancashire Artillery Volunteers</span> Military unit

The 1st Lancashire Artillery Volunteers, popularly known as 'Brown's Corps', was an auxiliary unit of the British Army raised in Liverpool in 1859. As the Lancashire & Cheshire Royal Garrison Artillery in the Territorial Force it was responsible for defending the Mersey Estuary and the coastline of North West England. It was one of the few coast defence units to fire a shot during World War I but also provided personnel for a number of siege batteries that saw action on the Western Front. It continued in the coast defence role during World War II, at the end of which it sent troops to work in the rear areas in Europe. It was reformed postwar but was broken up when the coast artillery branch was abolished in 1956.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1st Suffolk and Harwich Volunteer Artillery</span> Military unit

The 1st Suffolk & Harwich Volunteer Artillery, later the Essex & Suffolk Royal Garrison Artillery was an auxiliary coastal artillery unit of the British Army first raised in 1899. It defended the ports and naval bases around the estuaries of the Rivers Orwell and Stour. Although the unit saw no active service, it supplied trained gunners to siege batteries engaged on the Western Front during World War I. It was greatly expanded in World War II to defend the invasion-threatened East Anglian Coast from Harwich to Great Yarmouth. Postwar it continued in the coast and air defence roles until it disappeared in a series of amalgamations from the 1950s.

References

External sources

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.