98th Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery, was an air defence unit of Britain's Territorial Army (TA) formed in Gloucestershire during the period of international tension leading up to the outbreak of World War II. It defended aircraft factories during the Battle of Britain, then the city of Manchester during the Blitz. It later served in the campaign in North West Europe. The regiment continued in the postwar TA until amalgamated in 1955.
Origin The Territorial Army was rapidly expanded following the Munich Crisis, particularly the Anti-Aircraft (AA) branch of the Royal Artillery (RA). 98th Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment, RA, was among the new units raised in the spring of 1939. It was formed with Regimental Headquarters (RHQ) and 300 HAA Battery at Cheltenham, and 301 HAA Battery at Moreton-in-Marsh. The Commanding Officer (CO), appointed on 1 April 1939, was Lieutenant-Colonel F. Longueville, DSO, MC, a retired former battalion commander in the Coldstream Guards. A number of TA officers came to the regiment from the established 76th (Gloucestershire) HAA Regiment at Bristol.Frederick, pp. 756–8, 779.98 HAA Rgt War Diary 1939–41, The National Archives (TNA), Kew, file 166/2388.Monthly Army List, May 1939.Litchfield, p. 86. The new regiment formed part of 46 AA Brigade in Anti-Aircraft Command's 5th AA Division.AA Command 3 September 1939 at Patriot Files.Routledge, Table LX, p. 378.
World War II Mobilisation and Phoney War In June, during the period of tension leading up to the outbreak of World War II, a partial mobilisation of AA Command's TA units was begun in a process known as 'couverture', whereby each unit did a month's tour of duty in rotation to man selected AA gun and searchlight positions. AA Command began to mobilise on 21 August, at which point 98th HAA Rgt had two old 3-inch guns for each battery and two modern 3.7-inch guns borrowed from 76th HAA Rgt for training (which had to be returned immediately). The guns were moved to their war stations at Bristol using hired lorries (which continually broke down). A detachment from 301 HAA Bty took up defence of the Bristol Aeroplane Company factory at RAF Filton on 31 August, equipped with 12 Lewis guns in case of low-level air attack. War was declared on 3 September.Routledge, pp. 65–6 & 371.46 AA Bde War Diary 1939–40, TNA file WO 166/2287.
Much redeployment took place during the Phoney War period. As early as 7 September, half of 301 HAA Bty was ordered away to Plymouth to reinforce 55 Light AA Bde, and on 10 September 5th AA Division concentrated guns to defend the port and chemical works at Avonmouth Docks. This included 300 HAA Bty, which redeployed with two guns from Charlton to Hallen Marsh. In October the heavy AA guns were redeployed again to protect the Bristol works at Filton, which meant 300 HAA Bty and its two guns returning to Charlton. The regiment was also asked to supply experienced officers to bring the Regular Army's 4th HAA Rgt up to full strength to go to France, and to form one of the new Light AA (LAA) regiments.
At the beginning of October RHQ moved from Cheltenham to Rudgeway and a month later it took over operational control of 439 Bty, 63rd (4th Bn Queen's) Searchlight Rgt, which had 24 Lewis gun teams deployed at Avonmouth Docks. In December and January the regiment received several hundred 'immatures' (recruits under the age of 19) from the Staffordshire Yeomanry, 150th Rgt Royal Horse Artillery, 66th and 67th Anti-Tank Rgts and 76th HAA Rgt. In mid-January 1940 98th and 76th HAA Rgts were ordered to form a cadre for a new operational battery. This was the first of several cadres supplied by the regiment over the next two years to form the basis of new batteries at the training regiments (see below). The cadre left for 211th HAA Training Rgt at Oswestry on 15 February 1940, where it formed 320 HAA Bty; this officially joined 98th HAA Rgt on 1 June, though it was initially posted to Littlehampton in West Sussex under 47 AA Bde.
By the new year the regiment still had just four 3-inch guns, at two gunsites, at Rockingham Farm and Cribbs Causeway, but had completed training at practice camps. In January the men of 300 HAA Bty were sent to relieve a battery of 56th (Cornwall) HAA Rgt at four 2-gun sites protecting the Royal Navy Cordite Factory, Holton Heath, in Dorset. In February part of 301 HAA Bty went to Southampton to relieve gun crews of 80th (Berkshire) HAA Rgt for a few days. During March drafts of men were received from the training regiments, together with a group of junior officers transferred from 54th (City of London) HAA Rgt.
Battle of Britain The Phoney War ended on 10 May 1940 with the German invasion of the Low Countries. All leave was stopped and 301 HAA Bty was ordered to hand over its gunsites to 76th HAA Rgt and move immediately to take over sites protecting Southampton under 35 AA Bde. Ten days later the battery was moved to Weybridge to protect the Vickers and Hawker aircraft works at Brooklands under 47 AA Bde, manning eight mobile 3.7-inch guns. Meanwhile 231 HAA Bty from 74th (City of Glasgow) AA Rgt (a mobile 3.7-inch battery) arrived by rail at Gloucester to come under the command of 98th HAA Rgt. It deployed at two four-gun sites at Barnwood and Dean Farm to defend the Gloster Aircraft Company factory at Hucclecote. With its batteries scattered, RHQ 98th HAA Rgt was placed under 47 AA Bde to command several detached batteries. RHQ moved from Rudgeway to the Militia Camp at Fernhurst in West Sussex, which was closer to these units:
301/98 HAA Bty at Weybridge 237/76 HAA Bty at RAF Tangmere 284/90 HAA Bty at Littlehampton 249/80 HAA Bty at Bramley Ordnance Depot
While the Battle of Britain raged over South East England in August and September, the regiment was progressively concentrated round Weybridge: 300 HAA Bty HQ – RAF Tangmere from 4 June 4 guns – RAF Tangmere 4 x 3.7-inch guns – RAF Farnborough from 25 August 301 HAA Bty HQ – Addlestone from 27 June 4 x 3.7-inch guns – Durnford Bridge 4 x 3.7-inch guns – Woburn Park 320 HAA Bty HQ – Cobham from 27 June 4 x 3.7-inch guns – Fairmile Common 4 x 3.7-inch guns – Wisley Common 98th HAA Rgt Training Centre – Andover, Hampshire
At the beginning of September the Luftwaffe shifted its attention away from RAF Fighter Command's airfields and radar stations and began attacking targets nearer London. The Vickers works at Brooklands was badly bombed on 4 September (and a lone raider attacked the Hawker works on 21 September).Collier, Chapter XIII.Collier, Chapter XV.Collier, Appendix XIV. As a result, the defences were reorganised on 9 September, with Lt-Col Longueville being appointed AA Defence Commander (AADC), Weybridge, moving RHQ to nearby Cobham. On 26 September Lt-Col Longueville returned to Gloucestershire to take command of the newly raised 45th LAA Rgt, and Lt-Col F. Dearden from 47th LAA Rgt assumed command of 98th HAA Rgt on 28 September.
Manchester Blitz After its defeat in the Battle of Britain in September the Luftwaffe concentrated on night bombing of London and other cities (The Blitz). On 15 November RHQ 98th HA Rgt moved to the Bristol area, then on 24 November it moved with 300 and 320 HAA Btys to Manchester, where it came under the command of 44 AA Bde in 4th AA Division. 301 HAA Battery HQ (BHQ) moved to Manchester with the regiment, although its two Troops were at Plymouth and Bristol, and did not rejoin the regiment at Manchester until 28 January 1941. The regiment was deployed as follows:44 AA Bde War Diary 1939–41, TNA file WO 166/2287.Farndale, Annex D.Routledge, Table LXV, p. 396.
RHQ – Cavendish House, Ellesmere Park, Eccles 300 HAA Bty BHQ + Gun station D (4 x 3.7-inch) – Littlemoss, Droylsden Gun station A (4 x 3.7-inch) – Heaton Park, Prestwich 310 HAA Bty HQ – Wilbraham Road, Manchester 320 HAA Bty BHQ + Gun station K (4 x 3.7-inch) – Ellesmere Park, Eccles Gun station G (4 x 3.7-inch) – Longford Park, Stretford
On the night of 21/22 November the Manchester guns engaged raiders on their way to and from Liverpool, and on the following two nights it was Manchester's turn to be hit (the Manchester Blitz). Raids on Manchester peaked at Christmas.Collier, Chapter XVII.Collier, Appendix XXX. The Royal Artillery's historian considered that during these attacks on British cities 'the actions fought [by the AA batteries] were as violent, dangerous and prolonged as any in the field'.Routledge, p. 395. At this point the HAA guns were firing virtually blind at night, unless a sound detector or searchlight managed to pick up a target. However, some examples of Gun-laying Mk I radar began to arrive for the HAA batteries.Pile's despatch.Routledge, p. 389–90.
Lt-Col Dearden moved to command 8th (Belfast) HAA Rgt on 26 December and was succeeded on 29 January 1941 by Maj M.A. Pyke, MC, from 54th (City of London) HAA Rgt, who was promoted to Lt-Col. In January, 301 HAA Bty moved to Royal Oak, Wythenshawe, where its newly arrived troops took over Gun stations Y and Z. On 10 March 1941 399 HAA Bty joined 98th HAA Rgt from 210th HAA Training Rgt at Blandford Camp (the cadre for this battery had been provided by 70th (3rd West Lancashire) HAA Rgt). 399 HAA Battery HQ was established at Waterloo Road, Blackpool, taking over two gunsites (D at Accrington and E at Blackpool) from 115th HAA Rgt.Order of Battle of Non-Field Force Units in the United Kingdom, Part 27: AA Command, 12 May 1941, TNA file WO 212/79. There was a final flare-up of Luftwaffe attacks in the Manchester area in May 1941, particularly on 8 May when oil facilities at Barton Bridge were bombed, and one bomb caused a large crater only 50 yds from K Site's Command Post.
Mid-War The Blitz is generally held to have ended on 16 May 1941, though there were still sharp raids on Manchester and Merseyside on the nights of 1/2 and 25/26 June respectively. With the end of the Blitz, the regiment was able to carry out training with the improved equipment arriving. By now the HAA sites had the advantage of GL Mk I* radar with an elevation finding (E/F or 'Effie') attachment to supplement searchlights, and some of the gunsites replaced 3.7-inch with 4.5-inch guns.Routledge, pp. 98–9, 393.Collier, Chapter 19.Collier, Appendix XXXI. 399 HAA Battery was reinforced by 25 other ranks transferred from the Royal Welch Fusiliers on 25 June and three days later established a new C Site at Audenshaw with four mobile 3.7-inch guns. The regiment maintained the same deployment in and around Manchester until August 1941, when 399 HAA Bty was moved into Manchester itself. In November the regiment redeployed in North Manchester.
By this stage of the war, experienced units were being posted away to train for service overseas.Routledge, pp. 398–404. In January 1942 the regiment received a number of AEC Matador gun tractors and drivers, which led to rumours that it was to mobilise for service, which were soon confirmed. Regimental HQ for 151st (Mixed) HAA Rgt began to assemble alongside the regiment, and huts for the Auxiliary Territorial Service women assigned to this 'Mixed' regiment were erected. In March, RHQ moved to Devisdale Camp, near Altrincham where Troops of 98th HAA Rgt began mobile training in March as they were relieved by 151st HAA Rgt.98 HAA Rgt War Diary 1942, TNA file WO 166/7466.