144 (Surrey & Sussex Yeomanry, Queen Mary’s) Field Regiment RA (TA) was formed as a duplicate of 98 Field Regiment in June 1939 with two batteries . In December 1942 a third battery was formed in Iraq. The Regiment went into suspended animation in September 1945. 144 (Surrey & Sussex Yeomanry, Queen Mary’s) Field Regiment RA (TA) was re-constituted as 344 (Sussex Yeomanry) Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment RA (TA) in January 1947.
Illustrations of the formation badges under which a unit served or supported are given. This is no guarantee that the unit used this formations badge.
(Title authorised February 1942)
| Jun 39 |  |
Eastern Command | Chichester, Sussex, UK |
| Sep 39 |  |
12 Infantry Division | Brighton, Sussex, UK – LMG detachments provided for cross channel shipping |
| Apr 40 |  |
4 Corps | Dursley, Gloucestershire, UK |
| Jun 40 |  |
4 Infantry Division | Hambledon, Hampshire, UK |
| Jul 40 | |
4 Infantry Division | Broughton, Hampshire, UK – Less 390 Battery who remained under command 22 Field Regiment. Rejoined 10 Aug 40. |
| Aug 40 | |
4 Corps | Amersham, Buckinghamshire, UK |
| Nov 40 |  |
British Troops Egypt | Suez, Egypt |
| Nov 40 | |
British Troops Egypt | Almaza, Egypt |
| Dec 40 |  |
5 Indian Division | Haiya, Sudan – 390 Battery less F Troop to Gazelle Force at Mekali Wells on 11 Dec. F Troop to Gebeit on 20 Dec, rejoined 390 Battery on 17 Jan. |
| Dec 40 | |
5 Indian Division | Gedaref, Sudan |
| Jan 41 | |
5 Indian Division | Gallabat, Abyssinia |
| Jan 41 | Gazelle Force | Wachai, Eritrea | |
| Jan 41 | Gazelle Force | Keru Gorge, Eritrea – 390 Bty were charged by about 60 Eritrean cavalry. This was almost certainly the last cavalry charge on the British Army |
|
| Jan 41 | Gazelle Force | Agordat, Eritrea | |
| Feb 41 | |
5 Indian Division | Wahni, Abyssinia |
| Feb 41 | |
5 Indian Division | Gedaref, Sudan |
| Mar 41 | |
5 Indian Division | Keren, Eritrea – Regiment reunited |
| Apr 41 | |
5 Indian Division | Massawa, Eritrea |
| Apr 41 | |
5 Indian Division | Asmara, Eritrea |
| May 41 | |
5 Indian Division | Amba Alagi, Abyssinia |
| Jun 41 | |
5 Indian Division | Qassasin, Egypt |
| Aug 41 | |
5 Indian Division | Alamein, Egypt – Preparing Fortress A, 9 Indian Brigade Box |
| Sep 41 |  |
GHQ Middle East | Alexandria, Egypt – All stores except small arms handed in, in preparation for move to Tobruk |
| Sep 41 |  |
70 Infantry Division | Tobruk, Libya |
| Jan 42 |  |
4 Indian Division | Marrua, Libya |
| Jan 42 | |
4 Indian Division | Slonta, Libya |
| Jan 42 | |
4 Indian Division | Carmusa, Libya |
| Feb 42 | |
4 Indian Division | Tmimi, Libya |
| Feb 42 | |
4 Indian Division | Acroma, Libya |
| Feb 42 |  |
1 Armoured Division | Cherua – 390 Battery operated as part of a mobile column during February, March & April with 389 Battery joining Mooncol in April |
| Apr 42 | |
1 Armoured Division | Bir Igheila, Libya |
| Apr 42 | |
5 Indian Division | Sollum, Egypt |
| May 42 |  |
10 Army | Habbaniya, Iraq |
| Jul 42 | 17 Indian Infantry Brigade | Aleppo, Syria | |
| Aug 42 |  |
31 Indian Armoured Division | Hamadan, Persia (Iran) |
| Nov 42 | |
31 Indian Armoured Division | Sha’iba, Iraq |
| Apr 43 | |
31 Indian Armoured Division | Qaiyara, Iraq |
| Oct 43 | |
31 Indian Armoured Division | Almaza, Egypt – Detached as Depot Regiment, Middle East School of Artillery, Almaza |
| Dec 43 | |
31 Indian Armoured Division | Burg-el-Arab, Egypt |
| Feb 44 | |
31 Indian Armoured Division | Palestine |
| Mar 44 | |
31 Indian Armoured Division | Artouz, Syria |
| May 44 | |
31 Indian Armoured Division | Bsarma, Syria – Depot Regiment, Mountain WarfareTraining Centre |
| Jun 44 | |
31 Indian Armoured Division | Tripoli, Lebanon |
| Aug 44 | |
31 Indian Armoured Division | Sidon, Lebanon |
| Dec 44 | |
31 Indian Armoured Division | Baalbek, Lebanon |
| Jun 45 | |
31 Indian Armoured Division | Damascus, Syria – 390 Battery with guns, remainder as infantry |
| Jul 45 | |
31 Indian Armoured Division | Baalbek, Lebanon |
| Sep 45 | Suspended Animation | Almaza, Egypt |
Batteries
| Jun 39 | 389, 390 |
| May 42 | 389, 390, 103 Anti-Tank |
| Jun 42 | 389, 390 |
| Jan 43 | 389, 390, 552 (Initially 526 Battery) |
Equipment
| Sep 39 | 12 x 4.5 inch Howitzers (2) – Within days of receiving the guns, all WD vehicles were transferred to 98 Field Regiment and 8 guns to 123 OCTU |
| Oct 39 | 4 x 4.5 inch Howitzers, 8 x 18 pdr MkII |
| Nov 39 | 4 x 4.5 inch Howitzers, 12 x 18 pdr MkII, 15 assorted civilian vehicles |
| May 40 | 4 x 25 pdr & Quad Tractors |
| Jun 40 | 24 x 25 pdrs |
| Sep 41 | 389 Battery – A Troop, 4 x 100mm Italian guns (pre 1914) + spares, B & C Troops, 4.5 inch Howitzers (1904) 390 Battery – D Troop, 18 pdrs (Anti-Tank role), E Troop, 105mm Italian guns (1914), F Troop, 4 x 60 pdrs (WW1) |
| Oct 41 | E Troop changed to 4.5 inch guns, D Troop to Italian 100mm guns, B & C Troops to 18 pdrs RHQ manned a section of Italian (Austrian) 150mm Howitzers |
| Jan 42 | 16 x 25 pdr |
| May 42 | 25 pdr, Karrier Spider tractors |
| Nov 43 | 25 pdrs fitted with muzzle brakes |
| Feb 44 | Sherman Observation Post tanks |
Commanding Officers
The dates shown below are the month for when the applicable officer took charge of the regiment. Note that the ranks shown are the rank of the officer when they took charge, and do not include wartime/temporary ranks.
| Sep 39 | Lieutenant Colonel HTW Clements |
| Apr 43 | Lieutenant Colonel HS Garrett MC |
| Sep 44 | Lieutenant Colonel Adams |
| Apr 45 | Lieutenant Colonel JW Wainwright |
Commendations
The numbers below are the total commendations received by all members of the regiment during the war.
| Bar to Military Cross (MC+Bar) | 1 |
| Military Cross (MC) | 2 |
| Distinguished Conduct Medal (DCM) | 1 |
| Military Medal (MM) | 3 |
| Mention in Despatches (MiD) | 21 |
Page last updated on 3/11/25.