Formed in February 1920 as 2 West Lancashire Brigade Royal Field Artillery (TF). In 1921 it was re-designated as 88 (2nd West Lancashire) Brigade RFA (TA). It changed title again in June 1924 becoming 88 (2nd West Lancashire) Field Brigade RA (TA). 88 Field Brigade was re-designated 88 (2nd West Lancashire) Field Regiment RA (TA) in November 1938 with two batteries. In December 1940 a third battery was formed. 88 (2nd West Lancashire) Field Regiment RA (TA) went into suspended animation in February 1942 after being captured at Singapore. It was re-constituted as 288 (2nd West Lancashire) 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.
| 3 Sep 39 |  |
Western Command | Preston, Lancashire, UK |
| Oct 39 | British Expeditionary Force | France | |
| May 40 |  |
2 Corps | Dyle River, Belgium |
| May 40 | |
2 Corps | Escaut River, France |
| 28 May 40 |  |
Attached 1 Infantry Division | Bergues, France |
| 1 Jun 40 | Dunkirk, France remaining guns destroyed |
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| Jun 40 | Home Forces | UK | |
| Jun 40 | Home Forces | Okehampton, Devon, UK Regiment reformed & used as infantry on coast defence. Moved eastwards along the south coast in a series of short moves |
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| 15 July 40 | Home Forces | Tunbridge Wells, Kent, UK | |
| Aug 40 | Home Forces | Brighton area, Sussex, UK | |
| Oct 40 | Home Forces | Chichester, Sussex, UK | |
| Feb 41 | Home Forces | Wickford, Essex, UK | |
| Jul 41 | Home Forces | Epping, Essex, UK | |
| Nov 41 | 3 Indian Corps | Malaya | |
| Dec 41 |  |
9 Indian Division | Mantin, Malaya |
| Jan 42 |  |
11 Indian Division | Kelantan , Malaya – 464 Bty detached to east coast under command 5 Fld Rgt |
| Jan 42 | Slim River, Malaya | ||
| Jan 42 | Selangor, Malaya – 464 Battery rejoined Under command – 278, 73 & Malay Volunteer Batteries |
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| 29 Jan 42 | Singapore | ||
| 15 Feb 42 | Captured |
Batteries
| 1921 | 349, 350, 351, 352 |
| Nov 38 | 351, 352 – 349 & 350 Batteries to 137 Field Regiment |
| Dec 40 | 351, 352, 464 |
Equipment
| Sep 39 | 24 x 18/25 pdr Guns, Guy Quad Ant Tractors |
| Nov 41 | 24 x 25 pdr Guns |
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 HM Standord MC |
| Jul 40 | Major GM St. Leger (Temporary) |
| Jul 40 | Lieutenant Colonel R Hilton DSO MC DFC |
| Sep 40 | Lieutenant Colonel HS MacDonald DSO MC |
| Jun 41 | Lieutenant Colonel SC D’Aubuz |
Casualties
The numbers below are the total casualties suffered in the regiment during the course of the war. Note that these figures account for deaths as a result of ill health, accidents and enemy action.
| ORs | 183 (145 in Japanese captivity) |
| NCOs | 72 (64 in Japanese captivity) |
| Officers | 8 (2 in Japanese captivity) |
Page last updated on 24/10/25