64 (London) Medium Regiment RA (TA)

64 (London) Medium Regiment RA (TA) was formed as a duplicate of 53 Medium Regiment with two batteries in 1939. It moved to the Middle East in 1941, serving in Egypt, Libya, Greece & Crete before returning to Egypt. It continued to serve in the Middle East & North Africa through to Tunisia before returning to the UK. Joining 5 AGRA, 64 (London) Medium Regiment RA (TA) went to France in June 1944 and served through North West Europe to Germany. The Regiment was placed in suspended animation in May 1946. 64 (London) Medium Regiment RA (TA) was disbanded 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 granted February 1942)

Sep 39 London District 64 (London) Medium Regiment RA (TA) London District Islington, London, UK
5 Sep 39 London District 64 (London) Medium Regiment RA (TA) London District Edgeware, London, UK
Jan 40 London District 64 (London) Medium Regiment RA (TA) London District Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire, UK (cadre taken to form
70 Medium Regiment)
Apr 40 4 Corps 64 (London) Medium Regiment RA (TA) 4 Corps Tetbury, Gloucestershire, UK
Jul 40 4 Corps 64 (London) Medium Regiment RA (TA) 4 Corps High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, UK
At the end of August Regiment placed on Aerodrome defence.
RHQ Haddenham (Cambs), 211 Bty less B Troop
Herringswell (Suffolk),
B Troop Hardwick (Cambs), 212 Bty St Ives (Cambs) area.
Regiment reassembled at High Wycombe end of September.
Jan 41 British Troops Egypt British Troops Egypt Mena, Egypt
Jan 41 13 Corps 64 (London) Medium Regiment RA (TA) 13 Corps Tobruk, Libya
Less 212 Battery who remained at Mena
Jan 41 13 Corps 64 (London) Medium Regiment RA (TA) 13 Corps Gazala & Martuba, Libya
Feb 41 13 Corps 64 (London) Medium Regiment RA (TA) 13 Corps Giovanni Berta, Mechili & Soluch, Libya
Feb 41 British Troops Egypt British Troops Egypt Mena, Egypt
234 Battery from 68 Medium Regiment joined to make a
4.5 inch Regiment for Greece and 212 Battery went to
68 Medium Regiment to make a 6 inch Howitzer
Regiment for Eritrea
Mar 41 1 Australian Corps 1 ANZAC Corps Piraeus & Florina, Greece
Less D Troop 234 Battery at Vervia Pass
Apr 41 1 Australian Corps 1 ANZAC Corps Vevi, Servia & Thermopylae, Greece
When ordered to evacuate, most of the Regiment were
taken off the Marathon beaches by the AA Cruiser
HMS Carlisle and landed at Suda Bay, Crete. Some were
taken off by ships that went back to Alexandria.
May 41     Crete
234 Battery plus A Troop 211 Battery were issued with
Italian 100mm Howitzers & 72mm Guns to defend
Heraklion aerodrome. The remainder of the Regiment
were at Perivolia near Canea as infantry.
The gun party were evacuated on the night 29/30 May
while the remainder marched over the mountains to
Sphakia where most were evacuated on the night
30/31 May
Jun 41 British Troops Egypt British Troops Egypt El Tahag, Egypt

 


212 Battery attached to 68 Medium Regiment

Mar 41 5 Indian Division 64 (London) Medium Regiment RA (TA) 4 & 5 Indian Divisions Keren, Eritrea
May 41 4 Ind Div 64 (London) Medium Regiment RA (TA) 4 Indian Division Sidi Haneish, Libya
Jun 41 7 Australian Division 64 (London) Medium Regiment RA (TA) 7 Australian Division Damour, Syria

 

64 Medium Regiment continued

Aug 41 1 Australian Corps 64 (London) Medium Regiment RA (TA) 1 Australian Corps Chouiefat, Syria
234 Battery rejoined 68 Medium Regiment in
July & 211 Battery rejoined 212 Battery in Syria
with RHQ joining them on 1 Aug
Oct 41 British Troops Egypt British Troops Egypt El Tahag, Egypt
Dec 41 8 Army 64 (London) Medium Regiment RA (TA) 8 Army Mersa Matruh, Egypt
Dec 41/Jan 42 2 SA Div 64 (London) Medium Regiment RA (TA) 2 South African Division Bardia, Libya (211 Battery only) & Halfaya, Egypt
Feb 42 8 Army 64 (London) Medium Regiment RA (TA) 8 Army El Tahag, Egypt
100 OR’s including most SNCO’s to 1 RHA
to form Anti-Tank Battery
Feb 42 10 Corps 42 64 (London) Medium Regiment RA (TA) 10 Corps Syria
Jun 42 10 Corps 42 64 (London) Medium Regiment RA (TA) 10 Corps Mena, Sollum, Matruh & Gerawla, Egypt
Jun 42 2 NZ Div 64 (London) Medium Regiment RA (TA) 2 New Zealand Division El Alamein, Egypt
211 Battery reduced to 5 guns and 212 Battery
4 guns and over 250 men lost during withdrawl
Jul 42 2 NZ Div 64 (London) Medium Regiment RA (TA) 2 New Zealand Division Ruweisat Ridge, Egypt
211 Battery received 3 new 4.5 in guns. 212 Battery
lost 2 more guns to air attack and went
back to Cairo to refit
Aug 42 44 (Home Counties) Infantry Division 64 (London) Medium Regiment RA (TA) 44 Infantry Division Alam Halfa, Egypt
212 Battery only. Rejoined the Regiment
in the New Zealand box about 5 Sep
Oct 42 30 corps 64 (London) Medium Regiment RA (TA) 30 Corps Alamein area, Egypt
Nov 42 2 NZ Div 64 (London) Medium Regiment RA (TA) 2 New Zealand Division Fuka & Sidi Barrani, Egypt
211 Battery only
Nov/Dec 42 30 corps 64 (London) Medium Regiment RA (TA) 30 Corps Mersa Brega & Marble Arch, Libya
B Troop 211 Battery detached to 4 Light
Armoured Brigade & rejoined Regiment in Dec
Jan/Feb 43 8 Army 8 Army Wadi ZemZem & Tripoli, Libya
& Mareth line, Tunisia
Mar 43 8 Army 8 Army Tebaga Gap & Akarit, Tunisia
Apr 43 8 Army 8 Army, 5 Army Group RA Enfidaville, Tunisia
May 43 1 Army Group RA 1 Army Group RA Medjez El Bab & Cape Bon Peninsula, Tunisia
May/Jun 43 8 Army 8 Army, 5 Army Group RA Sfax & Sousse, Tunisia
Jul/Aug 43 8 Army 8 Army, 5 Army Group RA Gerbini, Randazzo & Mille St Marco,
Sicily
In Oct 43 the Regiment handed in
all heavy equipment
and embarked on 9 Nov for Algeria,
re-embarking on 28 Nov for UK. Arrived
Liverpool on 9 Dec 43
Dec 43 30 corps 30 Corps, 5 Army Group RA Felixstowe, Suffolk, UK
May 44 30 corps 30 Corps, 5 Army Group RA Clacton, Essex, UK
As 30 Corps wanted 2 Batteries of
4.5 inch guns to land in France first,
211 Battery was temporarily attached to
7 Medium Regiment and 25/26 Battery of 7th was
attached to 64th. 211 Battery rejoined
the Regiment on 11 June
Jun 44 30 corps 30 Corps, 5 Army Group RA Le Hamel, Vaux sur Seulles & Bayeux, France
Jul 44 30 corps 30 Corps, 5 Army Group RA 211 Battery to Verrieres, 212 Battery to Bucceels
Jul 44 30 corps 30 Corps, 5 Army Group RA Cahagnolles, France
Aug 44 30 corps 30 Corps, 5 Army Group RA Mont Pincon, Argentan, Laigle & Vernon, France
Sep 44 30 corps 30 Corps, 5 Army Group RA Antwerp & Escaut Canal, Belgium

 

The event at Nijmegen

Having arrived at Nijmegen on the morning of 21 Sep, at 0935 hrs a strange station was heard on the Regimental radio net. It turned out to be 1 Forward Observation Unit with 1 Airborne Division in Arnhem, the division’s first contact with the outside world since dropping on the 17th. 64th along with 419 Battery of 52 Heavy Regiment provided support for the paras until their withdrawl on the night of 25/26th. This radio link was, for most of this time, 1 Airborne Division’s only link with 30 Corps. In recognition of this support 30 Corps agreed to a request from Maj Gen Urquhart that the Regiment be allowed to wear the Airborne’s Pegasus badge on the lower right sleeve.

 

North West Europe continued

Nov 44 30 corps 30 Corps, 5 Army Group RA Brunssum, Holland
Dec 44 30 corps 30 Corps, 5 Army Group RA Tilburg, Holland, Wavres, Namur & Rochesfort, Belgium
Jan 45 30 corps 30 Corps, 5 Army Group RA Noisseux, Hotton, & Louvain, Belgium
Feb 45 30 corps 30 Corps, 5 Army Group RA Groesbeek, Holland, Frasselt, Materborn & Pfabzdorf, Germany
Mar 45 30 corps 30 Corps, 5 Army Group RA Moyland, Germany & Enschede, Holland
Apr 45 30 corps 30 Corps, 5 Army Group RA Bremen & Verden, Germany
May 45 30 corps 30 Corps, 5 Army Group RA Schwinge, Germany
After the cease fire the Regiment moved to Zeven and then
Salzgitter in June and the guns were handed in. The Regiment
took over occupation duties and in July moved to Kreis
Dannenberg. The Regiment was disbanded on 1 April 46.

 

Batteries

Sep 39 211, 212 (London)
Feb 41 211, 234 (attached)
Jun 41 211, 212

 

Equipment

Jun 40 6 in Howitzers (iron tyred)
Aug 40 211 Battery 4.5 inch gun Mk1 (relined 60pdr on Carriage Mk4P)
212 Battery 6 inch Howitzers Mk1P
Aug 41 211 & 212 Btys 6 inch Howitzers Mk1P
Feb 42 US 155mm Howitzers (1918), 2 x 4.5 inch Mk2 Guns
May 42 211 Battery 4.5 inch Guns, 212 Battery 155mm Guns
Aug 42 211 Battery 4.5 inch Guns, 212 Battery 5.5 inch Guns

 

 

 

 

The Royal Artillery 1939-45