About This Unit
108 LAA / later 101 Composite Anti Aircraft Regiment
Reference: McKenzie-Smith, Graham 2018 "The Unit Guide The Australian Army 1939-45 Vol 3 of 6 Artillery Air Defence and Engineer Units" Big Sky Publishing ISBN 978-1-925675-14-6
108 Light Anti Aircraft Regiment was raised at Warradale Camp SA in May 1942, by restructuring the 48th Militia Infantry Battalion.
In July 1943 it was further re-structured to become the 101st Composite LAA Regiment, the principal difference being its Batteries of 40mm LAA guns were broken up and re-allocated to be replaced / augmented with a Battery of Heavy AA guns and a Searchlight Battery. It originally comprised;
· 147 LAA Bty originally raised as part of 108 LAA Regt. Amalgamated with 148 Nov 43; renumbered 556 LAA Bty assigned to Townsville
· 148 LAA Bty raised as part of 108 LAA Regt. Amalgamated with 147 Nov 43; renumbered 556 LAA Bty - Townsville
· 149 LAA Bty - 149 was the 3rd of three Batteries in 108 LAA Regt. Det to AA Gp Newcastle / det to 108 LAA Regt Coomalie (NT) Fenton,Gould, Long and Melville Island.
In July 1943 it was re-designated 101 Composite AA Regt (Militia). NT Batchelor, Fenton Coomalie, comprising
· 133 HAA Bty
· 233 LAA Bty
· 135 HAA Bty
· 149 LAA Bty
· 75 Mobile (Mob) Searchlight (SL) Bty - Searchlight Batteries listings.
Because of the bewildering raft of perpetual re-organisation and re-compostion of Light AA Bty, under various Regimental Headquarters, this listing serves to hold personnel identified in their records as having served in either of these two Regiments.
Subordinate Batteries changed often, so men listed thus are grouped in the related listing 'AMF Anti Aircraft Artillery Units WW2'. (/explore/units/3474) Students of Australia's Anti Aircraft Artillery are directed to the cited Reference.