About This Unit
1st later the 2nd/1st (later 'Composite') Anti Aircraft Regiment
Initially raised as the 1st Anti Aircraft Regiment, for service in the Middle East, in 1940, it was a subordinate unit of the 1st Anti Aircraft Brigade (A). In a pattern that was repeated on a number of occasions, there was a Militia Regiment with exactly the same designation raised in Melbourne but with the suffix (M) to differentiate it.
The Regiment (Regt) comprised three Batteries (Bty), and they were intended to be equipped with the Swedish Bofors 40mm Light AA Gun. However they left for the Middle East not yet equipped thus.
1st AA Bty
2nd AA Bty and
3rd AA Bty.
2 AA Bty, having been raised in June 1940 at Ingleburn NSW, was initially detached to Darwin.
The Regiment was eventually reunited around Newcastle (NSW) before the entire Regiment embarked for the Middle East in June 1941. They arrived in Palestine in July 1941 and were re-structured as the 2nd/1st Anti Aircraft Regiment. All other associated AA elements similarly adopted the '2/' appellation. The Regiment trained with British AA Regiments but was not equipped until January 1942, by which time they were recalled to Australia.
The 2nd/1st Anti Aircraft Regiment returned to Australia and was initially initially assigned to the NT from March 1942 – Aug 43 and then New Guinea Sep 43-May 44. They were then repatriated to Australia in preparation for subsequent tasking.
The Regiment was assigned under command (comd) 7 Div for Op Oboe Morotai / Borneo Apr-Aug 45.
Its composite elements (the order of battle changed frequently in the best traditions of the Artillery!) was as follows;
2nd/1st AA Bty – Batchelor to Aug 43 then detached as 2nd/1st LAA Bty (Airborne) under comd 6 Div
2nd/2nd AA Bty – remained under comd to Aug 45
2nd/3rd AA Bty – detached (det) to New Guinea (Port Moresby) March 42
22 AA Bty – attached under comd April 42 relocated to Perth Feb 43
159 LAA Bty - att under comd Oct 42 Renamed 225 LAA Bty Dec 42 remained in NT
233 LAA Bty - att under comd Oct 42 remained in NT
5 AA Bty – att under comd Feb 43 remained in NT
2nd/4th HAA Bty – att under comd Dec 43 – Aug 45
84 Mob SL Bty - att under comd Dec 43 - Aug 45
Compiled by Steve Larkins June 2021 - referencing the indispensable 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