About This Unit
2nd later 2nd/2nd (later Composite) Anti Aircraft (AA) Regiment (Regt)
Initially raised as the 2nd AA Regt comprising 4th, 5th and 6th AA Bty, for service in the Middle East, in 1940.
When the 1st Anti Aircraft Brigade of which the Regiment was part, was re-designated as a 2nd AIF formation, the Regiment too was re-designated, becoming the '2nd/2nd Heavy AA (HAA)' Regt, Its Batteries (Bty) were renumbered accordingly (2nd/4th, 2nd/5th and 2nd/6th HAA Bty respectively).
Equipped with the superb 3.7 inch Heavy Anti Aircraft gun, the 2nd/2nd HAA Regt and its Bty were deployed at various locations around Syria, Palestine and Lebanon and finally Egypt from whence they returned to Australia.
In the Momeland Defence and SWPA theares, a more flexible unit structure was adopted in the form of 'composite' regiments. Composite Regiments generally comprised one x Heavy AA Bty, one x Light Bty (equipped with the 40mm Bofors LAA gun), and generally a Searchlight Battery.
In August 1943,the 2nd/2nd HAA Regt was re-constituted as a Composite AA Regt for deployment in forward areas, by re-allocating some of its Heavy Bty and having them replaced by LAA Bty. Moving to Oro Bay in New Guinea, the Regt HQ forming the basis of the new Composite structure, consolidating with subordinate Batteries which became the 2nd/5th HAA Bty, 31 HAA (static) Bty, the 2nd/7th LAA Bty, 77 Mob SL Bty and the Oro Bay Ops room. As the focus of operations shifted following the capture of Madang, the New Guinea offensives were closed down, and AA defences were reduced from March 1944 and the regiment was broken up and dispersed. Regt HQ, 2nd/5th HAA Bty 2nd/7th LAA Bty left for Strathpine, Queensland where they refoemd following leave and were joined by 73 Mob SL Bty. 2nd/2nd Comp AA Regt was allocated as part of 1 Base sub Area for Operation Oboe in Borneo but they were not need and therefore not deloyed and were disbanded at Strathpine after war's end.
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
P3.222 McKenzie Smith Vol 3.
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