Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

AMF Anti Aircraft Units/ Elements WW2

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  

The structure of Anti Aircraft units and elements was confusing in the extreme with several major re-organisations and re-numbering of elements particularly LAA Batteries taking place throughout the war. There were also duplicate unit identities created at various points in time, perhaps due to poor communications.  We have endeavoured to present this as best we can.  The cited Reference above was indispenable in this task.

For users trying to locate the names of people posted to anti aircraft units, this listing covers units and elements NOT explicitly part of the 2nd AIF, designated by the prefix '2nd/' in their title.  They are listed HERE (/explore/units/3165) and in unit pages for each of the four original 2nd AIF Anti Aircraft Regiments, which were raised for service in the Middle East.

·    2nd/1st Anti Aircraft Regiment

·    2nd/2nd Anti Aircraft Regiment

·    2nd/3rd Anti Aircraft Regiment 

·    2nd/4th Anti Aircraft Regiment

Similarly some of the larger AMF AA Regiments have separate listings purely to enable listing of personnel thus assigned.  Subordinate batteries, which were reallocated and renamed with a bewildering frequency, are contained in this listing rather than the parent headquarters at a particular point in time.

·    108 LAA (Militia) / 101 Composite Anti Aircraft Regiment (/explore/units/2751). 

·    109 LAA Regt (Militia)  / 102 Composite Anti Aircraft Regiment

·    110 LAA Regt /  52 Composite Anti Aircraft Regiment

·    111 LAA Regt (Low Level AD Victoria) / later Milne Bay  / 5 AA Gp

·    112 LAA Regt (Militia) - Victoria 

·    113 LAA Regt  / 56 Composite Anti Aircraft Regiment formed for low level AD Queensland in June 1942

·    114 LAA Regt (Militia)  - drawn from 46 and 52 Inf Bn personnel for Low Level AD Queensland

·    115 LAA Regt (Militia) - Not raised.  Intended to be populated by personnel from designated Militia Bn.

·    116 LAA Regt (Militia) - WA     

·    122 LAA Regt - Formed in late 1942 as part of 3 Armd Division consolidating Bty att to each Brigade Group. Disbanded Sep 1943

 

Prior to the war Australia air defence was effectively non-existent.  The need was very quickly identified given the success of German tactical air power in the 'Blitzkrieg' phase of the war.

The 1st Anti Aircraft Brigade (AIF) was raised and deployed overeas for service with the AIF in the Middle East which comprised the 6th, 7th, and 9th Divisions.  Although nominally part of the 7th Division, its constituent units (the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Anti Aircraft Regiments), were detached in support of the other Divisions (6th and 9th).  They had no equipment to begin with, relying on being thus equipped by the British Army whom they were reinforcing.

Fig 1. Two members of the 14th  AA Bty, Gunners Tommy Hill and Neil Cook engage Japanese aircraft during the Darwin Air Raid of 19 February 1942, with a WW1 vintage Lewis Gun, in a work by official war artist Roy Hodgkinson, first published in the WW2 Journal 'Khaki and Green' under the ID of 'B5/B7'. AWM

Meanwhile back in Australia, in an act that was bound to create confusion, the Army also raised the 1st Anti Aircraft Brigade (M) (where 'M' = Militia). 

Consistent with practice at the time, as the Army expanded, and then as priorities changed, naming of HQ elements and units chopped and changed and was confusing in the extreme, with duplicate indentites and successions of re-designations.  Batteries often ended up detached to sometimes remote formations.   In such circumstances, AA elements in a given area would be placed under local control of a Group HQ.

By late-1942, an extensive anti aircraft defence organisation had been developed, with anti aircraft batteries in place around all the major cities and key installations, often as part of the 'Fortress' organisations down the eastern and southern seaboards and protecting the approaches to major ports in northern and western Australia.  

Fig 2. A 4th (Qld) Bn VDC gun crew operating their Bofors 40mm LAA gun (https://www.qlhf.org.au/project/4th-battalion-volunteer-defence-corps)

In the north of Australia, particularly Darwin, and in the Pacific Islands,  Air Defence during 1942 operated in a hostile environment with Japanese air raids commonplace.

The same was not true of southern Australia where nary a round was fired in anger.

The units are listed in numeric order and below that in geographic groupings noting that did vary over the course of the war.

Standarised abbreviations are applied. 

AA= Anti Aircraft, Bde = Brigade, Regt = Regiment, Bty = Battery, HAA = Heavy Anti Aircraft, LAA = Light Anti AIrcraft, S/L = Searchlight

Two Heavy Anti Aircraft (HAA) Regiments (Regt) (a general move to 'composite' regiments comprising both Heavy and Light guns took place from late 1943, as this structure  offered more flexibility.

·     2nd/2nd HAA Regt (> Aug 43 2nd/2nd 'Composite' AA Regt  - see separate listing.

·     102 HAA Regt  - not raised

·     103 HAA Regt (formed from 33rd and 45th Militia Battalions) formed in Sydney served Buna (New Guinea), Strathpine (Qld), Mapee (Qld) Tarakan (Borneo)

32 static HAA Bty - 3 " and 3.7" Heavy AA Guns,

·     2nd/4th, 2nd/5th, 2nd/6th and 2nd/14th  HAA Bty listed in the 2nd AIF groupings.

·     Rabaul AA Bty - part of Lark Force and personnel thus assigned are listed there.

·     1 HAA Bty - Sydney Harbour Concord.  Augmented by 7th, (NSW) Bn VDC

·     2 HAA Bty (later 138) - Darwin, Perth, Kimberley

·     3 HAA Bty (Newcastle area)

·     4 HAA Bty (Sydney  / Darwin / Wallgrove)

·     5 HAA Bty (later 135 Hvy HAA Bty) - WA & NT

·     6 HAA Bty (LE) - LE = Lower Establishment  - Brisbane SEQ area - augmented by 4th, 6th and 9th (Qld) Bn VDC

·     7 HAA Bty (LE) - Rathmines NSW, Townsville Qld.  

·     8 HAA Bty (LE) - Wollongong Port Kembla.  Augmented by 12th and 33rd (NSW) Bn VDC

·     9 HAA Bty Lithgow SAF, Merauke (New Guinea)  Narellan NSW

·     10 HAA Bty (NW Melbourne) - augmented by 1st and 18th (Vic) Bn VDC·     

·     11 HAA Bty Yallourn (Vic)

·     12 HAA Bty (LE) - Adelaide  / Whyalla

·     13 HAA Bty (LE) - Hobart

Fig 3. Darwin, NT. 1942-11-12. The Predictor crew of 14th Australian Heavy Anti-Aircraft Battery at work on their instrument. note the heavy timber on top of the instrument to protect it from shrapnel and bomb splinters. Lance-Bombardier K. L. Ritchie is at the far right hand corner of the predictor, on his left is Gunner L. G. Stevenson and Gunner C. C. Sibraa is at extreme left.  The Predictor calculates firing data for the guns and the output is applied to bearing, elevation and fuse settings.

·     14 HAA Bty (Static) Sydney / Darwin / Botany Bay

·     15 HAA Bty (Static) - Moore Park / Rose Bay augmented by 9th, 11th (NSW ) Bn VDC

·     16 HAA Bty (Static) - Far North Queensland

·     17 HAA Bty (Static)  - Lithgow NSW

·     18 HAA Bty (LE) - Newcastle Augmented by 20th , 32nd (NSW Bn VDC

·     19 HAA Bty (Static)  - Sydney (south), Darwin

·     20 AA Bty - Bankstown augmented by 11th (NSW) Bn VDC

·     21 Bty (1) & (2) - both were relatively short lived and were absorbed onto 14 AA Bty and 23 AA Bty respectively

·     22 HAA  / 803 aka South Beach Bty - NT, WA Fremantle, Garden Island, Perth

·     23 HAA Bty (Static) - Melbourne, Port Moresby, Buna, Lae,Strathpine Qld, Newcastle

·     24 HAA Bty (Static - Hobart

·     25 HAA Bty (NSW)- Richmond NSW

·     25 HAA Bty (WA) 804 AA/CA Bty -   WA

·     26 HAA Bty Whyalla (SA) Hummock Hill. Disbanded Feb 45

·     28 HAA Bty Jan - Dec 1942, Williamstown (Vic) Queenscliff)

·     29 HAA (Static) Bty - Fremantle (WA), Rottnest Is, later augmented by pers from 1st, 2nd and 3rd (WA) Bn VDC. 

·     30 HAA Bty (LE) Williamstown Vic

·     31 HAA Bty (Static) Milne Bay / Horn Is, Lae (NG)

·     32 HAA Bty (Static) Port Moresby / Madang

·     33 HAA Bty (Static) Milne Bay / Madang,  Dapto (NSW)

·     34 / 131 HAA Bty (Melbourne  / Milne Bay / Horn Is / Narellan (NSW). The 34th Australian Anti-aircraft Battery was located at King's Point on Horn Island in far north Queensland between 1942 and 1944.  The unit was formed under the command of Major Tom Rusden in Braybrook, Victoria on the !st September 1942. The Battery was the first anti-aircraft battery to arrive on Horn Island and was split into two sections. 'A' Section was located on Double Hill and 'B' Section was located at King Point.

·     35 HAA Bty (Static) - Jacky Jacky FNQ / Cairns 

·     36 HAA Bty (Static) - Townsville / Cape York / Iron Range

·     37 HAA Bty  / 137 HAA Bty - Brisbane Mareeba Higginsfield (Jacky Jacky) 

·     38 HAA Bty Brisbane area

·     132 HAA Bty Newcastle, Georges Heights / Buna / Duropa NG·

LAA and Composite AA Regt

> Sep 1943 - 51 Composite AA Regt (previously 5 Anti Tank / 105 Tank Attack Regiments.  As this re-designation took place later in the war the unit page is located HERE (/explore/units/1081)

> Sep 1943 - 54 Composite AA Regt (previously 10 Anti Tank / 110 Tank Attack Regt). As this re-designation took place later in the war the unit page is located HERE (/explore/units/2594).

108 LAA Regt  / 101 Composite AA Regt (Militia) - Raised and manned from 48 Inf Bn in SA in Aug 42.

·     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.

> July 1943 101 Composite AA Regt (Militia).  Formed from 108 LAA Regt in July 1943 - NT Batchelor, Fenton Coomalie

·    133 HAA Bty

·    233 LAA Bty

·    135 HAA Bty

·    149 LAA Bty

·    75 Mobile (Mob) Searchlight (SL) Bty

109 LAA Regt (Militia)  / 102 Composite AA Regt

numbers in brackets indicate the 'iteration' of the designation.  Elements with multiple identities are not uncommon.

·     150 LAA Bty (1) renumbered 159 LAA Bty.  In a second iteration it was raised to tbe populated by 32nd Bn (militia) personnel.as part of 109 LAA Regt covering a range of WA sites. In August 1943 re-designated 661 LAA Bty (static ) and were to be augmented with VDC personnel.

·     151 LAA Bty (2) initially raised as part of 112 LAA Regt, but redesignated 160 LAA Bty in 109 LAA Regt (see separate entry) .  A second iteration of 151 LAA Bty remained in  WA Fremantle Pearce Exmouth Crawley Redcliffe, RAAF Pearce, Corunna Downs, Bellevue

·     152 LAA Bty (2) initially raised as part of 112 LAA Regt, but redesignated 161 LAA Bty in 109 LAA Regt (see separate entry) – A second iteration of 151 LAA Bty remained in WA -Woodman Point / Geraldton / RAAF Pearce / Noonkambah (Kimberley)

·     ‘R’ Bty 109 LAA Regt – WA Exmouth

> Sep 43 re-designated as 102 Composite AA Regt - Western Australia Airfield Defence

·     4AA Bty re-designated 140 HAA Bty

·     151 LAA Bty

·     152 LAA Bty

·     disbanded Dec 1944

110 Anti Tank / Tank Attack / 54 Composite Anti-Aircraft Regiment

Like most of its counterpart Militia / AMF Anti Tank Regiments, 110 went through various titles and iterations in response to changing views and threat levels during the course of the War, making it very difficult, 80 years later, to track and make sense of the changes.

Raised in 1941 before the outbreak of war in the Pacific, it seemed reasonable to suppose that there may be a continental enemy armoured threat at some point in the future.  Armoured Divisions were raised equipped and manned.

Initially equipped with the 57mm 6 pounder, the first significant change was nomenclature.  Someone in authority decided it would be a good idea to confer a more aggressive  / offensiv title on these units than 'Anti Tank' which apparently sounded more 'defensive' than was desirable, so in 1943 the title 'Tank Attack' was adopted across the board.

As war in Europe and Africa receded and the war in the Pacific was top of mind in the public's and government's consciousness, and the reality of the paucity of any Japanese armpoured threat was realised, more change was afoot as the Army configured to deal with ore likely threats.

This Anti-Aircraft batteries and regiments flourished, and the 110 Tank Attack Regiment reconfigured and re-equipped as the 54th Composite Anti Aircraft Regiment in 1944. 

·     153 LAA Bty - previously ‘4’ / ‘B’ Bty 110 LAA Regt which when raised was manned by members of Sydney University Regiment not in reserved occupations – Sydney / Port Kembla / Newcastle / Sydney then to the NT - Batchelor, Gould, Coomalie, Hughes Livingstone Truscott, Parap Fanny Bay

·     154 LAA Bty - originally raised as 3 Bty 110 LAA Regt,.  Per above except that 154 LAA Bty remained with 110 Regt HQ which subsequently became 52 Composite AA Regiment.  Served in New Guinea

·     155 LAA Bty / 658 LAA Bty Static.  Originally part of 110 LAA Regt.  Renumbered Aug 1943 stationed Port Kembla 658 had a shadow posted VDC structure personnel from 33 (NSW) Bn VDC.

> Sep 43 re-designated 52 Composite AA Regt - remained in Merauke NEI until Jul 45 withdrawn to Australia and disbanded

·     9 AA Bty redesignated 139 HAA Bty

·     154 LAA Bty

·     76 AASL re-desgnated 76 Mob SL Bty

111 LAA Regt (Low Level AD Victoria) / later Milne Bay  / 5 AA Gp

·     156 LAA Bty (later 'Airborne') – assigned to Port Moresby Oct 1942, remained in New Guinea until May 1944 when it was absorbed into 158 LAA Bty to expand it to 18 guns.

·     157 LAA Bty. briefly designated 226 LAA Bty Aug 43 then reverted  to 157 LAA Bty part of 51 Composite AA Regt.  Horn Island returned to Narellan and disbanded there March 45.

·     158 LAA Bty formed from C Bty 111 LAA Regt,  Port Kembla then to 53 Comp AA Regt in Sep 43 to New Guinea.  Later absorbed 156 LAA Bty when the establishment was expanded to 18 guns

112 LAA Regt - VIctoria (Militia) 

159 LAA Bty / initially formed as 150 Bty, 112 LAA Regt before being detached to Noonamah NT and being absorbed into 2nd/1st LAA Regt.  In Dec 42 they were designated 225 LAA Bty, before reverting in August 1943 and re-absorbed into 112 LAA Regiment which arrived from Melbourne.  They covered locations such as Melville Island, Ridings Airfield, Quarantine Station Darwin Sep 44 relocated to Australia disbanded April 45.

160 LAA Bty originally 151 LAA Bty (1) part of 112 LAA Regt. Renumbered Aug 42.

161 LAA Bty part of 109 LAA Regt - previously 152 LAA Bty (1) part of 112 LAA Regt / renumbered Aug 42 as 161 LAA Bty.

113 LAA Regt  / 56 Composite AA Regt formed for low level AD Queensland in June 1942 at Tabragalba Qld later Cape York /Torres Strait

·     162 LAA Bty previously 154 LAA Bty. detached to Port Moresby and Buna, Morobe, Lae and Salamua.  Disbanded Jul 44.

·     163 LAA (later Airborne) Bty previously 155 LAA Bty.  Det to 7th Div Port Moresby.  Disbanded Australia Sep 44.

·     164 LAA Bty previously 156 LAA Bty.  Det under Comd 56 Comp AA Regt Cape York. Disb Nov 44.

114 LAA Regt – drawn from 46 and 52 Inf Bn personnel for Low Level AD Queensland

·     165 LAA Bty (1) Brisbane Milne Bay then reverted to 605 LAA Tp (Static)

·     166 LAA Bty (1) reverted to 607 LAA Tp (Static) after deployment to New Guinea (Merauke area).

·     166 LAA Bty (2) formed in WA.  Renamed 173 LAA Bty and deployed for WA local air defence.

·     167 LAA Bty.   Jul 43 consolidated  as 651 AA Bty (Comp) and a Static component augmented by VDC  from 2 and 4 (Qld) Bn VDC.

·     disbanded Nov 44

115 LAA Regt - Not raised.

·     168 / 169 / 170 Bty LAA.  Intended to be populated by personnel from designated Militia Bn.  Not raised.

116 LAA Regt  - WA 

·     171 LAA Bty - WA

·     172 LAA Bty

·     173 LAA Bty

·     Disbanded Dec 1944

122 LAA Regt

·     Formed in late 1942 as part of 3 Armd Division consolidating Bty att to each Brigade Group. Disbanded Sep 1943

·     231 LAA Bty

·     232 LAA Bty

Independent LAA Bty

·     24 LAA Bty / 221 LAA Bty / 657 LAA Bty – Low Level Air Defence Sydney area with later VDC augmentation from 10th and 19th (NSW) VDC Bn.to complement AMF manning.

·     27 LAA Bty / 222 LAA Bty / 652 LAA Bty (Static) Low Level AD Newcastle with later VDC augmentation from 5th and 31st (NSW) VDC Bn.to complement AMF manning.

·     1 Bty 110 LAA Regt / 32 LAA Bty/ 223 LAA Bty / 551 LAA Bty (static)

·     2 Bty 110 LAA Regt / 33 LAA Bty / 224 LAA Bty / 552 LAA Bty (static) - Far North Queensland

·     227 LAA Bty

·     228 LAA Bty

·     229 / 230 LAA Bty

·     231 LAA Bty / 554 LAA Bty

·     232 LAA Bty

·     233 LAA Bty

·     234 LAA Bty

·     235 LAA Bty

·     555 LAA Bty

·     653 LAA Bty

·     654 LAA Bty

·     655 LAA Bty

·     656 LAA Bty

·     659 LAA Bty

·     660 LAA Bty

·     701 LAA Tp (Static) Melbourne / Yallourn.  Augmented with 1st and 12th (Vic) Battalions of the VDC.

·     702 LAA Tp (Static and VDC) Tasmania.  Augmented with troops from 1st (Tas) Battalion VDC

·     703 LAA Tp (Static and VDC) Adelaide  / Whyalla. Augmented with men from 6th (SA) Bn VDC

·     704 LAA Tp (Static and VDC) Adelaide. Augmented with men from 3rd (SA) Bn VDC 

These were often but not always augmented with searchlight batteries (listed HERE (/explore/units/3430)) .

Three anti-aircraft training regiments and one anti-aircraft training battery were formed.

Equipment generally comprised the excellent British 3.7inch Heavy AA gun, with its associated range-finding and target prediction equipment, and the equally excellent and ubiquitous 40mm Bofors Light AA gun, many of which can still be found in suburban parks as memorials to this day.  All anti aircraft elements had a compliment of machine guns for local defence against ground troops and low-flying aircraft; often the venerable WW1 era Lewis Gun as depicted in the iconic image above.

In addition six American anti aircraft battalions were stationed in Australia, operating in Fremantle, Darwin, Townsville, and Brisbane.

The Darwin and New Guinea anti-aircraft batteries were involved in dealing with the threat of Japanese air raids against northern Australia during 1942 and 1943.  The Darwin units are credited with having shot down 29 enemy aircraft, probably destroying another 27 aircraft and damaging 32 between January 1942 and the end of 1943.  

Batteries in New Guinea also saw extensive action, particularly around Port Moresby during 1942. 

Organisation

The organisation and deployment of AA units in Australia and the South West Pacific Area (SWPA) was largely geographic.

Northern Territory

Darwin AA Group

· 2nd/1st LAA Regiment (see separate listing)

· 2nd, 14th and 22nd AA Batteries

· 225th and 233rd LAA Batteries

· 1st/53rd SL Bty RAE

Fig 4. A 3.7 inch Heavy AA gun of the 14th Battery in action in Darwin November 1942

New Guinea

Port Moresby AA Group

· 23rd and 32nd AA Batteries

· 2nd/4th HAA Battery

· 2nd/7th, 234th and 156th LAA Batteries

Fig. 5. Members of the 23rd Australian Heavy Anti Aircraft Battery with 3.7" anti aircraft gun in a revetment atop Tuaguba Hill overlooking Port Moresby
This image starkly illustrates the size of the 3.7 inch guns The revetment is made from 55 gallon fuel drums filled with crushed coral sand and soil. 
Credit: Thomas Fisher via AWM 025948  Date: July 15, 1942

Milne Bay AA Group

· 33rd, 23rd (det) AA Batteries

· 2/6th Heavy Anti Aircraft Battery

· Section, 23rd Heavy Anti Aircraft Battery

· 2/9th Light Anti Aircraft Battery (less E Troop), an Independent Battery of the 2/3rd Light Anti Aircraft Regiment

· Detachment, Signals, 2/3rd Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment

Fig. 6. A Bofors 40mm anti-aircraft gun position, A Troop, 2/9th Light Anti-Aircraft Battery, Royal Australian Artillery, on the main fighter runway at Gili Gili airfield. A Kittyhawk fighter can be seen coming in to land. At rear of gun, left to right: VX44507 Geoffrey R George; VX47412 Jack M Crittenden and VX36313 A D (Tim) Jennings. Also included in the photograph are NX22470 B B Boughton or Buck Bearsford (?), gun loader on platform, VX28384 Robert (Bob) Waterman, ammunition supplier, VX36335 Jack Quick, gun layer (seated, on left) and gun layer NX16412 Edward Preece (with binoculars on the right behind the barrel). (AWM 026630)

Queensland

South Queensland AA Group

· 2nd/2nd HAA Regiment

· 113th and 114th LAA Regiments

· 6th, 38th AA Batteries

North Queensland AA Group

· 34th, 35th, 36th and 37th AA Batteries

· 223rd, 224th and 226th LAA Batteries

New South Wales

Fig. 7. A recruiting poster for the Australian Womens' Army Service (AWAS) many of whom crewed anti-aircraft and search light batteries later in the war

Newcastle Fortress AA Group

·  3rd, 7th and 18th AA Batteries

·  22nd LAA Battery

Sydney Fortress AA Group

·  103rd HAA Regiment

·  108th, 110th and 111th LAA Regiments

·  1st, 7th, 9th, 15th, 20th and 25th AA Batteries

Fig. 8. Volunteer Defence Corps personnel training on a 3.7 inch AA gun on the Kensington Golk Links south of Sydney in May 1943. AWM image

Kembla AA Group

· 8th AA Battery

· 221st LAA Battery

Victoria

Melbourne AA Group

· 112th LAA Regiment

· 10th, 11th and 30th AA Batteries

Fig. 9. In an obviously posed photo, members of an AWAS searchlight crew overhaul their equipment while another member continues to 'search for planes'(in broad daylight?)  Melbourne, January 1943. (Victoria State Library ex AWM)

South Australia

· 12th and 26th AA Batteries located at Adelaide and Whyalla (Hummock Hill) respectively

· 58 AASL Battery Adelaide East

Western Australia

Fremantle Fortress AA Group

· 2nd/3rd, 109th and 116th LAA Regiments

· 4th, 5th and 29th AA Batteries

· 66 SL Battery

Tasmania

· 13th AA Battery

In mainland Australia, as the war progressed and the threat from Japanese aircraft diminished, the manning of anti-aircraft defences was reduced to release manpower and the crewing was increasingly taken over by Volunteer Defence Corps (VDC) personnel  who were 'shadow' or cross-posted from their parent VDC Battalions.  Australian Women's Army Service (AWAS) personnel also assumed an increasing scope of work.

Most domestic AA batteries were disbanded between mid-1944 to late 1945 as the enemy air threat had receded.  VDC personnel in general returned to their original parent Battalions before they too were disbanded.

Compiled by Steve Larkins Jul 21