Mobilisation

On the outbreak of war, I SM Bde mobilised at Clifton and Gloucester under Lt-Col A.M. Balfour, a retired Regular officer who had been in command since 7 December 1909.^[12] Initially went to its war station in the defences of the Naval base at Plymouth. It then joined the concentration of the South Midland Division around Chelmsford, where it formed part of Central Force.^[18][20] On the outbreak of war, units of the TF were invited to volunteer for Overseas Service. On 15 August 1914, the War Office issued instructions to separate those men who had signed up for Home Service only, and form these into reserve units. On 31 August, the formation of a reserve or 2nd Line unit was authorised for each 1st Line unit where 60 per cent or more of the men had volunteered for Overseas Service. The titles of these 2nd Line units would be the same as the original, but distinguished by a '2/' prefix. In this way duplicate battalions, brigades and divisions were created, mirroring those TF formations being sent overseas.^[18][23]

1/I South Midland Brigade

1/I South Midland Bde was stationed at Broomfield, near Chelmsford. The training of 1st South Midland Division proceeded satisfactorily, and it was selected for service on the Western Front. Orders arrived on 13 March 1915, final stores and reinforcements from 2/I SM Bde arrived, and 1/I SM Bde entrained on 29 March for Southampton, where it embarked on the transports City of Lucknow and Huanchaco, landing at Le Havre on 30 March. By 2 April the brigade reached Neuve Eglise in Belgium where the division had concentrated. The batteries took up positions assigned to them by XXVII Bde of 5th Division, and began registering their guns on 5 April, despite problems with the fuzes of their old 15-pdr ammunition. Lieutenant-Col Balfour of 1/I SM Bde took over tactical control of the sector from XXVII Bde at midnight on 7/8 April. The brigade could do little, being allowed only 3 rounds per gun per day at first. Most of the firing was retaliatory exchanges with identified German batteries or to harass enemy working parties.^{[20][21][22][24][25]}

On 12 May the division was designated the 48th (South Midland) Division. On 26 June 1/I SM Bde was relieved by a Canadian brigade and went back to billets in Outtersteene, near Bailleul., and later to Ferfay It now formed part of a brigade group with 144th (Gloucester & Worcester) Brigade. After training, 1/I South Midland Bde went by train to Thièvres where on 21 July it was re-equipped with modern 18-pounder guns. It then went back into the line and on 31 July took over gun positions from the French at Colincamps in the Somme sector, where 48th (SM) Division joined a new Third Army.^{[20][21][22][24]}

During August 1/I SM Bde also had 1/3rd Worcester and 1/1st and 1/2nd Warwickshire Btys from 48th (SM) Divisional Artillery (DA) under its command, forming an artillery group under 144th Bde. It carried out some good shooting for the infantry with the new 18-pdrs. The ammunition limit was now 188 rounds per brigade per week. Some of the gun positions were frequently under water, and some were moved to obtain enfilade fire against enemy trenches. Brigade HQ was in Hébuterne, where the gunners were billeted when they were not in the line. The village was often shelled, when the batteries would retaliate on the Germans in Puisieux; they also carried out barbed wire-cutting. This quiet routine continued into the new year, the guns remaining in position while the infantry brigades were regularly rotated out of the line for rest. 1/I South Midland Bde formed an additional battery, D Bty, at Thièvres on 29 March, including a fresh draft of men from the UK. On 31 March batteries of the newly-arrived 31st Division began taking over 1/I SM Bde's guns and positions, and on 6 April the brigade moved a short distance to Sailly, with two batteries in position in front of Serre.^[24]

On 22 April Lt-Col Balfour left the brigade and Lt-Col Lord Wynford took over command on 9 May. On 18 May the brigade was redesignated CCXL (or 240th) Brigade^{[lower-alpha 2]} and the old 1/1st–1/3rd Gloucester batteries became A, B and C Btys. At the same time the recently-formed D Bty transferred to CCXLIII (IV SM) Bde in exchange for 1/4th Warwickshire Howitzer Bty, equipped with four 4.5-inch howitzers, which became D (H) Bty. The Brigade Ammunition Column (BAC) was also abolished and merged into the Divisional Ammunition Column (DA).^{[7][17][20][21][24][27]}

2/I South Midland Brigade

The 2nd Line brigade was formed in the autumn of 1914,^{[lower-alpha 3]} commanded by Lt-Col F.K.S. Metford formerly of 3rd Gloucestershire Bty, and in January 1915 it joined the 2nd South Midland Division (later 61st (2nd South Midland) Division) at Northampton. Equipment was scarce, and until the end of 1915 the only guns available for training were obsolete French De Bange 90 mm guns. While stationed at Northampton, the division formed part of First Army of Central Force, but once the 48th Division had gone to France, the 61st replaced it around Chelmsford as part of Third Army, Central Force, responsible for coastal defence. 2/I SM Brigade replaced its 1st Line at Broomfield, and was then housed in huts at Writtle, where it carried out intensive training in Hylands Park. In July the remaining Home Service men were transferred to a Provisional (Home Defence) unit and replaced by men from the 3rd Line, so that the whole brigade was composed of men available for overseas service. At the end of the month the brigade went under canvas at Thornwood Camp, Epping until September, when it moved to Ingatestone. In December the brigade received its new 18-pdr guns and in mid-February 1916 carried out firing practice at Southminster. At the end of the month it moved to No 7 Camp at Bulford for final battle training on Salisbury Plain, with firing on the West Down Ranges at Larkhill. On 16/17 May 1916 2/I (SM) brigade was redesignated CCCV Brigade RFA (305 Bde),^{[lower-alpha 4]} the batteries became A, B and C, and the BAC was absorbed into 61st (SM) DAC.^{[7][17][27][57][58][56]}

The brigade entrained at Amesbury on 22 May and embarked that afternoon at Southampton Docks aboard SS Hunslet, landing at Le Havre next day. It then went by train to Merville, being billeted near Haverskerque on 25 May. 61st (2nd SM) Division completed its concentration on 28 May the whole division was in France, concentrated in IX Corps' area behind the front line. As part of their familiarisation, Lt-Col Metford and his officers visited No 10 Squadron, Royal Flying Corps and 39th Divisional Artillery to learn about up-to-date air observation and artillery techniques. On 12 June the brigade's three batteries moved into the firing line, forming part of 61st (2nd SM) DA's Right Group. On 19 June Lt-Col H.A. Koebel (a Regular officer) took over command of the brigade and Lt-Col Metford returned to England.^{[57][58][56][59]}

The bombardment for that summer's 'Big Push' (the Battle of the Somme) began on 24 June, and 61st (2nd SM) DA joined in, with CCCV Bde engaged in Counter-battery fire. The division's own first action was the Attack at Fromelles on 19 July 1916, a diversionary operation in support of the Somme Offensive. Artillery preparation began on 18 July but failed to suppress the enemy artillery. A dugout at B Battery's OP was destroyed by shellfire and the battery commander, Maj G.P. Lindrea, was killed. The infantry attack was a disaster, the assaulting battalions taking very heavy casualties. 61st (2nd SM) Division was so badly mauled that it was not used offensively again in 1916.^{[57][58][56][60]}

On 16/17 September CCCV (2/I SM) Brigade was broken up among the other artillery brigades of 61st (2nd SM) DA to bring them up to 6-gun batteries. Lieutenant-Col Koebel went to command CCXLVII Bde ^{[27][57][58][56]}

Anti-Aircraft conversion

During the 1930s the increasing need for anti-aircraft (AA) defence for Britain's cities was addressed by converting a number of existing TA units. The 66th (South Midland) Field Brigade was one of the units converted to the AA artillery role on 1 November 1938, becoming 76th (Gloucestershire) Anti-Aircraft Regiment, RA. 264 Battery at Reading was separated and expanded to form a new 80th (Berkshire) AA Rgt. The HQ and three remaining batteries (renumbered as 236, 237 and 238 (Bristol) AA Btys) were all based at the Artillery Grounds at Clifton. It formed part of 46th Anti-Aircraft Brigade in 5 AA Division, which provided the AA defence for Bristol, including Bristol Docks and the Bristol Aeroplane Company factory at Filton Aerodrome, a key target.^{[7][17][12][61][63][64][65][66]}

Mobilisation

The TA's AA units were mobilised on 23 September 1938 during the Munich Crisis, with units manning their emergency positions within 24 hours, even though many did not yet have their full complement of men or equipment. The emergency lasted three weeks, and they were stood down on 13 October.^[67] In February 1939 the existing AA defences came under the control of a new Anti-Aircraft Command. In June a partial mobilisation of TA units was begun in a process known as 'couverture', whereby each AA unit did a month's tour of duty in rotation to man selected AA and searchlight positions. On 24 August, ahead of the declaration of war, AA Command was fully mobilised at its war stations, with the eight 3-inch guns of 76th AA Rgt deployed as planned in and around the Bristol Gun Defence Area (GDA) – four of them out of action.^[68][69]

On 11 September 1939, all the available heavy AA (HAA) guns in 46 AA Bde (76th AA Rgt's eight guns) were concentrated to cover Avonmouth Docks. These guns were relocated to Filton Aerodrome in October. In the near-total absence of light AA (LAA) guns, detachments from other units armed with Light machine guns were deployed during October to cover Vulnerable Points (VPs) such as airfields and aircraft factories. 76th AA Regiment manned 16 Lewis guns at Parnall Aircraft, Yate, until they were relieved by 68th (Monmouthshire Regiment) Searchlight Rgt in November.^[69]

From 1 June 1940 those AA units armed with 3-inch or the more modern 3.7-inch guns were termed 'Heavy AA' (HAA) to distinguish them for the Light AA units then being formed.^{[7][17][63][70]}

Battle of Britain and Blitz

By 11 July 1940, at the start of the Battle of Britain, 5 AA Division had 36 HAA guns deployed at Bristol.^[71] Some of the greatest air battles of the Battle of Britain were fought on 15 August, from South Wales to the Yorkshire Coast, when 5 AA Division was hotly engaged, being credited with several 'kills'. Another peak day came on 24 August, when the Bristol gunners were in action again. From 6 September the Luftwaffe switched from bombing airfields to bombing cities, and there was a daylight raid on Bristol on 25 September 1940.^[72][73]

As AA Command expanded, the regiment formed a new 349 HAA Bty formed on 17 September, and 46 AA Bde transferred to a new 8 AA Division in November.^{[63][64][74][75][76]} Now the night attacks were stepped up against London and other cities, with Bristol receiving frequent raids, particularly heavy in March 1941 (the Bristol Blitz).^{[77][78][79][80]}

The regiment sent a cadre to 207th Training Regiment at Devizes to provide the basis for a new 425 HAA Bty; this was formed on 24 April 1941 and later joined 126th HAA Rgt. The regiment sent another cadre to 207th HAA Training Regiment to provide the basis for a new 480 (Mixed) HAA Bty, in which women of the Auxiliary Territorial Service were integrated. This battery was formed on 18 September 1941 but was converted to men-only on 15 October before being regimented with 76th HAA Rgt on 9 December.^[63] It replaced 238 HAA Bty, which left in October–November to join the field force under War Office control and later transferred to 83rd (Blythswood) AA Rgt.^[63][81] In the autumn of 1941 the regiment (with 236, 237 and 349 HAA Btys) joined a new 69 AA Bde in 8 AA Division.^[82]

Mobilising for overseas service

The regiment was now prepared for overseas service. This required a war establishment of three batteries, and 480 HAA Bty was reduced back to a cadre on 9 April 1942 to return to Devizes and form a new 480 (Mixed) Bty; this battery eventually joined 162nd HAA Rgt^[63] The rest of the regiment had left AA Command by May 1942.^[83] By September 1942 it had come under War Office Control, with its own Royal Corps of Signals Section and Royal Army Ordnance Corps Workshop Section.^[84] It was joined by a Royal Army Service Corps transport platoon in the autumn of 1942 and was now ready for overseas service as a mobile unit.^[85]

Tunisia

In October 1942 the advance parties of the regiment sailed for North Africa as part of Operation Torch, and began unloading their equipment in Algiers harbour soon after it was secured on 9 November. However, the HAA units had not been 'combat loaded' and it took some time to assemble the 3.7-inch guns, vehicles and equipment and deploy to engage the Luftwaffe air attacks that quickly developed against the port and nearby airfields. It was not until the end of the year that the regiment was at full strength, but by mid-January 1943 it had a battery in action at Algiers port, and troops at Maison Blanche and Blida airfields, all under 62 AA Bde. These were regularly attacked by German bombers flying from Sicily and Sardinia. On one occasion, 13 Allied aircraft were destroyed and many damaged during a night raid on Maison Blanche. As the campaign developed and First Army advanced eastwards, the regiment had full batteries deployed in 'Inner Artillery Zones' (IAZs) at Algiers, Bougie and Djidjelli by mid-March. In these positions the gunners found that the performance of their gun-laying (GL) radar sets was degraded by nearby hills and it was difficult to engage 'unseen' targets.^{[70][86][87][88]}

By late April, 62 AA Bde had been relieved round Algiers by US Army units, and was able to move up behind First Army. 76th HAA Regiment now joined 52 AA Bde, which consisted of a mobile AA force for the final push in Tunisia (Operation Vulcan). These units were ready to move into Tunis and Bizerta immediately behind the leading battle groups. Despite German counter-attacks, 'Vulcan' was launched on 6 May and in the afternoon of 7 May Allied troops entered the two cities and 52 AA Bde was called forward. In fact, enemy combat troops were still holding out, and at Bizerta the AA advance parties came under shellfire from outside the town. Once the last resistance had been flushed out, 76 HAA Rgt deployed in the Bizerta IAZ. Because of the port's vital importance for the assembly and despatch of forces for the Allied invasion of Sicily (Operation Husky) this became the largest British AA commitment in the theatre.^[89][90]

Sicily

The assault landings on Sicily began on 10 July 1943, Syracuse was entered that night, and 62 AA Bde HQ landed there on 17 July, bringing with it batteries from 76th HAA and other regiments, which were dispersed and deployed where required. The vital harbours at Syracuse and Augusta received constant raids from Luftwaffe bombers and fighters by day and night, with the AA gunners scoring several 'kills'. By D+28 (7 August), 76th HAA Rgt was deployed around Syracuse with 236 HAA Bty detached to Augusta.^{[70][91][92][93]}

Italy

Messina fell on 17 August, completing the capture of Sicily, and the Allies moved quickly to the invasion of the Italian mainland, beginning with Eighth Army crossing the Straits of Messina on 3 September (Operation Baytown). 62 AA Brigade HQ followed on 29 September, taking 76 HAA Rgt with it. Travelling by road, it crossed Italy and reached Bari on 2 October, it relieved the AA units there to follow the advance and took over defence of Bari harbour, Barletta and Manfredonia on the coast, and a complex of inland airfields. The ports were important for Eighth Army's supplies, and were targeted by the Luftwaffe. On the night of 2/3 December there was an Air raid on Bari covered by clouds of 'Window' (known as Düppel to the Luftwaffe). Not only were the Royal Air Force and Royal Artillery radar stations blinded, but communications broke down between the two services and defensive fire only began as the first bombs fell. The guns claimed three bombers shot down. The bombers had been aided by the port working under full lighting, and the damage to shipping and stores was increased by the explosion of an ammunition vessel.^{[70][94][95][96]}

Shortly after the Bari raid, 62 AA Bde HQ and 76 HAA Rgt were relieved and moved on up the eastern side of the Italian peninsula behind Eighth Army, crossing to join US Fifth Army in April 1944. Initially, it was involved in airfield defence, but after Fifth Army's capture of Rome in June 1944 it deployed to defend the bridges over the Tiber and the port of Piombino. Then when relieved it was able to follow close behind Fifth Army. Although the Luftwaffe's losses meant the air threat was lowered, HAA batteries of 62 AA Bde also employed their versatile long-range 3.7-inch guns in a medium artillery role against ground targets. This included counter-battery (CB), defensive fire (DF) and harassing fire (HF) shoots, but also air-burst shoots against entrenched positions, and destruction of hard targets such as buildings.^[97]

Once Fifth Army had crossed the Arno, it faced the Serchio and the defences of the Gothic Line. On 26 December the German forces put in a major counterattack, Unternehmen Wintergewitter (Operation Winter Storm), between Lucca and Pistoia aimed at retaking the port of Livorno (Leghorn). 62 AA Brigade was well to the front in the resulting Battle of Garfagnana, with LAA regiments acting as infantry and anti-tank gunners, while the HAA regiments acted as divisional medium artillery. 76th HAA Regiment answered 181 calls for fire with 4995 rounds fired. Having beaten off the attack, IV US Corps advanced into the mountains. There was little activity by the Luftwaffe, so the ample stocks of 3.7-inch AA ammunition were used for all kinds of engagements. By the end of February 1945, 62 AA had been reduced to just two regiments – of which 76th was one – with only one battery on AA tasks.^{[98][99][100]}

Fifteenth Army Group (British Eighth and US Fifth Armies) launched its final offensive (Operation Grapeshot) on 6 April 1945 and the Italian Campaign ended shortly afterwards. 76th (Gloucester) Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment and its three batteries were placed in suspended animation on 24 November 1945.^{[17][63][99][101]}