114TH LIGHT ANTI-AIRCRAFT ARTILLERY REGIMENT
IN AUSTRALIA DURING WW2

The 114 Light Anti Aircraft Artillery Regiment comprised:-

• Regimental Headquarters

• Signals Section

• Workshop Section

• 165 Battery (18 only 40mm Bofors guns)

• 166 Battery (18 only 40mm Bofors guns)

• 167 Battery (18 only 40mm Bofors guns)

Regimental Headquarters comprised the Commanding Officer, usually a Lieutenant Colonel; Adjutant, Usually a Captain; Quartermaster, usually a Captain; Regimental Medical Officer, usually a Captain; a Postal Section and their various staff.

Each Battery was commanded by a Major and comprised three Troops. The Battery Commander was supported by a Battery Captain. Each Battery typically comprised approximately 250 Officers and Ordinary Ranks. 165 Battery of the 114th LAA comprised:-

• 605 Troop (6 only 40mm Bofors guns)

• 606 Troop (6 only 40mm Bofors guns)

• 607 Troop (6 only 40mm Bofors guns)

Each Troop was commanded by a Lieutenant and comprised approximately 80 Officers and Ordinary Ranks for Troop Headquarters and six Gun Detachments or Guns.

Each Gun Detachment was commanded by a Sergeant and comprised:-

• Gun Sergeant

• Bombardier (2 I/C)

• 10 gunners

The Signals Section was typically commanded by a Lieutenant and had an establishment of 1 Officer and 39 Ordinary Ranks. The Signals Section included 5 Wireless Telegraphy Detachments, 1 Operating Subsection and 1 Cable Subsection. Linesmen were attached to each Battery.

Workshop Section was under the command of a Captain and had an establishment of approximately 40 men.

Cooks, dispatch riders, drivers and other key support roles were distributed throughout the Regiment as required.

In October 1942, the 46th Battalion moved back to the Brisbane area from Tinana and camped at Camp Chermside where it was disbanded.  Some ex members of the 46th Battalion were allocated to the 114th Light Anti-aircraft Regiment and commenced training with the unit in November 1942 in Camp Chermside (now Marchant Park) using 40mm Bofors Anti Aircraft Guns.

Photo supplied by Graham Roberts

A 40 mm Bofor's anti-aircraft gun on The Strand in Townsville.

After some initial training the gun crews were eventually allowed to use live ammunition. Early one morning Gun Sergeant Ken Ross heard two live rounds go off. He subsequent learnt that this was from Gun Sergeant Phil Carne's gun crew. They were always instructed to have their guns at high elevation level which meant that the high explosive round would detonate at 10,500 feet above the suburb of Kedron, thus causing no problem.

40mm Bofors at RAAF Townsville Museum

In June/July 1943, 605 Troop (6 guns) of the 165 Battery, 114 LAA Regiment took up defence positions along the Brisbane River as follows:-

In June 2000, Ken Ross indicated that Gun Crew member Eric Fettes remembered a farewell organised by the Red Cross at Fairy Meadows Hall after the gun site at Bulimba was vacated.

In September/October 1943, 605 Troop departed from its Brisbane River locations and moved by barges to Milne Bay and later to Lae in Papua New Guinea. Gun Sergeant Ken Ross was at Artillery School at Randwick in New South Wales from 6 August 1943 until 2 October 1943 when this move took place.

After his training, Gun Sergeant Ken Ross moved to Townsville where he took up a gun position on the breakwater near the Townsville Harbour as part of 607 Troop of 165 Battery. His bombardier was George McKenzie. 

REFERENCE

2nd/3rd Australian Light Anti-aircraft Regiment Association

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I'd like to thank Russell Miller and Ken Ross for their assistance with this home page. Ken joined the 46th Battalion in August 1941 and went on to transfer to the 114 Light Anti Aircraft Regiment in about October 1942. 

I'd also like to thank David McDonald for his assistance with this web page.

Can anyone help me with more information?

"Australia @ War" WWII Research Products

This page first produced 12 June 2005

This page last updated 23 January 2020