2/4 Aust Light Anti-aircraft Regiment

The 2/4th Australian Light Anti-aircraft Regiment was formed at Biet Jirja in Palestine in January 1942 attached to the 9th Infantry Division. It comprised:-

They were formed from cadres of the 2/1 LAA Regiment, 2/2 HAA Regiment and 2/3rd LAA Regiment respectively and they also absorbed the 26th Anti-tank Company. They trained at AA sites in Beirut, Acre and Haifa prior to taking on their operational role at Mughazi in April 1942 and then at Gaza in May 1942.

The 9th Infantry Division moved to Egypt in July 1942 and the batteries were attached as follows during the confused fight against the Germans in July/August 1942:-

The Batteries moved to El Bureij, Palestine, in December 1942. They left Palestine in January 1943 by ship and arrived in Sydney, Australia in February 1943. After taking a well earned period of leave the 2/12th LAA Battery reassembled at Richmond in New South Wales and the other Batteries reassembled at Kairi on the Atherton Tableland in north Queensland in April 1943. The 2/12th LAA Battery acted as the Depot Battery for the School of Artillery (AA).

At this time the 2/4th LAA Regiment was designated as corps troops with batteries assigned as follows:-

The 2/11th LAA Battery moved with the 7th Infantry Division to Port Moresby in July 1943. The 2/10th and 2/12th Batteries were then assigned to the 9th Infantry Division for their planned amphibious landing to capture Lae. The 2/3rd LAA Battery then joined the 2/4th LAA Regiment at Kairi in July 1943. They all moved to Milne Bay in August 1943.

Men of the 2/10th LAA Battery beside the barrel of a 40mm Bofors gun
at Cairns on 4 July 1943. Left to right:- VX18124 Lt. Charles Parker
Laidley Mort, NX40112 Gnr. Leslie Bryce Eyles, NX33901 Gnr. Aubrey
Filton Claydon, NX24371 Gnr. Jeffrey Michael English, NX36873
Gnr. Harry William Blanks, NX37966 Gnr. Matthew Mitchell Bowden,
NX39780 Lance Bombardier Ian Alexander Norman McLennan
and NX18755 Sgt. George Burton Gibbs

The 2/12th landed at Red Beach and the 2/10th at Yellow Beach and they moved forward to the Burep River to protect the artillery and supply lines as the 9th Infantry Division approached Lae. The 2/3rd LAA Battery's role was to protect the landing beaches.

After the capture of Lae, the 2/3rd LAA Battery stayed at Lae while the 2/4th LAA Regiment accompanied the 20th Infantry Brigade Group with its landing at Scarlet Beach in late September 1943. Whilst the 2/4th LAA Regiment was covering the base at Finschhafen, the 2/3rd LAA Battery rejoined the Regiment.

In December 1943 the 2/3rd LAA Battery supported the 4th Infantry Brigade Group as they advanced along the Rai Coast towards Sio. At that time the 2/4th LAA Regiment came under the command of CRA 5 Infantry Division.

When the 2/1st Composite Anti-aircraft Regiment arrived in December 1943 to defend Finschhafen, the batteries and troops of the 2/4th LAA Regiment were scattered around the general area in a support role. They were stood down and regrouped in February 1944 before departing for the 17th Australian Personnel Staging Camp at Kalinga in Brisbane in May 1944 from which they left on some well-earned leave.

WX15685 Gnr Anthony Tilby "Tony" King,
WX14660 Bdr Thomas Stewart "Tom" Larsen
& WX15589 Bdr Ronald Eugene "Ron" Mainard
of the 2/11th LAA Battery loading & unloading a
40mm Bofors at Unity Beach, code name for
Palm Beach near Cairns on 13 Nov 44

Gunner Henry Michael Whelan QX11914
of the 2/11th LAA Battery, 2/4th LAA Regiment.
Caption on the back of this photo states:-
"It is mangaree time and I have arrived
at one of the sights with their tea"

The 2/4th LAA Regiment returned from leave and assembled at Mapee on the Atherton Tablelands in July 1944 where the 2/11th LAA Battery rejoined the Regiment before transferring to corps troops and moving to join the rest of the troops at Wongabel in August 1944. They came under the command of CRA 11th Infantry Division in April 1945. They relocated to Kairi in June 1945 where the stayed until the end of the war.

I'd like to thank Les Whelan, son of Gunner Henry Michael Whelan QX11914 of the 2/11th LAA Battery for his assistance with this web page.

"The Unit Guide - The Australian Army 1939- 1945, Volume 3 of 6, page 3.225
by Graham McKenzie-Smith AM

"From Alamein to Scarlet Beach - The History of 2/4 Light Anti-aircraft Regiment Second AIF" by Francis West (Deakin University Press)

I need your help

Copyright

Disclaimer

Please e-mail me
any information or photographs

"Australia @ War"
8GB USB Memory Stick