29th (Kent) Searchlight Regiment, Royal Artillery

The 29th (Kent) Searchlight Regiment, Royal Artillery, was a volunteer air defence unit of Britain's Territorial Army (TA) that existed from 1935 until 1955. It originated in a group of Independent Air Defence Companies of the Royal Engineers formed in the Home counties around London during 1924, with a headquarters established in January 1925 at Chatham, Kent. In October 1935 the Kent Group was reorganised as the 29th Anti-Aircraft Battalion, Royal Engineers (TA), and it was subordinated to the newly formed 28th (Thames & Medway) Anti-Aircraft Group. The unit was fully mobilised shortly before the outbreak of World War II and served during The Blitz, defending South West England, Orkney and Shetland before becoming garrison troops in North West Europe. From May 1940 the battalion began to be equipped with the then very advanced searchlight control radar. After the German conquest of France, the battalion was additionally tasked with attacking any paratroopers landing within its area. In August 1940, in common with other RE searchlight battalions, it was transferred to the Royal Artillery, becoming the 29th (Kent) Searchlight Regiment RA (TA), and its companies were redesignated as batteries. From 1943 personnel were being released from the unit to serve elsewhere in the army, and in August one of the regiment's four batteries was detached. In January 1945 the whole of the 29th Searchlight Regiment was converted into infantry and redesignated the 631st (Kent) Infantry Regiment RA, serving in North West Europe from April 1945. In January 1947 the regiment was reconstituted as 564 Searchlight Regiment, RA (Kent), and successor units still occupy the old regiment's bases. The regiment's lineage reflects the broader expansion of British anti-aircraft defences in the interwar and wartime periods, when searchlight battalions of the Royal Engineers and later the Royal Artillery formed a key part of Anti-Aircraft Command. Its personnel manned searchlight sites across Kent and beyond, operating increasingly sophisticated radar-directed equipment as the war progressed. The unit's history is preserved through its successor units and through the recorded lineage of the Territorial Army's air defence formations.

The 29th (Kent) Searchlight Regiment had its origins in a group of Independent Air Defence Companies of the Royal Engineers formed in the Home counties by the Territorial Army during 1924. The headquarters (HQ) was formed in January 1925 at Marine School, Chatham, as part of the Kent & Middlesex Group Anti-Aircraft Searchlight Companies, which included 313 (Kent) AA Company at Chatham, 314 (Kent) AA Company at Southborough (later Tonbridge), and 317 (Middlesex) AA Company at Hendon. The Commanding Officer of the Kent & Middlesex Group (and later the 29th (Kent) Battalion) from 1 November 1929 was Colonel R.C. Milliken. In October 1935, the Kent Group became 29th Anti-Aircraft Battalion, Royal Engineers (TA), while 317 Company was separated to form the 36th (Middlesex) Anti-Aircraft Battalion, Royal Engineers (TA). Two further companies were added to the 29th Bn: 322nd AA Company at Horns Cross, Greenhithe, and 347th (Kent) AA Company at Sidcup. In December 1935, the battalion was subordinated to the newly formed 28th (Thames & Medway) Anti-Aircraft Group (later termed a brigade), also based at Chatham, and forming part of 1st Anti-Aircraft Division. It transferred to 27 (Home Counties) AA Gp in 1 AA Division the following year. In the years before World War II, British anti-aircraft defences continued to expand, with new regiments and formations, the whole coming under Anti-Aircraft Command. In April 1939, the 322nd and 347th Companies were transferred to help form the new 73rd (Kent Fortress) Bn RE, and were replaced by a newly raised 468th Company at Dover. On the eve of World War II, the battalion's organisation was: Battalion HQ at Watling Street, Gillingham; CO Lt-Col C.A. Grover (appointed 1 November 1937); 313 (Kent) AA Company at Watling Street, Gillingham; 314 (Kent) AA Company at Avebury Avenue, Tonbridge; and 468 AA Company at Archcliffe Fort, Dover. The 1st/313th (Kent) AA Cadet Company, RE, was affiliated to 313 (Kent) AA Company. 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. In June 1939, as the international situation worsened, a partial mobilisation of the TA 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 gun and searchlight positions. On 24 August, ahead of the declaration of war, AA Command was fully mobilised at its war stations. The 29th AA Battalion's company HQs were distributed as follows: 313 at Gillingham with mobilisation stores at Sheerness and Wainscott; 314 at Cricketer's Arms, Molash, with mobilisation store at Sittingbourne; and 468 at Red Lion, Wingham, with mobilisation store at Lydden. Lieutenant-Colonel Grover relinquished command on 8 March 1940 and was replaced by Lieutenant-Colonel S.J. Marks, who was promoted from commanding a battery in 28th (Essex) AA Bn. By the outbreak of war, 29th AA Battalion had come under the command of 29th (East Anglian) AA Bde in 6th AA Division. In the spring of 1940, 6 AA Division reorganised its growing AA defences. As a result, 29th AA Bn and its S/L sites in Kent were transferred from 29 AA Bde to 27 (Home Counties) AA Bde. In May, the first, very secret, searchlight control radar sets (SLC) began to appear, with one being stationed at a site of 468 S/L Bty operating behind Dover so that the light could pick up aircraft coming in over the Kent coast. Also, in early May, 342 AA Coy from 35th (1st Surrey Rifles) AA Bn came under the operational control of 29th AA Bn to thicken up the searchlight distribution between Dover and RAF Hornchurch. The Phoney War ended with the German invasion of France and the Low Countries on 10 May 1940. Home Forces became concerned about the threat from German paratroopers and AA Command's units were given anti-invasion roles. A plan to attach groups of riflemen from the infantry training centres to 6 AA Division's widely spaced S/L sites foundered on the lack of men. Instead, the S/L detachments themselves were given the responsibility for attacking parachutists before they could organise, and spare men at company HQs were formed into mobile columns using requisitioned civilian transport to hunt them down. 29th AA Battalion drew extra rifles and ammunition from Wainscott Ordnance Store. In common with other RE searchlight battalions, the unit was transferred to the Royal Artillery in August 1940, becoming 29th (Kent) Searchlight Regiment RA (TA), and the companies were termed batteries. During the summer of 1940, 27 AA Bde HQ moved to 5 AA Division. The regiment served during The Blitz, defending South West England, Orkney and Shetland before becoming garrison troops in North West Europe. From 1943, personnel were being released from the unit to serve in other parts of the army; in August, one of the regiment's four batteries was detached. The whole of 29th Searchlight Regiment was converted into infantry and redesignated 631st (Kent) Infantry Regiment RA in January 1945, serving in North West Europe from April 1945. In January 1947, the regiment was reconstituted as 564 Searchlight Regiment, RA (Kent) and successor units still occupy the old regiment's bases.

• 1955

  Unit disbanded (end of existence as 29th (Kent) Searchlight Regiment).

• 1947

  In January, reconstituted as 564 Searchlight Regiment, RA (Kent).

• 1945

  In January, converted into infantry and redesignated 631st (Kent) Infantry Regiment RA; served in North West Europe from April.

• 1943

  Personnel released to other parts of the army; in August, one of the regiment's four batteries detached.

• 1940

  Lt-Col Grover relinquished command on 8 March, replaced by Lt-Col S.J. Marks. In May, first searchlight control radar (SLC) sets appeared. In August, unit transferred to Royal Artillery as 29th (Kent) Searchlight Regiment RA (TA).

• 1939

  In April, 322nd and 347th Companies transferred to help form 73rd (Kent Fortress) Bn RE, replaced by 468th Company at Dover. In June, partial mobilisation ('couverture') began. On 24 August, AA Command fully mobilised.

• 1938

  TA's AA units mobilised on 23 September during the Munich Crisis; stood down on 13 October.

• 1937

  Lt-Col C.A. Grover appointed Commanding Officer on 1 November.

• 1936

  Transferred to 27 (Home Counties) AA Gp in 1 AA Division.

• 1935

  In October, the Kent Group became 29th Anti-Aircraft Battalion, Royal Engineers (TA); 317 Company separated to form 36th (Middlesex) AA Bn; 322nd and 347th Companies added. In December, subordinated to 28th (Thames & Medway) AA Group.

• 1929

  Colonel R.C. Milliken appointed Commanding Officer of the Kent & Middlesex Group (and later the 29th (Kent) Battalion) on 1 November.

• 1925

  Headquarters formed in January at Marine School, Chatham, as part of the Kent & Middlesex Group Anti-Aircraft Searchlight Companies.

• 1924

  Independent Air Defence Companies of the Royal Engineers formed in the Home counties by the Territorial Army.

Volunteer Territorial Army air defence unit providing searchlight coverage for Kent and later other regions of the United Kingdom.

• Searchlight air defence

  Manned searchlight sites to illuminate enemy aircraft for anti-aircraft guns and night fighters.

• Searchlight control radar (SLC)

  Advanced radar sets introduced from May 1940 to direct searchlights onto incoming aircraft.

• Anti-paratrooper defence

  From 1940, searchlight detachments were tasked with attacking German paratroopers landing in their area.

1. 129th (Kent) Searchlight Regiment, Royal Artillery - Wikipediaen.wikipedia.org
2. 229th (Kent) Searchlight Regiment, Royal Artillery - Wikidatawikidata.org