The roamings of the regiment: 2/2 Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment

The activities and operations of the 2/2 Australian Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment AIF from 17 March 1941 to 17 March 1942 and unknown period after. Titles: 2/2 Aust. Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment Australian Imperial Forces presents "The Roamings of the Regiment". Title cartoons by Jim Russell (Smith's Weekly) Gnr R. Hagg. Photography by the Regimental photographer. The Holy Land. Dawn on March 17th 1941 broke just as our first train jolted in El Majdal siding situated a few Kilos from what was to become our first camp away from Australia - Khassa. Soon we were to ramble through ancient cities and explore the mysteries of the Old World. Ancient Acre symbolic of coastal Palestine, showing mosque Aj Jazzar stately columns and wonderful mosaics. Moats and forts built by the Crusaders and later rebuilt by the Turks. Ancient Turkish cannon on the sea front. Ruined fortifications. Meandering through narrow streets and archways. Lake Tiberias 628ft below sea level and fresh water supply for neighbouring villages. All Palestinian signs are in three languages English, Arabic and Hebrew. Tiberias. Nazareth. Khassa camp occupied by the Regiment on 17th March 1941 our first "home away from home". "Donks Doing" Khassa Cup [donkey races]. 4th Battery. Our first action station Haifa "A" and "D" Sections of the 4th Battery moved to Haifa on 28th April 1941. This important British naval base on the eastern coast of the Mediterranean and termini of the 900 miles pipe line from the Irakian {sic} oil fields was a constant target for the bombs of the Nazi, Italian and Vichy planes many of which fell victims to the 4th Bty's accurate gun fire which also preserved intact every vulnerable point in the defended area. Couponless clothing. Field fitting room. "D" Section Command Post. "A" and "D" Sections, 4th Bty converted 3 inch naval guns. Men are doing daily maintenance. Keeping Katie [3 inch gun] Komely. At night "Katie" and "Lily" display their tempers and add to their "bags" [night action]. Austerity [beer]. 5th July 1941 "B" and "C' Sections 4th Baty occupy Kirial Motzkin near Haifa. Sand for revetments borrowed from the shores of the Mediterranean. Homes built while you wait. All the mod cons. Write home first. Get to it [men being ordered to work detail]. Thumbs up [men in completed tents]. 5th June 1941 5th Bty occupied its first operational stations defending the aerodromes of Lydda and Dqir bases from which the RAF and RAAF operated against Vichy French. The Wadi or Scorpion Valley. 16th July 1941 5th Bty moved to enter Syria. A welcome break en route Aussie beer at 1/1 a bottle at Acre military camp where armistice with the Vichy was signed. Overnight at the Palestine Syrian border. Border Control Post farewell to Palestine welcome to Lebanon. Modern agriculture at Tyre. The old changeth but not in the East. Shepherd and his sheep. Litani River Syria temporary bridge built by Australian Engineers replacing the one destroyed by the Vichy. Saida or Sidon ancient bibical city. Fort built by Crusaders its foundations lapped by the Mediterranean. Temporary bridge over Damour River scene of bitter fighting and Vichy's last stand. Detour through banana plantations. 17th July 1941 Bty enters Beruit and prepares for action. Beruit capital of Lebanon and Paris of the East. The market place. Rue Weygand and place de L'Etoile. Bay of St George legendary home of George and the Dragon. Bab Eddris. Modern "Samsons". Note head strap which enables amazing weights to be carried by these Arab "carrying companies". Rue Kantari with snow capped mountains in the background showing RHQ and AADC Headquarters. Lieut-Colonel E[dward].M[ichael] Neylan MC the I.O. Lieutenant Keith Anderson. Major G.R. Hamme appointed CO of the regiment. Orderly room and staff. Captain R.C. Hudson QM. Despatch urgent [motorcycle despatch rider]. "Boya" clean boots, George Bucksheesh on everyday scene outside the barracks. Quartier Foch Vichy barracks occupied by RHQ 6th Bty Signal and workshop sections. RAP Captain Ramsey [Ramsay] Warden tends to his patients. Human pincushion - inoculating Arab labourers against typhoid. Mail manna from heaven. Outgoing mail. 6th Bty 28 July "A" and "B" Sections prepare "soap factory" site Beruit. 6th Bty men with their captured Vichy vehicles. Mechanical mountain goat. Knotty problems. Workshop probe the secret of unfamiliar guns. [French 75mm A/A guns]. Sanded. Setting fuses. Major C.E. Long fires the first shot then lets the boys have a go. Laurels to the workshop for a successful shoot. Solid digging for the Command Post. Constructing gun pit. And here come the guns. "D" Section 6th Bty occupy the American University and have a trial shoot again with captured guns. "C' Section 6th Bty preparing their gun site. Building ammo racks and camouflaging. Allied Free French Marines fire their Bredas watched by General D. Laminat. 4th Bty. From Mt Carmel 4th Bty men view lovely Haifa a beautiful clean modern Jewish city. 60 mils please. Palestinian tea garden. Herschel Street the Bond Street of Palestine. 23 September 1941 now equipped with modern, mobile British 3.7 inch guns and instruments 4th Bty occupy Tripoli. En route to Tripoli from Haifa and Motzkin glimpses of coast road from gun carriage. Coastal cliffs and 600yds tunnel at Cheetah. The Scammel with its forward gears will pull. Entering Tripoli Mediterraen architecture and heart of the old city. "A" and "B" Sections 4th Bty prepare gun site in an old cemetery. The Arabs worked for wood precious as platinum. Canvas town. "No Kilfty George" [thieving]. Matador tractors haul guns to site and the Battery boys will pull them into position, anchor down ready for action. Removing grime of travel and checking equipment. Running cables from instruments to guns. BHQ in olive groves "Imshee! Yalla" Higory shouts the cook as he chases the "wogs" away from the "mungaree". The fighting fifth farewells French friends turns its back on the beautiful blue of the Mediterranean and sets sail for the sun, sins, sand and sights of smelly Suez. the Bty moves from Caserne Joffre for Suez a 520 mile trip. Major R.M. Ford hurries them on. Convoy passes ancient water wheel on coast road. Ribbon of road over Siani desert from Beersheba to Ismalia. Port Tewfik where troops disembark or embark by barges and scows. The Causeway Tewfik to Suez with Sikh Labour Corps and panorama of Suez all but the smell. "Spencer Street" Suez with "Spirit of Progress" and city streets. Breaking bulk rations for distribution to sites. BHQ pay parade. Chaplain H. Shepard conducts church parade for BHQ and "B" Section. Church parade "A" section buildings erected by Bty men from salvage timbers. Guard on duty during service. Site mascots and recreation "A" Section. Mrs Chang and family [mascots]. Esmerelda. "C" and "D" Sec 5th Bty "Take Post" on red warning light (note barrage balloons in the background). All clear. Desert Rat enters the site. Desert manoeuvres "C" Sec. "Spider Web" helps the men keep fit [boxing]. Tracey gets his hair off again. Pluto [mascot] gets Cario leave. Blue mosque, Cario. Street scene Cairo old and the new. Mohammed Ali Mosque from the windows of the sultan Hasan mosque the alabaster for which was allegedly scrounged from the Pyramids. 5th Bty was not there then. Egypt of the Pharaohs. Christmas 1941. Welfare Association funds provide wonderful fare for all ranks and sections and all sites. RHQ Christmas dinner, sergeants act as "slushies". Signal section dine in state at Dimtries Cafe Beruit. Sigs No. 1 ear basher. 6th Bty "D" Section entertained by Dr and Mrs Olvier at the American University. Farewell diner to Col E.M. Neylan MC on his leaving the Regt. New Years Eve 1941 hungry and happy. New Years Day 1942. 6th Bty "A" and "B" Sections enjoy their dinner again through Welfare Association help. Tearing a Turkish turkey. Out in the cold snow. First snow fall in Beirut for 20 years 4 January 1942 and do the boys enjoy it! "C" Section of 6th Bty snowball some officers. Lebanon mountains hamlets under their mantels of snow. The road to Zouak and Bikfaya. Mountain Arab with wife and family. Aley the Macedon of Syria. Old and young enjoy a snow fight. Headquarters 1st Aust. Corps. The relief of Bhamdoun higher up the mountains. Snow sweepers. Headquarters 1st Aust AA Bde. Highest peak in this section of the Lebanons. "Ma Salaama". So long Syria on 27 January 1942 the regiment left Syria for Palestine en route ??? and staged near the typical Arab village of Beit Jirja. Grow more wheat the Arab farmer of 1942. Arab and his greatest treasure. Communal well with goatskin bucket drawn by camel. Rebbecca goes to the well. Arab school. Mukhtar school teacher and counsellors. "St Kilda Road" Beit Jirja with sun baked mud walls and thatched roofs. El Kantara. Enroute to Suez Gulli Gulli man mystifies the troops and you. Watch them there chickens. 17th February 1942 en route transit camp Suez to Port Tewfik. On the barges. On board for ???. 4th Bty man the heavy ack ack guns. 6th Bty man the lighter ack ack guns. Lazy days. Gas and boat drill just in case. Still fit health and happy. 28th February 1942 Colombo. Viceroy gardens and Street scene. Colombo harbour. 11th March 1942 we arrive back home at Freemantle. 17th March 1942 unloading equipment at Port Adelaide. Awaiting disembarkation. Disembarking. A ta-ta for the sisters. Our welcome home as we journey into Adelaide. Hot dogs at Adelaide cricket ground. North Terrace Adelaide on the way to billets. Hostesses and men with scenes in homes Tranmere and Magill. Second Regiment complete with personnel and equipment safely back in Australia. [End] See also F03605 and F08486.