Royal Australian Artillery Association NSW

Reunion/AGM:

The next reunion/AGM is scheduled for Friday 22 Oct 2010

at Club City (formerly NSW RSL Club)

in George St City at 1200 hrs.

Click here to view the 9HAA/LAA Regts Assn News Archive.

Contacts:

Former Members wishing to join should contact either:

9HAA/LAA Association President - Phil Easton - phone (02) 4237 6087;

email - pjeaston@optusnet.com.au

9HAA/LAA Association Secretary/Treasurer - Peter Mogg - phone (02) 9605 2537;

email - pmogg@bigpond.net.au

Download a membership application form

Members of 9 HAA/LAA Regiments Association at the Gunner Dinner 2006

Regimental History

BACKGROUND TO THE REGIMENTS

The aim of air defence in the field was to prevent interference by enemy air action with the conduct of operations on the ground. The air defence problem was to find a point in the sky at which an aircraft and a projectile coincided.

1st Heavy Anti Aircraft (HAA) Regiment, an antecedent of 9 HAA, was formed on 1 Jul 1948 at Haberfield as part of the post WW2 Army Reorganisation that saw the establishment of the Citizens’ Military Forces (CMF). The Regiment formed part of First Army Group Royal Artillery (Anti Aircraft) (1 AGRA) that consisted of a number of heavy and light anti-aircraft regiments and ancillary units. The first CO of 1st HAA was Lt Col Pat Kelso (1948 – 1951) who was later appointed Brigadier Commanding 1 AGRA (AA) (1952 – 1956).

To cope with additional soldiers created through the newly introduced National Service Training Scheme that required 3 months of full time training followed by a number of years in the CMF, 23 HAA Regt was formed in 1952 at North Head. The first CO was Lt Col Dudley Vose (Jan 1953 to Jun 1956).

23 HAA Regt transferred to the new Dee Why Depot in 1955 and was renamed 16 HAA Regt. The Depot was formally opened on 19 Feb 56 by Lieutenant General Sir Eric Woodward, GOC Eastern Command.

9 HAA REGT RAA

1st HAA Regt was renamed 9 HAA Regt in January, 1955. The establishment at that time provided for a Regimental Headquarters (RHQ), 3 gun batteries and attached units - a HAA Signals Troop and a HAA Workshop (RAEME). Each gun battery consisted of 2 Troops, each armed with 4 x 3.7 inch guns, and electronic aircraft tracking equipment - Tactical Control Radar (TC Mk IV), Fire Control Radar (FC 3 Mk VII) and a Predictor No 10. 9 HAA Regiment was located at Haberfield. The Commanding Officer at that time was Lt Col C G Thomas (1954 - 1955). Lt Col Thomas was subsequently posted to command 1 AGRA (AA) in 1956.

9 HAA Regt at Haberfield and 16 HAA Regt at Dee Why were amalgamated in 1960 as part of the Army’s Pentropic Division reorganisation. RHQ, P Bty and the LAD were located at Haberfield and Q Bty was located at Dee Why. R Bty became a recruit trng Bty with E Tp at Haberfield and F Tp at Dee Why. However, in 1962, the 3.7 inch guns were declared obsolete and the unit was redesignated 9 Light Anti Aircraft (LAA) Regiment and re-armed with 40mm AA No 12 Bofors guns.

9 LAA REGT RAA

The 1st CO of 9 LAA Regt was Lt Col Colin Reilly who was responsible for reorganising and retraining the Regiment. He was followed by Lt Col Russ Nelson (! Jan 1963 - 27 June 1966). The Regiment occupied the same depots as before.

The establishment of a LAA Bty provided for 6 x officers and 132 x ORs comprising a Battery Command Post (BCP), Battery Headquarters (BHQ), area, 5 x OP Parties and 2 sections each of 6 x 40mm guns.

Following a further Army review of establishments, 9 LAA Regt was consolidated at the Dee Why Depot in 1972 with only one gun Bty (BC Capt Phil Easton). The CO was Lt Col Mick Fairless (1972 – 1973).

Then, on 1 Nov 73, all Army Reserve artillery personnel at the Dee Why Depot were transferred to 5 Fd Battery, 7 Fd Regt RAA. The remains of 9 LAA Regt including RAA Cadre Staff and the RAEME workshop were transferred to Ingleburn where assets were disposed of and the unit was finally removed from the Order of Battle in 1974.