Regimental History

36th Heavy Air Defence Regiment |

Regimental History

History of 36th Regiment

Royal Artillery

1908	First formed as 4th North Midland Brigade RFA Territorial Force at Derby, and as such served with 46 North Midland Division on the Western Front 1915 - 1918. The Brigade was broken up in August 1916 and redesignated.
1920	Became 62 (North Midland) Brigade RFA TA, at Derby.
1937	Became 68 (North Midland) AA Brigade, at Derby.
1940	Became 68 HAA Regiment RA, moved to Egypt in August 1941. 8th Army, fought alongside Polish Forces, lost at Tobruk June 1942.	Reformed in Eygpt June 1943 and moved to Malta in January 1945.
1.1.1947	Redesignated 36th Coast / HAA Regiment in Malta.
April 1947	Retitled 36th Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment	Comprising of 56, 60 and 168 Batteries
1.10.1948	36th Heavy Anti - Aircraft Regiment in Malta.
29.11.1956	Regiment moves to Shoeburyness
1.4.1959	Retitled 36th Guided Weapon Regiment (Anti-Aircraft) Re-equipped with Thunderbird 1 Missiles	168 Battery placed into Suspended Animation
Sept 1961	Regiment moves to BAOR Regiment arrives at RAF Sundern in Gutersloh, later renamed Mansergh Barracks.	CO Lt Col Walkling
Nov/Dec 1961	Regiment moves to Glamorgan Barracks	Duisburg
18.3.1964	Retitled 36th Heavy Air Defence Regiment	Duisburg
1966	Re-equipped with Thunderbird 2 Missiles	Duisburg
1966	Regiment moves to Napier Barracks	Dortmund
1.4.1968	Amalgamated with 37th Heavy Air Defence Regiment at Shoeburyness, became 36th Heavy Air Defence Regiment. 56 Battery to 50 Missile Regt, 60 Battery placed into Suspended Animation.	CO Lt Col J A Gallie until Feb 1969. New CO Lt Col A J A Brett.
July 1971	Regiment moves back to BAOR,	Napier Barracks, Dortmund.
May 1977	'Syrena Day' - Disbandment Parade	Napier Barracks, Dortmund.
1.9.1977	Ceased Operational Role 10 Battery to 45 Regt, 111 Battery to 2nd Field Regt.	CO Lt Col Peter Painter
31.12.1977	Placed into Suspended Animation

Commanding Officers and R.S.M.'s

If you have any information regarding dates of Service for Commanding Officers and RSM's

of 36 Regiment, then please E-Mail me with the details.

Commanding Officers

1952 - ?	Lt Col GFA Barff MC RA
1959 - 1961	Lt Col Eiloart RA
1961 - 1963	Lt Col Walking RA
1963 - ?	Lt Col Purvis MBE RA
1968 - 1969	Lt Col JA Gallie RA
1969	Lt Col AJA Brett RA
?	Lt Col Leiwenden RA
1972 - 1973	Lt Col Groom RA
1975	Lt Col Monk RA
1977	Lt Col P Painter RA

R S M's

1959 - 1962/63	WO1 Woodsford
1962/63 - ?	WO1 Newall
1963 - ?	WO1 Parmenter MBE
1968 - 1973	WO1 Lewis
1975 - ?	WO1 McDonald

Thanks to Jack Luxon for help with some of these details.

36th Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment was Stationed at Tigne Point, Silema, Malta from 1945

until 1956. The Batteries in operation with the Regiment in Malta were168 Battery,

56 (Olpherts's) Battery A and B Troops, and 60 Battery C and D Troops.

The Regiment had 3.7 Guns as its equipment.

36 HAA Regiments, 3.7 Heavy Anti-Aircraft Guns on Malta

36 Regiment wore a red flash behind the cap badge while stationed on Malta. The reason was that

in 1951 73 HAA Regiment were also stationed on the island at St George's Barracks. The only way

to identify members of either Regiment was for one to wear the red flash.

On the 29th November 1956, 36th Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment arrived at Shoeburyness from

Malta. In 1959 the Regiment was again retitled, this time as 36th Guided Weapon Regiment

(Anti-Aircraft) when it gave up its guns and was re-equiped with Thunderbird 1 Missiles.

168 Battery was put into Suspended Animation on the 1st April 1959, and disbanded on

the 1st January 1962.

When the Berlin Wall was being constructed there was only one Air Defence unit in BAOR,

that was 12 LAA Regt stationed at Delmenhorst. It was announced that a 'CRACK' Regiment

was to be sent to reinforce the Rhine Army, that was 36 Guided Weapons Regt RA, along with

22 LAA Regt and 16 LAA Regt. Embarkation leave started and the Regiment started its move to

BAOR in September 1961. The Regiment eventually arrived at RAF Sundern in Gutersloh which

was renamed Mansergh Barracks.

Press Release dated 12th September 1961

Shoeburyness: Guided Weapon Regiment Inspected

before being Shipped to Germany

The Director of the Royal Artillery, Major General Bates visited the

36th Guided Weapons Regiment at their Barracks in Shoeburyness,

Sept 12. The Regiment will be posted to West Germany in the next few

weeks to support the British Army of the Rhine.

Armed with the British Thunderbird Anti-Aircraft Missile, the Regiment

will reinforce the two British Guided Missile Regiments already in Germany.

The Thunderbird has a range of over twenty-five miles. It is the most mobile

guided weapon in the British Army. A later version of the Thunderbird

with a greater range and better mobility is now being developed.

Defence experts say the Regiment will help to compensate for the

British loss of manpower in Germany, caused through National

Servicemen being demobbed.

Due to the Berlin Crisis 6,000 West German conscripts who were

ready to be demobbed will have to serve another three months.

Several thousand others have been warned that they may have

an extended period of duty.

And this Press Release was Dated 26th September 1961

Thunderbird Missiles leave for UK

Base in West Germany

The first reinforcements from Britain to go to West Germany

because of the Berlin crisis left Britain Sept 26. Among them

were Thunderbird Missiles of a Guided Weapons Regiment, which

were loaded onto the Cross - Channel ferry at Dover, Kent, at dawn.

The all British Thunderbird - an Anti-Aircraft Missile, is designed

to increase the protection of british bases against attack. The

whole Guided Weapons Regiment, with lorries and equipment,

will go to Germany in five groups, each travelling separately

during the week.

Each group will rest a night in Belgium, and one in Germany

before reaching their destination near Bielefeld: The first

Thunderbird Regiment to go into the field.

The Regiment moved to Glamorgan Barracks Duisburg in Nov / Dec 1961.

While in the British Army of the Rhine the Regiment was retitled 36th Heavy Air Defence Regiment

and equipped with the Thunderbird 2 Missile. The Regiment remained in Duisburg until 1966 and then

moved to Napier Barracks in Dortmund. The Regiment remained there until the Labour Government

reduced the Rhine Army, and in 1968 the Regiment returned to Shoeburyness.

37th Heavy Air Defence Regiment moved from Pembroke Dock, and was stationed at Horseshoe Barracks

from 1967 until April 1968. 36th Heavy Air Defence Regiment returned from the British Army of the

Rhine and amalgamated with 37 Regiment at Shoeburyness on the 1st April 1968.

56 (Olpherts's) Battery moved on to 50 Missile Regiment and is still in operation with

39 Regiment RA as the Headquarters Battery, but 60 Battery was put into Suspended Animation.

The new unit retained the title of 36th Heavy Air Defence Regiment. While the new Regiment was

numbered 36, the two Batteries from 37 retained their numbers with the personnel from that Regiment

generally forming 10 (Assaye) Bty, and those from 36 Regiment in 111 (Dragon) Bty.

1st April 1968, Amalgamation Parade on the Cricket Field, Shoeburyness

The Salute was taken by Lt Col John Gallie, Commanding Officer.

More pictures of the Parade in the Photo Gallery.

In July 1971 the Regiment returned to the British Army of the Rhine leaving a small Recruiting

detachment in Southend on Sea. Between the 17th - 23rd May 1972 the Regiment took part in a

KAPE tour to Essex, and visited Southend on Sea on the 23rd. Two Launchers and Equipment

were on display on the site of the old Municpal College, Victoria Circus.

Please click here to find out about

the History of BAOR.

The following Pictures and Articles appeared in the June 30th and

July 1st 1971 Edtions of the Southend Evening Echo Newspaper

History in the making as Army says farewell to Shoebury

Missile Men go out with a Bang

Farewell Parade

Farewell Parade 2

RA Band March Off

A Soldier's Farewell

Leaving for Northern Ireland

Artist at Work

SYRENA DAY PARADE - END OF A ERA

26th May 1977

Disbandment Parade

Thanks to Robin Firman for this photo

Shortly after the Regiments successful tour in Northern Ireland. 36 Heavy Air Defence Regiment

Royal Artillery held it's Disbandment Parade. Although the Regiment did not cease it's operational

role until September, the 26th May was the last occasion when all the Batteries and other

sub-units would be together in Dortmund.

Not only did the parade mark the end of service for the Thunderbird II SAGW System but also marked

the end of the last Heavy Air Defence Regiment in the British Army. The day was aptly named

'Syrena Day', since Syrena is the Regimental Emblem, cherished after it was awarded to the Batteries

of the Regiment for their gallant support by the Commander of the Polish Forces fighting in Italy during

World War II. The Guest of Honour at the Syrena Day Parade was Gen. P.T. Tower, C.B., D.S.O. M.B.E.

He inspected the five guards, one each drawn from each sub-unit of the Regiment. The Syrena Day was

brought to a close with an Officers/Sergeants Mess Ball in the evening.

The Regiment was put into suspended animation on the 31st December 1977.

Since that time much has happened, the Army have gone from Shoeburyness Garrison and Ranges.

The Garrison has been sold to Gladedale Homes Ltd for £8 million, and is currently being developed

for housing and leisure in mind. Dortmund Garrison has also disappeared, and

Napier Barracks still stands empty. If only we could put the clock back.

36 Heavy Air Defence Regiment could not have functioned as a fighting force without the

dedication and service of members of the following Corps and Units.

36 Regimental Recruiting Poster 1970

New Page 1

36th Heavy Air Defence Regiment "Cloudpunchers"

Keith Holderness 2001 - 2008