30th (Surrey) Searchlight Regiment was an air defence unit of Britain's Territorial Army from 1924 until 1961. During World War II it served in The Blitz and later in the Tunisian and Italian Campaigns, while detachments from the regiment served in the Far East and were captured at the Fall of Singapore.
Origins
The regiment had its origins in independent Anti-Aircraft Searchlight Companies of the Royal Engineers formed in the Territorial Army (TA) during 1924. In January 1925 those in Surrey were grouped as follows:
Surrey Group Anti-Aircraft Searchlight Companies
HQ at London Road, Kingston upon Thames
315 (Surrey) AA Company at Mitcham Road Barracks, Croydon
316 (Surrey) AA Company at Kingston
318 (Surrey) AA Company at Guildford
In December 1924 the Army Council sought permission from HM Treasury to buy and convert a property in Croydon to serve as HQ for 315 Company (225 all ranks) to be raised by the Surrey TA Association. The Army Council considered that 'the provision of accommodation must precede the call for men in order to ensure success', pointing out that 'The new Anti-Aircraft units are of great importance and recruiting, which is slow at present, is likely to be impossible without adequate headquarters to attract the personnel'.
In the event, 315 AASL Company was accommodated at Mitcham Road Barracks in Croydon, originally built in 1794 as a depot for recruits to the Foot Guards, but used by local Territorial units since at least 1859. The site is still an Army Reserve Centre today.
On 15 December 1935 the Surrey Group was redesignated 30th (Surrey) Anti-Aircraft Battalion, Royal Engineers (TA). By then an additional company (323 (Surrey) AA Company) had been formed at Ewell, later based at Lower Ham Road in Kingston (most of its officers coming from 315 Company. The battalion was subordinated to 27th (Home Counties) Anti-Aircraft Group (later termed a Brigade) based at RAF Kenley in Surrey, forming part of 1st AA Division.
World War II
Home Defence
By the summer of 1939, 30 Searchlight Bn had been transferred to 47th AA Bde, also based at Kenley. It was part of 5th AA Division, responsible for defending Southern England in Anti-Aircraft Command. 30 Searchlight Bn mobilised on 24 August (10 days before the declaration of war) and moved to its war stations in Hampshire.
In March 1940 the battalion HQ moved to Market Rasen Racecourse in Lincolnshire as part of 39 AA Bde, whose responsibilities included airfields and other vulnerable points in Lincolnshire and along the Humber. The battalion's searchlights were deployed accordingly. Some of these airfields were attacked during June, some searchlight equipment was damaged by bomb splinters, and one site engaged an enemy aircraft with its Lewis gun.
After a short period (29 April–30 June) under command of Lt-Col F.L Congreve of the Royal Artillery (RA), the Commanding Officer from 1 July 1940 was Lt-Col Valentine Christian Green, a former infantry officer and veteran of the Kamerun campaign in World War I, who had recently transferred to the RA. On 1 August 1940, the AA Battalions RE were transferred to the RA, so the battalion became 30th (Surrey) Searchlight Regiment, Royal Artillery and the companies were termed batteries.
The Blitz
In mid-September 1940, S/L layouts had to be thinned out to a 6000-yard spacing due to equipment shortages. 30 S/L Rgt redeployed with RHQ and one bty at Gainsborough, Lincolnshire, the other btys at Hatfield, South Yorkshire, and Thrybergh. It took over 12 S/L sites from 306 S/L Bty (27th (London Electrical Engineers) S/L Rgt), which returned to London.
As German night air raids on the UK intensified (The Blitz), 30 S/L Rgt sent detachments to London in September and then to Sheffield in November to assist in their defence.
On 12 January 1941 the newly formed 84th S/L Regt came into 39 AA Bde's area on Humberside. The brigadier's operation order commented that 'These Btys have had little training in practical S/L work' and distributed them to double-man S/L sites alongside the experienced 30th S/L Rgt: 517/84 Bty alongside 315/30 Bty, with Bty HQ at Militia Camp, Gainsborough 518/84 Bty alongside 316/30 Bty, BHQ at Militia Camp, Hatfield Woodhouse 519/84 Bty alongside 318/30 Bty, BHQ at Netherfield House, near Worksop 512 S/L Bty at The Wheatsheaf, Ely Road, Chatteris, in 40 AA Bde area, was regimented with 84 S/L Rgt from 12 January, but remained in its location for a while before joining 323/30 Bty.