‘Kent’ Battery, Royal Marines

United Kingdom: March 1940 – February 1941

1st Coast Artillery Brigade, R.M.

Following a short period of basic training, between 28th and 30th March 1940 the 1st Coast Artillery Brigade, R.M. formed six batteries, one of which was ‘Kent’ Battery.  The Battery was equipped with three 6-inch coast guns.  The Brigade began gunnery, searchlight and repository training began at Fort Cumberland, Portsmouth on 1st April 1940.  On 14th May, ‘Kent’ Battery arrived at Lowestoft and began emplacing the guns.  The Battery was commanded by Major R.A.G., Stewart, R.M.[1]

The time at Lowestoft was punctuated by frequent air raid warnings.  The Battery’s other duties included regular beach patrols.  Occasional battles between enemy ‘E-boats’ and convoys in the Channel were reported.  Meanwhile, construction of a Royal Artillery gun site continued.  At the end of August, with the Army site nearing completion, ‘Kent Battery was ordered to move and eventually arrived at Dungeness on 9th September 1940.  By January 5th 1941, the Battery had returned to Portsmouth where preparations were being made for a move overseas.  The unit left Portsmouth by train on 4th February and arrived at Gourock the next day and immediately embarked upon the H.M.T. Rangitata.  The ship sailed from Glasgow on 6th February and formed up off Oversay on 9th February as part of convoy WS 6A.  At Durban, on 26th March 1941, the Battery disembarked and went to Clairwood Transit Camp but three days later embarked on H.M.T. Costa Rica for the final leg of the journey to Egypt.  The ship arrived at Port Tewfik on 20th April and at Port Said the next day.  Here, the Battery disembarked and went to El Tahag Camp.[2]

On 30th April 1941, Captain C.R. Blount left the Battery to assume command of the ‘Z’ Battery, R.M.  ‘Kent’ Battery remained at El Tahag undergoing training, notably in small arms.

No.2 Company, R.M. Striking Force

Egypt: May – July 1941

R.M. Striking Force

In late May 1941, the Battery was organised into No.2 Company, Royal Marines Striking Force.  The Force was formed to provide ground protection to Abu Sueir airfield from attack by airborne troops.  On 28th May, the Battery moved to Abu Sueir aerodrome where it undertook defence of aerodrome and experienced its first air raid in the early hours of 5th July.[3] 

Addu Atoll: October 1941 – January 1942

1st Coast Regiment, R.M. – Force ‘Piledriver’

On 1st August, the 1st Coast Artillery Brigade was re-designated as the 1st Coast Regiment, Royal Marines.  The Regimental Headquarters moved to Kitchener Lines, Moascar Barracks on 3rd September 1941.  At Port Tewfik, the 1st Coast Regiment completed embarkation for Addu Atoll on 20th September.[4]

[The war diary for the period September 1941 – March 1942 is missing.]

The batteries of the 1st Coast Regiment were involved in constructing and then manning the defences of Addu Atoll where facilities for support of the Royal Navy were being based.  They were organised into two ‘forces’ – Force ‘Piledriver’ and Force ‘Shortcut’; the latter originally intended to build similar installations at Port ‘W’ – Nancowry in the Nicobar Islands.  The ‘Kent’ Battery formed part of Force ‘Piledriver’.[5]

The combined forces of M.N.B.D.O. I arrived off Addu Atoll on 30th September 1941 and work began the next day.  The plan for the defences of Addu Atoll called for guns to be mounted in six weeks, and in six weeks to the day the batteries fired their proof round – but not before the ‘Devon’ and ‘Kent‘ Batteries of the 1st Coast Regiment working on Midu and Hitadu had been reduced by sickness to less than 50 men apiece.  The ‘Kent’ Battery mounted the first gun on Hitaddu on 6th November and the second two days later.  The Indian relief force arrived on 3rd January 1942 and the 9th Heavy Battery, Indian Artillery relieved the ‘Kent’ Battery on Hitaddu on 9th January.  The Royal Marines embarked on the S.S. Talma later that day.  The Talma, which had brought the Indian garrison to Addu Atoll, completed unloading of the Indian stores the following day.  The day after, 11th January, the loading on to the Talma of all M.N.B.D.O. personnel and stores of Force ‘Piledriver’ was completed.  However, the Talma, did not sail until 14th January and arrived at Colombo until 16th January.  The day after arrival, the personnel on board disembarked and went to the Royal Navy Rest Camp at Diyatalawa, arriving the next morning, 18th January.  Force ‘Piledriver’ was discontinued by the end of January, the command elements reverting to their true designation as the 1st Coast Regiment, R.M.[6]

Ceylon: January – June 1942

1st Coast Regiment, R.M.

All M.N.B.D.O. I personnel at Diyatalawa moved to Boosa Camp on 10th February.  On 3rd March, ‘Kent’ Battery left the camp for Galle Fort where it began to construct emplacements for a battery of two 4-inch guns.  Major Stewart relinquished command of the Battery to assume command of the 1st Coast Regiment on 18th March.  He was succeeded by Major J.F. Maxfield.  Late in the evening of 1st April, the Battery opened fire upon a suspicious vessel and a destroyer was sent to investigate.  On 5th April, Colombo was attacked by Japanese carrier-borne aircraft but the Battery was not attacked.  Two days later, the Battery opened fire once again on a suspicious ship and again the following day.  Both ships turned out to be friendly.  Fire was opened once again on 16th April.[7]

Seychelles

Landing and Maintenance Unit, R.M. – H.Q. Troops Seychelles

On 5th June 1942, the Battery entrained at Galle for Colombo where, under the command of the Landing and Maintenance Unit, it embarked on board the H.M.T. Clan Forbes.  The ship left the following day for the Seychelles.  There was already a two-gun, 6-inch battery on the islands, at Pointe Conan, Mahe.  The ‘Kent’ Battery’s mission was to construct a new 4-inch gun battery position on Mahe and to relocate the existing 6-inch battery to St. Anne Island.  The ‘Kent’ Battery disembarked on 12th June and began work to construct the gun site at Mahe.  While the work progressed, the men of the Battery were accommodated on board the Clan Forbes.  From 22nd June, a party worked with personnel of the Landing and Maintenance Unit to build facilities on St. Anne Island.  Work continued on the gun site at Mahe into July, by which time a camp had been built and the men were able to leave the Clan Forbes.  Positions for both 4-inch and 6-inch guns were built.  On 13th July, the first rounds were fired from the two 6-inch guns – the honour begin given to the Governor of the Seychelles.  On 15th July 1942, work began at the 6-inch gun site on Pointe Conan, Mahe.  The second 6-inch gun was dismounted on 20th July and loaded ready for transport to St. Anne Island.  Work began to install the first 6-inch gun on St Anne on 24th July.  An outbreak of diphtheria was detected on St Anne Island and the island and the ship Clan Forbes were placed in quarantine.  By now, most personnel of the ‘Kent’ Battery were on St. Anne and construction and installation work continued.  The C.G.A. ceased manning the 4-inch gun battery at North East Point on Mahe on 6th August and appear to have moved to St. Anne Island.  On 7th August, three seating rounds per gun were fired at the 6-inch battery on St. Anne.  Work on additional light anti-aircraft positions was undertaken during August.  By early August the construction work was nearly complete and on 13th August all L&M Unit personnel left the islands on board the Clan Forbes, leaving ‘Kent’ Battery behind to man the guns.  The Battery now found itself part of East Africa Command, under the command of H.Q. Troops Seychelles, itself forming part of Headquarters Island Area.  By late September the Battery was manning the two 4-inch gun sites at East Point, Mahe and Port War Signal Station at Mount Howard.  The 4th Coast Battery, C.G.A. manned the 6-inch battery on St. Anne Island.  The 27th Coast Battery, H.K.S.R.A. and the 27th S.E.R. Section arrived on 15th October 1942 to relieve both batteries.  The ‘Kent’ Battery embarked on the H.T. Varsova on 18th October and the ship sailed for Ceylon the next day.[8]

Ceylon: November 1942 – February 1944

1st Coast Regiment, R.M.

After arriving at Colombo on 26th October 1942, the Battery disembarked the next day and went to Rifle Green Camp, Colombo and on to the Royal Navy Camp at Diyatalawa.  On 13th November, the Battery returned to Rifle Green Camp.  Practice firing was conducted at Galle on 1st December where the A.M.T.B. Battery was attached to ‘Kent’ Battery.  Both batteries were then commanded by the ‘Kent’ Battery commander, Major J.F. Maxfield.  The two batteries left for Diyatalawa on 17th December.  On 11th January 1943, the Battery moved into Echelon Barracks, Colombo.  Training in several disciplines continued and in February the Battery provided a Beach Defence Party and undertook other guard duties.  On 16th March, the Battery received orders to form an infantry company to participate in Exercise ‘Box’.  Owing to reduced strength due to sickness, the A.M.T.B. Battery joined with ‘Kent’ Battery to operate as ‘A’ Company under the command of Captain Alexander, R.M. for the duration of the exercise.  The exercise itself took place between 6th and 10th April after which the Battery personnel returned to Colombo.  Training, beach defence and guard duties continued into May.[9]

At the beginning of June 1943, the 1st Coast Regiment, R.M. began moving to the Royal Navy Air Station at Katukurunda.  Regimental H.Q., ‘Devon’ and A.M.T.B. Batteries moved first, leaving ‘Kent’ Battery in Colombo.  ‘Kent’ Battery left Colombo on 1st July and was established in Katukurunda the next day.  The Battery began ‘Commando’ training which continued throughout the month.[10]

3rd Coast Regiment, R.M.

On 1st August 1943 at Katukurunda the 1st Coast Regiment, R.M. was divided into two, forming the 1st and 3rd Coast Regiments.[11]  The 3rd Coast Regiment, R.M. was formed of three batteries:

- ‘Kent’ Battery – a 6-inch coast battery,
- ‘X’ Battery – a coast battery equipped with 4-inch guns,
- ‘Portsmouth’ Battery – an anti-motor torpedo boat unit equipped with Bofors guns.[12]

‘Kent’ Battery was transferred from the 1st Coast Regiment, R.M. and Major H. Alexander, R.M assumed command of the Battery the same day, replacing Major J.F. Maxfield who had been posted as commander of the 3rd Coast Regiment.  A number of 6-inch guns were transferred on 20th September by ‘Kent’ Battery from Rifle Green Camp to the naval dockyard at Colombo.  The Regiment moved to Paiyagala Camp on 16th September.  Major Alexander assumed command of the Regiment on 26th September.  The ‘Kent’ Battery left Lumsden Camp, Katukurunda on 5th October to begin training in the operation of heavy anti-aircraft guns.  This was to take place at the Royal Marine Base Depot, Chatham Camp, Katukurunda.  ‘Kent’ Battery moved to Chatham Camp, Katukurunda for training on 5th November 1943.  The Battery returned to Lumsden Camp on 8th December 1943.  ‘Kent’ Battery undertook an initial practice firing on 22nd December with 3.7-inch guns operated by ‘A’ Battery, 2nd A.A. Regiment, R.M.[13]

For some time, it had been intended that ‘Kent’ Battery would man a 4-inch gun site in Colombo upon completing training in the heavy anti-aircraft role.  However, this was abandoned at the beginning of December due to there being neither a suitable site nor equipment.  The Battery therefore returned to Lumsden Camp, as noted above, to continue training under the 3rd Coast Regiment.  It was hoped that by the time that ‘X’ Battery completed training at Chatham Camp, set for 15th January 1944, a decision would have been made as to whether the two batteries would amalgamate into a single eight-gun heavy anti-aircraft battery.[14]  However, in the New Year, the Regiment learned that it was to return to the United Kingdom.  It began handing in stores and equipment and on 19th February 1944 embarked at Colombo.[15]

United Kingdom: March – May 1944

3rd Coast Regiment, R.M.

The 3rd Coast Regiment disembarked at Gourock on 16th March 1944 and moved into accommodation at Paisley, with all three batteries – ‘Kent’, ‘X’ and A.M.T.B. - under command.  Many of the men were posted away and the final postings were completed by the 22nd May 1944.  On this date the 3rd Coast Regiment, R.M. was disbanded, the personnel being remustered for landing craft, Commando and other duties.[16]

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