Full Description
In 1921, the eighth Anti-Aircraft Battery of Royal Artillery was first stationed in India. However, it was only after two decades that the threat from the Japanese expansionism made India to finally realise how ill-prepared its anti-aircraft defences were. Starting from a Battery raised at Colaba, Indian Anti-Aircraft Artillery soon expanded to over thirty- four regiments for India to have the second largest concentration of Anti-Aircraft defences outside the Great Britain. At one time, India had more Anti-Aircraft Regiments than that of field artillery. Numbers aside, Indian Anti-Aircraft gunners served in varied battlefields with honour, both during defeat and victory. If they were at Singapore as the fortress fell, they kept the Japanese Air Force at bay when Allied forces retreated from Burma, and later formed part of the vanguard when the Allies returned to Burma in triumph. Indian Anti-Aircraft Regiments served in Singapore, Malaya, Burma, Maldives, Aden and Iraq. They were truly representative as all regiments comprised of varied races and castes. It had a separate training centre for women and was one of the first to enlist women when the WAC(I) manned its operation rooms and drove lorries.
Contents
List of Illustrations 7
Acknowledgments 9
Prologue 11
Abbreviations 13
Introduction 17
1. A Beginning is Made: The First Raisings 29
2. Hong Kong-Singapore Royal Artillery:
The First Experience with Anti-Aircraft Artillery 39
3. Baptism: The Campaign in Malaya, 1941-1942 46
4. Retreat from Burma, 1941-1942 72
5. Defending the Homeland 93
6. Prelude to the Return to Burma 125
7. Back to Burma 135
8. Other Theatres and Lesser Campaigns 157
9. After the War 167
Conclusion 176
Epilogue 189
Appendices
1. Japanese Air Forces and Air Tactics 193
2. Anti-Aircraft Guns 198
3. Light AA/Anti-Tank Regiments 201
4. Raising of Indian Air Defence Units 205
5. Composition of Indian AA Regiments 1940-1945 212
6. Indian AA Order of Battle 215
7. Honours and Awards 221
8. Disbandment of AA Units 225
Bibliography 227
Index 235
