| The South Lancashire Territorials (Prince of Wales's Volunteers) 213 (South Lancashire Artillery) Light Aid Defence Battery | |
|---|---|
 Cap badge of the Royal Artillery | |
| Active |
2 April 1967–1 April 1975 (as regiment) 1 April 1969–14 May 2001 (as battery) |
| Country |
 United Kingdom |
| Branch | |
| Type | Artillery |
| Role | Air Defence Artillery |
| Size |
Regiment (till 1975) Battery (from 1975) |
| Part of | North West District |
| Regimental Headquarters | St Helens, Merseyside |
The South Lancashire Territorials (Prince of Wales's Volunteers) was a part-time volunteer artillery unit of the British Army's Territorial Army which was formed in 1967. The regiment was later disbanded in 1975 however. The regiment's successor, 213 (SLA) Bty would continue to serve in the Royal Artillery until 2001 when it amalgamated with another local unit.
History[]
On 2 April 1967 as part of the massive reductions and reorganisations of the Territorial Army (TA), the TA units in the South Lancashire area, with regards to the Royal Artillery were disbanded and reconstituted as company units.[1][2][3] Therefore, the South Lancashire Territorials (Prince of Wales's Volunteers) was formed with the following structure:[1][2][3]
- Regimental Headquarters, in St Helens
- P (South Lancashire Artillery) Battery, in St Helens — formed from 436th (South Lancashire Artillery) Light Air Defence Regiment, RA[4][5][6]
- Q (South Lancashire Artillery) Battery, in Widnes — formed from 436th (South Lancashire Artillery) Light Air Defence Regiment, RA[4][5][6]
- R (South Lancashire Regiment) Battery, in Warrington — formed from 5th Battalion, South Lancashire Regiment and 113th Port Workshop, Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers[4]
On 1 April 1969, many of the old TAVR III units were reduced to cadres, disbanded, or reformed. The South Lancashire Territorials were one of the regiments selected to be reduced to a cadre (a military unit with roughly 5 officers and 13 men) under the 103rd (Lancashire Artillery Volunteers) Air Defence Regiment, Royal Artillery in St Helens. However, at the same time the regiment helped form a new battery, 213 (South Lancashire Artillery) Battery in the same regiment. In addition, some of the extra personnel were absorbed into the Regimental Headquarters and Headquarters Company in the Lancastrian Volunteers.[1][2][3][7][8]
Finally, on 1 April 1975 the last of the cadres were disbanded, and the regiment was finally disbanded.[1][2][3][8]
On 14 May 2001, 213 (SLA) Battery amalgamated with 209 (The Manchester Artillery) Battery to form 209/213 (The Manchester and St Helens) Battery in St Helens, and maintained G Troop in Manchester.[2][7][8][9]
Footnotes[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Frederick Volume II, p. 1043.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 "5th Battalion, The South Lancashire Regiment [UK"]. 2007-12-10. https://web.archive.org/web/20071210222931/http://www.regiments.org/regiments/uk/volmil-england/vinf-no/la-s5.htm.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Drenth, p. 42.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Frederick Volume I, p. 188.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Frederick Volume II, p. 1013.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 "British Army units from 1945 on - 414 - 443 Regiments 1947-67". http://british-army-units1945on.co.uk/territorial-army-royal-artillery/414-443-regiments.html.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 "103rd Regiment, RA (V) [UK"]. 2007-12-10. https://web.archive.org/web/20071210145242/http://www.regiments.org/regiments/uk/vols-tavr/art-eng-sig/ra103.htm.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 Drenth, p. 35.
- ↑ Frederick Volume II, p. 1039.
References[]
- Wienand Drenth, The Territorial Army 1967–2000, 2000, Einhoven, Kingdom of the Netherlands.
- Frederick, J. B. M. (1984). Lineage book of British land forces 1660-1978 : biographical outlines of cavalry, yeomanry, armour, artillery, infantry, marines and air force land troops of regular and reserve forces (Volume I). Wakefield, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland: Microform Academic. ISBN 978-1-85117-007-4. OCLC 18072764.
- Frederick, J. B. M. (1984). Lineage book of British land forces 1660-1978 : biographical outlines of cavalry, yeomanry, armour, artillery, infantry, marines and air force land troops of regular and reserve forces (Volume II). Wakefield, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland: Microform Academic. ISBN 1-85117-008-1. OCLC 570309914.