Regiment Structure

Regiment Structure

The formal Regiment structure was comprised of the Regimental Headquarters, a Signals Section, a Workshops Section and three operational gun Batteries. Each Battery comprised 3 Troops and each Troop had some 80 men responsible for 6 gun detachments. Signals Section had an establishment of 40 men including wireless telegraphists, an operating subsection, a cable subsection and linesmen who were attached to each Battery. Workshops Section had an establishment of approximately 40 men.

The Regiment was part of the Second Australian Imperial Force (AIF). This was an all-volunteer formation the members of which could be sent to any theatre of war. The 2/3rd Australian Light Anti-aircraft Regiment was part of I Corps Artillery which was formed in April 1940. Within I Corps Artillery it was a component of the 1st Aust Anti-aircraft Brigade which initially comprised the 2/1st Anti-aircraft Regiment, the 2/2nd Heavy Anti-aircraft Regiment and our 2/3rd Light Anti-aircraft Regiment. In January 1942 the 2/4th Light Anti-aircraft Regiment was raised in Palestine as the fourth unit within the Brigade. The 1st Aust AA Brigade was attached to the 7th Division.

This was the formal establishment of the Regt but it rarely, if ever, matched it exactly.

RHQ included the Commanding Officer (Lt Col), Adjutant (Capt), Quartermaster (Capt), Regimental Medical Officer (Capt), Chaplain, Postal Section and their staff.

Each Battery (Bty) was commanded by a Major, supported by a Battery Captain, and had an establishment of approximately 250 officers & ORs.

Each Troop (Tp) was commanded by a Lieutenant and had an establishment of approximately 80 officers & ORs. In theory, each Tp had 6 Gun Detachments, i.e. 6 guns.

Each Gun Detachment (Det) was commanded by a Sergeant and had an establishment of approximately 8-10 men.

Signals Section was commanded by a Lieutenant and had an establishment of 1 officer and 39 ORs. It included 5 WT (wireless telegraphy) detachments, 1 operating subsection and 1 cable subsection. Linesmen were attached to each Bty.

Workshop Section was commanded by a Captain and had an establishment of approximately 40 men.

Throughout the Regt were distributed cooks, despatch riders, drivers and others in key support roles.