29th (Kent) Searchlight Regiment, Royal Artillery
| 29th (Kent) Searchlight Regiment | |
|---|---|
| Active | 1935–1955 |
| Country |
 United Kingdom
|
| Branch |
 Territorial Army
|
| Type | Searchlight Regiment |
| Role | Air Defence |
| Size | Regiment |
| Engagements | The Blitz |
The 29th (Kent) Searchlight Regiment was a volunteer air defence unit of Britain's Territorial Army (TA) from 1935 until 1955, at first as part of the Royal Engineers, later in the Royal Artillery. It served during The Blitz.
The regiment had its origins in a group of Independent Air Defence Companies of the Royal Engineers formed in the Home counties by the Territorial Army during 1924.
Kent & Middlesex Group Anti-Aircraft Searchlight Companies:
John (later Sir John) Perring (1870–1948), a businessman and prominent member of the London County Council and Middlesex Territorial Association was appointed Honorary Colonel of the Group in 1931.
In 1935 the Kent Group became 29th Anti-Aircraft Battalion, Royal Engineers (TA), while 317 Company was separated to form the 36th (Middlesex) Anti-Aircraft Battalion, Royal Engineers (TA) with Sir John Perring as its honorary colonel. Two further companies were added to the 29th Bn:
Shortly afterwards the battalion was subordinated to the newly formed 28th (Thames & Medway) Anti-Aircraft Group (later termed a Brigade), also based at Chatham, and forming part of 1st Anti-Aircraft Division. In the years before World War II, British anti-aircraft defences continued to expand, with new regiments and formations, the whole coming under Anti-Aircraft Command. In April 1939 the 322nd and 347th Companies were transferred to help form the new 73rd (Kent Fortress) Bn RE, and had been replaced by a newly raised 468th Company at Dover.
By the outbreak of war 29th AA Battalion had come under the command of 29th (East Anglian) AA Bde in 6th AA Division, but shortly afterwards it moved to a new 56 AA Bde within 6 Division. In common with other RE searchlight battalions, the unit was transferred to Royal Artillery in August 1940, becoming 29th (Kent) Searchlight Regiment RA (TA), and the companies were termed batteries. At this time AA Command was heavily engaged in the Battle of Britain, and 56 AA Bde was responsible for guarding the airfields of South East England. This was soon followed by the night-bombing campaign of The Blitz, in which searchlights were a key element in the defences.
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