53rd (City of London) Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery

53rd (City of London) Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment 85th (City of London) Medium Regiment
Royal Artillery cap badge and AA patch
Active	1922–1961
Country	United Kingdom
Branch	Territorial Army
Role	Air Defence Medium Artillery
Size	Regiment
Engagements	Battle of France The Blitz Calcutta Blitz Burma Campaign 1944–45 (159 (Lloyd's) Bty)
Commanders
Notable commanders	Lt-Col Robert Whittaker Lt-Col Vere Krohn

53rd (City of London) Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery was a volunteer air defence unit of Britain's Territorial Army from 1922 until 1961. During World War II it fought in the Battle of France and The Blitz, and later served in India, where it was converted to Medium Artillery. Postwar it reverted to the AA artillery role.

German air raids by Zeppelin airships and Gotha bombers on London and other British cities during World War I had shown the need for strong anti-aircraft (AA) defences in any future war. When the Territorial Army (TA) was reformed in 1922 it included a number of dedicated AA units of the Royal Garrison Artillery (RGA). The third of these was 53rd (City of London) Anti-Aircraft Brigade, RGA (TA), recruited largely from men working in the finance industry in the City of London. It comprised 157th (City of London), 158th (City of London) and 159th (Lloyd's, City of London) AA Batteries, the latter being recruited from the Lloyd's of London insurance market. One of the first officers appointed was Robert Whittaker, a City banker who had seen service with the RGA during World War I. He was commissioned as a major and commanded 158th (CoL) Battery, and later the whole regiment, The Regimental Headquarters was at the War Office Department in White City, London. The unit formed part of 27th (London) Air Defence Brigade. These original TA AA units were formed on a low peacetime establishment with a few old 3-inch guns on static mounts.