58th (Middlesex) Searchlight Regiment, Royal Artillery

58th (Middlesex) Searchlight Regiment, RA
Active	1938–4 July 1955
Country	United Kingdom
Branch	Territorial Army
Type	Searchlight Regiment Infantry Battalion Anti-Aircraft Regiment
Role	Air Defence
Garrison/HQ	Harrow, London
Engagements	Battle of Britain The Blitz Operation Diver

58th (Middlesex) Searchlight Regiment, Royal Artillery was an air defence unit of Britain's Territorial Army (TA) raised just before World War II. It defended the East Midlands of England during The Blitz, and later served as infantry in North West Europe at the end of the war, converting to the anti-aircraft (AA) artillery role postwar.

This searchlight unit was formed as part of the doubling in size of the TA at the time of the Munich Crisis in late 1938. Formally, it was a duplicate of 36th (Middlesex) Anti-Aircraft Battalion, Royal Engineers, based on 344 AA Company at Harrow, which was transferred from 36th AA Battalion to provide a cadre of trained men. Two new companies were then formed to give the unit the following organisation:

58th (Middlesex) Anti-Aircraft Battalion, Royal Engineers

The first Commanding Officer was Lt-Col Edward Boggis, MBE, who had been Officer Commanding 344th AA Company.

In February 1939 the existing AA defences came under the control of a new Anti-Aircraft Command. In June a partial mobilisation of TA units was begun in a process known as 'couverture', whereby each AA unit did a month's tour of duty in rotation to man selected AA and searchlight positions. On 24 August, ahead of the declaration of war, AA Command was fully mobilised at its war stations. The outbreak of World War II saw 58 AA Battalion forming part of 40th Anti-Aircraft Brigade in 2nd AA Division. Based at RAF Duxford, the brigade was responsible for providing AA defence for RAF airfields in East Anglia.

...
Wikipedia