The Sparrows (Military Unit)

79th Light Anti-Aircraft Battery (21 LAA Rgt 79 Bty RA) 'The Sparrows'
Royal Artillery Cap Badge and Anti-Aircraft Patch
Active	1939–1946
Country	United Kingdom
Allegiance	Allies
Branch	British Army Royal Artillery
Type	Mobile LAA Battery
Role	Anti-Aircraft Warfare, Field Artillery, Heavy Machine Gun Warfare
Size	3 Troops, 12 Detachments, 250 men Timor 2 Troops, 8 Detachments, 189 Malang 1 Troop, 4 Detachments, 61
Part of	Anti-Aircraft Command 21 LAA Regiment Sparrow Force
Garrison/HQ	Walton-on-Thames
Motto(s)	Ubique (Everywhere) Quo Fas Et Gloria Ducunt (Where Right And Glory Lead)
Colours	The guns are regarded as the regimental colours and are accorded the same compliments as the Standards, Guidons and Colours of the Cavalry and Infantry
March	British Grenadiers (Quick March) Scipio (Slow March)
Anniversaries	23 February
Engagements	Second World War Battle of Britain Battle of Timor (1942–43) Battle of Java (1942)
Commanders
Ceremonial chief	HM King George VI
Regiment Commander	Lt-Col Martin Saunders (21 LAA Regt)
Notable commanders	Major Jack Dempsey
Insignia
(Top) The hat of The Sparrows - an Australian Slouch Hat, folded pungaree, and Royal Artillery Cap Badge. (Below) Light Anti-Aircraft patch.

British Army

3 Troops, 12 Detachments, 250 men Timor

Malang

Second World War

The 79th Light Anti-Aircraft Battery, also known as "The Sparrows", was a Royal Artillery unit of the British Army that fought with distinction in the Battle of Britain, the Battle of Java, and the Battle of Timor.

The 79th Light Anti-Aircraft (Ack-Ack) Battery was an independent Territorial Army unit (‘the weekend warriors’) of the Royal Artillery of the British Army.

Formed in the winter of 1939, they were based initially at Walton-on-Thames to defend key installations including water reservoirs supplying London. Originally containing mostly London volunteers, the battery became a full-time unit at the start of September 1939 when war with Germany became inescapable. As with all Territorial Army units, the battery was absorbed into the regular army by the end of that month. Together with three other similar batteries they became part of the 36th Light Ack-Ack Regiment.

During the first two years of the war the unit was employed on anti-aircraft protection duties in the Luftwaffe’s Blitzes of London. The unit saw action during the Battle of Britain where it served with distinction defending the Hawker Aviation factory at Langley, Churchill’s country home at Ditchley and the oil refinery north of Bristol. Later, they were used in the protection of airfields and key installations in Cornwall and the Scilly Isles.