29th (Kent) Searchlight Regiment, Royal Artillery

rdf:langString 29th (Kent) Searchlight Regiment, Royal Artillery

rdf:langString 29th (Kent) Anti-Aircraft Battalion, RE

rdf:langString 29th (Kent) Searchlight Regiment, RA

rdf:langString 564 (Kent) Searchlight Regiment, RA

rdf:langString 631st (Kent) Infantry Regiment, RA

rdf:langString Air Defence

rdf:langString Searchlight Regiment

rdf:langString 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 (RE), later in the Royal Artillery (RA). It served during The Blitz, defended South West England, Orkney and Shetland before becoming garrison troops in North West Europe. The unit was a searchlight (S/L) battalion originating in the home counties around London. It was fully mobilised shortly before the outbreak of World War II. From May 1940 it started to be equipped with the then very advanced searchlight control radar. After the German conquest of France the battalion was additionally tasked with attacking any paratroopers landing within the unit's area. From 1943 personnel were being released from the unit to serve in other parts of the army; in August one of the regiment's four batteries was detached. The whole of 29th Searchlight Regiment was converted into infantry and redesignated 631st (Kent) Infantry Regiment RA in January 1945, serving in North West Europe from April 1945. In January 1947 the regiment was reconstituted as 564 Searchlight Regiment, RA (Kent) and successor units still occupy the old regiment's bases.