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- 3rd Regiment, Royal Horse Artillery during the Second World War -


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World War 2 Two II WW2 WWII 1939 1945

3rd Regiment, Royal Horse Artillery



   3rd Regiment Royal Horse Artillery was formed on the 27th August 1938 at Abassia Barracks in Cairo by the re-designation of 3rd Brigade Royal Horse Artillery. It was made up of M/P and D/J Batteries, which were reorganised to become D, J, M and P Batteries as an Anti-Tank Regiment. P Battery left the regiment on 15th March 1941 to join 6th RHA. Initially they were armed with World War One vintage 3.7 inch Howitzers, but by May 1940 these had been replaced, half the regiment was equipped with 25-pdr Field guns and half with 37mm Bofors Anti-Tank guns. In 1942 it was converted to a Field Regiment. They saw action with 7th Armoured Division in the desert campaigns of 1939 to 1943 and in North West Europe from 1944 to the end of the war mainly supporting the Infantry of 131st (Queen's) Lorried Infantry Brigade. 3rd RHA had the honour of leading the Division in the victory parade through Berlin in July 1945 and fired the 18 gun salute in honour of Winston Churchill. Today the regiment is named 3rd Field Regiment, Royal Horse Artillery.

 

1st Sep 1939 On the Move  location map

3rd Sep 1939 War Declared  location map

12th Sep 1939 On the Move  location map

22nd Sep 1939 On the Move  location map

23rd Sep 1939 Training  location map

1st Oct 1939 Training  location map

18th Oct 1939 Reliefs  location map

19th Oct 1939 Equipment  location map

20th Oct 1939 Reliefs  location map

11th Nov 1939 On the Move

6th Nov 1939 On the Move  location map

12th Nov 1939 Posting  location map

27th Nov 1939 Posting  location map

1st Dec 1939 Reorganisation  location map

9th Dec 1939 Adjutant  location map

14th Dec 1939 Posting  location map

19th Dec 1939 Duties  location map

29th Dec 1939 Command  location map

31st Dec 1939 Training  location map

9th Jan 1940 Exercise  location map

10th Jan 1940 Exercise  location map

11th Jan 1940 Exercise  location map

12th Jan 1940 Exercise  location map

20th Jan 1940 Posting  location map

22nd Jan 1940 Posting

25th Jan 1940 Promotions  location map

31st Jan 1940 Posting  location map

11th Feb 1940 Commissions  location map

28th Feb 1940 Training  location map

12th Mar 1940 Move  location map

13th Mar 1940 Exercise  location map

14th Mar 1940 Exercise  location map

15th Mar 1940 Exercise  location map

26th Mar 1940 Exercise  location map

27th Mar 1940 Exercise  location map

28th Mar 1940 Exercise  location map

29th Mar 1940 Exercise  location map

29th Mar 1940 Death  location map

30th Mar 1940 Exercise

31st Mar 1940 Exercise  location map

1st Apr 1940 Move  location map

2nd Apr 1940 Reinforcements  location map

12th Apr 1940 Reliefs  location map

16th Apr 1940 Reliefs Completed  location map

19th Apr 1940 Arrivals  location map

30th Apr 1940 Training  location map

15th Nov 1940 Exercise  location map

18th Nov 1940 Visit  location map

25th Nov 1940 Demonstration  location map

1st Dec 1940 On the Move

7th Dec 1940 On the March

8th Dec 1940 On the March  location map

11th Dec 1940 In Action  location map

31st Dec 1940 On the Move  location map

10th Apr 1941 Attacks  location map

11th Apr 1941 In Defence  location map

2nd Nov 1942 Move

4th Nov 1942 Advance

11th Nov 1942 Advance

12th Nov 1942 Advance

13th Nov 1942 On the Move

17th Nov 1942 On the Move

18th Nov 1942 On the Move

19th Nov 1942 On the Move

20th Nov 1942 Mines

21st Nov 1942 Mines Lifted

25th Nov 1942 Moves

26th Nov 1942 Detachment

13th Dec 1942 On the Move

18th Dec 1942 On the Move

29th Dec 1942 On the Move

31st Dec 1942 Minefield

27th Mar 1944 Training

30th Nov 1944 In Action  location map

17th Jan 1945 Difficult Conditions

23rd January 1945  In Action


If you can provide any additional information, especially on actions and locations at specific dates, please add it here.



Those known to have served with

3rd Regiment, Royal Horse Artillery

during the Second World War 1939-1945.

  • Gunn VC MC George Ward. 2Lt (d.21st November 1941)
  • Randell MM. Philip Oland Edwin. Sgt.
  • Thorne Francis Anderson George. (d.17th Jun 1942)

The names on this list have been submitted by relatives, friends, neighbours and others who wish to remember them, if you have any names to add or any recollections or photos of those listed, please Add a Name to this List

Records of 3rd Regiment, Royal Horse Artillery from other sources.



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Want to know more about 3rd Regiment, Royal Horse Artillery?


There are:507 items tagged 3rd Regiment, Royal Horse Artillery available in our Library

  These include information on officers, regimental histories, letters, diary entries, personal accounts and information about actions during the Second World War.


Sgt. Philip Oland Edwin Randell MM. 3rd Regiment Royal Horse Artillery

Philip Randell was captured at the Battle of Sidi Rezegh in North Africa where he had taken part in the VC winning action conducted by Second Lieutenant Gunn (and is mentioned in that citation). He was imprisoned at Campo 53 at Macerata.

When the armistice with Italy was announced British prisoners were ordered not to escape. On 15th of September 1943 the Italian guards had deserted and Randell escaped through the wire with another PW. They travelled south but were recaptured near Campo Di Giorno and were imprisoned there. On 7 October they escaped again, this time by climbing into a building used by the German guards and walking out of the front gate, whistling a popular German tune. They travelled south again and made contact with British forces after crossing the Trigno river, around 300km away from Macerata. He was awarded the Military Medal for this action.

He survived the war and later joined the RAF Regiment, retiring as a Squadron Leader, having served in Kenya, Aden and Germany.

G P Randell



Francis Anderson George Thorne 3rd Regiment Royal Horse Artillery (d.17th Jun 1942)

I have just found that my Uncle Francis Thorne was killed aged 22 in El Alamein. I was wondering if anyone has any information about my him? This site is so interesting, thank you to anyone who can help me.

Debbie









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