51st (Highland) Searchlight Regiment, Royal Artillery

The 51st (Highland) Searchlight Regiment, Royal Artillery was a Scottish unit of Britain's Territorial Army (TA) formed for air defence just before World War II. It later served as an anti-aircraft (AA) artillery unit in the North West Europe Campaign 1944–45.

Origin
The unit's origin lay in two independent AA Companies of the Royal Engineers (RE) formed in Aberdeen and Dundee in 1935 and equipped with searchlights. During the expansion of TA air defence units in 1938, the two were combined into a new 51st (Highland) AA Battalion, RE and a third company raised, giving the battalion the following organisation:
 * HQ Company at Drill Hall, Bell St, Dundee
 * 319 (City of Aberdeen) AA Company, Fonthill Barracks, Aberdeen
 * 320 (City of Dundee) AA Company, Drill Hall, Bell St, Dundee
 * 404 AA Company, Cowdenbeath

Major W.C.G. Black, MC, TD, officer commanding 20th (Fife & Forfar Yeomanry) Armoured Car Company, was promoted to lieutenant-colonel to command the new battalion on 12 October 1938.

World War II
When the TA was mobilised at the outbreak of war, 51st AA Bn was part of 52nd Light Anti-Aircraft Brigade, a new formation being organised at Stirling with responsibility for searchlight provision within 3rd AA Division covering Scotland.

In August 1940 the RE searchlight battalions were transferred to the Royal Artillery (RA), and the unit was redesignated 51st (Highland) Searchlight Regiment, RA (TA). It remained with 52 AA Bde in 3 AA Division throughout the Battle of Britain and The Blitz (when Clydebank was badly hit).

In February 1942, the regiment was converted to the Light Anti-Aircraft (LAA) artillery role as 124 (Highland) Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment, RA (TA). In March 1942 the regiment joined Second Army forming in England for Operation Overlord.

124 LAA Regiment went to Normandy with Second Army in the summer of 1944 and served throughout the campaign in North West Europe.

Postwar
When the TA was reconstituted in 1947, the regiment was reformed as 586 (Highland) LAA Regiment, RA, with HQ at Dundee and forming part of 78th AA Bde (the former 52 AA Bde) based in Perth.

In March 1949, the regiment was redesignaed again, as 586 (Highland) LAA/Searchlight Regiment, RA.

When Anti-Aircraft Command was disbanded in March 1955, 586 Rgt was absorbed into 276th (Highland) Field Regiment, RA.

Honorary Colonel
Honorary Capt C.A. Carlow, a retired Volunteer officer, was appointed Honorary Colonel of the battalion on 12 October 1938.

Insignia
124 LAA Regiment wore a regimental shoulder flash consisting of a Scottish saltire in the RE colours of blue on red.

Online sources

 * British Army units from 1945 on
 * British Military History
 * Orders of Battle at Patriot Files
 * The Royal Artillery 1939–45
 * Graham Watson, The Territorial Army 1947