24th Regiment, Royal Artillery

The 24th Regiment Royal Artillery was a regiment of the royal artillery that existed during World War II and the Cold War.

33rd Regiment
The 33rd Field Regiment first appears in records in 1939 as part of Commander Royal Artillery, 3rd Division. The regiment was a field regiment and consisted of the following batteries: 101/113th Battery and 114/109th Batteries. The regiment remained part of the 3rd Infantry Division through the entire war. In September just after the declaration of war the regiment was sent to France where they participated in the Battle of France as part of the II Corps. From 1940 - 1944 the regiment didn't participate in any campaigns until D-Day.

The regiment landed with the division on Sword Beach and were equipped with the american M7 Priest. The regiment later participated in the Liberation of France and later the end of the war. After the end of the war the regiment was stationed in germany equipped with the Sherman OP. By the end of the war the regiment consisted of the following batteries: 101st, 109th, and 113/114th Batteries.

On 1 April 1947 the regiment was retitled as the 24th Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment with the following batteries: 2, 51, and 128 Light Anti-Aircraft Batteries. Upon changing of title the regiment moved to The Barracks, Trowbridge.

24th Regiment
Just a year after the formation of the regiment it was reduced to a cadre but fourteen days later reformed as the 24th Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment equipped with 5.25 Antiaicraft Guns. In May the regiment moved to Garrison Barracks, Sheerness with one battery at Hoath Lane Camp. In 1955 the regiment was reduced to a cadre again in Sheerness. In 1955 the cadre moved to Durranhill Camp where they were reformed as 24th Medium Regiment with the same batters equipped with the 5.5 Gun. In 1956 the regiment moved to Wyvern Barracks and two years later moved to Assaye Barracks under Commander Royal Artillery, 1st Corps.

In June 1960 the regiment was redesignated as a "composite" regiment. The next year had an interesting period as some batteries were using different guns as others. 2 and 34 Batteries used the 8 Inch Howitzer 51 and 76 Missile Batteries used the Honest John. Towards the end of the year the regiment was redesigated as 24th Missile Regiment. In 1962 the regiment moved to Barker Barracks in Paderborn and removed 2 and 34 batteries. Both 51 and 76 Missile Batteries remained using the Honest John and was assigned to the 1st Artillery Brigade.

In November 1972 the regiment moved for the last time to Ubique Barracks in Dortmund where they gained 19 Battery. In March 1977 the regiment was placed in Suspended Animation.