Unit History: Light Anti Aircraft Regiment
The 92nd (Loyals) Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery was a British Army mobile light anti-aircraft regiment active during World War II.
The 92 LAA Regt RA was created in November 1941 from the 7th Battalion of The Loyal Regiment (North Lancashire). Most of the men in the unit came from Liverpool, Merseyside and Lancashire. In 1942, the regiment became the divisional light anti-aircraft regiment of 3rd Infantry Division. After anti-invasion duties in several parts of England, the regiment moved to Castle Douglas, Kirkcudbrightshire, in the spring of 1943 to begin training with the 3rd Division for the invasion of Europe. On D-Day, June 6, 1944, the regiment’s F Troop landed on Sword Beach near La Breche d’Hermanville in Normandy as part of 3rd Division’s assault forces. The troop’s task was to protect the vital bridges over the River Orne and Caen Canal, which had been captured earlier that day by glider-borne troops of the Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry, led by Major John Howard. F Troop deployed around the bridges and for five days fought off repeated enemy air attacks, shooting down 17 German planes. This was despite being deprived of its reinforcement units, which had been sunk in the English Channel. The bridges were later renamed Pegasus Bridge and Horsa Bridge. The 92nd fought with distinction throughout the rest of the campaign in North West Europe, ending the war in Bremen. The regiment was formally disbanded in February 1946
The 92 LAA Regt RA was created in November 1941 from the 7th Battalion of The Loyal Regiment (North Lancashire). Most of the men in the unit came from Liverpool, Merseyside and Lancashire. In 1942, the regiment became the divisional light anti-aircraft regiment of 3rd Infantry Division. After anti-invasion duties in several parts of England, the regiment moved to Castle Douglas, Kirkcudbrightshire, in the spring of 1943 to begin training with the 3rd Division for the invasion of Europe. On D-Day, June 6, 1944, the regiment’s F Troop landed on Sword Beach near La Breche d’Hermanville in Normandy as part of 3rd Division’s assault forces. The troop’s task was to protect the vital bridges over the River Orne and Caen Canal, which had been captured earlier that day by glider-borne troops of the Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry, led by Major John Howard. F Troop deployed around the bridges and for five days fought off repeated enemy air attacks, shooting down 17 German planes. This was despite being deprived of its reinforcement units, which had been sunk in the English Channel. The bridges were later renamed Pegasus Bridge and Horsa Bridge. The 92nd fought with distinction throughout the rest of the campaign in North West Europe, ending the war in Bremen. The regiment was formally disbanded in February 1946
