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56th (East Lancashire) Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery
Military unit / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The 56th (East Lancashire) Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery, (56th (EL) LAA Rgt) was a Royal Artillery (RA) air defence unit of Britain's part-time Territorial Army (TA) raised as a duplicate unit just before the outbreak of the Second World War. It served in the Norwegian Campaign and then joined 8th Armoured Division. It was sent to Egypt and participated in the Second Battle of El Alamein and the subsequent pursuit across North Africa. It then fought in the Italian Campaign, including defending the Salerno and Anzio beachheads. It often operated under US command, on one occasion in an anti-tank role. The regiment reformed as heavy AA artillery in the postwar TA and continued until 1955 when it merged with other units in Lancashire.
56th (East Lancashire) LAA Regiment, RA 556 (East Lancashire) HAA Regiment, RA | |
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![]() Cap badge of the Royal Artillery | |
Active | June 1939–10 March 1955 |
Country | ![]() |
Branch | ![]() |
Role | Anti-Aircraft Artillery |
Size | 3 Batteries |
Part of | 6 AA Brigade 8th Armoured Division X Corps Fifth US Army 70 AA Brigade |
Garrison/HQ | Oswaldtwistle Manchester |
Engagements | Norwegian Campaign Alamein North African Campaign Operation Avalanche Anzio Italian Campaign Garfagnana |