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England (Part 4)
B-Battery At Lippitts Hill
[Note: Spelling of "Lippets Hill" as orginally used in this section
has been corrected. - Ed.]
At 0630, March 14th, 1944, "B" Battery left Camp Blandford
on a 110 mile convoy to Lippitts Hill on the outskirts of London. Their
mission was to be part of the A.A. defense of that great city. After an
all day trip, "B" Battery entered the famous Epping Forest,
scene of Robin Hood's advenltures, and pulled into the Lippitts Hill gun
site. The Battery of the 184th whom we were to relieve was to remain in
action that night, so after a hot meal the men wandered around the area.
Everyone was more than pleased with the concrete gun pits, paved roads,
concrete C.P., large barracks, showers, separate mess hall, large dance
hall and best of all a pub directly across from the main gate.
"A" Battery, 184th AAA
I have learned from David Anderson, whose father was in the 184th,
that it was "A" Battery of the 184th that was relieved and
sent off for mobility training. For more information see Symphony
in B Flak. |
After seeing the sights, everyone bedded down for the night and soon
silence reigned over the camp. When "Wham" the alarm sounded
at 2300 hours and the men of the 184th were heard running to their positions.
All of "B" Battery turned out to watch the show and what a show
it was! Tracers from the British Bofors and bursts from the 90's filled
the sky; above the sounds of bursting shells could be heard the peculiar
whine of the German planes.
The next morning "B" Battery moved their equipment into position,
everyone working hard so as to be ready for the planes they were hoping
would come over that night.
At 2110 the "Factory Warning" came through, then the command
"All sites take post". All the equipment was manned in a hurry
and the men waited tense and expectant. Then came the notice of "Attack
in progress" and firing could be seen in the distance. The radar
picked up a target, it came in range, then the command "Fire"
was given and the 90's went off. Thus on March 15th, 1944, "B"
Battery was the first battery of the 115th to fire on the enemy. Each
night thereafter was a repetition of the first night.
On their time off the men were able to visit London and other cities
in the neighborhood. The English batteries on nearby sites had the men,
over to their dances and on Saturday nights "B" Battery had
dances attended by the A.T.S. and the local girls.
April 21st brought the news of moving back to join the battalion at Blandford
and on the morning of April 22nd it was a sad "B" Battery that
started the 110 mile convoy back to participate in the final pre-invasion
preparations.
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