525th (Antrim) Coast Regiment, Royal Artillery
525th (Antrim) Coast Regiment, Royal Artillery (TA) was a volunteer coastal defence unit of Britain's Territorial Army from 1937 until 1956. It was the first Territorial Army unit to be raised in Northern Ireland.
| 525th (Antrim) Coast Regiment, Royal Artillery (TA) 429th (Antrim) Coast Regiment, Royal Artillery (TA) | |
|---|---|
| Active | 1937–1956 |
| Country |  United Kingdom |
| Branch |  Territorial Army |
| Role | Coastal Artillery |
| Size | Regiment |
| Garrison/HQ | Belfast |
History
The regiment was originally raised as an independent battery - 188th (Antrim) Heavy Battery, Royal Artillery (TA) in 1937. In 1940, the unit was expanded to Regimental status and designated 525th (Antrim) Coast Regiment, Royal Artillery (TA). The Regiment was tasked with the Defence of the Port of Belfast, which in 1939 included four 6-inch Breech Loading guns.[1] Two of these guns were emplaced at Grey Point Fort, the other two at Kilroot.
In 1945, at the end of the Second World War, the unit was placed in suspended animation. On the re-establishment of the Territorial Army in 1947, the unit was reconstituted as 429th (Antrim) Coast Regiment, Royal Artillery (TA).[2] On the dissolution of the coast artillery in 1956, it was converted to an Engineer unit, and redesignated as 146 (Antrim Artillery) Corps Engineer Regiment, Royal Engineers.
Notes
- K W Maurice-Jones, 1958. The History of Coast Artillery in the British Army, Royal Artillery Institution, p221
- Norman E.H. Litchfield, The Territorial Artillery 1908–1988 (Their Lineage, Uniforms and Badges), Nottingham: Sherwood Press, 1992, p310
References
- Norman E.H. Litchfield, The Territorial Artillery 1908–1988 (Their Lineage, Uniforms and Badges), Nottingham: Sherwood Press, 1992, ISBN 0-9508205-2-0.