page_title: 3rd (Ulster) Searchlight Regiment, Royal Artillery
section_title: Battle of Britain
hierarchical_section_title: 3rd (Ulster) Searchlight Regiment, Royal Artillery / World War II / Battle of Britain
context_page_description: 3rd (Ulster) Searchlight Regiment, Royal Artillery later the 4th (Ulster) LAA Regt, was an air defence unit of Britain's part-time force the Supplementary Reserve. The regiment was formed in 1939 during the increase of international tension following the Munich Conference the year before known as the Munich Crisis. When the regiment was mobilised they served in France before returning to be converted to light anti-aircraft artillery and eventually participated in the Invasion of Normandy. After the TA was re-organised and re-instated in 1947, the regiment was reformed into two regiments which were later merged, and after more reductions was reduced to today's 206 (Ulster) Battery Royal Artillery based in Belfast and Coleraine under 105th Regiment Royal Artillery.
context_section_description: After evacuating from France, the regiment was assigned to home duties and concurrently joined the new 8th Anti-Aircraft Division.  The 8th AA division was formed in mid-1940 as part of the expansion of AA Command just after the beginning of the Battle of France and during the Phoney War, and tasked with defending the south coast as far east as Bournemouth.  Within the division, the 64th Anti-Aircraft Brigade was formed to control the regiments which were tasked with defending the south-west airfields.  As part of this new brigade, the 2nd (Militia), 76th S/L, and 85th S/L regiments were assigned and tasked along the same lines of the brigade as a result of the increasing bombing from the Luftwaffe.
  During the Battle of Britain, RAF squadrons based in the south west manned fighters and maritime patrol planes, and tasked to intercept enemy fighters and bombers before reaching the mainland.  Among the many bases included some well known ones which proved their worth including; RAF Falmouth, RAF Mount Batten, RAF Exeter, and RAF St Just.
  During the later part of 1941, due to manpower over-stuffing and lack of guns available, many searchlight regiments were converted, disbanded, or merged.  As a result of these reforms, the number of searchlight units was reduced to just ten batteries.  As a result of these re-organisations, on 21 January 1942, the regiment was re-organised and renamed to become the 4th (Ulster) Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery.  By February the regiment was done converting and assigned again to Home Forces.  On 19 June 1942 11th LAA Bty became independent and then joined the 120th LAA Regt soon after.
  Following their change in role, the regimental structure was also, altered;
  Regimental Headquarters
  Regimental Band & Pipes and Drums (acting as medical orderlies, therefore no RAMC detachment)
  2 Light Air Warning signals teams (utilising the Radar AA No.4 Mk III, manned by Royal Corps of Signals)
  7th Light Anti-Aircraft Battery (LAA Bty) (utilising 40mm Bofors) (late 9th S/L Bty)
  8th LAA Bty (late 10th S/L Bty)
  10th LAA Bty (late 11th S/L Bty)
  11th LAA Bty (late 12th S/L Bty) - later independent and then moved to 120th LAA Regt, RA
  Light Anti-Aircraft Workshop (LAD), Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (formally Royal Army Ordnance Corps, re-named in Dec. 43 upon formation of the REME)
  Telecommunications maintenance section (attached to workshop when radar were attached)
caption: Formation sign of the 8th Anti-Aircraft Division