61ST Light Regiment, RA, the youngest regiment serving with the First Commonwealth Division, was formed in action in Korea, largely owing to the instigation of the present CRA, Brigadier W.G.H. Pike, DSO. The Regiment, as a regiment, assumed operational control on February 12th of this year. Being the only Regular Light Regiment of its kind, its initial establishment was experimental, and has since then been modified to suit the requirements of this particular theatre, in conformity with the overall manpower ceiling. The nucleus of the Regiment came from the two independent mortar batteries, 42 LAA and the 120 Light Batteries. The Regimental Headquarters formed at Woolwich under the Commanding Officer, Lt.-Col. H.S.Calvert MC, RA, and sailed with its attached LAD from Southampton on 14 Dec. 51. In Korea, the C.O. formed the third light battery. Thus the GOO’s (GOC?) wish that each infantry brigade should have its own mortar battery in support was made possible. The Sound Ranging troops of the Divisional Locating Battery, already in Korea, were put under command of the Regiment. As this battery had left its Radar troop behind, it was decided to add to it the LAA guns from 42 Bty. This resulted in the formation of 15 Loc/LAA Bty RA.
In August 1940 the 47 (Durham Light Infantry) AA Bn RE (TA) was redesignated 61 Light Regiment RA. In 1942 it became the 112 LAA Regt. RA (TA), and served in France and the Middle East. In May 1948 the regiment went into “suspended animation” – whatever that means! It remained in this dormant state until October 1951, when it was decided to reform it as 61 Light Regiment RA, and to equip it with the present mortar.
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