1947 - 1967

1947 Re-constitution of the TA.

The TA was re-constituted on 1st January 1947. It was re-structured and expanded, through the reactivation of some of the 1st Line divisions that were initially disbanded after the war, keeping its former role of supplying complete divisions to the Regular Army until 1967.

The TA was given three roles. The provision of reserve field formations-divisions and brigades-which had been its main purpose since 1908 was continued. Six infantry divisions, two armoured divisions, an airborne division, and several independent brigades were formed. One of those brigades was formed in Northern Ireland-the first TA presence in that province. From 1935, the TA had provided the bulk of the forces allotted to Anti-Aircraft Command, and this commitment was continued and extended in 1947. Experience of military operations in the Second World War had underlined the need for more specialised troops at corps, army and line of communication level. For this purpose, the reformed TA provided a large number of artillery, engineers, signals and logistic units.

For administration purposes, the field formations and the new army/corps/line of communication units were divided between the geographic commands of the UK-Eastern, London, Northern, Northern Ireland, Scottish, Southern and Western. Each command had a mixture of regular and reserve units within its boundaries. Anti-Aircraft Command covered the whole of the UK and operated as a partner to the RAF’s Fighter Command.

In the process of reformation in 1947 many units were re-titled and re-roled and so lost their pre 1939 identities.

Territorial Army - Royal Artillery 1947 Northumbrian Gunners

272 (Northumbrian) Field Regiment R.A. (T.A.) HQ: Newcastle, Northumberland 50 (N) Inf Div

274 (Northumbrian) Field Regiment R.A. (T.A.) HQ: South Shield, Durham 50 (N) Inf Div

324 (Northumbrian) H.A.A. Regiment R.A. (T.A.) HQ: Gosforth, Northumberland 83 AA Bde

325(Durham) L.A.A. Regiment R.A. (T.A.) HQ: Sunderland, Durham 56 AA Bde

377 (Durham) Observation Regiment R.A. (T.A.) HQ: Durham, Durham 86 (FD) AGRA

404(Tynemouth) Coast Regiment R.A. (T.A.) HQ: North Shields, Northumberland 103 Coast Bde

405(Tynemouth) Coast Regiment R.A. (T.A.) HQ: Blyth, Northumberland 103 Coast Bde

426 (Durham) Coast Regiment R.A. (T.A.) HQ: West Hartlepool, Durham 103 Coast Bde

427(Durham) Coast Brigade R.A. (T.A.) HQ: West Hartlepool, Durham 103 Coast Bde

462 (Northumbrian) H.A.A. Regiment R.A. (T.A.) HQ: Hull, Yorks 57 AA Bde

463(Durham) H.A.A. Regiment R.A. (T.A.) HQ: Sunderland, Durham 56 AA Bde

464 (Northumbrian) H.A.A. Regiment R.A. (T.A.) HQ: Whitley Bay, Northumberland 83 AA Bde

487 H.A.A. Regiment R.A. (Durham)(T.A.) HQ: Hebburn on Tyne, Northumberland 83 AA Bde

537 S.L. Regiment R.A. (Tyne Electrical Engineers)(T.A.) HQ: Tynemouth, Durham 83 AA Bde

582(The Durham Light Infantry) L.A.A./S.L. Regiment R.A. (T.A.) HQ: Sunderland, Durham 92 (AA) AGRA

588 L.A.A. Regiment R.A. (Royal Northumberland Fusiliers)(T.A.) HQ: Walker-on-Tyne, Northumberland 50 (N) Inf Div

589 Searchlight Regiment R.A. (The Durham Light Infantry)(T.A.) HQ: Stockton-on-Tees, Durham 56 AA Bde

590 L.A.A. Regiment R.A. (The Durham Light Infantry)(T.A.) HQ: West Hartlepool, Durham 56 AA Bde

654 L.A.A. Regiment R.A. (T.A.) HQ: Bishop Auckland, Durham 56 AA Bde

669 L.A.A. Regiment R.A. (Durham)(T.A.) HQ: South Shields, Durham 83 AA Bde

670 L.A.A. Regiment R.A. (Tyneside Scottish, The Black Watch)(T.A.) HQ: Newcastle on Tyne, Northumberland 83 AA Bde

1967 Territorial Army and Volunteer Reserve (TAVR)


A complete reorganisation was announced in the 1966 Defence White Paper from 1 April 1967 when the title Territorial Army and Volunteer Reserve (TAVR) was adopted which abolished the former regimental and divisional structure of the TA. Units in the new TAVR were divided into four categories:

TAVR I: Units available for all purposes
TAVR II: Units with a NATO role, specifically support for the British Army of the Rhine
TAVR III: Home Defence units
TAVR IV: Consisting of bands and the University-based Officer Training Corps

TAVR I and II units were known as "Volunteers", and those in TAVR III as "Territorials". These terms were often incorporated into the unit titles.

The TAVR III was disbanded in 1969, with the units being reduced to eight-man "cadres". The cadres became part of a "sponsoring" TAVR II unit, although continuing to wear the badges and perpetuating the traditions of their forebears. An increase in the size of the TAVR in 1971 lead to the formation of a number of battalions based on these cadres.

In 1979 the Territorial Army title was restored, and in the following years its size was somewhat increased, with the regimental system being progressively reinstated. Although due to its decreased established size, Brigades rather than Divisions were used at a manoeuvre formation level

101 (Northumbrian) Medium Regiment Royal Artillery (Volunteers)
 Formed 1 April 1967 with Regimental Headquarters at Barrack Road, Newcastle upon Tyne.

BATTERIES:


HQ Battery at Barrack Road Newcastle
 from 272 (Northumbrian) Field Regiment RA (TA).

203 Medium Battery at Blyth
from Q Battery 324 Heavy Air Defence Regiment RA (TA) and P (Elswick) Battery 272 Field Regiment RA (TA).

204 Medium Battery at Gosforth
from 439 (Tyne) Light Air Defence Regiment RA (TA).

205 Medium Battery at South Shields
from 274 (Northumbrian) Field Regiment RA (TA) and 463 (Durham Light Infantry) Light Air Defence Regiment RA (TA).