8th Coast Regiment, Royal Artillery


The 8th Coast Regiment, Royal Artillery was a regular heavy artillery unit of the Royal Artillery and based in China during the years leading up to World War II.

History

On 4 January 1933, the 8th Heavy Brigade, Royal Artillery was formed by grouping the former Hong Kong Coast Defences. The brigade was organised as;
In accordance with the re-organisations of the Royal Artillery in 1938, the brigade was renamed as the 8th Heavy Regiment, Royal Artillery. On the same date of renaming, the regiment took control of two more batteries; 30 Heavy Battery, former 'C' Coast Battery in Broughty Ferry and 'X' Heavy Battery, The Hong Kong and Singapore Artillery, formed and regimented that year.
When the war broke out on 3 September 1939, the regiment was headquartered in Kowloon and commanded by Commander Hong Kong Royal Artillery.
On 16 November 1939 'X' battery was redesignated as 36 Heavy Battery, and former 20 and 26 Heavy batteries were transferred to the 12th Hvy Rgt being formed in Hong Kong also. On 14 December 1940, the regiment was redesignated as the 8th Coast Regiment, Royal Artillery, and its batteries being termed 'coast batteries', to further represent their coastal defence role. Finally on Christmas, 25 December 1941 the regiment with 12 and 30 Coast batteries along with 36 Coast Battery were captured by the Japanese and the regiment was placed in suspended animation, never to reform.

Footnotes