146th Field Regiment was a Royal Artillery (RA) unit being formed in Britain's part-time Territorial Army (TA) on the outbreak of World War II.

After serving in Home Defence it was sent to Egypt, where it took part in the Second Battle of El Alamein and then joined 7th Armoured Division for the pursuit across North Africa and the Tunisian campaign.

[10][11][12] One of the lessons learned from the Battle of France was that the two-battery organisation did not work: field regiments were intended to support an infantry brigade of three battalions.

[6][5] On 1 December 1941 38th (W) Division was placed on a lower establishment; this meant that it was not going to be sent overseas for the foreseeable future, and it became a static coast defence formation in Dorset under V Corps.

As the invasion threat receded, the lower establishment divisions became sources of units and drafts to reinforce the fighting formations overseas.

For the planned Second Battle of El Alamein it was split up to reinforce other formations, including the HQ 8th Divisional Royal Artillery, which from 18 October constituted 'Hammerforce'.

The guns fell silent for 5 minutes before zero (22.00) then the full weight of artillery was brought down on the enemy's forwards positions as the Allied infantry began their advance.

One of 9th Australian Division's attacking brigades reached the final objective ('Oxalic') by dawn after some stiff fighting, the other was held up about 1,000 yards (910 m) short.

The Axis forces counter-attacked at the Battle of Medenine on 6 March, but 7th Armoured Division was in a well-prepared position with plenty of 25-pdrs and ample ammunition.

7th Armoured then took part in the set-piece Battles of the Mareth Line (16–23 March) and Wadi Akarit (6–7 April), after which it pursued the enemy up the coast to the Enfidaville position.

It completed its concentration on 30 September, the leading elements having begun moving out of the beachhead two days earlier, and entered Naples on 1 October.

146th (P&C) Field Rgt left the division on 6 November when it joined 2nd Army Group Royal Artillery (2nd AGRA) to support the attack on Monte Camino, in which 201st Guards Brigade stormed 'Bare Arse Ridge'.

The establishment of a medium regiment was two batteries of 8 guns each; it consisted of 407 and 408 (Cardiganshire) Med Btys, and 510 Fd Bty was disbanded.

However, landings fell behind schedule and 146th (P&C) Med Rgt did not arrive until 15 July, when it deployed at Le Mesnil-Patry under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel F.A.

[29][31][32] 8th AGRA was moved across the River Orne and loaned to II Canadian Corps for the diversionary Operation Spring on 25 July, firing a large programme of harassing fire (HF) tasks to assist the advance towards Verrières Ridge and Tilly-la-Campagne, though one troop of 146th (P&C) Med Rgt remained behind to continue HF tasks from its previous positions.

There was an air raid on Mondeville in the early hours of 25 July, with German aircraft dropping anti-personnel bombs and Strafing while 146th (P&C) Med Rgt was firing an HF task.

An ammunition dump was set on fire about 40 yards (37 m) behind Sergeant B.L.Jones's gun, but he and two members of his detachment put out the flames, for which he was awarded the Military Medal.

There were fewer guns than normal for an attack by Second Army, and ammunition supply was limited because the 'tail' of the corps was still strung out east of the Orne when the battle began.

[40] 146th (P&C) Medium Rgt remained at Le Bény-Bocage for some days, then supported VIII Corps' renewed attack (Operation Grouse) on 11 August.

As the advance continued slowly towards Tinchebray over the next week, 8th AGRA fired impromptu fireplans in support of 3rd Division, and CB and HF tasks.

[41] Once the breakout from the beachhead was achieved, VIII Corps was 'grounded' to provide transport and fuel to 21st Army Group's pursuit force.

It played a minor flanking role in Operation Market Garden (the Battle of Arnhem), after which it closed up to the River Maas in the autumn.

[42][43][44][45] By 3 December, 15th (S) Division (temporarily under XII Corps) was ready to take the Germans' last bridgehead west of the Maas, at Blerick, opposite Venlo.

A follow-up attack was planned using part of the divisional reserve and a squadron of DD Sherman swimming tanks that had crossed the river.

Increasingly, as Victory in Europe (VE Day) approached, British units were called upon to act as occupation forces.

This consisted of the Prince of Wales's feathers, coronet and 'Ich Dien' motto, with a scroll beneath carrying the Pembroke Yeomanry's unique Battle honour 'Fishguard'.