The 49th Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment (49th LAA Rgt) was an air defence unit of Britain's Royal Artillery during World War II.

After serving with Anti-Aircraft Command during and after the Blitz, it joined 78th 'Battleaxe' Division to take part in the Allied invasion of North Africa (Operation Torch).

78th Division was being assembled as an assault formation of First Army for the proposed Allied landings in North Africa (Operation Torch).

[15] The 'Torch' convoys left the Clyde in October 1942 and 78th Division aboard the Eastern Task Force sailed through the Straits of Gibraltar to land near the port of Algiers.

But against stiff opposition and winter weather the division had lost impetus; it would be almost six months before the Allies finally captured Tunis.

Ammunition expenditure by the LAA batteries was high, often wasted by the inexperienced gunners engaging unsuitable targets at long range, and supply was sometimes erratic.

With greater experience of 'snap' actions against fast low-flying aircraft, Bofors gun units increasingly abandoned using the Kerrison Predictor in favour of the simple 'Stiffkey Stick' deflection sight.

V Corps was given the task of securing the ground necessary to open the Oued Zarga–Medjez el Bab road, and then moving on to capture Longstop Hill, which had defied the Allies since December.

Two weeks of hard slogging followed for 78th Division, during which Junkers Ju 87s and Messerschmitt Bf 109s were active in low-level Strafing and tank-busting missions.

[15][21][22] After V Corps had broken the back of the defence, First Army began its final offensive on Tunis (Operation Vulcan) on 22 April, which involved five days' hard fighting across the Medjez Plain before the armour could break through.

The apparent worsening in averages was accounted for by the large number of rounds fired in support of ground actions.

[15][23][24] After its hard fighting in Tunisia, 78th Division was not employed for the assault phase of the Allied invasion of Sicily (Operation Husky) beginning on 10 July, but was left training at Hammamet.

[15][25][26] Eighth Army landed in Calabria in Operation Baytown on 3 September, and advanced up the 'toe' of Italy against light opposition.

Beyond Foggia two of 78th Division's brigades made an amphibious landing with a Commando force on 3 October to seize Termoli in Operation Devon.

All the division's guns and supporting armour remained south of the River Biferno until the Sappers could construct fords and bridges.

78th Division next forced a bridgehead over the River Trigno on 27 October, but the follow-up operation to capture Vasto was delayed by bad weather.

Advancing along the crowded Highway 6 it reached Roccasecca railway station by 25 May and then moved into the rough country to the north, which was difficult for the supporting guns and vehicles.

Once the Hitler Line was broken, 78th Division went into reserve on 3 June while armoured formations passed through for the pursuit to Lake Trasimeno.