7th battalion 1939-1941, 30th Battalion and 70th (Young Soldiers) Battalion , Essex Regiment
The Territorial 7th Battalion was converted to the 59th (Essex Regiment) Anti Aircraft Brigade Royal Artillery on 15 December 1935 and so ceased to exist as a battalion.
With war clouds building a voluntary militia was formed nationally with units called National Defence Companies throughout the UK including Essex.
In 1938 approval was given for the Essex Territorial Army to raise three National Defence Companies (NDC) to guard vulnerable points in the event of a war. Volunteers should be aged from 45 to 60 years of age and be ex servicemen. The men were volunteers and required to report for regular training at local Territorial Army depots although there was no uniform, weapons or pay for this role.
The response was initially slow with 8 Officers and 108 other ranks volunteering leaving a deficit of over 200 men from the planned establishment by January 1937. By January 1939 despite the worsening situation manpower was still a problem with 7 Officers and 105 men. Reasons given included a lack of pay, uniform and mainly the lack of duties that were allocated to the Companies as active duties were reserved for wartime conditions.
The HQ of the NDC was at Ingatestone with the Companies at Prittlewell ( attached to the 2/6th Battalion Essex Regiment) , Ilford ( attached to the 1/4th Battalion Essex Regiment) and at Colchester ( attached to the 2/5th Battalion Essex Regiment).
The Commander was Col H F Kemball , TD, DL and the adjutant was Captain R A Chell DSO, MC who were both former Essex Regiment soldiers ( Seventh and 10th Battalions respectively) with distinguished service in the Great War.
On 24 August 1939 the NDC were mobilised and when they reported to their bases they were given a red armband marked TA, A bounty of Five Pounds in cash and most importantly a rifle. The men were now to receive wages and TA allowances of 3shillings a day for subsistence.
They were then allocated roles to free up existing army units by guarding airfields, railway stations, viaducts, power stations and other vital installations.
On 1st November 1939 the NDC were brought formally into the military and reorganises as territorial army companies within the reformed 7th Battalion ( Home Defence) Essex Regiment which sprang back into life after a break of just under 4 years.
A Company under command of Captain C E Edwards DSO, MC -B Company under command of Major J N Coker MC - C Company under command of Captain HJ Young TD - D Company under the command of Captain S E Collier and HQ Company ( Ingatestone) under command of Captain C A Boorman.
Equipment and manpower were constant challenges given the number of points identified for the battalion to guard and the scarcity of equipment such as barbed wire and munitions leaving each man with only of few bullets. Even greatcoats failed to arrive until the end of the winter leaving the Quartermasters to scrounge any supplies from where they could but in the British Army way they coped with all they were asked to do even though most men were required to be on duty for every other night.
One the phony war came to an end and German raids started in earnest the Battalion was even busier and continued to grow with the addition of young soldiers between the ages of 18 and 19 years of age.
One of the worst days was the 24th August 1940 when young soldiers of the battalion were guarding North Weald Aerodrome which was attacked by the enemy and 9 soldiers were killed with nine more wounded.
On 16 September 1940 the 18 year old soldiers from the 7th Battalion were transferred to form the core of the new 70th (Young Soldiers) Battalion, commanded by the newly promoted Lt Col R A Chell, which acted as a training Battalion for young soldiers who moved to other Battalions when they were 19years of age and as part of the training had a home defence role. The Battalion was disbanded on 31 March 1943 when the government lowered the age of conscription from 20 to 18 and so 18 year olds were able to enter normal Battalions.
The 7th Battalion by now had six companies and its own training wing at Ingatestone but in another change it was designated as the 30th Battalion on 24 December 1941 and continued in home defence duties. With the threat of a German invasion receding men were abstracted to join the Pioneers and as drivers for the RASC. Responsibility for guarding airfield passed to the Young Soldier group which left fewer men and fewer tasks until the Battalion was disbanded on 31 March 1943.
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