The story of my uncle, Aubrey Garrett is already written within the website but I have not explored the beginings of 234 (HAA) Battery RA. They were formed in 1936 when 223(HAA) Battery were cloned, effectively doubling the air defence capability overnight. 234 took up residence in the Drill Hall in Sandwich, taking over from the old (Cinque Ports)field artillery unit which had been there since WW1. On the day they were mobilised, 24th August 1939, they together with a section from Deal and Ramsgate, moved to the Battery HQ in Sittingbourne and awaited orders.
They went to Rainham in Kent the next day and defended the docks at Chatham through til the end of the Battle of Britain. They moved to Butlins in Clacton for training and refit ready to deploy to Egypt… The rest is in the book! Please have a look at my podcast https://youtu.be/fbHSlbjnGHc?si=uOpjpUIkU1w28X0h and a further link to my book ‘The Letters’ is at the end of this post. More news on Sandwich drill hall in the next few weeks!!! keep checking back!
The Letters https://www.amazon.co.uk/Letters-John-F-Bennett/dp/1399976907
John F Bennett, Author, Blogger and Military Historian 