Whose Name We Share

28 The 103 rd Anti Air Battery is Born By March 1952 the B Anti-Aircraft Battery would be redesignated as 3 Anti-Aircraft Battery and subsequently, following the command of the DRA Minute of 1954, would be renamed 103 Anti Air Battery as a part of the 1st Field Regiment. Within its structure A Battery, the 101 st and the 102 nd Battery already existed and adhering to the new standardised system the 103 rd Battery was reborn. The minute stated the role the new batteries played was irrelevant and it was hence named the 103 rd . This was done without the intention of perpetuating the Great War unit, but it doesn’t make this Battery any less a part of the history. The 103 rd Battery of today does not have a direct lineage to the Great War Battery or the CMF Battery, but we perpetuate their title in remembrance of them. The Australian Army seems to struggle with the differences between perpetuation and lineage – and this mistake, once again, was almost cemented into the history of the RAA. Its similar to the differences of a predecessor and an ancestor. An ancestor is somebody who you are directly related to, whereas a predecessor is anyone who came before you – in this case the 103 rd AA is a predecessor. There is very little to speak of in terms of the Anti-Aircraft Battery, as very little was written about their activities during their brief existence. When it was disbanded in May of 1957 some of its personnel moved on to the Heavy Anti-Aircraft Increment at the School of Artillery and formed a depot element. They would hence be involved in the training of Heavy Anti-Aircraft gunnery for the CMF. This would continue until 1960, where they would become the instrument operators for guided weapon systems (such as surface-to-air missiles) that the Army had expressed interest in purchasing. Its here that the ex-members of the 103 rd would become a part of Radar Troop at the School. The remainder of the members after the disbandment were posted to raise 111 Light Anti- Aircraft Battery, which was already a part of the Regimental structure but was until this point unmanned. Here they would continue their service and once again the 103 rd Battery would fade out of existence. As mentioned, this battery did not perpetuate the Great War unit, however it may be a direct relative of the battery today. The original agreements of December 1954 for renumbering batteries directed that the number was to be retained irrespective of the role – and also for the life of the battery. Years later, in 1963, the Colonels Commandant agreed that no changes should be made in the numbers already borne by batteries on the ORBAT. This was a recognition of the fine traditions made by the 103 Batteries of the past. Whilst it is not confirmed, this may be considered a relative.