Original Commander: Maj JA Bretherton
Original Composition: nine Bofors manned by NZers and two existing RA troops each of five Breda LAA guns.
Defence of Tobruk
Three Bofors under Lt RSV Simpson were detached and came under the command of the 39th Light Ack-Ack, RA, serving in the area of the composite field battery. Rest of X Bty came under the 69th Heavy Ack-Ack, RA, and took up positions guarding the El Gubbi airfield and satellite landing grounds in roughly the middle of the fortress area, with roles also in the harbour defence scheme. They contributed to the spectacular night-time ack-ack barrages over Tobruk on the 5th, 6th and 7th Dec 41. Next day Simpson's section returned to X Bty. From 10th - 19th the battery fired nightly and also engaged Stukas and other aircraft which attacked Tobruk by day.
X Bty handed over its guns to the RA on 21 Dec 1941.
Ref: "Official History of New Zealand in the Second World War"
14 LAA Regiment
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