Bishop Self Propelled 25 pdr

[Larry Hayward]

Can anyone confirm which Royal Artillery Regiments (and their Batteries) used the 'Bishop' Self propelled 25 pdr (based on the Valentine tank) in Sicily and on the Italian mainland in 1943.

I have a reference to 142 (SP) Field Regt RA but have also seen 143 Regt RA mentioned for some of the same commonly published pictures and wonder whether this is a typo error

I don't think many were made so I doubt that many units had them.

Thanks

[Mark W. Tonner]

Originally posted by Larry Hayward
I have a reference to 142 (SP) Field Regt RA but have also seen 143 Regt RA mentioned for some of the same commonly published pictures and wonder whether this is a typo error

Hi Larry;

There were only approx. 100 'Bishop' SPs made.

From what I have, 142nd Field Regiment (Self-Propelled)(Royal Devon Yeomanry), R.A. (383, 384, 506 Batteries) was equipped with them in Sicily/Italy from Jul 1943 to May 1944.

142nd Fd Regt (SP), RA, were 8th Army Troops.

Hope this helps.

Cheers

[Mark W. Tonner]

Originally posted by Larry Hayward
I have a reference to 142 (SP) Field Regt RA but have also seen 143 Regt RA mentioned for some of the same commonly published pictures and wonder whether this is a typo error

Hi Larry;

A bit of a follow-up. 143rd Field Regiment (Kent Yeomanry), R.A., never served in Sicily or Italy. They were in the UK until landing in Normandy in June 1944 (as a Fd Regt of the 49th Inf Div).

Cheers

[Larry Hayward]

Thanks Mark

So apart from 142 Bty RA, there was no other RA units using the Bishop in the Italian Campaign?

For Sicily, how many Bishops would 142 Bty RA have if it was at full strength. About 16 to 20?

Presumably the other 80 Bishops were used up in Tunisia by 121 Bty RA & 12 RHA ( These are the only other units I can find that used them)

[Mark W. Tonner]

Originally posted by Larry Hayward
So apart from 142 Bty RA, there was no other RA units using the Bishop in the Italian Campaign?

Hi Larry;

121st Fd Regt (SP), RA, also used the Bishop in Italy from Sep 43 to Jan 44, at which time they were converted to a Medium Regiment. (121st Fd Regt were also 8th Army Troops, along with 142nd Fd Regt)

Originally posted by Larry Hayward
For Sicily, how many Bishops would 142 Bty RA have if it was at full strength. About 16 to 20?

142 Fd Regt (SP), RA, at full gun strength, would have had 24 (eight guns per battery) (the same for 121st Fd Regt)

Originally posted by Larry Hayward
Presumably the other 80 Bishops were used up in Tunisia by 121 Bty RA & 12 RHA ( These are the only other units I can find that used them)

12th (H.A.C.) Regt, RHA, to the best of my knowledge, never used the Bishop in N. Africa. They were towed 25pdr equipped until converting to the 105mm How. 'Priest' in Jun 1943, which they landed in Italy equipped with on 14 Mar 44.

Hope this answers your questions Larry.

Cheers

[Larry Hayward]

Mark,

With regard to 12 RHA (HAC) I saw reference to their use of Bishops 'near Medjez-el-Bab, April 1943' as a photo caption in Gunners at War 1939-45 by Peter Mead - Published by Ian Allan.

Once again thanks

[Mark W. Tonner]

Originally posted by Larry Hayward
Mark,

With regard to 12 RHA (HAC) I saw reference to their use of Bishops 'near Medjez-el-Bab, April 1943' as a photo caption in Gunners at War 1939-45 by Peter Mead - Published by Ian Allan.

Once again thanks

Hi Larry;

Strange, all the references I have for 12 RHA (HAC) in N. Africa, from Operation TORCH to their conversion to the M7 105mm How. 'Priest' equipment in June 1943, say that all three batteries of the Regiment ("A", "B" and "C") were equipped with towed 25pdrs. In a memoir I have of a former member of the Regt, who served throughout their time in N. Africa, there is no mention of any of the Batteries or Troops being equipped with anything but towed 25pdrs, up until the conversion in June 1943.

Cheers