The rocket battery's sports gala, Perry Barr, 1943

Programme for the sports and gala held by the Home Guard's anti-aircraft rocket unit, '185 (102 Warwicks) H.G. A.A. M. "Z" Battery R.A.', at the Alexandra Sports Ground, Perry Barr, 28 August 1943.

A typed programme cover: 'Sports & Gala, Alexandra Sports Ground (by kind permission Col. Esmond), Perry Barr. Saturday, 28th August 1943. Doors open 2.0 p.m., sports commence 2.30 p.m. Sports, boxing, military band, side shows, Punch & Judy, clowns, dancing etc. Price 3d.' It is headed by the unit and its officers, Major F. Reece, R.A., and Major A. Sowerby, H.G.

Notes

Place and date: confirmed on the programme. 'Z' batteries were anti-aircraft rocket projector sites. From 1942 the Home Guard crewed them under Royal Artillery officers. A Z battery at Perry Park, next to the sports ground, is REPORTED on the Birmingham History Forum (thread 'Home Guard stationed at Perry Park', 2017). The same thread has a forum memory that the Perry Barr Park rocket battery trained at the Kingstanding drill hall (sibling dossier, BHF 222351, REPORTED). Perry Park also had a heavy anti-aircraft gun site (four 4.5-inch guns in 1940; Historic England research record 1471491, via Wikipedia). The link between this unit and the Perry Park site is probable, not confirmed.