Southend: Saved by the boys from 193...

They were "the boys who saved Southend." Yet only now have they received an official acknowledgement.

On November 24, in the presence of Southend's mayor, a plaque was presented to surviving members of 193 Battery, the Essex Regiment.

The embossed tablet, with the battery's badge on it, will now join the other items of military heraldry paying tribute to Southend's armed forces units.

These are arrayed on the magnificent dark wooden panelling at Porter's, the Southend mayoral lodge. Hopefully they will remain there until the crack of doom.

Eleven of the gentlemen of 193 were at the ceremony. They are in their 70s and 80s now, but mostly in fine, jovial fettle. Yet these are men who already know pretty much what the crack of doom looks like.

As councillor Steve Aylen, presenting the award, put it: "The fact that this building Porters is still here is thanks to them. The fact that the whole of Southend wasn't flattened is thanks to them. I'm just sorry that this award is 60 years too late."

There was not an iota of exaggeration in Steve Aylen's tribute. The fact is, in 1939, Southend was the frontest of frontline towns. Probably only Dover was more exposed.

Southend had suffered grievously from air-raids in World War One. Now history looked likely to repeat itself.

However, it did have a special asset - Britain's first dedicated reserve artillery unit. As such, 193 Battery would have had its place in history, even if it had never fired a single angry shot at the German foe.

The 193 boys might have been, technically speaking, amateurs, but long before the war they were recognised as hot stuff.

At last week's ceremony, Steve Aylen recalled: "They had the latest 3.7in Vickers gun, even before some of the regular army did."

Battalion 193 was largely composed of City commuters. The Dad's Army lines: "Mr Brown goes up to town on the eight twenty-one, but he comes home each evening and he's ready with his gun," might have been written about them.

They made a proud force, but also a convivial one. Southend menfolk joined 193 for sociable as well as patriotic reasons. No doubt this had something to do with its success.

The convivial spirit that bonded the unit was still apparent, 60 years later, at the award ceremony.

193's first base was at the Woodcutters Arms in Eastwood. Several of the old gunners at the ceremony came up with an almost identical line: "It was no coincidence that we always seemed to set up our bases next to the pub."

On the whole, especially considering its military significance at the mouth of the Estuary, Southend suffered - relatively speaking - little damage. Contrast its fate with that of poor, shattered Dover and you appreciate how relatively fortunate the town was.

The conclusion is that the Germans treated the place with respect, after the pasting that they received in the early days. Truly, 193 battery won the Battle of Southend.

Yet while Southend might have been their home town battlefield, it was only the beginning of a lively war for 193. It would need a complete book to do justice to the battalion's subsequent history. Fortunately, Steve Aylen has written such a book.

Two out of hundreds of incidents illustrate the excitement and terror of 193's war.

During the frantic 1940 evacuation from Norway, 193's officers were forced to abandon the guns of which they had been so proud. They had to destroy them, without alerting any watchers to the silent evacuation.

The solution was highly inventive. The recoil mechanisms were removed. The guns were then fired from a long rope. The lack of recoil caused them to self-destruct but to enemy ears it sounded just like a single shot being fired.

193 might have been, formally speaking, an anti-aircraft unit, but in the heat of battle, the boys quickly adapted to the slog and peril of ground battle.

In Burma, the anti-aircraft gunners had little difficulty using their skills in an infantry support role.

Guy Shenstone, son of the unit's commanding officer Major Shenstone, recalled one skirmish in particular: "The Japanese were attempting to infiltrate a hillside, and we had to stop them digging in."

For over 24 hours, the Southenders' guns plastered the hillside at the rate of one round every two minutes. "I don't believe that much moved on that hillside," says Mr Shenstone. Little ever did when 193 was in action.

Better late - Southend mayor Tony North with 193's Guy Shenstone and the plaque presented by councillors to the battery unit veterans to mark their contribution in protecting the town during the war.

(Left) Hale and hearty - Sixty years after seeing action, veterans of 193 Battery can still enjoy a drink together

(Below right) 193 were strangely fortunate to have their bases next to pubs. Their first base was in a hut next to the Woodcutters, Eastwood, though undoubtly much of their business was decided at the bar!

Converted for the new archive on 19 November 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.