outbreak of war, both were originally assigned to the 41st (London) Anti-Aircraft Brigade, part of the 2nd Anti-Aircraft Division until November 1940 when the 64th was transferred to the 40th Anti-Aircraft Brigade and the 65th remained with the 41st AA Brigade. Both regiments remained mainly in East Anglia and eastern England, defending from aerial attacks during the Battle of Britain and during The Blitz. Towards the end of the war in late 1944 and early 1945, both regiments were selected to be converted to infantry. The 64th Searchlight Regiment was subsequently redesignated 639th (Essex Regiment) Infantry Regiment, Royal Artillery and joined the 305th Infantry Brigade. The 65th Searchlight Regiment became 607th (Essex Regiment) Infantry Regiment, Royal Artillery. Both were converted to infantry due mainly to a severe shortage of manpower in the 21st Army Group fighting in North-western Europe, particularly in the infantry. After defending Essex during the Battle of Britain and the Blitz, 59th (The Essex Regiment) Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment (previously the 7th Battalion, Essex Regiment) landed in North Africa with the British First Army in November 1942, and later saw service with the British Eighth Army in the Italian Campaign. Hostilities-only The 7th (Home Defence) Battalion, Essex Regiment was raised specifically for home defence duties in the United Kingdom. The battalion was created on 2 November 1939 from 8 Group National Defence Companies. The battalion consisted mainly of older and less fit men but who had had previous military experience and younger soldiers around the ages of 18 and 19, and thus not old enough to be conscripted, who later went on to help form the 70th (Young Soldiers) Battalion. On 24 December 1941, the battalion was reorganised and redesignated as the 30th Battalion and remained in the United Kingdom until it was disbanded on 31 March 1943. The 8th Battalion, Essex Regiment was raised at Warley, Essex on 4 July 1940, assigned to 210th Independent Infantry Brigade (Home) until late February 1941 when it was transferred to the 226th Independent Infantry Brigade (Home). On 1 December 1941, the battalion was transferred to the Royal Armoured Corps and converted to armour, becoming the 153rd (Essex) Regiment Royal Armoured Corps. While the men donned the black beret of the Royal Armoured Corps, they continued to wear their Essex Regiment cap badge as did all infantry units converted in this manner. During the conversion, surplus personnel were formed into 'R'