38th (W) Division was in corps reserve, behind the divisions guarding the coast. One of the lessons learned from the Battle of France was that the two-battery organisation did not work: field regiments were intended to support an infantry brigade of three battalions. As a result, they were reorganised into three 8-gun batteries, but it was not until late 1940 that the RA had enough trained battery staffs to carry out the reorganisation. 146th Field Rgt accordingly formed 510 Fd Bty on 14 January 1941. By now RA field regiments had standardised on the modern 25-pounder gun in place of the prewar equipment and makeshift guns issued after Dunkirk. When TA duplicate units were authorised to adopt their parent's subtitles on 17 February 1942, the 146th was given the 'Pembroke & Cardigan' title, even though it only had the Cardigan batteries. On 1 December 1941 38th (W) Division was placed on a lower establishment; this meant that it was not going to be sent overseas for the foreseeable future, and it became a static coast defence formation in Dorset under V Corps. As the invasion threat receded, the lower establishment divisions became sources of units and drafts to reinforce the fighting formations overseas. Egypt 146th (P&C) Field Rgt left 38th (W) Division on 13 May 1942 and was joined by 282 Anti-Tank Battery from 70th (Royal Welch Fusiliers) Anti-Tank Regiment (also from 38th (Welsh)) on 24 May. The regiment was then sent by sea to Egypt to reinforce Eighth Army fighting the Western Desert Campaign. It landed at Suez in September 1942, and on arrival, 282 A/T Bty left on 19 September and joined 95th Anti-Tank Rgt. 146th (P&C) Field Rgt joined 8th Armoured Division on 25 September. The skeleton of this division had recently arrived in Egypt, but it was still not complete. For the planned Second Battle of El Alamein it was split up to reinforce other formations, including the HQ 8th Divisional Royal Artillery, which from 18 October constituted 'Hammerforce'. From Hammerforce 146th (P&C) Fd Rgt with its 24 x 25-pounders was directly attached to support 9th Australian Division in the forthcoming attack ('Operation Lightfoot'). The essence of the plan was that concentrated groups of 25-pdrs could be used to support first one, then another of a series of set-piece attacks, with plenty of ammunition available. The bombardment began at 21.40 on 23 October with 15 minutes