The 46th Warwickshire (Birmingham) Battalion had a responsibility for the defence of areas of Handsworth. Of its five Companies "B" Coy. was the factory unit of ICI Metals Ltd. - Kynoch Works, the main factory devoted to ICI's metals interests and situated on a vast site on the eastern edge of the Battalion's territory. (Other pages of the website give further information about this unit and the factory which it defended - see below).

At stand-down in December 1944 The Battalion's officers were as follows:

An image survives of what appears to have been a parade of at least part of the Battalion. The date would have been late 1943 or 1944. Most of the officers listed above would have been present but the only names so far linked to faces are those of Lt. E. Long, M.M., of "B" Coy. who is standing in the third rank, first file on the left after the band; and Major H. Cann, C.O. of "B" Coy. who is first main rank, 4th from left (between the two officers at the forefront). The officer in battledress looking directly at the camera is probably Lt.-Col. C.W.P. Blackmore, M.C., Battalion C.O.

The precise location of this event has been identified with the generous help of a visitor to this website who advises that it was taken at WITTON BARRACKS. Part of the KYNOCH (ICI Metals) buildings are shown at the rear of the photo and the houses are in Witton Road. The larger building after the houses is a Billiard Hall. Some time after the war the Post Office Telephones (GPO and later BT) used the old barracks as one of their centres. The land now is part of Aston Villa F.C.  

If you can provide further identifications - and these would be very welcome - please use FEEDBACK