The 1st Anti-Aircraft Division (1st AA Division) was an Air Defence formation of the

British Army The British Army is the principal land warfare force of the United Kingdom, a part of the British Armed Forces along with the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force. , the British Army comprises 79,380 regular full-time personnel, 4,090 Gurkha ...

before and during the early years of the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposi ...

. It defended London during the

Battle of Britain The Battle of Britain, also known as the Air Battle for England (german: die Luftschlacht um England), was a military campaign of the Second World War, in which the Royal Air Force (RAF) and the Fleet Air Arm (FAA) of the Royal Navy defende ...

and

The Blitz The Blitz was a German bombing campaign against the United Kingdom in 1940 and 1941, during the Second World War. The term was first used by the British press and originated from the term , the German word meaning 'lightning war'. The Germa ...

Origin

The 1st AA Division was organised on 15 December 1935 at Hillingdon House, RAF Uxbridge (at that time the headquarters of the Royal Observer Corps).Frederick, p. 1047. TA3inchAATraining1938

Responsible to London District but under the operational control of

RAF Fighter Command RAF Fighter Command was one of the commands of the Royal Air Force. It was formed in 1936 to allow more specialised control of fighter aircraft. It served throughout the Second World War. It earned near-immortal fame during the Battle of Brita ...

, the Division's role was to command the growing number of Territorial Army (TA) anti-aircraft gun and searchlight units around London (the 2nd AA Division was formed in 1936 to cover the rest of the country). The headquarters of the division was formed by converting the headquarters of the 47th (2nd London) Infantry Division, whose General Officer Commanding, Major-General R.H.D. Thomson, continued as GOC of the new formation. Thomson had been Commander TA Air Defence Brigades and Inspector of Regular AA Units, and thus already responsible for the four brigades or 'groups' that comprised the division. He also chaired the

War Office The War Office was a department of the British Government responsible for the administration of the British Army between 1857 and 1964, when its functions were transferred to the new Ministry of Defence (MoD). This article contains text from ...

committee on expansion and mobilisation of TA AA units, which sat from 1935 to 1937. Tompson was followed in 1937 by Maj-Gen Sir Frederick Pile, who was promoted in 1939 to command the whole of Anti-Aircraft Command.

Order of battle 1935

The 1st AA Division was initially composed of the following formations and units: * General Officer Commanding: Major-General R.H.D. Thomson * ' 26th (London) AA Group' organised 16 December 1935 at the

Duke of York's Headquarters The Duke of York's Headquarters is a building in Chelsea in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, England. In 1969 it was declared a listed building at Grade II*, due to its outstanding historic or architectural special interest. History ...

, Chelsea ** 51st (London) Anti-Aircraft Brigade,

Royal Artillery The Royal Regiment of Artillery, commonly referred to as the Royal Artillery (RA) and colloquially known as "The Gunners", is one of two regiments that make up the artillery arm of the British Army. The Royal Regiment of Artillery comprises t ...

(TA) – AA guns ** 52nd (London) Anti-Aircraft Brigade, RA (TA) – AA guns ** 53rd (City of London) Anti-Aircraft Brigade, RA (TA) – AA guns ** 54th (City of London) Anti-Aircraft Brigade, RA (TA) – AA guns ** 26th (London) Anti-Aircraft Battalion (London Electrical Engineers),

Royal Engineers The Corps of Royal Engineers, usually called the Royal Engineers (RE), and commonly known as the ''Sappers'', is a corps of the British Army. It provides military engineering and other technical support to the British Armed Forces and is head ...

Royal Corps of Signals The Royal Corps of Signals (often simply known as the Royal Signals – abbreviated to R SIGNALS or R SIGS) is one of the combat support arms of the British Army. Signals units are among the first into action, providing the battlefield commun ...

(RCS), Regency Street, London SW1 * 1st Anti-Aircraft Divisional

Royal Army Service Corps The Royal Army Service Corps (RASC) was a corps of the British Army responsible for land, coastal and lake transport, air despatch, barracks administration, the Army Fire Service, staffing headquarters' units, supply of food, water, fuel and do ...

(RASC), Crescent Road,

Plumstead Plumstead is an area in southeast London, within the Royal Borough of Greenwich, England. It is located east of Woolwich. History Until 1965, Plumstead was in the historic county of Kent and the detail of much of its early history can ...

In 1938 the

replaced the unit designation 'Brigade' by 'Regiment', which allowed the AA Groups to take the more usual formation title of Brigades. The AA Divisions were unlike field formations: they were established to organise training and later exercise operational command in the static conditions of home defence, but relied entirely on the Home Forces commands for logistic support, supplies, and heavy repairs.Routledge, pp. 65–6.

Mobilisation

The TA's AA units were mobilised on 23 September 1938 during the

Munich Crisis The Munich Agreement ( cs, Mnichovská dohoda; sk, Mníchovská dohoda; german: Münchner Abkommen) was an agreement concluded at Munich on 30 September 1938, by Germany, the United Kingdom, France, and Italy. It provided "cession to Ger ...

. The staff of the 1st AA Division now had to implement the Tompson Committee's plan. The call-out of key parties by telephone and telegram went well, and they assembled at their drill halls within a few hours. Because the units possessed only a small scale of transport, elaborate plans had been made to requisition civilian vehicles, ranging from heavy lorries to buses and private cars. Equipment was drawn from mobilisation stores, and the detachments ferried out to their war stations. Despite some failures and problems, the emergency positions covering London were manned and most of the equipment was in place within 24 hours. The emergency mobilisation lasted nearly three weeks before the TA units were released on 14 October. The experience brought about improvements in equipment scales, and a rapid expansion of AA defences brought many new AA gun and searchlight units into existence, some by conversion of TA infantry battalions. The existing divisions and brigades were expanded, and the whole AA defence of the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and ...

was taken over by Anti-Aircraft Command on 1 April 1939. A new 6th AA Division was formed by duplicating the 1st AA Division's HQ at Uxbridge. The 6th AA Division took over responsibility for defending the

Thames Estuary The Thames Estuary is where the River Thames meets the waters of the North Sea, in the south-east of Great Britain. Limits An estuary can be defined according to different criteria (e.g. tidal, geographical, navigational or in terms of salini ...

and the adjacent areas of

Essex Essex () is a Ceremonial counties of England, county in the East of England. One of the home counties, it borders Suffolk and Cambridgeshire to the north, the North Sea to the east, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent across the estuary of the Riv ...

and North

Kent Kent is a county in South East England and one of the home counties. It borders Greater London to the north-west, Surrey to the west and East Sussex to the south-west, and Essex to the north across the estuary of the River Thames; it faces ...

, allowing the 1st AA Division to concentrate on the defence of London. The 27th, 28th and 29th AA Brigades were transferred to the new formation. The deterioration in international relations during 1939 led to a partial mobilisation in June, and a proportion of TA AA units manned their war stations under a rotation system known as 'Couverture'. Full mobilisation of AA Command came in August 1939, ahead of the declaration of war on 3 September 1939. 1 AA Division Graphic 1939

Order of Battle 1939

When the UK declared war on 3 September 1939, the 1st AA Division had the following composition: GOC: Major-General F.L.M. Crossman, DSO, MC HQ: Hillingdon House, RAF Uxbridge * 26th (London) Anti-Aircraft Brigade, Brompton Road, London SW3 – ''heavy AA guns'' ** 53rd (City of London) Anti-Aircraft Regiment, RA (TA) ** 86th (HAC) Anti-Aircraft Regiment, RA (TA) ** 88th Anti-Aircraft Regiment, RA (TA) * 38th Light Anti-Aircraft Brigade, organised 28 September 1938 at

, Chelsea, by duplication of the 26th AA Brigade – ''searchlights'' ** 26th (London Electrical Engineers) Anti-Aircraft Battalion, RE (TA) ** 27th (London Electrical Engineers) Anti-Aircraft Battalion, RE (TA) ** 75th (Middlesex) Searchlight Regiment, RA (TA) * 48th Anti-Aircraft Brigade, organised 28 August 1939 at

Lewisham Lewisham () is an area of southeast London, England, south of Charing Cross. It is the principal area of the London Borough of Lewisham, and was within the historic county of Kent until 1889. It is identified in the London Plan as one ...

– ''heavy AA guns'' ** 54th (City of London) Anti-Aircraft Regiment, RA (TA) ** 60th (City of London) Anti-Aircraft Regiment, RA (TA) ** 97th (London Scottish) Anti-Aircraft Regiment, RA (TA) ** 99th (London Welsh) Anti-Aircraft Regiment, RA (TA) * 49th Anti-Aircraft Brigade, organised 28 August 1939 at

Lower Belgrave Street Lower Belgrave Street is a street in London's Belgravia district. It runs north-west to south-east and begins as a continuation of Upper Belgrave Street where it meets Eaton Square. It crosses one through-street, Ebury Street, and ends in a t- ...

, London SW1 – ''heavy AA guns'' ** 51st (London) Anti-Aircraft Regiment, RA (TA) ** 52nd (London) Anti-Aircraft Regiment, RA (TA) ** 84th (Middlesex, London Transport) Anti-Aircraft Regiment, RA (TA) In August 1940 the RE 'Anti-Aircraft' (searchlight) battalions became regiments of the RA. Royal Artillery AA units were now designated Heavy Anti-Aircraft (HAA), Light Anti-Aircraft (LAA), or Searchlight (S/L) regiments and batteries.

Defences

The 1st AA Division had established a control centre at a disused Underground station at Brompton Road. The tunnels, subways and lift-shafts were adapted to provide bomb-proof accommodation for a Central Operation Room reporting direct to HQ

No. 11 Group RAF No. 11 Group is a group in the Royal Air Force first formed in 1918. It had been formed and disbanded for various periods during the 20th century before disbanding in 1996 and reforming again in 2018. Its most famous service was in 1940 in the Ba ...

at Uxbridge, and four Gun Operations Rooms (GORs) subdividing the London Inner Artillery Zone (IAZ). An elaborate network of dedicated telephone lines was laid by the

General Post Office The General Post Office (GPO) was the state postal system and telecommunications carrier of the United Kingdom until 1969. Before the Acts of Union 1707, it was the postal system of the Kingdom of England, established by Charles II in 1660. ...

and

, linking the AA sites, including many isolated searchlight positions.Routledge, pp. 388–9. On mobilisation in August 1939, the 1st AA Division controlled 159 HAA guns, 96 searchlights, and a mixture of LAA guns (1 x 3-inch, 1 x 40mm Bofors and 52 light machine-guns (LMGs)). Most of the HAA guns were assigned to the IAZ, with one troop of 4 guns at

HQ at

Stanmore Stanmore is part of the London Borough of Harrow in London. It is centred northwest of Charing Cross, lies on the outskirts of the London urban area and includes Stanmore Hill, one of the highest points of London, at high. The district, whi ...

and four more (16 guns) at airfields. The London IAZ extended from Cheshunt and

Dagenham Dagenham () is a town in East London, England, within the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham. Dagenham is centred east of Charing Cross. It was historically a rural parish in the Becontree Hundred of Essex, stretching from Hainault Fore ...

in the east to Bexley and Mitcham in the south and to

Richmond Richmond most often refers to: * Richmond, Virginia, the capital of Virginia, United States * Richmond, London, a part of London * Richmond, North Yorkshire, a town in England * Richmond, British Columbia, a city in Canada * Richmond, Californi ...

and Northolt in the west. The HAA positions were sited to produce an optimum density of fire of at least 16 guns engaging any one raid simultaneously. It had been intended that the 26th AA Brigade would control the whole zone, but it proved too complex for one HQ, and in September 1939 it was divided among three: the 26th AA Brigade (34 sites disposed to north and east), the 48th AA Brigade (28 sites to south-east and south), and the 49th AA Brigade (12 sites to west). The 26th AA Brigade still had the heaviest concentration of guns, mainly static 3.7-inch and 4.5-inch guns, with sites being increased from four to eight guns each. The 48th AA Brigade had a mixture of 3.7 and 4.5-inch guns, half of the former being mobile. The 49th AA Brigade had older 3-inch guns, but also controlled a higher proportion of LAA sites at Vital Points (VPs). Superimposed on the IAZ were the 73 searchlight sites controlled by the 38th AA Brigade.

Battle of Britain

On 5 June 1940, after the British Army had been evacuated from Dunkirk and the

was about to start, the 1st AA Division comprised 45 4.5-inch, 39 3.7-inch and 26 3-inch HAA guns, with three 3-inch, 19 Bofors, three twin

Vickers Vickers was a British engineering company that existed from 1828 until 1999. It was formed in Sheffield as a steel foundry by Edward Vickers and his father-in-law, and soon became famous for casting church bells. The company went public i ...

and 185 LMGs in the LAA role, together with 240 90 cm searchlights. On 11 July, the division's guns were disposed with 92 defending London, 28 at Slough, 4 at Hounslow, 4 at Stanmore, and 34 others dispersed to VPs. While the Luftwaffe attacked RAF airfields, only the guns of the 48th AA Brigade in south-east London were engaged. On 1 September, over 200 aircraft attacked

Maidstone Maidstone is the largest town in Kent, England, of which it is the county town. Maidstone is historically important and lies 32 miles (51 km) east-south-east of London. The River Medway runs through the centre of the town, linking it wi ...

, RAF Biggin Hill, RAF Kenley and Chatham: the guns of the 1st and 6th AA Divisions broke up the attacks but Kenley and Biggin Hill were badly hit. The following day a raid up the Thames estuary reached the edge of the London IAZ and were engaged by the 26th AA Brigade. Between 11 and 15 September, massed raids approached London, but running battles with RAF fighters broke up most of the raids before they reached the IAZ, where they were engaged by the 48th AA Brigade.

The Blitz

The British Army in the United Kingdom 1939-45 H1257

By 30 September, when the Battle of Britain was effectively over and the ''

Luftwaffe The ''Luftwaffe'' () was the aerial-warfare branch of the German '' Wehrmacht'' before and during World War II. Germany's military air arms during World War I, the '' Luftstreitkräfte'' of the Imperial Army and the '' Marine-Fliegerabt ...

'' had switched to night raids over London (

), by now the 1st AA Division had 233 HAA guns, 60 LAA guns, 161 LMGs and 242 searchlights covering the London IAZ, together with 36 HAA guns defending

Slough Slough () is a town and unparished area in the unitary authority of the same name in Berkshire, England, bordering west London. It lies in the Thames Valley, west of central London and north-east of Reading, at the intersection of the ...

, Langley,

Weybridge Weybridge () is a town in the Borough of Elmbridge in Surrey, England, around southwest of central London. The settlement is recorded as ''Waigebrugge'' and ''Weibrugge'' in the 7th century and the name derives from a crossing point of the ...

and airfields. In the absence of inland radar coverage, the 1st AA Division's Chief Signals Officer, Lt-Col G.C. Wickens, devised a system of 14 fixed base-lines of sound locators to detect night raids approaching the IAZ. These were linked by automatic telephone equipment to the Brompton operations room, where the angular plots were resolved to indicate grid squares where the HAA guns in range could fire an unseen barrage. This 'Fixed Azimuth' system came into action in June 1940, in time for the opening of the night Blitz on London. It was later replaced as searchlight control (SLC) and gunlaying (GL) radar systems were introduced. Mobile Z battery 1941 IWM H 10791

However, the performance of the AA defences in the early weeks of the Blitz was poor. AA Command moved 108 HAA guns to the IAZ from other divisions, and arranged 'fighter nights' when the guns remained silent and RAF night fighters were allowed to operate over London with the searchlights. GL radar, modern sound-locators and larger (150 cm) searchlights were introduced as rapidly as possible. From September 1940, rocket projectors ( Z Batteries) were introduced, equipped with rocket projectiles, and by February 1941, SLC began to be issued. The number of raiders shot down steadily increased until mid-May 1941, when the Luftwaffe scaled down its attacks. During 1941 increasing numbers of women of the Auxiliary Territorial Service (ATS) took over roles in AA Command. Where they were integrated into units these were designated 'Mixed' ('M').

Mid-war

Towards the end of 1940, at the height of

, AA Command formed three AA Corps: the 1st AA Division formed part of I AA Corps in Southern England.Pile's despatch.

Order of Battle 1941–42

From this time the 1st AA Division's composition was as follows:Routledge, Table LXV, p. 396.Order of Battle of Non-Field Force Units in the United Kingdom, Part 27: AA Command, 12 May 1941, The National Archives (TNA), Kew, file WO 212/79.Order of Battle of Non-Field Force Units in the United Kingdom, Part 27: AA Command, 2 December 1941, TNA file WO 212/80.Order of Battle of Non-Field Force Units in the United Kingdom, Part 27: AA Command, 14 May 1942, TNA file WO 212/81. Major-general_R_F_E_Whittaker,_Cb,_Obe,_Td,_Aa_Command,_1942_Art

Major-general_R_F_E_Whittaker,_Cb,_Obe,_Td,_Aa_Command,_1942_Art

* GOC: Major-General Robert Whittaker (12 November 1940 – 31 December 1941) * 26th AA Brigade – part of London IAZ * Brigadier S.K. Thorburn (12 November 1940 – 19 February 1943) ** 4th HAA Regiment, RA – a Regular unit returned from

Dunkirk Dunkirk (french: Dunkerque ; vls, label=French Flemish, Duunkerke; nl, Duinkerke(n) ; , ;) is a commune in the department of Nord in northern France.

;Joslen, p. 462. left in June 1941 for West Africa Command and the Malta garrison'' ** 52nd (London) HAA Regiment, RA (TA) – left Summer 1941 for the 9th AA Division ** 86th (HAC) HAA Regiment, RA (TA) – rejoined by February 1941; to the 49th AA Brigade late 1941 ** 119th HAA Regiment, RA (TA) – formed December 1940;Farndale, Annex M. left by May 1941 for the 8th AA Division ** 62nd LAA Regiment, RA (TA) – formed October 1940; left in June 1942 for the 9th AA Division ** 6th AA Z Regiment, RA – formed September 1940 ** 88th HAA Regiment, TA (TA) – rejoined from the 9th AA Division by May 1941, left in June 1941 for Middle East Forces ** 105th HAA Regiment, RA (TA) – joined from the 48th AA Brigade Summer 1941; returned Autumn 1941 ** 84th (Middlesex, London Transport) HAA Regiment, RA (TA) – joined from the 49th AA Brigade Summer 1941; left Winter 1941 for the 6th AA Division ** 120th HAA Regiment, RA (TA) – formed January 1941; joined Summer 1941 ** 132nd (M) HAA Regiment, RA (TA) –formed September 1941 ** 156th (M) HAA Regiment, RA (TA) – formed April 1942 * 38th LAA Brigade – London S/L layout ** 26th (London Electrical Engineers) S/L Regiment, RA (TA) ** 35th (First Surrey Rifles) S/L Regiment, RA (TA) – to the 5th AA Division Summer 1941 ** 75th S/L Regiment– converted into the 75th LAA Regiment February 1941 and joined the 8th AA Division ** 79th S/L Regiment, RA (TA) – formed October 1940 ** 63rd (Queens) S/L Regiment, RA (TA) – joined Autumn 1941 from the 5th AA Division; converted into the 127th (Queens) LAA Regt March 1942 and remained with brigade * 48th AA Brigade– part of London IAZ ** 54th (City of London) HAA Regiment, RA (TA) ** 97th (London Scottish) HAA Regiment, RA (TA) – to the 49th AA Brigade Autumn 1941 ** 105th HAA Regiment, RA (TA) – formed September 1940; to the 26th AA Brigade Summer 1941; returned Autumn 1941 ** 53rd (City of London) HAA Regiment RA (TA) – rejoined from the 6th AA Division February 1941; as a mobile regiment, it was part of the

(WO) reserve, and left in October 1941 to deploy to

India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area, the List of countries and dependencies by population, second-most populous ...

53 HAA Regt War Diary 1940–41, TNA file WO 166/2343. ** 109th HAA Regiment, RA (TA) – from the 49th AA Brigade December 1941; to the 26th AA Brigade by May 1942 ** 1st AA Z Regiment, RA – formed September 1940 ** 14th AA Z Regiment, RA – formed September 1941 ** 141st (M) HAA Regiment, RA (TA) – formed December 1941; to the 49th AA Brigade January 1942 ** 163rd (M) HAA Regiment, RA (TA) – formed June 1942; * 49th AA Brigade – part of London IAZ ** 84th (Middlesex, London Transport) HAA Regiment, RA (TA)– to the 26th AA Brigade Summer 1941 ** 109th HAA Regiment, RA (TA) – formed September 1940; to the 48th AA Brigade December 1941; returned June 1942 ** 11th (City of London Yeomanry) LAA Regiment, RA (TA)– transferred to WO Reserve Summer 1941 ** 36th LAA Regiment, RA (TA)– to the 8th AA Division by May 1941 ** 42nd LAA Regiment, RA (TA)– from the 11th AA Division by May 1941 ** 70th LAA Regiment, RA (TA) – formed January 1941 ** 53rd (City of London) HAA Regiment – rejoined July 1940 after return from France via Gibraltar; left for the 6th AA Division October 1940 (see above) ** 73rd LAA Regiment, RA (TA)– formed February 1941 ** 57th (Wessex) HAA Regiment, RA, (TA) – from the 5th AA Division Autumn 1941; to the 11th AA Division January 1942 ** 97th (London Scottish) HAA Regiment, RA (TA) – from the 48th AA Brigade Autumn 1941 ** 141st (M) HAA Regiment, RA (TA– from the 48th AA Brigade January 1942 ** 86 (HAC) HAA Regiment, RA (TA) – from the 26th AA Brigade February–March 1942 * 1st AA Divisional Mixed Signals, RCS ** No 1 Company: *** 1st AA Command Mixed Signal Office Section *** 1st AA Division Mixed Signal Office Section *** 26th AA Brigade Signal Office Mixed Sub-Section *** 38th AA Brigade Signal Office Mixed Sub-Section *** 48th AA Brigade Signal Office Mixed Sub-Section *** 49th AA Brigade Signal Office Mixed Sub-Section ** No 2 Company: *** 601st AA Gun Operations Room (Class 'D') Mixed Signal Section *** 315th AA Gun Operations Room (Class 'B') Mixed Signal Section *** 112th RAF Fighter Sector Sub-Section *** 5th AA Line Maintenance Section * 1st AA Divisional RASC ** 900th and 902nd Companies * 1st AA Divisional

Royal Army Medical Corps The Royal Army Medical Corps (RAMC) is a specialist corps in the British Army which provides medical services to all Army personnel and their families, in war and in peace. The RAMC, the Royal Army Veterinary Corps, the Royal Army Dental Corps ...

(RAMC) * 1st AA Divisional Workshop Company, Royal Army Ordnance Corps (RAOC) – Workshop companies became part of the new

Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers The Corps of Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (REME ) is a corps of the British Army that maintains the equipment that the Army uses. The corps is described as the "British Army's Professional Engineers". History Prior to REME's for ...

(REME) during 1942) * 1st AA Divisional Radio Maintenance Company, RAOC The 1st AA Division became independent, leaving I AA Corps and coming directly under AA Command, during April 1942.

Disbandment

The 1st AA Division, like the other AA Corps and Divisions, was disbanded and replaced on 1 October 1942 by a new AA Group structure. London was covered by the 1st AA Group.

General officers commanding

The following officers commanded the 1st AA Division: * Major-General R.H.D. Thompson (15 December 1935 – 26 November 1936) * Major-General Sir Frederick Pile (27 November 1937 – 27 July 1939) – became GOC-in-C AA Command * Major-General Francis Crossman (28 July 1939 – 11 November 1940) – became GOC of the 2nd AA Division * Major-General Robert Whittaker (12 November 1940 – 31 December 1941) – TA officer, former commander of the 26th (London) AA Brigade ; became Major-General General Staff, AA Command * Acting Major-General Darcy Richards (1 January–30 September 1942) – became commander of the 25th AA Brigade in

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and

Italy Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical ...

Routledge, pp. 185, 290.

Notes

References

Basil Collier, ''History of the Second World War: The Defence of the United Kingdom''
* * Gen Sir Martin Farndale, ''History of the Royal Regiment of Artillery: The Years of Defeat: Europe and North Africa, 1939–1941'', Woolwich: Royal Artillery Institution, 1988/London: Brasseys, 1996, . * J.B.M. Frederick, ''Lineage Book of British Land Forces 1660–1978'', Vol II, Wakefield, Microform Academic, 1984, . *
Sir Frederick Pile's despatch: "The Anti-Aircraft Defence of the United Kingdom from 28th July, 1939, to 15th April, 1945" ''London Gazette'' 18 December 1947
* Brig N.W. Routledge, ''History of the Royal Regiment of Artillery: Anti-Aircraft Artillery 1914–55'', London: Royal Artillery Institution/Brassey's, 1994, .

External links

Anti-Aircraft Command (1939) at British Military History

Generals of World War II

Patriot Files

Royal Artillery 1939–1945

Orders of Battle
{{WW2AirDefenceUK Military units and formations established in 1935 1 Military units and formations disestablished in 1942 1 Military units and formations in Uxbridge Military units and formations of the British Empire in World War II