Artikel: 35th Anti-Aircraft Brigade (United Kingdom) GudangMovies21 Rebahinxxi

  • Source: 35th Anti-Aircraft Brigade (United Kingdom)

    • 35th Anti-Aircraft Brigade was an air defence formation of Anti-Aircraft Command in the British Territorial Army (TA) formed shortly before the outbreak of the Second World War. It defended the important naval base of Portsmouth during The Blitz.


    Origins


    35th Anti-Aircraft (AA) Brigade was formed on 1 April 1938 at Fort Fareham in Hampshire, and was commanded by Brigadier R.B. Purey Cust (appointed 16 May 1938). It was assigned to 5th AA Division when that formation was created on 1 September 1938.


    = Mobilisation

    =
    The TA's AA units were mobilised on 23 September 1938 during the Munich Crisis, units manning their emergency positions within 24 hours, even though many did not yet have their full complement of men or equipment. The emergency lasted three weeks, and they were stood down on 13 October. In February 1939 the existing AA defences came under the control of a new Anti-Aircraft Command. In June a partial mobilisation of TA units was begun in a process known as 'couverture', whereby each AA unit did a month's tour of duty in rotation to man selected AA and searchlight positions. On 24 August, ahead of the declaration of war, AA Command was fully mobilised at its war stations.


    = Order of battle 1939

    =
    On the outbreak of the Second World War, 35 AA Brigade comprised the following units of the Royal Artillery (RA) and Royal Engineers (RE):

    56th (Cornwall) Anti-Aircraft Regiment, RA
    HQ at Falmouth
    165th (Cornwall) Anti-Aircraft Battery at Redruth
    201st (Cornwall) Anti-Aircraft Battery at Padstow
    202nd (Cornwall) Anti-Aircraft Battery at Par
    203rd (Cornwall) Anti-Aircraft Battery at Penzance
    57th (Wessex) Anti-Aircraft Regiment, RA
    HQ at Portsmouth
    213th (Portsmouth) Anti-Aircraft Battery
    214th (Southsea) Anti-Aircraft Battery
    215th (Gosport & Fareham) Anti-Aircraft Battery
    216th (Isle of Wight & Cosham)) Anti-Aircraft Battery
    72nd (Hampshire) Anti-Aircraft Regiment, RA – Heavy AA unit formed in 1938 by conversion of 95th (Hampshire) Field Brigade, RA
    HQ at Southampton
    217th (Hampshire Carabiniers) Anti-Aircraft Battery at Winchester
    218th (Hampshire Royal Horse Artillery) Anti-Aircraft Battery at Southampton
    310th Anti-Aircraft Battery – formed January 1939 at Parkstone, Dorset
    48th (Hampshire) Anti-Aircraft Battalion, RE – searchlight regiment organised in 1937 from Hampshire Fortress Engineers, RE
    HQ at Portsmouth
    391st Anti-Aircraft Company at Portsmouth
    392nd Anti-Aircraft Company at East Cowes, Isle of Wight
    393rd Anti-Aircraft Company at Gosport
    394th Anti-Aircraft Company at Southampton
    35th Anti-Aircraft Brigade Company, Royal Army Service Corps
    Together with the searchlights of 27th (Home Counties) Anti-Aircraft Brigade, 35 AA Bde was responsible for the air defence of the city and naval base of Portsmouth. In September 1939, the brigade had 29 heavy AA guns round Portsmouth. During 1940 the AA regiments of the RA were designated 'Heavy AA', and the RE units transferred to the RA as 'Searchlight Regiments'. By July 1940 there were 44 HAA guns deployed round Portsmouth.


    Battle of Britain and Blitz


    The brigade was heavily engaged throughout the Battle of Britain. A few bombers got through to Portsmouth on 10 July, and the Portsmouth and Southampton AA guns were in action on 15 August, claiming one 'kill', Again, on 18 August, German air raids crossed Southern England and appeared over RAF airfields at West Malling, Manston, Kenley, Biggin Hill, Gravesend and the town of Sevenoaks, all within four and a half hours in the afternoon. The guns of 35 AA Bde and its neighbours were in action and accounted for 23 enemy aircraft. On 24 August a raid eluded RAF Fighter Command's fighters and bombed the city and dockyard badly, killing over 100 people despite the efforts of the AA guns, although another raid two days later was driven off by fighters and AA fire, and only dropped a few bombs on the outskirts of the city. This was the start of the Portsmouth Blitz).
    After 15 September, the intensity of Luftwaffe daylight attacks fell, and the emphasis switched to night bombing of industrial towns (the Blitz). Portsmouth was a major target: during a succession of attacks, two bombs fell on a gun position of 35 AA Bde, killing an officer and 10 men, wrecking the command post and one gun. Two of the remaining guns continued to fire by improvised methods. The city was badly bombed on the nights of 5 December 1940, 10 January, 10 March, 17 and 27 April 1941.


    = Order of Battle 1940–41

    =
    During the Blitz, 35 AA Bde had the following composition:

    72 HAA Rgt RA – as above
    48 S/L Rgt RA – as above
    80th (Berkshire) Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery - formed in 1938 by expansion of 264th (Berkshire) Field Battery of 66th (South Midland) Field Brigade, RA
    HQ at Reading, Berkshire
    249 (Berkshire Royal Horse Artillery) at Reading
    250 (Reading) at Reading
    251 (Buckinghamshire) at Slough
    252 (City of Oxford) at Oxford
    118th Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery – new regiment formed in December 1940


    Mid-War



    The Blitz ended in May 1941, but there were occasional raids thereafter and AA Command continued to strengthen its defences. Newly-formed units joining AA Command were increasingly 'mixed' ones into which women of the Auxiliary Territorial Service were integrated, while those armed with Z Battery rocket projectiles were partly manned by members of the Home Guard. At the same time, experienced units were posted away for service overseas. This led to a continual turnover of units, which accelerated in 1942 with the preparations for Operation Torch. The AA defences of Southern England were severely tested in the summer of 1942 by the Luftwaffe's 'hit-and-run' attacks along the South Coast, and there was much reorganisation, accounting for some of the turnover of units listed earlier. LAA units waiting to go overseas were sometimes lent back to AA Command to deal with the hit-and-run raiders.


    = Order of Battle 1941–42

    =
    Over the two years following the Blitz, the brigade had the following changes in composition:

    54th (City of London) HAA Rgt – joined from 1 AA Division autumn 1941; returned to 1 AA Division February 1942
    160, 161, 312 HAA Btys
    428 Bty – transferred to 131st HAA Rgt December 1941
    57th (Wessex) HAA Rgt – left for 1 AA Division autumn 1941
    213, 214, 215 HAA Btys
    219 HAA Bty – attached to 27 AA Bde from May 1941; transferred to new 124th HAA Rgt summer 1941
    430 HAA Bty – joined summer 1941
    72nd (Hampshire) HAA Rgt – left for 6 AA Division December 1941
    217, 218, 393 HAA Btys
    310 HAA Bty – transferred to new 131st HAA Rgt August 1941
    80th (Berkshire) HAA Rgt – left AA Command July 1941; later went to North Africa
    250 HAA Bty – attached to 65 AA Bde
    251, 252 HAA Btys
    97th (London Scottish) HAA Rgt – joined from 1 AA Division March 1942; to 5 AA Bde June 1942
    298, 319 HAA Btys
    299, 376 HAA Btys – attached to 1 AA Division

    101st HAA Rgt – joined from 6 AA Division July 1942; left for 1 AA Division August 1942
    226, 297, 379, 427 HAA Btys
    104th HAA Rgt – joined from 8 AA Division December 1941, left for 6 AA Division April 1942
    328, 329, 336, 452 HAA Btys
    107th HAA Rgt – from 27 AA Bde June 1942; left for 5 AA Bde November 1942
    334, 335, 337 HAA Btys
    390 HAA Bty – left August 1942
    124th HAA Rgt – new unit formed March 1941; left for 27 AA Bde autumn 1941
    219 HAA Bty – joined from 57th (Wessex) HAA Rgt summer 1941
    410 HAA Bty – attached to 9 AA Division until July 1941
    412 HAA Bty
    415 HAA Bty – attached to 27 AA Bde until May 1941
    126th HAA Rgt – new unit formed July 1941; left for 12 AA Division July 1942
    423, 425, 426 HAA Btys
    431 HAA Bty – joined from 102nd HAA Rgt July 1942
    131st HAA Rgt – new unit formed August 1941; left for 6 AA Division July 1942
    310 HAA Bty – transferred from 72nd HAA Rgt
    368 HAA Bty – transferred from 116th HAA Rgt; attached to 8 AA Division
    376 HAA Bty– transferred from 97th (London Scottish) HAA Rgt July 1942
    428 HAA Bty – transferred from 54th HAA Rgt December 1941
    458 HAA Bty – transferred to new 160th (Mixed) HAA Rgt August 1942
    146th HAA Rgt – new unit formed January 1942; left for 27 AA Bde autumn 1941
    176, 339, 414, 465 HAA Btys
    148th (Mixed) HAA Rgt – new unit formed February 1942; to 5 AA Bde June, returned November 1942
    505 (M) HAA Bty – transferred to new 157th (M) HAA Rgt May 1942
    508, 523 (M) HAA Btys
    529 (M) HAA Bty – joined June 1942
    151st (Mixed) HAA Rgt – from 4 AA Division July 1942
    510, 511, 514, 516 (M) HAA Btys
    157th (Mixed) HAA Rgt – new unit formed May 1942
    539, 550, 551 (M) HAA Btys
    160th (Mixed) HAA Rgt – new unit formed June 1942
    458 (M) HAA Bty – transferred from 131st HAA Rgt
    556 (M) HAA Bty
    508, 523, 529 (M) HAA Btys – transferred from 148th HAA Rgt Spring 1943
    101st (King's Regiment (Liverpool)) LAA Rgt – joined July 1942; left AA Command for Middle East Forces by October 1942
    226, 297, 379 LAA Btys
    48th (Hampshire) S/L Rgt – from 47 AA Bde August 1942; returned to 47 AA Bde November 1942
    391, 392, 393, 394 S/L Btys
    5th AA 'Z' Rgt
    102, 114 Z Btys
    112, 127 Z Btys – joined May 1941
    35 AA Bde Signal Office Mixed Sub-Section (part of No 2 Company, 5 AA Division Mixed Signal Unit, Royal Corps of Signals)


    = Order of Battle 1942–43

    =
    The AA Divisions were disbanded on 30 September and replaced by new AA Groups that corresponded with the groups of RAF Fighter Command. 35 AA Brigade joined the new 2 AA Group covering South East England. After this major reorganisation, the brigade settled down with the following composition (temporary attachments omitted):

    82nd (Essex) HAA Rgt – returned from Gibraltar May 1943
    156, 193, 256 HAA Btys
    228 (Edinburgh) HAA Bty – rejoined from Gibraltar October 1943
    127th HAA Rgt – temporarily attached on two occasions 1942–3
    411, 422, 433 HAA Btys
    148th (M) HAA Rgt – left for 1 AA Group April 1943
    624, 628, 629 (M) HAA Btys
    154th (M) HAA Rgt – transferred from 4 AA Group October 1943
    522, 526, 552, 560 (M) HAA Btys
    157th (M) HAA Rgt – left for 4 AA Group October 1943
    505 (M) HAA Bty – transferred from 148th (M) HAA Rgt early 1943
    539, 551 (M) HAA Btys
    550 (M) HAA Bty – transferred from 154th (M) HAA Rgt early 1943
    160th (M) HAA Rgt
    458, 556 (M) HAA Btys
    508, 523, 529 (M) HAA Btys – transferred from 148th (M) HAA Rgt early 1943
    176th HAA Rgt – transferred from 3 AA Group May 1943; to 21st Army Group by July 1943
    595, 597, 599 HAA Btys
    177th HAA Rgt – new unit formed November 1942; left unbrigaded May 1943
    596, 598, 600 HAA Btys
    190th (M) HAA Rgt – new unit formed January, joined May; left for 4 AA Group before August 1943
    596, 598, 600 (M) HAA Btys

    3rd LAA Rgt – returned from Gibraltar October 1943
    9, 114, 126 LAA Btys
    31st LAA Rgt – lent from GHQ Reserve April 1943; to Operation Husky May 1943
    61, 101, 224 LAA Btys
    84th LAA Rgt – transferred from 5 AA Bde November 1942; left for 38 AA Bde April 1943
    201, 461 LAA Btys – attached to 5 AA Bde
    251, 448 LAA Btys
    97tg LAA Rgt – transferred from 47 AA Bde summer 1943
    221, 232, 301, 480 LAA Btys
    140th LAA Rgt – transferred from 72 AA Bde May 1943; left for 5 AA Group before August 1943
    367, 457, 459, 464 LAA Btys
    151st LAA Rgt – new unit converted from 114 HAA Rgt May 1943
    449, 472, 478 LAA Btys
    5th (M) AA 'Z' Rgt
    102, 112, 114, 127 (M) Z Btys
    194, 198 (M) Z Btys – joined January, left October 1943
    35 AA Bde Signal Office Mixed Sub-Section (part of 4 Mixed Signal Company, 2 AA Group Signals)


    Late War


    At the end of 1943, the brigade underwent a major reorganisation, leaving it with just three units (185th (M) HAA Rgt, 3rd LAA Rgt, and 5th AA 'Z' Rgt) and shortly afterwards it came under command of 6 AA Group. This was a headquarters that had been moved from Scotland to the South Coast to take responsibility for the build-up of AA defences in the Solent–Portsmouth area covering embarkation ports for the Allied invasion of Normandy (Operation Overlord). Shipping at Portsmouth was bombed on four successive nights (25–28 April) during the 'Baby Blitz' of early 1944.


    = Order of Battle 1945

    =
    35 AA Brigade was soon rejoined by two other regiments that had served briefly with it in the past (127th HAA Rgt and 48th S/L Rgt), and attained the following order of battle:

    126th HAA Rgt – transferred from 40 AA Bde June; returned July 1944
    423, 425, 426, 431 HAA Btys
    127th HAA Rgt – joined May; to 44 AA Bde June 1944
    411, 422, 433 HAA Btys
    159th (M) HAA Rgt – joined summer 1944
    542, 543, 563, 614 (M) HAA Btys
    185th (M) HAA Rgt
    529, 600, 602, 618, 619 (M) HAA Btys
    3rd LAA Rgt
    9, 114, 126 LAA Btys
    48th (Hampshire) S/L Rgt – joined May; left August 1944
    391, 392, 393 S/L Btys
    5th (M) AA 'Z' Rgt – redesignated 5 AA Area Mixed Rgt April; left May 1944
    102, 112, 127 (M) Z Btys
    Other units served briefly with the brigade during the summer of 1944, but by October it had returned to simply commanding 159th and 185th HAA and 3rd LAA Rgts.
    At this time, the brigade's HQ establishment was 9 officers, 8 male other ranks and 25 members of the ATS, together with a small number of attached drivers, cooks and mess orderlies (male and female). In addition, the brigade had a Mixed Signal Office Section of 5 male other ranks and 19 ATS, which was formally part of the Group signal unit.


    = Order of Battle 1945

    =
    By this stage of the war, AA Command's strength was diminishing as manpower had to be released to 21st Army Group fighting in North West Europe, and batteries and whole regiments were disbanded or converted other roles. By the end of the year 35 AA Bde was composed as follows:

    134th (M) HAA Rgt
    459, 460, 461, 583 (M) HAA Btys
    159th (M) HAA Rgt
    542, 543 (M) HAA Btys
    185th (M) HAA Rgt
    601, 618
    3rd LAA Rgt
    9, 114, 126 LAA Btys
    Shortly afterwards, 6 AA Group was disbanded, and by February 1945, 35 AA Bde had returned to the command of 2 AA Group with just 2nd and 5th AA Area Mixed Rgt HQs under its command (the Home Guard had been stood down and all the Z Btys had disappeared). After VE-Day, the brigade was responsible for 5 and 6 Area AA Maintenance HQs, and for the only fully Mixed searchlight regiments, 26th and 93rd.


    Postwar


    When the TA was reconstituted on 1 January 1947, 35 AA Bde's Regular Army units reformed 10 AA Bde while the TA portion was renumbered as 61 AA Brigade (TA), both at Fareham. Still forming part of 2 AA Group, 61 AA Bde comprised the following units:

    393 (Mixed) (Hampshire) HAA Regiment at Southampton – new unit, shortly afterwards renumbered as 675 (M) (Hampshire) HAA Regiment. 'Mixed' indicated that members of the Women's Royal Army Corps were integrated into the unit
    524 (Bournemouth) Light AA Regiment at Bournemouth
    535 (Hampshire) LAA Regiment at Eastleigh – reconstituted from 35 LAA Regiment lost at the Fall of Singapore in 1942
    However, the brigade was disbanded on 1 June 1948.


    Footnotes




    Notes




    References


    Basil Collier, History of the Second World War, United Kingdom Military Series: The Defence of the United Kingdom, London: HM Stationery Office, 1957.
    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, ISBN 1-85753-080-2.
    J.B.M. Frederick, Lineage Book of British Land Forces 1660–1978, Vol II, Wakefield, Microform Academic, 1984, ISBN 1-85117-009-X.
    Joslen, H. F. (2003) [1960]. Orders of Battle: Second World War, 1939–1945. Uckfield, East Sussex: Naval and Military Press. ISBN 978-1-84342-474-1.
    Norman E.H. Litchfield, The Territorial Artillery 1908–1988 (Their Lineage, Uniforms and Badges), Nottingham: Sherwood Press, 1992, ISBN 0-9508205-2-0.
    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, ISBN 1-85753-099-3.


    Online sources


    British Army units from 1945 on
    British Military History
    Orders of Battle at Patriot Files
    The Royal Artillery 1939–45
    Graham Watson, The Territorial Army 1947

Kata Kunci Pencarian: