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I Anti-Aircraft Corps (United Kingdom)

November 29, 2023

I Anti-Aircraft Corps (I AA Corps) was a high-level formation of Britain's Anti-Aircraft Command from 1940 to 1942. It defended Southern England and Wales during the Blitz and the middle years of the Second World War.

I Anti-Aircraft Corps
Formation sign of I Anti-Aircraft Corps.[1]
Active11 November 1940 – 30 September 1942
Country United Kingdom
Branch British Army
TypeAnti-Aircraft corps
RoleAir Defence
Part ofAnti-Aircraft Command
Garrison/HQUxbridge
EngagementsThe Blitz
Baedeker Blitz
Battle of the Fringe Targets

Origin edit

AA Command had been created in 1938 to control the Territorial Army's rapidly-expanding anti-aircraft (AA) organisation within Air Defence of Great Britain. On the outbreak of war in September 1939, it commanded seven AA Divisions, each with several AA Brigades, disposed around the United Kingdom.[2][3][4][5] Continued expansion made this organisation unwieldy, so in November 1940 – during the Luftwaffe's nightly Blitz on London and other British cities – five further AA Divisions were organised, and all the divisions grouped under three corps headquarters directly subordinate to AA Command. The largest of these was I AA Corps, covering Southern England and South Wales, which by February 1941 comprised five AA divisions and 20 brigades. Its boundaries roughly coincided with No. 10 Group RAF and No. 11 Group RAF of RAF Fighter Command.[2][5][6][7]

Order of battle edit

I AA Corps had the following organisation from February 1941:[8][9][10][11][12][13]

Corps HQ: Uxbridge

General Officer Commanding:[5][14]

  • Lieutenant-General S.R. Wason (11 November 1940 to 14 February 1942)[15]
  • Lieutenant-General C.A.E. Cadell (14 February 1942 to 30 September 1942)[16]

1st AA Division edit

Became independent, directly under AA Command, during April 1942

5th AA Division edit

6th AA Division edit

8th AA Division edit

  • 46th Anti-Aircraft Brigade (Bristol)
  • 55th Light Anti-Aircraft Brigade (Plymouth, Falmouth)
  • 60th Anti-Aircraft Brigade (Exeter, Yeovil, Portland)
  • 64th Anti-Aircraft Brigade (Airfields, sector layout)
  • 69th Anti-Aircraft Brigade joined in June 1941

9th AA Division edit

Intermediate Ammunition Depots edit

Equipment Ammunition Magazines edit

Operations edit

As soon as it was organised, I AA Corps had to deal with the heaviest weight of the 1940–41 Blitz on London and cities such as Bristol, Cardiff, Plymouth, Portsmouth, Southampton and Swansea. It was responsible for the London Inner Artillery Zone and the Thames North and South AA belts, together with major Gun Defence Areas (GDAs) around Dover, the Solent, Plymouth, Bristol and South Wales, with 'Indicator Belts' and 'Killer Belts' of searchlights in between, the former working with the GDAs and RAF Sectors, the latter with the night fighters in the air. Redeployment was called for in 1942 when the Luftwaffe began the 'Baedeker raids' on cities such as Bath, Canterbury and Exeter, that had previously warranted little AA defence. Later, further redeployment, particularly of light AA guns, was necessary when the south coast towns of England were attacked by 'hit and run' raids, mainly by single-engined fighter-bombers, often evading radar detection, in what became known as the 'Battle of the Fringe Targets'.[2][5][17] In August 1942 the 3rd AA Divisional HQ was moved south from Scotland to join I AA Corps and assist in controlling the large number of AA units brought by this redeployment.[18] It was given control of 27th, 47th and 64th AA Bdes, but this lasted only for a short time.[13]

Disbandment edit

The AA Corps and Divisional HQs were disbanded on 30 September 1942 and a replaced by a more flexible system of AA Groups, each aligned with a Group of RAF Fighter Command. The area covered by I AA Corps became the responsibility of three of the new groups: 1st AA Group (London) and 2nd AA Group (South East England) with 11 Group RAF, and 3rd AA Group (South West England and South Wales) with 10 Group RAF.[2][5][7][19]

Notes edit

  1. ^ Cole p. 53
  2. ^ a b c d Sir Frederick Pile's despatch.
  3. ^ Routledge, p. 65.
  4. ^ Farndale, p. 5.
  5. ^ a b c d e Robert Palmer, A Concise History of Anti-Aircraft Command (History and Personnel) at British Military History.[permanent dead link]
  6. ^ Routledge, p. 394.
  7. ^ a b Frederick, p. 1047.
  8. ^ Routledge, p. 394 & Map 34; Table LXV, p. 396.
  9. ^ Farndale, Annex D, pp. 257–9.
  10. ^ AA Command structure at British Military History.[permanent dead link]
  11. ^ 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.
  12. ^ Order of Battle of Non-Field Force Units in the United Kingdom, Part 27: AA Command, 2 December 1941, TNA file WO 212/80.
  13. ^ a b Order of Battle of Non-Field Force Units in the United Kingdom, Part 27: AA Command, 14 May 1942, with amendments, TNA file WO 212/81.
  14. ^ Farndale, Annex J.
  15. ^ Wason at Generals of World War II
  16. ^ Cadell at Generals of World War II
  17. ^ Routledge, pp. 387–404 & Map 35.
  18. ^ Routledge, pp. 402–3.
  19. ^ Routledge, p. 401 & Map 36.

References edit

  • Cole, Howard (1973). Formation Badges of World War 2. Britain, Commonwealth and Empire. London: Arms and Armour Press.
  • 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.
  • 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
  • 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

External sources edit

  • British Military History
  • Generals of World War II

November 29, 2023
anti, aircraft, corps, united, kingdom, anti, aircraft, corps, corps, high, level, formation, britain, anti, aircraft, command, from, 1940, 1942, defended, southern, england, wales, during, blitz, middle, years, second, world, anti, aircraft, corpsformation, s. I Anti Aircraft Corps I AA Corps was a high level formation of Britain s Anti Aircraft Command from 1940 to 1942 It defended Southern England and Wales during the Blitz and the middle years of the Second World War I Anti Aircraft CorpsFormation sign of I Anti Aircraft Corps 1 Active11 November 1940 30 September 1942Country United KingdomBranchBritish ArmyTypeAnti Aircraft corpsRoleAir DefencePart ofAnti Aircraft CommandGarrison HQUxbridgeEngagementsThe BlitzBaedeker BlitzBattle of the Fringe Targets Contents 1 Origin 2 Order of battle 2 1 1st AA Division 2 2 5th AA Division 2 3 6th AA Division 2 4 8th AA Division 2 5 9th AA Division 2 6 Intermediate Ammunition Depots 2 7 Equipment Ammunition Magazines 3 Operations 4 Disbandment 5 Notes 6 References 7 External sourcesOrigin editAA Command had been created in 1938 to control the Territorial Army s rapidly expanding anti aircraft AA organisation within Air Defence of Great Britain On the outbreak of war in September 1939 it commanded seven AA Divisions each with several AA Brigades disposed around the United Kingdom 2 3 4 5 Continued expansion made this organisation unwieldy so in November 1940 during the Luftwaffe s nightly Blitz on London and other British cities five further AA Divisions were organised and all the divisions grouped under three corps headquarters directly subordinate to AA Command The largest of these was I AA Corps covering Southern England and South Wales which by February 1941 comprised five AA divisions and 20 brigades Its boundaries roughly coincided with No 10 Group RAF and No 11 Group RAF of RAF Fighter Command 2 5 6 7 Order of battle editI AA Corps had the following organisation from February 1941 8 9 10 11 12 13 Corps HQ UxbridgeGeneral Officer Commanding 5 14 Lieutenant General S R Wason 11 November 1940 to 14 February 1942 15 Lieutenant General C A E Cadell 14 February 1942 to 30 September 1942 16 1st AA Division edit Became independent directly under AA Command during April 1942 26th London Anti Aircraft Brigade London Inner Artillery Zone 38th Light Anti Aircraft Brigade London Searchlight layout 48th Anti Aircraft Brigade London IAZ 49th Anti Aircraft Brigade London IAZ 5th AA Division edit 27th Home Counties Anti Aircraft Brigade Sector layout 35th Anti Aircraft Brigade Portsmouth 47th Anti Aircraft Brigade Sector layout 65th Anti Aircraft Brigade Southampton 6th AA Division edit 6th Anti Aircraft Brigade Essex airfields sector layout 28th Thames and Medway Anti Aircraft Brigade Thames South Chatham Dover 29th East Anglian Anti Aircraft Brigade Sector layout 37th Anti Aircraft Brigade Thames North 56th Light Anti Aircraft Brigade Airfields sector layout 8th AA Division edit 46th Anti Aircraft Brigade Bristol 55th Light Anti Aircraft Brigade Plymouth Falmouth 60th Anti Aircraft Brigade Exeter Yeovil Portland 64th Anti Aircraft Brigade Airfields sector layout 69th Anti Aircraft Brigade joined in June 19419th AA Division edit 5th Anti Aircraft Brigade Gloucester Hereford 45th Anti Aircraft Brigade Cardiff Newport 61st Anti Aircraft Brigade Swansea Milford Haven Intermediate Ammunition Depots edit Fort Efford Plymouth Black Park near Uxbridge Takeley near Bishop s Stortford Mereworth Woods near Sevenoaks Castleton Newport Bramley Central Ammunition Depot controlled by War Office Equipment Ammunition Magazines edit Swansea Monmouth Burnett near Bristol Nothe Fort Weymouth Fort Nelson Fareham Tipner Cosham Banstead Surrey Chelsfield Sevenoaks Mill Hill Purfleet Essex Pitsea Essex Warley Essex Shoeburyness Hadleigh Suffolk Chattenden near Rochester Kent Fort Horsted Chatham Kent Lydden Dover East Penner Pembroke Sheerness Ryde Isle of WightOperations editAs soon as it was organised I AA Corps had to deal with the heaviest weight of the 1940 41 Blitz on London and cities such as Bristol Cardiff Plymouth Portsmouth Southampton and Swansea It was responsible for the London Inner Artillery Zone and the Thames North and South AA belts together with major Gun Defence Areas GDAs around Dover the Solent Plymouth Bristol and South Wales with Indicator Belts and Killer Belts of searchlights in between the former working with the GDAs and RAF Sectors the latter with the night fighters in the air Redeployment was called for in 1942 when the Luftwaffe began the Baedeker raids on cities such as Bath Canterbury and Exeter that had previously warranted little AA defence Later further redeployment particularly of light AA guns was necessary when the south coast towns of England were attacked by hit and run raids mainly by single engined fighter bombers often evading radar detection in what became known as the Battle of the Fringe Targets 2 5 17 In August 1942 the 3rd AA Divisional HQ was moved south from Scotland to join I AA Corps and assist in controlling the large number of AA units brought by this redeployment 18 It was given control of 27th 47th and 64th AA Bdes but this lasted only for a short time 13 Disbandment editThe AA Corps and Divisional HQs were disbanded on 30 September 1942 and a replaced by a more flexible system of AA Groups each aligned with a Group of RAF Fighter Command The area covered by I AA Corps became the responsibility of three of the new groups 1st AA Group London and 2nd AA Group South East England with 11 Group RAF and 3rd AA Group South West England and South Wales with 10 Group RAF 2 5 7 19 Notes edit Cole p 53 a b c d Sir Frederick Pile s despatch Routledge p 65 Farndale p 5 a b c d e Robert Palmer A Concise History of Anti Aircraft Command History and Personnel at British Military History permanent dead link Routledge p 394 a b Frederick p 1047 Routledge p 394 amp Map 34 Table LXV p 396 Farndale Annex D pp 257 9 AA Command structure at British Military History permanent dead link 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 a b Order of Battle of Non Field Force Units in the United Kingdom Part 27 AA Command 14 May 1942 with amendments TNA file WO 212 81 Farndale Annex J Wason at Generals of World War II Cadell at Generals of World War II Routledge pp 387 404 amp Map 35 Routledge pp 402 3 Routledge p 401 amp Map 36 References editCole Howard 1973 Formation Badges of World War 2 Britain Commonwealth and Empire London Arms and Armour Press 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 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 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 1947External sources editBritish Military History Generals of World War II Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title I Anti Aircraft Corps United Kingdom amp oldid 1092288118, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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