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II Anti-Aircraft Corps (United Kingdom)

December 15, 2023

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

2 Anti-Aircraft Corps
Formation sign of II Anti-Aircraft Corps, a device from the coat of arms of the corps GOC Lieutenant-General M. F. Grove-White.[1]
Active11 November 1940 – 30 September 1942
Country United Kingdom
Branch British Army
TypeAnti-Aircraft corps
RoleAir Defence
Part ofAnti-Aircraft Command
Garrison/HQHucknall
EngagementsThe Blitz
Baedeker Blitz

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. II AA Corps covered the Midlands and North West of England and North Wales, and by February 1941 comprised four AA divisions and 14 brigades. Its boundaries roughly coincided with No. 9 Group RAF and No. 12 Group RAF of RAF Fighter Command.[2][5][6][7]

Order of battle edit

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

Corps HQ: Hucknall, Nottinghamshire

General Officer Commanding: Lieutenant-General M. F. Grove-White[5][14][15]

2nd AA Division edit

4th AA Division edit

10th AA Division edit

11th AA Division edit

Intermediate Ammunition Depots edit

Equipment Ammunition Magazines edit

Operations edit

As soon as it was organised, II AA Corps had to deal with the 1940–41 Blitz on industrial cities and towns such as Barrow-in-Furness, Birmingham, Coventry, Derby, Hull, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, Nottingham and Sheffield. The corps was responsible for large Gun Defence Areas (GDAs) around Merseyside, Humberside and South Yorkshire, and the North and West Midlands, 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 towns and cities such as Norwich, King's Lynn and York that had previously warranted little AA defence.[2][5][17]

Disbandment edit

The AA Corps and Divisional HQs were disbanded in October 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 II AA Corps became the responsibility of two of the new groups: 4th AA Group (North Wales and North West England) with 9 Group RAF, and 5th AA Group (North East England) with 12 Group RAF.[2][5][7][18]

Notes edit

  1. ^ Cole p. 53
  2. ^ a b c d 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; 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. ^ Order of Battle of Non-Field Force Units in the United Kingdom, Part 27: AA Command, 14 May 1942, TNA file WO 212/81.
  14. ^ Farndale, Annex J.
  15. ^ Grove-White at Generals of World War II
  16. ^ Order of Battle of the Field Force in the United Kingdom, Part 3: Royal Artillery (Non-Divisional Units), 25 March 1941, TNA file WO 212/5.
  17. ^ Routledge, pp. 387–404 & Map 35.
  18. ^ 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

December 15, 2023
anti, aircraft, corps, united, kingdom, anti, aircraft, corps, corps, high, level, formation, britain, anti, aircraft, command, from, 1940, 1942, defended, midlands, north, west, england, wales, during, blitz, middle, years, second, world, anti, aircraft, corp. II Anti Aircraft Corps II AA Corps was a high level formation of Britain s Anti Aircraft Command from 1940 to 1942 It defended the Midlands and North West of England and Wales during the Blitz and the middle years of the Second World War 2 Anti Aircraft CorpsFormation sign of II Anti Aircraft Corps a device from the coat of arms of the corps GOC Lieutenant General M F Grove White 1 Active11 November 1940 30 September 1942Country United KingdomBranchBritish ArmyTypeAnti Aircraft corpsRoleAir DefencePart ofAnti Aircraft CommandGarrison HQHucknallEngagementsThe BlitzBaedeker Blitz Contents 1 Origin 2 Order of battle 2 1 2nd AA Division 2 2 4th AA Division 2 3 10th AA Division 2 4 11th AA Division 2 5 Intermediate Ammunition Depots 2 6 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 II AA Corps covered the Midlands and North West of England and North Wales and by February 1941 comprised four AA divisions and 14 brigades Its boundaries roughly coincided with No 9 Group RAF and No 12 Group RAF of RAF Fighter Command 2 5 6 7 Order of battle editII AA Corps had the following organisation from February 1941 8 9 10 11 12 13 Corps HQ Hucknall NottinghamshireGeneral Officer Commanding Lieutenant General M F Grove White 5 14 15 2nd AA Division edit 32nd Midland Anti Aircraft Brigade East Midlands sector layout 40th Anti Aircraft Brigade Airfields sectors 41st London Anti Aircraft Brigade East Anglia sectors 50th Light Anti Aircraft Brigade Derby Nottingham 66th Anti Aircraft Brigade formed by May 19414th AA Division edit 33rd Western Anti Aircraft Brigade Liverpool 44th Anti Aircraft Brigade Manchester 53rd Light Anti Aircraft Brigade North Midlands sectors 70th Anti Aircraft Brigade joined in late June 194110th AA Division edit 31st North Midland Anti Aircraft Brigade West Yorkshire sectors 39th Anti Aircraft Brigade Humber Scunthorpe 62nd Anti Aircraft Brigade Leeds Sheffield 70th Anti Aircraft Brigade joined in early June 1941 then moved to 4 AA Div11th AA Division edit 1st Anti Aircraft Brigade Crewe sectors War Office reserve left AA Command by May 1941 16 34th South Midland Anti Aircraft Brigade Birmingham Coventry 54th Anti Aircraft Brigade West Midlands Gun Defence Areas sectors 67th Anti Aircraft Brigade formed by May 1941 68th Anti Aircraft Brigade formed by May 1941Intermediate Ammunition Depots edit Rainford St Helens Barlow near Selby Bletchley 27 ASD controlled by War Office Weedon Ordnance DepotEquipment Ammunition Magazines edit Paull Point near Hull New Holland Lincolnshire Leeds Morley Sheffield North Manchester Barton Liverpool Laysbrook Upton Birkenhead Market Drayton Shropshire Coventry Foleshill Hampton in Arden Warwickshire Birmingham Newtown Derby Findern Operations editAs soon as it was organised II AA Corps had to deal with the 1940 41 Blitz on industrial cities and towns such as Barrow in Furness Birmingham Coventry Derby Hull Leeds Liverpool Manchester Nottingham and Sheffield The corps was responsible for large Gun Defence Areas GDAs around Merseyside Humberside and South Yorkshire and the North and West Midlands 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 towns and cities such as Norwich King s Lynn and York that had previously warranted little AA defence 2 5 17 Disbandment editThe AA Corps and Divisional HQs were disbanded in October 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 II AA Corps became the responsibility of two of the new groups 4th AA Group North Wales and North West England with 9 Group RAF and 5th AA Group North East England with 12 Group RAF 2 5 7 18 Notes edit Cole p 53 a b c d 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 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 Order of Battle of Non Field Force Units in the United Kingdom Part 27 AA Command 14 May 1942 TNA file WO 212 81 Farndale Annex J Grove White at Generals of World War II Order of Battle of the Field Force in the United Kingdom Part 3 Royal Artillery Non Divisional Units 25 March 1941 TNA file WO 212 5 Routledge pp 387 404 amp Map 35 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 II Anti Aircraft Corps United Kingdom amp oldid 1051973370, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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