487:
526:
373:
30:
54:
71:
350:
381:
300:
560:
Success rates for AA Command began to rise during this second Diver deployment: from 9 per cent in July, the average rose to over 50 per cent. On one day 68 missiles were destroyed out of 96 plotted. The weekly total of missiles reaching London fell from a peak of 362 in July to 100, then down to 10
460:
of 1940–41: about one-third reached their target and five were shot down. February began with a 75-strong raid, of which only 12 reached the IAZ and four were shot down. On 13 February only six out of 115 bombers reached London. The climax came with five raids in the week 18–25 February varying from
465:
switched to targets away from London until 24 March, when a 100-strong raid on London lost four aircraft, and finally on 18 April a raid of 125 aircraft lost 14 shot down and only 30 reached the IAZ. Although much damage was caused in London, the rising efficiency of the HAA guns and radar made the
506:. However, early results of AA fire by 1 and 2 AA Groups against the small, fast, low-flying missiles were disappointing. Even shooting down those that reached the IAZ caused significant damage, so a ban was imposed on fire in this area. At the end of June the commander-in-chief of AA Command,
404:. It commanded 369, 370 and 371 HAA Btys and had 372 HAA Bty attached to it from 119th HAA Rgt on Shetland until October. 392 HAA Battery rejoined the regiment in December and 358 in January, giving the regiment a total of five batteries (the whole of the HAA defences deployed on Orkney).
510:, ordered a change in tactics: many of the HAA guns were redeployed in Diver Belts close to the South Coast, giving the guns a free fire zone out to sea. On 16 July 1 AA Group was ordered to form a 'Diver Box' of gun defences across the Thames Estuary, forward of a line from
443:'. These raids employed new faster bombers with sophisticated 'pathfinder' techniques and radar jamming. For example, on the night of 21 January 200 hostile aircraft were plotted approaching the South Coast in two waves, which intermingled with returning aircraft of
461:
100 to 140 in strength. These met intense AA fire from the Thames
Estuary onwards and fewer than half made it to central London: the AA score was 13 shot down while the night fighters added 15, with another shared. Facing these casualty rates, the
469:
The Baby Blitz notwithstanding, the threat from air attacks on the UK had diminished by early 1944 and AA Command was required to release manpower to the field armies, particularly for the forthcoming Allied invasion of
Normandy
324:
371 HAA Battery rejoined the regiment at
Sheffield on 20 February and RHQ remained with 62nd AA Bde through the summer of 1941. However, 392 Bty was frequently detached, to 39th AA Bde in February, and for a period in June to
451:
in South-East
England and then 1 AA Gp engaged as the raiders approached London. Only one-fifth of the raiders reached the city, the remainder turning away to bomb open country. AA guns brought down eight aircraft and RAF
320:
was regularly attacked, and raiders were overhead on most nights on their way to various targets in
Northern England. There were further notable attacks on Sheffield on 14 March and 8 May before the Blitz ended on 16 May.
307:
39th AA Brigade's operation order for 117th HAA Rgt's arrival commented that 'These batteries have had little training and have never practised unseen methods of fire', and arranged that the outgoing batteries of
207:
1171:
1161:
1166:
613:
was suffering a severe manpower shortage, particularly among the infantry. In
January 1945, the War Office accelerated the conversion of surplus artillery into infantry units, primarily for
408:
312:
would temporarily leave experienced gun position officers (GPOs) and their assistants at the sites, together with gun No 1s, to train 117th's men. Sheffield had been badly
309:
259:
841:
Organization of the Field Force in the United
Kingdom and Order of Battle, Part 12, Orkney and Shetland Defences, 26 March 1942, with amendments, TNA file WO 212/116.
662:
One source suggests that the regiment transferred to 70th AA Bde in 4th AA Division from
December to May 1942, but this appears to be an error for 107th HAA Rgt.
270:
522:. The removal of so many guns, and the silencing of those remaining in the IAZ, led Londoners to believe that the city was being defended by the RAF alone.
182:). Towards the end of the war the regiment was converted into infantry for occupation duties in Continental Europe. It was disbanded at the end of the war.
362:
338:
266:
632:
424:
625:
478:
lost one of their batteries, including 117th HAA Rgt. 392 HAA Battery left on 17 February 1944 for disbandment, which was completed by 16 March.
714:
361:; it returned to 147th on 10 July, but was then regimented with 117th permanently from 27 October. 371 HAA Battery was temporarily attached to
1114:
326:
820:
Order of Battle of Non-Field Force Units in the United
Kingdom, Part 27: AA Command, 2 December 1941, with amendments, TNA file WO 212/80.
357:
The whole of 117th HAA Rgt moved to
Merseyside and joined 33rd AA Bde in the autumn. On 17 May 1942, 358 HAA Bty joined the regiment from
358:
211:
832:
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.
767:
Order of Battle of Non-Field Force Units in the United Kingdom, Part 27: AA Command, 12 May 1941, with amendments, TNA file WO 212/79.
456:
also had successes. At the end of January London Docks received a 130-strong raid dropping flares and incendiaries as they had in the
1054:
735:
586:
582:
420:
397:
274:
498:, codenamed 'Divers'. In the event, the first of these did not arrive over England until a week after 'Overlord' began with the
486:
1124:
Gen Sir Frederick Pile's despatch: "The Anti-Aircraft Defence of the United Kingdom from 28th July, 1939, to 15th April, 1945"
601:
was suffering from such shortages of pilots, aircraft and fuel that serious air attacks on the UK could be discounted and the
562:
448:
250:
On 23 January 1941 392 HAA Bty also joined the regiment. This had been formed on 4 November 1940 by 211th AA Training Rgt at
850:
Order of Battle of Non-Field Force Units in the United Kingdom, Part 27: AA Command, 1 October 1942, TNA file WO 212/82.
640:
610:
475:
128:
106:
859:
Order of Battle of Non-Field Force Units in the United Kingdom, Part 27: AA Command, 13 March 1943, TNA file WO 212/83.
388:
In August 369 and 392 HAA Btys were detached (though 369 returned almost immediately) and the regiment was sent to the
605:
began reorganising surplus AA regiments in the UK into infantry battalions for duties in the rear areas. Meanwhile
624:, with 358, 369, 370 and 371 HAA Btys reorganised into five batteries designated A to E. Four days later it joined
1013:
797:
525:
931:
899:
411:
mainland had been reorganised, the corps and divisions being replaced by groups aligned with the groups of
372:
614:
203:
507:
191:
102:
1092:
History of the Royal Regiment of Artillery: The Years of Defeat: Europe and North Africa, 1939–1941
569:
to take over command of the London IAZ, leaving 1 AA Group to concentrate on the Diver Box and the
416:
1044:
636:
546:
471:
444:
199:
195:
202:, to take command of 369, 370 and 371 HAA Batteries, which had been raised on 15 October 1940.
1110:
1083:, London: HM Stationery Office, 1968/Uckfield: Naval & Military, 2004, ISBN 1-845740-59-9.
1060:
1050:
490:
3.7-inch HAA gun in action near London, 29 August 1944 (note AA shell bursts in the distance).
273:. However, 39th AA Bde was in the process of handing the Sheffield GDA over to a newly formed
635:, 305th Brigade came under the orders of 21st Army Group on 18 April 1945, and landed on the
287:. The handover occurred on 8 February, but 371 Bty temporarily remained at Scunthorpe in the
236:
370 Bty HQ and three sections at Sheffield L site; one section detached to the Drill Hall at
1123:
888:
255:
1087:
606:
503:
495:
412:
313:
179:
175:
143:
124:
70:
29:
1094:, Woolwich: Royal Artillery Institution, 1988/London: Brasseys, 1996, ISBN 1-85753-080-2.
277:, which was to assume responsibility for defending the industrial areas of Sheffield and
545:, and 1 AA Group's Diver Box was heavily engaged. It was largely equipped with Mark IIC
349:
530:
59:
1155:
1040:
550:
519:
453:
384:
Remains of the radar platform of the World War II HAA gunsite at South Walls, Orkney.
1077:
History of the Second World War, United Kingdom Military Series: Victory in the West
537:
As 21st Army Group began to overrun the V-1 launching sites in Northern France, the
1072:
457:
447:. This caused problems of identification and restrictions on fire, but the guns of
147:
74:
969:
Order of Battle of AA Command, 27 April 1944, with amendments, TNA file WO 212/85.
868:
Order of Battle of AA Command, 1 August 1943, with amendments, TNA file WO 212/84.
617:
and occupation duties, thereby releasing trained infantry for frontline service.
602:
511:
440:
401:
380:
366:
334:
317:
243:
218:
194:
in late 1940. Regimental Headquarters (RHQ) was formed on 20 December 1940 at
171:
167:
159:
120:
1064:
542:
330:
283:
222:
155:
151:
116:
1134:
History of the Royal Regiment of Artillery: Anti-Aircraft Artillery 1914–55
1136:, London: Royal Artillery Institution/Brassey's, 1994, ISBN 1-85753-099-3
776:
Operation Order No 42, 39 AA Bde War Diary 1939–41, TNA file WO 166/2272.
393:
251:
237:
407:
By the time 117th HAA Rgt left OSDEF in October 1943, AA Command on the
299:
566:
554:
574:
570:
389:
288:
226:
190:
117th Heavy AA Regiment was raised as part of the rapid expansion of
163:
561:
in September. Redeployments and changes in command were continuous.
233:
369 Bty manning Sheffield G and Y sites, with Battery HQ (BHQ) at Y
1101:, Vol II, Wakefield: Microform Academic, 1984, ISBN 1-85117-009-X.
631:
After infantry training, including a short period attached to the
578:
524:
515:
499:
485:
379:
371:
348:
298:
278:
214:
as commanding officer (CO) of the new regiment on 8 January 1941.
376:
Remains of a World War II HAA gunsite at Lyrawa Hill, Orkney.
439:
resumed night raids on London, which became known as the '
221:
on 10 January and the batteries took over gunsites in the
396:
Defences (OSDEF), where it was stationed on Orkney under
1146:
541:
turned to launching the missiles from aircraft over the
494:
AA Command was preparing for the anticipated arrival of
620:
On 23 January 1945, 117th HAA Rgt was converted into
142:(117th HAA Rgt) was an air defence unit of Britain's
1172:
Military units and formations disestablished in 1945
1162:
Heavy anti-aircraft regiments of the Royal Artillery
646:
622 Infantry Regiment was disbanded on 7 June 1945.
581:
defences. By 16 October 1944 117th HAA Rgt was with
1109:. Uckfield, East Sussex: Naval and Military Press.
112:
98:
90:
80:
65:
47:
39:
20:
788:39 AA Bde War Diary 1939–41, TNA file WO 166/2272.
427:, covering the London Inner Artillery Zone (IAZ).
1167:Military units and formations established in 1940
995:
993:
688:
686:
684:
682:
680:
678:
1107:Orders of Battle: Second World War, 1939–1945
1099:Lineage Book of British Land Forces 1660–1978
242:371 Bty accommodated with their equipment at
166:, where it protected the vital naval base of
8:
927:
925:
502:landings, and AA units quickly deployed for
258:of experienced officers and men provided by
828:
826:
816:
814:
28:
1023:
1021:
763:
761:
217:RHQ was established at the Drill Hall in
1009:
1007:
1005:
633:55th (West Lancashire) Infantry Division
884:
882:
880:
878:
876:
874:
731:
729:
727:
725:
723:
700:
698:
674:
655:
628:(recently converted from 49th AA Bde).
265:The regiment came under the command of
170:. Later it defended London during the '
1049:. London: Naval & Military Press.
784:
782:
21:117th Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment, RA
17:
7:
400:to protect the vital naval base of
713:99th HAA Rgt War Diary, 1939–41,
303:10th AA Division's formation sign.
206:R.A. Sparks, second-in-command of
140:117th Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment
14:
1046:The Defense of the United Kingdom
639:two days later. It did duty with
715:The National Archives (TNA), Kew
553:, and began using the proximity
533:H-22 carrying a V-1 flying bomb.
69:
52:
508:Lt-Gen Sir Frederick 'Tim' Pile
585:under 3 AA Gp, moving back to
466:enemy's losses unsustainable.
43:20 December 1940 – 7 June 1945
1:
755:Routledge, Table LXV, p. 396.
316:for four nights in December,
736:117th HAA Rgt at RA 1939–45.
476:Air Defence of Great Britain
281:against raids by the German
246:E and F sites, with BHQ at F
978:Ellis, pp. 141–2, 369, 380.
474:). A number of AA units in
208:99th (London Welsh) HAA Rgt
1188:
692:Frederick, pp. 757–8, 782.
589:in 1 AA Gp a month later.
549:with No 10 Predictors and
229:Gun Defence Areas (GDAs):
154:during the latter part of
593:622 Infantry Regiment, RA
34:Royal Artillery cap badge
27:
23:622 Infantry Regiment, RA
1147:Royal Artillery 1939–45.
597:At the end of 1944, the
1105:Joslen, H. F. (2003) .
353:OSDEF's formation sign.
291:GDA under 39th AA Bde.
1014:622 Rgt at RA 1939–45.
960:Routledge, pp. 415–18.
951:Routledge, pp. 413–15.
942:Routledge, pp. 408–13.
932:Collier, Chapter XXIV.
910:Routledge, pp. 409–10.
798:Collier, Appendix XXX.
626:305th Infantry Brigade
534:
491:
419:. The regiment joined
385:
377:
354:
304:
1132:Brig N.W. Routledge,
1081:The Defeat of Germany
900:Collier, Chapter XXI.
808:Routledge, pp. 394–5.
615:line of communication
528:
489:
383:
375:
352:
327:33rd (Western) AA Bde
302:
196:No 5 AA Practice Camp
192:Anti-Aircraft Command
103:Anti-Aircraft Command
987:Routledge, pp 420–1.
622:622 Infantry Rgt, RA
557:with great success.
435:In January 1944 the
717:, file WO 166/2389.
158:and also served on
1097:J.B.M. Frederick,
999:Frederick, p. 882.
919:Routledge, p. 409.
746:Farndale, Annex D.
704:Farndale, Annex M.
535:
492:
472:Operation Overlord
445:RAF Bomber Command
386:
378:
355:
305:
212:Lieutenant-Colonel
210:, was promoted to
200:Weybourne, Norfolk
174:' and against the
1116:978-1-84342-474-1
611:North West Europe
565:was brought from
547:3.7-inch HAA guns
134:
133:
129:North West Europe
1179:
1141:External sources
1128:18 December 1947
1120:
1068:
1028:
1025:
1016:
1011:
1000:
997:
988:
985:
979:
976:
970:
967:
961:
958:
952:
949:
943:
940:
934:
929:
920:
917:
911:
908:
902:
897:
891:
889:Pile's despatch.
886:
869:
866:
860:
857:
851:
848:
842:
839:
833:
830:
821:
818:
809:
806:
800:
795:
789:
786:
777:
774:
768:
765:
756:
753:
747:
744:
738:
733:
718:
711:
705:
702:
693:
690:
663:
660:
496:V-1 flying bombs
271:10th AA Division
73:
58:
56:
55:
32:
18:
1187:
1186:
1182:
1181:
1180:
1178:
1177:
1176:
1152:
1151:
1143:
1117:
1104:
1088:Martin Farndale
1057:
1039:
1036:
1031:
1027:Joslen, p. 401.
1026:
1019:
1012:
1003:
998:
991:
986:
982:
977:
973:
968:
964:
959:
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946:
941:
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923:
918:
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905:
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854:
849:
845:
840:
836:
831:
824:
819:
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796:
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787:
780:
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771:
766:
759:
754:
750:
745:
741:
734:
721:
712:
708:
703:
696:
691:
676:
672:
667:
666:
661:
657:
652:
607:21st Army Group
595:
504:Operation Diver
484:
482:Operation Diver
433:
417:Fighter Command
413:Royal Air Force
347:
339:4th AA Division
297:
267:39th AA Brigade
188:
180:Operation Diver
176:V-1 flying bomb
150:. It protected
144:Royal Artillery
137:
127:
125:Operation Diver
123:
119:
105:
85:
53:
51:
35:
22:
12:
11:
5:
1185:
1183:
1175:
1174:
1169:
1164:
1154:
1153:
1150:
1149:
1142:
1139:
1138:
1137:
1130:
1126:London Gazette
1121:
1115:
1102:
1095:
1084:
1069:
1055:
1041:Collier, Basil
1035:
1032:
1030:
1029:
1017:
1001:
989:
980:
971:
962:
953:
944:
935:
921:
912:
903:
892:
870:
861:
852:
843:
834:
822:
810:
801:
790:
778:
769:
757:
748:
739:
719:
706:
694:
673:
671:
668:
665:
664:
654:
653:
651:
648:
594:
591:
531:Heinkel He 111
483:
480:
454:Night fighters
432:
429:
409:United Kingdom
346:
343:
296:
293:
248:
247:
240:
234:
187:
184:
135:
132:
131:
114:
110:
109:
100:
96:
95:
92:
88:
87:
82:
78:
77:
67:
63:
62:
60:United Kingdom
49:
45:
44:
41:
37:
36:
33:
25:
24:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1184:
1173:
1170:
1168:
1165:
1163:
1160:
1159:
1157:
1148:
1145:
1144:
1140:
1135:
1131:
1129:
1127:
1122:
1118:
1112:
1108:
1103:
1100:
1096:
1093:
1089:
1085:
1082:
1078:
1074:
1070:
1066:
1062:
1058:
1056:1-84574-055-6
1052:
1048:
1047:
1042:
1038:
1037:
1033:
1024:
1022:
1018:
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1010:
1008:
1006:
1002:
996:
994:
990:
984:
981:
975:
972:
966:
963:
957:
954:
948:
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939:
936:
933:
928:
926:
922:
916:
913:
907:
904:
901:
896:
893:
890:
885:
883:
881:
879:
877:
875:
871:
865:
862:
856:
853:
847:
844:
838:
835:
829:
827:
823:
817:
815:
811:
805:
802:
799:
794:
791:
785:
783:
779:
773:
770:
764:
762:
758:
752:
749:
743:
740:
737:
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728:
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724:
720:
716:
710:
707:
701:
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695:
689:
687:
685:
683:
681:
679:
675:
669:
659:
656:
649:
647:
644:
642:
638:
634:
629:
627:
623:
618:
616:
612:
608:
604:
600:
592:
590:
588:
584:
580:
576:
572:
568:
564:
563:3 AA Group HQ
558:
556:
552:
551:SCR-584 radar
548:
544:
540:
532:
527:
523:
521:
520:Chatham, Kent
517:
513:
509:
505:
501:
497:
488:
481:
479:
477:
473:
467:
464:
459:
455:
450:
446:
442:
438:
430:
428:
426:
422:
418:
414:
410:
405:
403:
399:
395:
391:
382:
374:
370:
368:
364:
360:
359:147th HAA Rgt
351:
344:
342:
340:
336:
332:
328:
322:
319:
315:
311:
301:
294:
292:
290:
286:
285:
280:
276:
272:
268:
263:
261:
257:
253:
245:
241:
239:
235:
232:
231:
230:
228:
224:
220:
215:
213:
209:
205:
201:
197:
193:
185:
183:
181:
177:
173:
169:
165:
161:
157:
153:
149:
145:
141:
136:Military unit
130:
126:
122:
118:
115:
111:
108:
104:
101:
97:
93:
89:
83:
79:
76:
72:
68:
64:
61:
50:
46:
42:
38:
31:
26:
19:
16:
1133:
1125:
1106:
1098:
1091:
1080:
1076:
1045:
983:
974:
965:
956:
947:
938:
915:
906:
895:
864:
855:
846:
837:
804:
793:
772:
751:
742:
709:
658:
645:
630:
621:
619:
609:fighting in
598:
596:
559:
538:
536:
493:
468:
462:
458:London Blitz
436:
434:
406:
387:
356:
323:
310:91st HAA Rgt
306:
282:
264:
260:93rd HAA Rgt
249:
216:
189:
186:Organisation
148:World War II
139:
138:
99:Part of
75:British Army
15:
641:Second Army
587:57th AA Bde
583:69th AA Bde
421:48th AA Bde
398:58th AA Bde
363:44th AA Bde
275:62nd AA Bde
178:offensive (
113:Engagements
107:Second Army
84:Air defence
1156:Categories
1079:, Vol II:
1073:L.F. Ellis
1034:References
603:War Office
512:Chelmsford
441:Baby Blitz
431:Baby Blitz
425:1 AA Group
402:Scapa Flow
367:Manchester
335:Lancashire
329:defending
318:Humberside
244:Scunthorpe
219:Mexborough
172:Baby Blitz
168:Scapa Flow
160:Merseyside
121:Baby Blitz
1065:499176250
650:Footnotes
637:Continent
599:Luftwaffe
543:North Sea
539:Luftwaffe
463:Luftwaffe
437:Luftwaffe
369:in June.
333:and West
331:Liverpool
284:Luftwaffe
223:Sheffield
156:The Blitz
152:Sheffield
117:The Blitz
1086:Gen Sir
1043:(2004).
394:Shetland
252:Oswestry
238:Barnsley
94:Regiment
86:Infantry
567:Bristol
555:VT fuze
449:2 AA Gp
345:Mid-War
314:blitzed
254:from a
162:and in
146:during
48:Country
1113:
1063:
1053:
575:Medway
571:Thames
415:(RAF)
390:Orkney
337:under
289:Humber
227:Humber
164:Orkney
66:Branch
57:
40:Active
670:Notes
579:Dover
516:Essex
500:D Day
295:Blitz
279:Leeds
256:cadre
204:Major
1111:ISBN
1071:Maj
1061:OCLC
1051:ISBN
577:and
392:and
225:and
91:Size
81:Role
518:to
514:in
423:in
365:at
269:in
198:at
1158::
1090:,
1075:,
1059:.
1020:^
1004:^
992:^
924:^
873:^
825:^
813:^
781:^
760:^
722:^
697:^
677:^
643:.
529:A
341:.
262:.
1119:.
1067:.
573:/
470:(
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