498:
537:
384:
41:
65:
82:
361:
392:
311:
571:
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
471:
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
476:
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
517:. 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,
415:. 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).
521:, 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
454:'. 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
472:
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
480:
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
335:
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
462:
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
331:
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.
318:
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
218:
1182:
1172:
1177:
624:
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
419:
323:
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
320:
270:
852:
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.
673:
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.
281:
533:. 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.
193:). 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.
373:
349:
277:
643:
435:
636:
489:
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.
725:
372:; it returned to 147th on 10 July, but was then regimented with 117th permanently from 27 October. 371 HAA Battery was temporarily attached to
1125:
337:
831:
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.
368:
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
369:
222:
843:
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.
778:
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.
467:
also had successes. At the end of January London Docks received a 130-strong raid dropping flares and incendiaries as they had in the
1065:
746:
597:
593:
431:
408:
285:
509:, codenamed 'Divers'. In the event, the first of these did not arrive over England until a week after 'Overlord' began with the
497:
1135:
Gen Sir Frederick Pile's despatch: "The Anti-Aircraft Defence of the United Kingdom from 28th July, 1939, to 15th April, 1945"
612:
was suffering from such shortages of pilots, aircraft and fuel that serious air attacks on the UK could be discounted and the
573:
459:
261:
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
861:
Order of Battle of Non-Field Force Units in the United Kingdom, Part 27: AA Command, 1 October 1942, TNA file WO 212/82.
651:
621:
486:
139:
117:
870:
Order of Battle of Non-Field Force Units in the United Kingdom, Part 27: AA Command, 13 March 1943, TNA file WO 212/83.
399:
In August 369 and 392 HAA Btys were detached (though 369 returned almost immediately) and the regiment was sent to the
616:
began reorganising surplus AA regiments in the UK into infantry battalions for duties in the rear areas. Meanwhile
635:, with 358, 369, 370 and 371 HAA Btys reorganised into five batteries designated A to E. Four days later it joined
1024:
808:
536:
942:
910:
422:
mainland had been reorganised, the corps and divisions being replaced by groups aligned with the groups of
383:
625:
214:
518:
202:
113:
17:
1103:
History of the Royal Regiment of Artillery: The Years of Defeat: Europe and North Africa, 1939–1941
580:
to take over command of the London IAZ, leaving 1 AA Group to concentrate on the Diver Box and the
427:
1055:
647:
557:
482:
455:
210:
206:
213:, to take command of 369, 370 and 371 HAA Batteries, which had been raised on 15 October 1940.
1121:
1094:, London: HM Stationery Office, 1968/Uckfield: Naval & Military, 2004, ISBN 1-845740-59-9.
1071:
1061:
501:
3.7-inch HAA gun in action near London, 29 August 1944 (note AA shell bursts in the distance).
284:. However, 39th AA Bde was in the process of handing the Sheffield GDA over to a newly formed
646:, 305th Brigade came under the orders of 21st Army Group on 18 April 1945, and landed on the
298:. The handover occurred on 8 February, but 371 Bty temporarily remained at Scunthorpe in the
247:
370 Bty HQ and three sections at Sheffield L site; one section detached to the Drill Hall at
1134:
899:
266:
1098:
617:
514:
506:
423:
324:
190:
186:
154:
135:
81:
40:
1105:, Woolwich: Royal Artillery Institution, 1988/London: Brasseys, 1996, ISBN 1-85753-080-2.
288:, which was to assume responsibility for defending the industrial areas of Sheffield and
556:, and 1 AA Group's Diver Box was heavily engaged. It was largely equipped with Mark IIC
360:
541:
70:
1166:
1051:
561:
530:
464:
395:
Remains of the radar platform of the World War II HAA gunsite at South Walls, Orkney.
1088:
History of the Second World War, United Kingdom Military Series: Victory in the West
548:
As 21st Army Group began to overrun the V-1 launching sites in Northern France, the
1083:
468:
458:. This caused problems of identification and restrictions on fire, but the guns of
158:
85:
980:
Order of Battle of AA Command, 27 April 1944, with amendments, TNA file WO 212/85.
879:
Order of Battle of AA Command, 1 August 1943, with amendments, TNA file WO 212/84.
628:
and occupation duties, thereby releasing trained infantry for frontline service.
613:
522:
451:
412:
391:
377:
345:
328:
254:
229:
205:
in late 1940. Regimental Headquarters (RHQ) was formed on 20 December 1940 at
182:
178:
170:
131:
1075:
553:
341:
294:
233:
166:
162:
127:
1145:
History of the Royal Regiment of Artillery: Anti-Aircraft Artillery 1914–55
1147:, London: Royal Artillery Institution/Brassey's, 1994, ISBN 1-85753-099-3
787:
Operation Order No 42, 39 AA Bde War Diary 1939–41, TNA file WO 166/2272.
404:
262:
248:
418:
By the time 117th HAA Rgt left OSDEF in October 1943, AA Command on the
310:
577:
565:
585:
581:
400:
299:
237:
201:
117th Heavy AA Regiment was raised as part of the rapid expansion of
174:
572:
in September. Redeployments and changes in command were continuous.
244:
369 Bty manning Sheffield G and Y sites, with Battery HQ (BHQ) at Y
1112:, Vol II, Wakefield: Microform Academic, 1984, ISBN 1-85117-009-X.
642:
After infantry training, including a short period attached to the
589:
535:
526:
510:
496:
390:
382:
359:
309:
289:
225:
as commanding officer (CO) of the new regiment on 8 January 1941.
387:
Remains of a World War II HAA gunsite at Lyrawa Hill, Orkney.
450:
resumed night raids on London, which became known as the '
232:
on 10 January and the batteries took over gunsites in the
407:
Defences (OSDEF), where it was stationed on Orkney under
1157:
552:
turned to launching the missiles from aircraft over the
505:
AA Command was preparing for the anticipated arrival of
631:
On 23 January 1945, 117th HAA Rgt was converted into
153:(117th HAA Rgt) was an air defence unit of Britain's
1183:
Military units and formations disestablished in 1945
1173:
Heavy anti-aircraft regiments of the Royal Artillery
657:
622 Infantry Regiment was disbanded on 7 June 1945.
592:
defences. By 16 October 1944 117th HAA Rgt was with
1120:. Uckfield, East Sussex: Naval and Military Press.
123:
109:
101:
91:
76:
58:
50:
31:
799:39 AA Bde War Diary 1939–41, TNA file WO 166/2272.
438:, covering the London Inner Artillery Zone (IAZ).
1178:Military units and formations established in 1940
1006:
1004:
699:
697:
695:
693:
691:
689:
1118:Orders of Battle: Second World War, 1939–1945
1110:Lineage Book of British Land Forces 1660–1978
253:371 Bty accommodated with their equipment at
177:, where it protected the vital naval base of
8:
938:
936:
513:landings, and AA units quickly deployed for
269:of experienced officers and men provided by
839:
837:
827:
825:
39:
1034:
1032:
774:
772:
228:RHQ was established at the Drill Hall in
1020:
1018:
1016:
644:55th (West Lancashire) Infantry Division
18:622nd Infantry Regiment, Royal Artillery
895:
893:
891:
889:
887:
885:
742:
740:
738:
736:
734:
711:
709:
685:
666:
639:(recently converted from 49th AA Bde).
276:The regiment came under the command of
181:. Later it defended London during the '
1060:. London: Naval & Military Press.
795:
793:
32:117th Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment, RA
28:
7:
411:to protect the vital naval base of
724:99th HAA Rgt War Diary, 1939–41,
314:10th AA Division's formation sign.
217:R.A. Sparks, second-in-command of
151:117th Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment
25:
1057:The Defense of the United Kingdom
650:two days later. It did duty with
726:The National Archives (TNA), Kew
564:, and began using the proximity
544:H-22 carrying a V-1 flying bomb.
80:
63:
519:Lt-Gen Sir Frederick 'Tim' Pile
596:under 3 AA Gp, moving back to
477:enemy's losses unsustainable.
54:20 December 1940 – 7 June 1945
1:
766:Routledge, Table LXV, p. 396.
327:for four nights in December,
747:117th HAA Rgt at RA 1939–45.
487:Air Defence of Great Britain
292:against raids by the German
257:E and F sites, with BHQ at F
989:Ellis, pp. 141–2, 369, 380.
485:). A number of AA units in
219:99th (London Welsh) HAA Rgt
1199:
703:Frederick, pp. 757–8, 782.
600:in 1 AA Gp a month later.
560:with No 10 Predictors and
240:Gun Defence Areas (GDAs):
165:during the latter part of
604:622 Infantry Regiment, RA
45:Royal Artillery cap badge
38:
34:622 Infantry Regiment, RA
1158:Royal Artillery 1939–45.
608:At the end of 1944, the
1116:Joslen, H. F. (2003) .
364:OSDEF's formation sign.
302:GDA under 39th AA Bde.
1025:622 Rgt at RA 1939–45.
971:Routledge, pp. 415–18.
962:Routledge, pp. 413–15.
953:Routledge, pp. 408–13.
943:Collier, Chapter XXIV.
921:Routledge, pp. 409–10.
809:Collier, Appendix XXX.
637:305th Infantry Brigade
545:
502:
430:. The regiment joined
396:
388:
365:
315:
1143:Brig N.W. Routledge,
1092:The Defeat of Germany
911:Collier, Chapter XXI.
819:Routledge, pp. 394–5.
626:line of communication
539:
500:
394:
386:
363:
338:33rd (Western) AA Bde
313:
207:No 5 AA Practice Camp
203:Anti-Aircraft Command
114:Anti-Aircraft Command
998:Routledge, pp 420–1.
633:622 Infantry Rgt, RA
568:with great success.
446:In January 1944 the
728:, file WO 166/2389.
169:and also served on
1108:J.B.M. Frederick,
1010:Frederick, p. 882.
930:Routledge, p. 409.
757:Farndale, Annex D.
715:Farndale, Annex M.
546:
503:
483:Operation Overlord
456:RAF Bomber Command
397:
389:
366:
316:
223:Lieutenant-Colonel
221:, was promoted to
211:Weybourne, Norfolk
185:' and against the
1127:978-1-84342-474-1
622:North West Europe
576:was brought from
558:3.7-inch HAA guns
145:
144:
140:North West Europe
16:(Redirected from
1190:
1152:External sources
1139:18 December 1947
1131:
1079:
1039:
1036:
1027:
1022:
1011:
1008:
999:
996:
990:
987:
981:
978:
972:
969:
963:
960:
954:
951:
945:
940:
931:
928:
922:
919:
913:
908:
902:
900:Pile's despatch.
897:
880:
877:
871:
868:
862:
859:
853:
850:
844:
841:
832:
829:
820:
817:
811:
806:
800:
797:
788:
785:
779:
776:
767:
764:
758:
755:
749:
744:
729:
722:
716:
713:
704:
701:
674:
671:
507:V-1 flying bombs
282:10th AA Division
84:
69:
67:
66:
43:
29:
21:
1198:
1197:
1193:
1192:
1191:
1189:
1188:
1187:
1163:
1162:
1154:
1128:
1115:
1099:Martin Farndale
1068:
1050:
1047:
1042:
1038:Joslen, p. 401.
1037:
1030:
1023:
1014:
1009:
1002:
997:
993:
988:
984:
979:
975:
970:
966:
961:
957:
952:
948:
941:
934:
929:
925:
920:
916:
909:
905:
898:
883:
878:
874:
869:
865:
860:
856:
851:
847:
842:
835:
830:
823:
818:
814:
807:
803:
798:
791:
786:
782:
777:
770:
765:
761:
756:
752:
745:
732:
723:
719:
714:
707:
702:
687:
683:
678:
677:
672:
668:
663:
618:21st Army Group
606:
515:Operation Diver
495:
493:Operation Diver
444:
428:Fighter Command
424:Royal Air Force
358:
350:4th AA Division
308:
278:39th AA Brigade
199:
191:Operation Diver
187:V-1 flying bomb
161:. It protected
155:Royal Artillery
148:
138:
136:Operation Diver
134:
130:
116:
96:
64:
62:
46:
33:
23:
22:
15:
12:
11:
5:
1196:
1194:
1186:
1185:
1180:
1175:
1165:
1164:
1161:
1160:
1153:
1150:
1149:
1148:
1141:
1137:London Gazette
1132:
1126:
1113:
1106:
1095:
1080:
1066:
1052:Collier, Basil
1046:
1043:
1041:
1040:
1028:
1012:
1000:
991:
982:
973:
964:
955:
946:
932:
923:
914:
903:
881:
872:
863:
854:
845:
833:
821:
812:
801:
789:
780:
768:
759:
750:
730:
717:
705:
684:
682:
679:
676:
675:
665:
664:
662:
659:
605:
602:
542:Heinkel He 111
494:
491:
465:Night fighters
443:
440:
420:United Kingdom
357:
354:
307:
304:
259:
258:
251:
245:
198:
195:
146:
143:
142:
125:
121:
120:
111:
107:
106:
103:
99:
98:
93:
89:
88:
78:
74:
73:
71:United Kingdom
60:
56:
55:
52:
48:
47:
44:
36:
35:
24:
14:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1195:
1184:
1181:
1179:
1176:
1174:
1171:
1170:
1168:
1159:
1156:
1155:
1151:
1146:
1142:
1140:
1138:
1133:
1129:
1123:
1119:
1114:
1111:
1107:
1104:
1100:
1096:
1093:
1089:
1085:
1081:
1077:
1073:
1069:
1067:1-84574-055-6
1063:
1059:
1058:
1053:
1049:
1048:
1044:
1035:
1033:
1029:
1026:
1021:
1019:
1017:
1013:
1007:
1005:
1001:
995:
992:
986:
983:
977:
974:
968:
965:
959:
956:
950:
947:
944:
939:
937:
933:
927:
924:
918:
915:
912:
907:
904:
901:
896:
894:
892:
890:
888:
886:
882:
876:
873:
867:
864:
858:
855:
849:
846:
840:
838:
834:
828:
826:
822:
816:
813:
810:
805:
802:
796:
794:
790:
784:
781:
775:
773:
769:
763:
760:
754:
751:
748:
743:
741:
739:
737:
735:
731:
727:
721:
718:
712:
710:
706:
700:
698:
696:
694:
692:
690:
686:
680:
670:
667:
660:
658:
655:
653:
649:
645:
640:
638:
634:
629:
627:
623:
619:
615:
611:
603:
601:
599:
595:
591:
587:
583:
579:
575:
574:3 AA Group HQ
569:
567:
563:
562:SCR-584 radar
559:
555:
551:
543:
538:
534:
532:
531:Chatham, Kent
528:
524:
520:
516:
512:
508:
499:
492:
490:
488:
484:
478:
475:
470:
466:
461:
457:
453:
449:
441:
439:
437:
433:
429:
425:
421:
416:
414:
410:
406:
402:
393:
385:
381:
379:
375:
371:
370:147th HAA Rgt
362:
355:
353:
351:
347:
343:
339:
333:
330:
326:
322:
312:
305:
303:
301:
297:
296:
291:
287:
283:
279:
274:
272:
268:
264:
256:
252:
250:
246:
243:
242:
241:
239:
235:
231:
226:
224:
220:
216:
212:
208:
204:
196:
194:
192:
188:
184:
180:
176:
172:
168:
164:
160:
156:
152:
147:Military unit
141:
137:
133:
129:
126:
122:
119:
115:
112:
108:
104:
100:
94:
90:
87:
83:
79:
75:
72:
61:
57:
53:
49:
42:
37:
30:
27:
19:
1144:
1136:
1117:
1109:
1102:
1091:
1087:
1056:
994:
985:
976:
967:
958:
949:
926:
917:
906:
875:
866:
857:
848:
815:
804:
783:
762:
753:
720:
669:
656:
641:
632:
630:
620:fighting in
609:
607:
570:
549:
547:
504:
479:
473:
469:London Blitz
447:
445:
417:
398:
367:
334:
321:91st HAA Rgt
317:
293:
275:
271:93rd HAA Rgt
260:
227:
200:
197:Organisation
159:World War II
150:
149:
110:Part of
86:British Army
26:
652:Second Army
598:57th AA Bde
594:69th AA Bde
432:48th AA Bde
409:58th AA Bde
374:44th AA Bde
286:62nd AA Bde
189:offensive (
124:Engagements
118:Second Army
95:Air defence
1167:Categories
1090:, Vol II:
1084:L.F. Ellis
1045:References
614:War Office
523:Chelmsford
452:Baby Blitz
442:Baby Blitz
436:1 AA Group
413:Scapa Flow
378:Manchester
346:Lancashire
340:defending
329:Humberside
255:Scunthorpe
230:Mexborough
183:Baby Blitz
179:Scapa Flow
171:Merseyside
132:Baby Blitz
1076:499176250
661:Footnotes
648:Continent
610:Luftwaffe
554:North Sea
550:Luftwaffe
474:Luftwaffe
448:Luftwaffe
380:in June.
344:and West
342:Liverpool
295:Luftwaffe
234:Sheffield
167:The Blitz
163:Sheffield
128:The Blitz
1097:Gen Sir
1054:(2004).
405:Shetland
263:Oswestry
249:Barnsley
105:Regiment
97:Infantry
578:Bristol
566:VT fuze
460:2 AA Gp
356:Mid-War
325:blitzed
265:from a
173:and in
157:during
59:Country
1124:
1074:
1064:
586:Medway
582:Thames
426:(RAF)
401:Orkney
348:under
300:Humber
238:Humber
175:Orkney
77:Branch
68:
51:Active
681:Notes
590:Dover
527:Essex
511:D Day
306:Blitz
290:Leeds
267:cadre
215:Major
1122:ISBN
1082:Maj
1072:OCLC
1062:ISBN
588:and
403:and
236:and
102:Size
92:Role
529:to
525:in
434:in
376:at
280:in
209:at
1169::
1101:,
1086:,
1070:.
1031:^
1015:^
1003:^
935:^
884:^
836:^
824:^
792:^
771:^
733:^
708:^
688:^
654:.
540:A
352:.
273:.
1130:.
1078:.
584:/
481:(
20:)
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