26th (London) Anti-Aircraft Brigade

26th (London) Anti-Aircraft Brigade
Active 1922–1948
Country  United Kingdom
Branch Territorial Army
Type Anti-Aircraft Brigade
Role Air Defence
Part of 1st AA Division
Garrison/HQ Duke of York's Headquarters
Engagements The Blitz

26th (London) Anti-Aircraft Brigade (26 AA Bde) was an Air Defence formation of the British Army during World War II. It defended London during the Blitz.

Origin

The Duke of York's Headquarters

German air raids by Zeppelin airships and Gotha bombers on London and other British cities during World War I had shown the need for strong anti-aircraft (AA) defences in any future war. When the Territorial Army (TA) was reformed in 1922 it included a number of dedicated AA units of the Royal Artillery (RA) and Royal Engineers (RE). Two formations were organised in London District to command these units, provisionally known as the 2nd and 3rd London Air Defence Brigades, but soon numbered 26th and 27th. Both were based at the Duke of York's Headquarters in Chelsea, and they had the following composition:.[1][2][3][4]

26th (London) Air Defence Brigade

27th (London) Air Defence Brigade

1935 Reorganisation

As Britain's AA defences expanded during the 1930s, higher formations became necessary. 1st AA Division was formed in 1935 at RAF Uxbridge to command the growing number of Territorial Army (TA) anti-aircraft gun and searchlight units covering London and the Home Counties. The 26th AD Bde was reorganised on 16 December 1935 as 26th (London) Anti-Aircraft Group, commanding all the gun and searchlight units of the two former brigades, while the 27th was reformed as 27th (Home Counties) Anti-Aircraft Group at RAF Kenley, to command new AA units in the South London suburbs.[5][6]

The AA Groups took the more usual formation title of Brigades in 1938 after the Royal Artillery replaced its traditional unit designation 'Brigade' by the modern 'Regiment'.

206 Brompton Road, the former Brompton Road tube station closed in 1934, used as the headquarters of the London Inner Artillery Zone anti-aircraft defences during World War II

Just before the outbreak of war, 26 AA Bde moved its headquarters to Brompton Road in South Kensington, where a Piccadilly line underground railway station had been disused since 1934. The station buildings became the HQ for the London Inner Artillery Zone (IAZ) AA defences. The building remained a TA centre after the war, later being known as the Signals Drill Hall. It was sold by the Ministry of Defence in 2014.[7][8][9][10]

Outbreak of war

During the period of tension leading to the Munich crisis and eventually the outbreak of World War II, the Territorial Army grew enormously, and existing TA infantry battalions continued to be converted to AA regiments. The number of divisions and brigades was expanded, and the whole AA defence of the United Kingdom was taken over by Anti-Aircraft Command on 1 April 1939. When the UK declared war on 3 September 1939, 26th (London) AA Bde had given up its searchlight units and had the following composition:[7]

In 1940 the AA Regiments of the RA were redesignated Heavy Anti-Aircraft (HAA) regiments to distinguish them from the existing Light Anti-Aircraft (LAA) regiments

The Blitz

By late 1940, at the height of The Blitz, 26 AA Bde was still serving in 1 AA Division covering London, but had the following composition:[11]

Postwar

When the TA was reformed on 1 January 1947, the brigade was renumbered as 52 (London) AA Brigade, based at Chingford, Essex, in 1 AA Group. The brigade had the following organisation:[17]

However, the brigade was disbanded in September 1948.

Notes

References

External sources