27th (Home Counties) Anti-Aircraft Brigade

27th (Home Counties) Anti-Aircraft Brigade (27 AA Bde) was an Air Defence formation of the British Army in the Second World War that served in The Blitz and later converted to infantry.

Origin

German air raids by Zeppelin airships and Gotha bombers on London and other British cities during the First World War 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.Flight 24 August 1922

Both brigades were based at the Duke of York's Headquarters in Chelsea. 3rd AD Bde's units were initially based at Lytton Grove, Putney, taking over buildings previously used by the City of London Yeomanry (Rough Riders).War Office to HM Treasury 19 February 1923, The National Archives (TNA), Kew, file T 161/32/3.

The 27th (London) Air Defence Brigade comprised:Titles and Designations 1927. 53rd (City of London) Anti-Aircraft Brigade, RA (TA) (HAA unit formed in 1922 at Putney, recruited mainly from men in banks and insurance companies in the City of London)Litchfield HQ at White City, London 157th (City of London) AA Battery at White City 158th (City of London) AA Battery at White City 159th (Lloyd's) (City of London) AA Battery at White City 54th (City of London) Anti-Aircraft Brigade, RA (TA) (HAA unit formed in 1922 at Putney) HQ at Putney 160th (City of London) AA Battery at Putney 161st (City of London) AA Battery at Putney 162nd (City of London) AA Battery at Putney 27th (London) Anti-Aircraft Battalion (London Electrical Engineers), RE (TA) (a searchlight unit) HQ at Streatham 304th AA Company at Westminster 305th AA Company at Westminster 306th AA Company at Westminster 390th AA Company at Westminster 27th (London) Anti-Aircraft Signal Company, Royal Signals

1935 Reorganisation As Britain's AA defences expanded during the 1930s, higher formations became necessary. 1st AA Division was formed at the end of 1935 to cover London and the Home Counties. As part of this reorganisation, 26th (London) Bde assumed command of all the gun and searchlight units of the two former brigades, while the 27th was reformed as 27th (Home Counties) Anti-Aircraft Group, based at RAF Kenley, to command new AA units in the South London suburbs.Routledge, p. 59.Frederick, pp. 1049–50.Monthly Army List Jan 1936 60th (City of London) Anti-Aircraft Brigade, RA, (TA) (heavy anti-aircraft (HAA) gun unit formed in 1935 by conversion of 4th (City of London) Battalion, London Regiment)4 CoL Rgt60 HAA at RA 39–45 HQ at Catford 168 Battery at Catford 169 Battery at Catford 194 Battery at Catford 30th (Surrey) Anti-Aircraft Battalion, RE, (TA) (formed in 1935 from HQ Surrey Group AA Searchlight Companies RE) HQ at Kingston upon Thames 315 Company at Croydon 316 Company at Kingston upon Thames 318 Company at Guildford 323 Company at Ewell 31st (City of London Rifles) Anti-Aircraft Battalion, RE (TA) (searchlight unit formed in 1935 by conversion of 6th Battalion, the London Regiment (City of London Rifles))6 CoL Rgt 31 S/L at RA 39–45 HQ at Sutton 324 Company at Sutton 325 Company at Sutton 326 Company at Merton 327 Company at Hackbridge 34th (The Queen's Own Royal West Kent) Anti-Aircraft Battalion, RE (TA) (searchlight unit formed in 1935 by conversion of 20th London Regiment (Blackheath & Woolwich), affiliated to the Queen's Own Royal West Kent Regiment)20 London Rgt34 S/L at RA 39–45 HQ at Blackheath 320 Company at Greenwich 336 Company at Blackheath 337 Company at Blackheath 338 Company at Eltham 35th (First Surrey Rifles) Anti-Aircraft Battalion, RE (TA) (searchlight unit formed in 1935 by conversion of 21st Battalion, London Regiment, affiliated to the East Surrey Regiment)1st Surrey Rifles35 S/L at RA 39–45 HQ at Camberwell 340th Company at Camberwell 341st Company at Camberwell 342nd Company at Camberwell 343rd Company at Camberwell

The AA Groups took the more usual formation title of Brigades on 1 January 1939 after the Royal Artillery replaced its traditional unit designation 'Brigade' by the modern 'Regiment'.

Outbreak of war During the period of tension leading to the Munich crisis and eventually the outbreak of the Second World War, 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, 27th (Home Counties) AA Bde was a searchlight formation in 6 AA Division (also based at Uxbridge) and had the following composition:Routledge, Table LX, p. 378.AA Command 3 September 1939 at Patriot Files

Brigade HQ: Lingfield, Surrey 31st (City of London Rifles) Anti-Aircraft Battalion, RE (TA) HQ, 324, 325, 326, 327 Companies as before 34th (The Queen's Own Royal West Kent) Anti-Aircraft Battalion, RE (TA) HQ, 302, 336, 337, 338 Companies as before 70th (Sussex) Searchlight Regiment, Royal Artillery (a newly formed TA Unit) HQ, 459, 460, 461 Batteries all at Brighton

In August 1940, during the Battle of Britain, the RE 'Anti-Aircraft' (searchlight) battalions became regiments of the RA.S/L Index at RA 39–45

The Blitz By late 1940, at the height of The Blitz, 27 AA Bde was serving in 5 AA Division covering the important naval base of Portsmouth, with the following regiments under command:Farndale, Annex D.5 AA Div at RA 39–45

31st (City of London Rifles) Searchlight Regiment, RA (TA)31 S/L at RA 39–45 70th (Sussex) Searchlight Regiment, RA (TA)

The AA Corps and Divisions were disbanded and replaced on 1 October 1942 by new AA Groups. Late in 1944, 27 AA Bde was serving in 2 AA Group, covering the Solent, South-East England and southern East Anglia.303 Bde at RA 39–45 London Gazette

Mid-war Over the two years following the end of the Blitz, the brigade had the following changes in composition: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.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.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.Order of Battle of Non-Field Force Units in the United Kingdom, Part 27: AA Command, 1 October 1942, with amendments, TNA file WO 212/82. 31st S/L Rgt (converted into 123rd Light Anti-Aircraft (LAA) Rgt February 1942; left August 1942)Farndale, Annex M. 324, 325, 326, 327 S/L Btys (converted into 405, 408, 409 LAA Btys) 34th S/L Rgt 302, 336, 337, 338 Btys 23rd LAA Rgt (attached to 65 AA Bde; joined May, left June 1941) 73, 74, 130, 229 Btys 43rd LAA Rgt (joined and left June 1941) 147, 148, 198 Btys 35th S/L Rgt (rejoined Summer 1941, left December 1941) 340, 341, 342, 343 Btys 124th HAA Rgt (joined Autumn 1941, left October-November 1942) 219, 410, 412, 415 Btys 1st S/L Rgt (Regular regiment, joined January 1942) 1, 2, 7 Btys 8 Bty (attached to 71 AA Bde October–November 1942) 132nd LAA Rgt (converted from 85th S/L Rgt March 1942, joined by May 1942, left June 1942) 436, 437, 438, 441 Btys 107th HAA Rgt (joined and left June 1942) 334, 335, 337, 390 Btys 68th LAA Rgt (joined August 1942, left October-November 1942) 203, 278 Btys 204 Bty (attached to 47 AA Bde) 98th LAA Rgt(joined August 1942) 304 Bty (attached to 47 AA Bde) 305, 306, 481 Btys 146th HAA Rgt (joined September 1942; left November 1942) 176, 359, 414, 465 Btys 179th (Mixed) HAA Rgt (new regiment joined October-November 1942; left November 1942) 564 Bty (attached to 47 AA Bde) 584, 606 Btys 4th (Ulster) LAA Rgt (converted from 3rd (Ulster) S/L Rgt; joined October-November 1942; left November 1942) 7, 8, 10 Bty 112th (Durham Light Infantry) LAA Rgt (converted from 47th (DLI) S/L Rgt; joined October-November 1942; left November 1942) 364, 365, 366 Btys 125th (Cameronian) LAA Rgt (converted from 56th (Cameronian) S/L Rgt; joined December 1942) 417, 418, 419 Btys

Increasingly, HAA and support units were 'Mixed', indicating that the operational personnel included women of the Auxiliary Territorial Service (ATS).

Hit and run The AA defences of Southern England were severely tested in the summer of 1942 by the Luftwaffes 'hit-and-run' attacks along the South Coast, and there was much reorganisation, accounting for some of the turnover of units listed earlier. In August 1942, 27 AA Bde was transferred from 5th AA Division to 3rd AA Division, a HQ brought down from Scotland to handle the increased workload.Routledge, pp. 402–4. However, all the AA Divisions were disbanded on 30 September.Routledge, pp 400–1. 27 AA Brigade joined the new 2 AA Group covering South East England, and took responsibility for S/L units in that area. After this major reorganisation in October–December 1942, the brigade settled down with the following composition:Order of Battle of Non-Field Force Units in the United Kingdom, Part 27: AA Command, 13 March 1943, with amendments, TNA file WO 212/83. 125th LAA Rgt 417, 418, 419 Btys 1st S/L Rgt 1, 2, 7 Btys 8 Bty (attached to 71 AA Bde) 34th S/L Rgt 302, 337, 338 Btys 336 Bty (attached to 47 AA Bde)

However, in the spring of 1943, 125th LAA left 27 AA Bde, later joining 76 AA Bde, one of the formations earmarked for the planned invasion of Normandy (Operation Overlord). It was briefly replaced in 27 AA Bde by the return of 4th LAA Rgt, but that unit left permanently in May. After that, 27 AA Bde once again became purely a S/L formation.76 AA Bde War Diary, 1943, TNA file WO 166/11247.

In February, the brigade was strengthened to deal with renewed 'hit-and-run' attacks by Luftwaffe fighter-bombers attacking coastal towns at low level in daylight. 73rd (Kent Fortress) S/L Rgt joined from 56 AA Bde, where it had been covering airfields in Kent, and 355 S/L Bty was detached from 39th (Lancashire Fusiliers) S/L Rgt in 53 AA Bde in North West England, and travelled by train to join 27 AA Bde on the South Coast.355 S/L Bty War Diary, 1943, TNA file WO 166/11550.

Because of the hit-and-run raids, the allocation of Lewis guns for local defence was increased from one to four and later six per S/L site. The guns had to be manned throughout the hours of daylight. On 11 March a raid on Hastings by Focke-Wulf Fw 190s and Messerschmitt Bf 109s flew right over 355's Battery HQ, and a raid by Bf 109s on Ashford on 24 March was engaged by one of 355's sites. However, in May 1943, 355 S/L battery was disbanded, the ATS personnel and specialists being posted to other units in 27 AA Bde, the remainder being drafted as reinforcements to LAA units.

In April, 73rd S/L Rgt was exchanged for 33rd (St Pancras) S/L Rgt from 66 AA Bde in East Anglia, which took over four areas of Kent under Biggin Hill Sector of No. 11 Group RAF. This area was under regular attack by Luftwaffe fighter-bombers, and the defensive armament of S/L positions was increased, with the existing Lewis guns being supplemented with twin Vickers K machine gun mountings and later twin 0.5-inch Browning machine guns on power mountings.Sainsbury, Chapter 5.

By the summer of 1943 the brigade had the following composition:Order of Battle of AA Command, 1 August 1943, with amendments, TNA file WO 212/84. 1st S/L Rgt 1, 2, 7, 8 Btys 33rd S/L Rgt 332, 333, 334, 543 Btys 34th S/L Rgt 302, 336, 337, 338 Btys 83rd S/L Rgt joined between 1 Aug and 7 Sep 365, 513, 514, 515 Btys