1st Anti-Aircraft Brigade (United Kingdom)

1st Anti-Aircraft Brigade (1 AA Bde) was an Air Defence formation of the British Army in World War II that served in the Battle of France and The Blitz.

Origin
The brigade was created on 26 June 1935 at Blackdown, near Aldershot. At first it was designated 1st Air Defence Brigade, then 1st Anti-Aircraft Group before the 1 AA Bde title was settled upon. 1st Anti-Aircraft Bde formed part of Aldershot Command and on the outbreak of war on 3 September 1939 it had the following composition:


 * 6th Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery
 * 3rd, 12th & 15th AA Batteries
 * 1st Light Anti-Aircraft Battery, RA
 * 1st Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Engineers
 * A & B Anti-Aircraft Companies (searchlights)
 * 1st & 2nd Anti-Aircraft Brigade Signals, Royal Corps of Signals

Battle of France
The brigade proceeded to France with the British Expeditionary Force (BEF). In January 1940, 1st AA Regiment was transferred from the Royal Engineers to the Royal Artillery as 1st Searchlight Regiment and joined 5th Searchlight Brigade. When the Battle of France opened on 10 May 1940, 1 AA Bde was attached to General Headquarters BEF, with the following composition:

Commander: Brigadier E.D. Milligan
 * 1st Anti-Aircraft Regiment, RA (equipped with 3-inch guns)
 * 15, 16 & 17 Batteries
 * 6th Anti-Aircraft Regiment, RA
 * 2, 12 & 18 Batteries
 * 85th (Tees) Anti-Aircraft Regiment, RA, (Territorial Army)
 * 174 (North Riding), 175 (North Riding) & 220 (County of Durham) Batteries

The Blitz
Following the Dunkirk evacuation, 1 AA Bde was redeployed to 11th AA Division covering the industrial town of Crewe during the Blitz. AA regiments were now designated either Heavy (HAA) or Light (LAA). In late 1940, the brigade had the following composition: 1st Anti-Aircraft Brigade was disbanded on 30 April 1945.
 * 1st HAA Regiment (left to join Eighth Army in Sicily, July 1943)
 * 15, 16 & 17 Batteries
 * 106th HAA Regiment, RA (TA) (raised in August 1940, left to join Allied Forces HQ in North Africa, June 1943)
 * 45th LAA Regiment, RA (TA) (raised in July 1940, left to join Allied Forces HQ, North Africa, November 1942)
 * 63rd LAA Regiment, RA (TA) (raised in October 1940, left to join Allied Forces HQ, North Africa, November 1942)
 * 61st (South Lancashire) Searchlight Regiment, RA (TA) (converted from 5th Battalion South Lancashire Regiment August 1940, became 61st Garrison Regiment, Royal Artillery February 1942)
 * 432, 433 & 434 S/L Batteries
 * 78th Searchlight Regiment, RA (TA) (raised August 1940, disbanded September 1943)
 * 83rd Seachlight Regiment, RA (TA) (raised January 1941 at Crewe, disbanded December 1944)

Postwar
By 1947, 1 AA Bde had been reformed in 1 AA Group, which covered London and South East England. After Anti-Aircraft Command was disbanded on 10 March 1955, HQ 1 AA Bde was converted into a Territorial Army formation based at Edenbridge, Kent, and renumbered 30 AA Bde. That formation in turn was disbanded in 1961.

External sources

 * Patriot Files


 * The Royal Artillery 1939–1945


 * Orders of Battle


 * British Army units from 1945 on