52nd Light Anti-Aircraft Brigade was an air defence formation of Britain's Territorial Army (TA) during the Second World War. Formed on the outbreak of war to control static searchlight (S/L) sites in Scotland, it later operated as a headquarters (HQ) for mobile anti-aircraft (AA) gun units in the Allied invasion of North Africa (Operation Torch) and subsequent Italian Campaign.
On 24 August 1939, ahead of the official declaration of war on 3 September, the TA units of Anti-Aircraft Command were fully mobilised at their war stations, with 3rd Anti-Aircraft Division covering Scotland.[1]52nd Light Anti-Aircraft Brigade was formed at Stirling with responsibility for searchlight provision across 3 AA Division's sectors. Initially, it had the following composition:[2][3][4][5][6][7]
On the outbreak of war, these regiments deployed 159 S/Ls;[6] by 6 June 1940 they had 297 90cm S/Ls and four of the newer 150cm model.[12]
On 1 August 1940 all the S/L units in AA Command, whether AA battalions of the RE or still forming part of their parent infantry regiments, were transferred to the Royal Artillery (RA). The units of 52 LAA Bde were therefore redesignated as follows:
Eastern Scotland largely escaped air attack during the Battle of Britain. In November 1940, at the height of The Blitz, a new 12 AA Division was formed to take over responsibility for western Scotland (including Glasgow and the Clyde) while 3 AA Division retained responsibility for eastern Scotland. The only effect of this on 52 LAA Bde was that 57th (Glasgow) S/L Rgt transferred to 12 AA Division.[19][20] When the Blitz ended in May 1941 the Edinburgh area had escaped relatively lightly,[21] though the nearby Rosyth Dockyard had been a target.
3 AA Divisional insignia.
Mid-war
Other than new batteries being formed, the composition of the brigade did not change for the rest of the year:[22][23]
51st (Highland) S/L Rgt
319, 320, 404 Btys
52nd (Queen's Edinburgh) S/L Rgt
406, 407, 531 Btys
56th (Cameronians) S/L Rgt
417, 418, 419, 535 Btys
By early 1942, AA Command had more than enough S/L units, but was still seriously short of light anti-aircraft (LAA) gun units, and began a programme of converting S/L units (which also had the benefit of saving manpower):[24][25]
51 S/L Rgt – left and became 124 (Highland) LAA Regiment in February 1942[8][26]
52 S/L Rgt – became 130 (Queen's Edinburgh, Royal Scots) LAA Regiment in March 1942[9][27]
56 S/L Rgt – left January 1942 and became 125th (Cameronians) LAA Regiment in February[10][28]
Order of Battle 1942
As a result of these changes the brigade was no longer a S/L formation and now consisted mainly of LAA gun units with a few Heavy AA (HAA).[25]
In August 1942 3 AA Divisional HQ moved south to join I AA Corps and assist in controlling the large number of AA units brought in to defend against Luftwaffe 'hit and run' attacks on the South Coast of England.[30] Simultaneously, 52 AA Bde HQ left AA Command and came under War Office Control. With its own RCS Signal Section and RASC transport company it mobilised for overseas service.[25][31]
Tunisian Campaign
52 AA Brigade was one of four AA brigade HQs assigned to First Army for the landings in North Africa (Operation Torch). 22 AA Brigade had units fully trained in amphibious operations and mobile warfare and would land in the assault phase of the operation, followed by 52 AA Bde. After covering the landing beaches, ports and airfields, the two brigades would then follow First Army's advance eastwards, leaving the other brigades to cover the bases in the rear. After sailing in convoy from the Clyde in late October, the invasion force began landing on 8 November, with V Corps of First Army landing round Algiers. After the initial landings were complete, V Corps sent a series of infantry and commando groups eastwards on 9 November and 52 AA Bde HQ landed under Brigadier John Ross.[32][33][34][35]
3-inch gun in action in North Africa 1942.
Leaving three HAA and three LAA batteries to unload and set up an 'Inner Artillery Zone' (IAZ) around Algiers, 22 and 52 AA Bdes began a long march eastwards. Reinforcing AA units were held up by congestion in Algiers docks (the tactical priorities laid down by the AA brigades had been ignored in loading the ships), and some AA units went by sea direct to Bougie. Others suffered losses of men and equipment in torpedoed ships. By 12 November V Corps' leading troops had covered 300 miles (480km). The need to get AA units forward quickly to protect the vital airfields had been foreseen, and three of the HAA regiments deployed in the operation (58th (Kent), 71st (Forth) and 80th (Berkshire) HAA Rgts) had been deliberately equipped with obsolescent 3-inch 20 cwt guns rather than modern 3.7-inch guns, because the former were lighter and handier, and were quicker to deploy in rough country. This paid off when the light HAA and LAA guns were able to deploy and drive off Junkers Ju 87Stukas as they deployed at Djidjelli and Philippeville airfields.[36]
As the Tunisian Campaign developed, forward movement was slowed by terrain and shortages: most units in 'Torch' had only 50 per cent of their vehicle establishment, and AA units frequently had to lend theirs to other units for urgent transport tasks. By the end of November the AA deployment had reached planned levels, but V Corps' advance had been held by the rapid arrival of German forces. As the Allies built up strength for a renewed advance, the emphasis for the AA units turned to defence for the ports and airfields against heavy attacks by the Luftwaffe. By January the arrival of reinforcements allowed 22 AA Bde to be fully committed to airfield defence, while 52 AA Bde provided front line support for V Corps and was prepared to follow up any breakthrough towards Tunis.[37][38]
By mid-January 1943, 52 AA Bde was deployed as follows:[39]
One US Army AA Artillery/Coastal Artillery battalion also under command
The policy of forward deployment paid off: when General von Arnim launched a counter-offensive against V Corps in February (Operation Ochsenkopf), 52 AA Bde was able to provide 32 HAA and over 200 LAA guns to cover the combat zone, while transferring 24 HAA and 72 LAA guns to the Free FrenchXIX Corps. Behind, 62 AA Bde moved up to relieve 52 AA Bde of responsibility for Bougie and Djidjelli.[40][41]
By mid-March 1943, 52 AA Bde was deployed as follows:[42]
3.7-inch gun operating in the field gun role in Tunisia.
As the fighting continued in April, the HAA guns in forward positions were increasingly used to fire on ground targets to supplement the medium artillery. In one week, 20–27 April, 72nd HAA Rgt shot down seven enemy aircraft for the expenditure of 1022 rounds, but fired many more low-angle rounds at ground targets, which damaged the elevating and balancing gear of the 3.7-inch guns. Meanwhile the LAA guns were in frequent action against Stuka dive-bombers and low-level attacks by Messerschmitt Bf 109s.[43]
By the beginning of May, First Army was ready for its final assault on Tunis, Operation Vulcan. The AA plan or 'Vulcan' was straightforward: 52 AA Bde would hold three HAA and three LAA regiments, a S/L troop and a Z battery of rocket-launchers, all on their wheels and ready to move into Tunis and Bizerte immediately behind the leading battle groups. DElayed by a German counter-attack, the assault went in on 6 May and covered 15 miles (24km) on the first day. The leading British armoured units entered Tunis on the afternoon of 7 May while US units entered Bizerte simultaneously. After a series of conflicting reports from the cities, 52 AA Bde was called forward. In fact, neither Tunis nor Bizerte was clear of the enemy. At Bizerte the AA advance parties were shelled from outside the town, and two batteries of 29th LAA Rgt had to be employed as infantry to flush out resistance.[44][45] After Operation Vulcan, 52 AA Bde deployed the following forces:[46]
Tunis: 72nd HAA Rgt, 45th LAA Rgt, HQ and one Bty 30th S/L Rgt, AAOR
After the German surrender on 12 May, the British forces' heaviest AA commitment was at Bizerte which was set up as an IAZ because of its importance as an embarkation port for the forthcoming Allied invasion of Sicily (Operation Husky). No sooner had 58th (Kent) HAA Rgt deployed in Bizerte than it was relieved by (being relieved by 84th (Middlesex, London Transport) HAA Rgt) and sent as part of the invasion force for Pantelleria (Operation Corkscrew). The rest of the front line AA units that had fought through the Tunisian campaign were able to be relieved for rest and refitting, and training for Husky.[47]
Italian Campaign
52 AA Brigade spent almost a year defending the North African bases at Bizerte, Bône and Philippeville before it was finally called forward to join the Italian Campaign in April 1944. Under the command of Brig John Parkes[34][48] it sailed for Barletta, arriving on 20 April with the following units:[49]
106th HAA Rgt less 1 Bty, 1 Bty 100th HAA Rgt – 24 x 3.7-inch
1 Bty plus 1 Trp 64th LAA Rgt – 24 x 40mm
The US S/L companies were deployed in two modes: for dazzle in conjunction with Bofors guns, and in an area layout for cooperation with Night-fighters.
Over succeeding months there were minor changes: 55th (Kent) HAA Rgt left and was replaced at Foggia by 100th HAA Rgt; 106th HAA Rgt, except for one Bty, left and was replaced by 79th (Hertfordshire Yeomanry) HAA Rgt. In mid-July, 52 Bde HQ took over responsibility from 8 AA Bde for half a dozen additional airfields in the 'heel' of Italy: these were defended by 22nd LAA Rgt and an LAA Wing of the Royal Air Force Regiment.[49]
By late 1944 the Luftwaffe was suffering from such shortages of pilots, aircraft and fuel that serious air attacks were rare. At the same time the British Army was suffering a severe manpower shortage. The result was that a number of AA units were deemed surplus and were disbanded to provide reinforcements to other arms of service. The air threat to southern Italy was now minimal, and 52 AA Bde underwent a rapid run-down: 100th HAA Regiment was disbanded, 64th and 66th LAA Rgts left to be converted into infantry, and 79th HAA and 22nd, 29th LAA and the RAF Regiment Wing were transferred to other brigades. On 15 October 1944 52 AA Bde HQ converted into HQ, 'D' Sub-Area at Foggia on the lines of communication.[2][49]
Postwar
When the TA was reformed on 1 January 1947, the brigade was renumbered as 78 Anti-Aircraft Brigade, with its HQ at Perth and forming part of 3 AA Group at Edinburgh.[lower-alpha 1] The brigade had the following composition:[2][52][53][54][55]
AA Command was disbanded in March 1955, and 78 AA Bde was placed in 'suspended animation' from 31 October that year. It was formally disbanded on 31 December 1957.[2][52]
Footnotes
↑ The wartime 78 AA Bde had been disbanded in 1944. The former 26th (London) AA Bde took the number 52 as part of the TA reorganisation.
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References
Gen Sir Martin Farndale, History of the Royal Regiment of Artillery: The Years of Defeat: Europe and North Africa, 1939–1941, Woolwich: Royal Artillery Institution, 1988/London: Brasseys, 1996, ISBN1-85753-080-2.
J.B.M. Frederick, Lineage Book of British Land Forces 1660–1978, Vol II, Wakefield, Microform Academic, 1984, ISBN1-85117-009-X.
Joslen, H. F. (2003) [1960]. Orders of Battle: Second World War, 1939–1945. Uckfield, East Sussex: Naval and Military Press. ISBN978-1-84342-474-1.
Norman E.H. Litchfield, The Territorial Artillery 1908–1988 (Their Lineage, Uniforms and Badges), Nottingham: Sherwood Press, 1992, ISBN0-9508205-2-0.
Maj-Gen I.S.O. Playfair & Brig C.J.C. Molony, "History of the Second World War, United Kingdom Military Series: The Mediterranean and Middle East", Vol IV: The Destruction of the Axis forces in Africa, London: HMSO, 1966/Uckfield, Naval & Military Press, 2004, ISBN1-845740-68-8
Brig N.W. Routledge, History of the Royal Regiment of Artillery: Anti-Aircraft Artillery 1914–55, London: Royal Artillery Institution/Brassey's, 1994, ISBN1-85753-099-3.
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