36th (Scottish) Anti-Aircraft Brigade

36th (Scottish) Anti-Aircraft Brigade
Active	1 May 1938–27 September 1948
Country	United Kingdom
Branch	Territorial Army
Type	Anti-Aircraft Brigade
Role	Air Defence
Part of	3rd AA Division 6th AA Group
Garrison/HQ	Edinburgh
Engagements	The Blitz

36th (Scottish) Anti-Aircraft Brigade was an air defence formation of Britain's Territorial Army, created in the period of tension before the outbreak of World War II. It was responsible for defending eastern Scotland.

Origins

Large numbers of Territorial Army (TA) units were converted to anti-aircraft (AA) and searchlight roles in the Royal Artillery (RA) and Royal Engineers (RE) during the 1930s, and higher formations were required to control them. 36th (Scottish) Anti-Aircraft Brigade (36 AA Bde) was formed on 1 May 1938 at Edinburgh, to command the units responsible for the air defence of the City of Edinburgh and the Firth of Forth. Initially the brigade was formed within Scottish Command, later being subordinated to 3rd Anti-Aircraft Division when that formation was raised at Edinburgh on 1 September 1938 to command all the AA defences of Scotland and Northern Ireland. Subsequently, Anti-Aircraft Command was created on 1 April 1939 and took control of AA Defence throughout the United Kingdom.^[1][2]

Order of Battle

The composition of 36 AA Bde on the outbreak of war was as follows:^[1][3]

• 71st (Forth) AA Regiment, RA – formed 1938 from independent AA batteries^[4][5][6][7]
  • HQ at Dunfermline
  • 227 (Fife) AA Bty at Dunfermline
  • 228 (Edinburgh) AA Bty at Edinburgh – formed cadre for 94th AA Rgt
  • 229 (Fife) AA Bty at Dunfermline
• 94th AA Regiment, RA – formed April 1939^[8][9]
  • HQ at Turnhouse
  • 228 (Edinburgh) AA Bty – from 71st AA Rgt
  • 291 AA Bty at Turnhouse
  • 292 AA Bty at Musselburgh
• 101st AA Regiment, RA – formed August 1939^[10][11]
• HQ at Inverness
  • 226 (Caithness and Orkney) AA Bty at Kirkwall – previously independent battery
  • 297 AA Bty at Inverness
• 36 Anti-Aircraft Brigade Company, Royal Army Service Corps

In September 1939, the brigade had 28 heavy AA guns deployed round the Forth, with one more out of action.^[12]

World War II

The AA regiments of the RA were designated 'Heavy AA' (HAA) from 1940 to distinguish them from the newer Light AA (LAA) units being formed. During the night bombing Blitz on industrial cities in the winter of 1940–41, 36 AA Bde had the following composition:^{[13][14][15][16]}

• 71 HAA Regiment, RA – as above
• 114 HAA Regiment, RA – formed November 1940^[17]
• 31st LAA Regiment, RA – formed August 1939 at Perth; transferred from 51 Light AA Bde^[18][19]
  • HQ at Perth,
  • 61 LAA Bty at Grangemouth
  • 101 LAA Bty at RAF Leuchars and RAF Donibristle providing cover for airfields
• 32nd LAA Regiment, RA – formed August 1939 at Falkirk; transferred from 51 Light AA Bde^[20][21]
  • HQ at Falkirk
  • 55 LAA Bty at Rosyth naval base
  • 98 LAA Bty at Falkirk,
  • 103 LAA Bty at Royal Ordnance Factories at Bishopton and Rosyth.

In October 1942 AA Command reorganised its structure, replacing the AA Divisions with AA Groups coinciding with RAF Fighter Command's Groups. 36 AA Bde came under 6 AA Group covering Scotland.^[22]

Postwar

When the TA was reformed in 1947, 36 AA Bde was reorganised as 62 AA Bde, with its HQ at South Queensferry and forming part of the Edinburgh-based 3 AA Group, with the following composition:^[23][24]

• 494 (City of Edinburgh) HAA Rgt (ex 94 HAA Rgt) – see above^[25]
• 514 (West Lothian, Royal Scots) LAA Rgt (ex 14 LAA Rgt from 51 Light AA Bde)^[25][26]
• 519 (Dunedin) LAA Rgt (ex 19 LAA Rgt from 51 Light AA Bde)^[9][25]
• 532 LAA Rgt (ex 32 LAA Rgt) – see above^[27]
• 587 (Queen's Edinburgh, Royal Scots) LAA Rgt (ex 52 Searchlight Rgt, later 130 LAA Rgt, from 52 Light AA Bde)^[28][29]

However, the reformed brigade was short-lived, being disbanded in September 1948.^[23]

Notes

1. 3 AA Division 1939 at British Military History.
2. Routledge, Table LVIII, p. 376.
3. AA Command 3 September 1939 at Patriot Files.
4. Monthly Army List January 1938.
5. 71 HAA Rgt at RA 39–45.
6. Litchfield, p. 283.
7. Routledge, Table LX, p. 378.
8. 94 HAA Rgt at RA 39–45.
9. Litchfield, p. 300.
10. 101 HAA Rgt at RA 39–45.
11. Litchfield, p. 293.
12. Routledg, Table LIX, p. 377.
13. 3 AA Division 1940 at British Military History.
14. 3 AA Division at RA 39–45.
15. Routledge, Table LXV, p. 396.
16. Farndale, Annex D, p. 260.
17. 114 HAA Rgt at RA 39–45.
18. 31 LAA Rgt at RA 39–45.
19. Litchfield, p. 302.
20. 32 LAA Rgt at RA 39–45.
21. Litchfield, p. 309.
22. AA Command 1940 at British Military History
23. AA Bdes 30–66 at British Army 1945 onwards.
24. Litchfield, Appendix 5.
25. 474–519 Rgts at British Army 1945 onwards.
26. Litchfield, p. 299.
27. 520–563 Rgts at British Army 1945 onwards.
28. 564–591 Rgts at British Army 1945 onwards.
29. Litchfield, pp. 298–9.

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, ISBN 1-85753-080-2.

• Norman E.H. Litchfield, The Territorial Artillery 1908–1988 (Their Lineage, Uniforms and Badges), Nottingham: Sherwood Press, 1992, ISBN 0-9508205-2-0.

• Brig N.W. Routledge, History of the Royal Regiment of Artillery: Anti-Aircraft Artillery 1914–55, London: Royal Artillery Institution/Brassey's, 1994, ISBN 1-85753-099-3.

External sources

• British Army units from 1945 on
• British Military History
• Orders of Battle at Patriot Files
• The Royal Artillery 1939–45