Country United Kingdom Type Anti-Aircraft Brigade | Branch Territorial Army Role Air Defence | |
Active 28 September 1938–27 September 1948 Part of 2nd AA Division
5th AA Group |
The 40th Anti-Aircraft Brigade was an air defence formation of Anti-Aircraft Command in the British Territorial Army formed shortly before the outbreak of World War II. Its role was to defend Royal Air Force airfields in East Anglia.
Contents
Origin
The brigade was formed on 28 September 1938 at South Ealing in West London, as part of 2nd AA Division, with the following searchlight units under command:
Although the brigade's units were all from London and Middlesex, its war station was at RAF Duxford, with the searchlight detachments defending RAF stations across East Anglia.
World War II
By the summer of 1940, all searchlight regiments had been transferred to the Royal Artillery (RA). During the intense period of activity of the Battle of Britain and subsequent Blitz 40 AA Bde's organisation changed in other ways as well, giving it the following order of battle by November 1940:
Postwar
On 1 January 1947, 40 AA Bde was redesignated 66 AA Bde in the reformed TA, with its HQ at RAF Coltishall and constituting part of 5 AA Group based in Nottingham. It had the following units under command:
The brigade was disbanded in September 1948.