9th Anti-Aircraft Division

The 9th Anti-Aircraft Division (9th AA Division) was an air defence formation of the British Army during the middle years of the Second World War. It defended South Wales and the Severn Valley during The Blitz but only had a short career.

Mobilisation The 9th Anti-Aircraft Division was one of five new divisions created on 1 November 1940 by Anti-Aircraft Command to control the expanding anti-aircraft (AA) defences of the United Kingdom. The 8th and the 9th AA Divisions were formed by splitting off parts of 5th AA Division. The 9th AA Division took over responsibility for South Wales, Gloucestershire, and Herefordshire.Frederick, p. 1047.Routledge, p. 394; Map 34.Pile's despatch.Collier, Chapter 17.

The divisional headquarters (HQ) was at Cardiff and the General Officer Commanding (GOC) was Major-General Douglas Paige, MC, who had been commander, Corps Royal Artillery, of XI Corps.Farndale, Annex J.Paige at Generals of World War II. The division formed part of I AA Corps, which was created at the same time to cover Southern England and Wales. The existing 45th AA Brigade continued to control the whole South Wales area and report to the 5th AA Division until the end of 1940 while the 9th AA Division and 61st AA Brigade HQs were being established. 61st AA Brigade finally assumed responsibility at the beginning of February 1941.45 AA BrigadeWar Diary 1940, The National Archives (TNA), Kew file WO 166/2285.

Of the formations and units assigned to the new division, a number had served with the British Expeditionary Force in the Battle of France and had been reformed and re-equipped in the Severn Valley and West Wales after the Dunkirk evacuation.Routledge, pp. 116–26.Farndale, p. 98.Sainsbury, pp. 51-711 S/L Rgt at RA 39–45.37 (TEE) S/L Rgt War Diary May–June 1940, TNA file WO 167/679 The others were mainly Territorial Army units formed locally just before the outbreak of war.

The Blitz At the time the 9th AA Division was created, the towns of South Wales, including important coal and oil port facilities, refineries, steelworks and ordnance factories, were under almost nightly air attack (the Cardiff Blitz and Swansea Blitz), to which the AA defences replied as best they could.Routledge, p. 391. The division's fighting units, organised into three AA Brigades, consisted of Heavy (HAA) and Light (LAA) gun units and Searchlight (S/L) units of the Royal Artillery. There were major concentrations of HAA guns in the Gun Defence Areas (GDAs) at Cardiff (covering Barry, Cardiff, and Newport) and Swansea (covering Llanelli, Port Talbot, and Swansea), LAA units were distributed to defend Vulnerable Points (VPs) such as docks and Glascoed Royal Ordnance Factory, while the S/L detachments were widely spread and crossed brigade boundaries.

The 1st Searchlight Regiment was deployed under both the 45th AA Brigade and the 61st AA Brigade to complete the 'Illuminated Area' in South Wales. The regiment assisted the AA guns of the Cardiff and Swansea GDAs and Night fighters of No. 10 Group RAF, while the S/L detachments occasionally engaged the raiders directly with their Light machine guns (LMGs).9 AA Division at RA 39–45. Meanwhile, the 37th (Tyne Electrical Engineers) S/L Rgt in the 5th AA Brigade had one battery operating the 'Cardiff–Newport Dazzle Area', others were at Hereford and Stonehouse, Gloucestershire, the latter also providing homing beacons for aircraft returning to RAF Colerne and RAF Moreton-in-Marsh. The latter batteries reported enemy air activity as 'slight' and 'small scale' during the winter of 1940–41, with one significant raid on Cheltenham on 11 December.37 S/L Rgt War Diary August 1940–September 1941, TNA file WO 166/3054.

There was enemy air activity over the Bristol Channel and South Wales coast on most nights, but usually these were reconnaissances or nuisance raids, Heavier raids began against Cardiff and Swansea in January and February, 1941.Collier, Appendix XXX. The Luftwaffe began a new tactic of hitting the same towns on successive nights in an attempt to put them completely out of action. Swansea was the first town so attacked. On the night of 19/20 February the building housing both the Regimental HQ of the 79th (Hertfordshire Yeomanry) HAA Rgt and the Gun Operations Room (GOR) of the 61st AA Brigade at Swansea was destroyed by a bomb during a heavy raid. Two officers and five other ranks were killed or died of wounds, but the guns continued firing under local control and communications were maintained.Routledge, p. 395.Sainsbury, pp. 80–81.

The Luftwaffe returned to continue the 'Swansea Blitz' on the nights of 20/21 and 21/22 February. On the latter night, there was confusion between the Sector Operations Room (SOR) at RAF Pembrey and the Swansea GOR, resulting in the guns ceasing fire between 20.20 and 21.10 but no night fighters arriving, leaving the town centre unprotected. Although some raiders were shot down once the restriction was lifted, the centre of Swansea was devastated, and fires and delayed-action bombs destroyed communications. The GOR had to be temporarily relocated to Neath.Sainsbury, pp. 83–4.

By the end of February 1941, the HAA guns (3-inch and the newer 3.7-inch and 4.5-inch guns) in the Cardiff and Swansea GDAs only numbered 52 and 18 out of a planned establishment of 64 and 36 respectively. These had been increased a month later to 56 and 36, though further additions to the establishment were already being called for.Collier Chapter 18. The position on LAA gun sites was worse: only small numbers of Bofors 40 mm guns were available at the start of the Blitz, and most LAA detachments had to make do with LMGs.Routledge, pp. 383–4, Table LXVI, p. 397, p. 398.

Order of Battle 1940–41 The division's composition during the Blitz was as follows:Routledge, Table LXV, p. 396.Farndale, Annex D, pp. 257–9. 5th AA Brigade – from France, covering Gloucester and Hereford 85th (Tees) HAA Rgt (part) – from FranceLitchfield, p. 253. 88th HAA Rgt (part)Litchfield, pp. 166–7. 47th LAA Rgt – new unit formed from part of 20th LAA RgtFarndale, Annex M.47 LAA Rgt at RA 39–45. 37th (Tyne Electrical Engineers) S/L Rgt – from France37 S/L Rgt at RA 39–45.Litchfield, p. 193. 45th AA Brigade – from 5th AA Division, covering Cardiff and Newport 77th (Welsh) HAA RgtLitchfield, p. 80. 85th (Tees) HAA Rgt (part) 88th HAA Rgt (part) 20th LAA Rgt20 LAA War Diary 1939–41, TNA file WO 166/2690.Litchfield, pp. 82–3. 34th LAA Rgt (part)34 LAA Rgt at RA 39–45.Litchfield, p. 83. 1st S/L Rgt (part) – from France 67th (Welch Regiment) S/L Rgt67 S/L Rgt at RA 39–45.Litchfield, p. 82. 61st AA Brigade – formed by splitting 45th AA Brigade, covering Swansea and Milford Haven 79th (Hertfordshire Yeomanry) HAA Rgt – from FranceLitchfield, p. 104.Sainsbury, p. 77. 34th LAA Rgt (part) 1st S/L Rgt (part) 8th AA 'Z' Regiment – new divisional unit equipped with Z Battery rocket launchers, formed in September 19408 AA Z Rgt at RA 39–45. 9th AA Divisional Signals, Royal Corps of Signals (RCS) – formed at CardiffLord & Watson, p. 291. 9th AA Divisional Royal Army Service Corps (RASC) 95th Company 914th Company – from 10th AA Division May 1941 9th AA Divisional Company, Royal Army Medical Corps (RAMC) 9th AA Divisional Workshop Company, Royal Army Ordnance Corps (RAOC)

Mid-War After a busy period for the AA defences of South Wales in early May 1941, the Blitz effectively ended in the middle of the month. Desultory raiding continued through June and July while the gaps in AA defences were filled as more equipment and units became available. Searchlights, now assisted by Searchlight Control (SLC) radar, were reorganised, with a 'Killer Belt' established between the Cardiff and Bristol (the 8th AA Division) GDAs to cooperate closely with RAF night fighters. The HAA and support units increasingly became 'Mixed', indicating that women of the Auxiliary Territorial Service (ATS) were fully integrated into them. At the same time, experienced units were posted away to train for service overseas (sometimes being lent back to AA Command while awaiting embarkation). This led to a continual turnover of units, which accelerated in 1942 with the preparations for the invasion of North Africa (Operation Torch) and the need to transfer AA units to counter the Luftwaffes Baedeker Blitz against largely unprotected towns and hit-and-run daylight attacks against South Coast towns.Routledge, pp. 398–404, Map 35.Sainsbury, pp. 87–90.Collier, Chapter 19.Collier, Chapter 20.

In June 1942, the 5th AA Brigade HQ was transferred to the 5th AA Division defending the South Coast and was replaced by the 67th AA Brigade HQ from the 11th AA Division in the West Midlands.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. On 27 July 1942, the lights of the 37th S/L Rgt were engaged during a Baedeker raid on Cheltenham.37 S/L Rgt War Diary July–December 1942, TNA file WO 166/7788.

Order of Battle 1941–42 During this period the division was composed as follows: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, 1 October 1942, TNA file WO 212/82.

5th AA Brigade – to the 5th AA Division June 1942 52nd (London) HAA Rgt – from the 61st AA Brigade January 1942; left AA Command February 1942; to CeylonJoslen, p. 519.Litchfield, p. 164. 58th (Kent) HAA Rgt – from the 6th AA Division Autumn 1941; to the 4th AA Division by May 1942Litchfield, p. 107. 85th (Tees) HAA Rgt – to the 6th AA Division Autumn 1941 143rd (Mixed) HAA Rgt – new unit formed January 1942; to the 67th AA Brigade June 1942 34th LAA Rgt – from the 5th AA Division (formerly the 61st AA Brigade) March 1942; to the 6th AA Division April 1942 47th LAA Rgt – to the 8th AA Division Autumn 1941 77th LAA Rgt – new unit joined Summer 1941; left AA Command February 1942; to IndiaJoslen, p. 525.77 LAA Rgt at RA 39–45. 112th (Durham Light Infantry) LAA Rgt – converted from the 47th (DLI) S/L Rgt, joined before May 1942, to the 61st AA Brigade May 1942 37th (TEE) S/L/ Rgt 45th AA Brigade 77th (Welsh) HAA Rgt – left UK December 1941, captured in Java March 1942Joslen, p. 558. 79th (Hertfordshire Yeomanry) HAA Rgt – returned from the 8th AA Division August 1942; then mobilised and left AA Command; later to Operation TorchSainsbury, p.91. 112th HAA Rgt – from the 8th AA Division July 1941; to the 61st AA Brigade May 1942 118th HAA Rgt – new unit formed December 1940 20th LAA Rgt – began mobilisation as Defended Ports unit August 1941; to the 3rd AA Division December 1941 44th LAA Rgt – from the 8th AA Division Autumn 1941; unbrigaded by end 1941; to India 1942Joslen, p. 523.44 LAA Rgt at RA 39–45. 55th (Devon) LAA Rgt – returned from Norwegian Campaign, part of GHQ Reserve lent to AA Command; left UK November 1941, to Ceylon 1942Litchfield, p. 43.55 LAA Rgt at RA 39–45.Order of Battle of the Field Force in the United Kingdom, Part 3: Royal Artillery, 26 December 1940, with amendments, TNA files WO 212/4 and WO 33/2365.Order of Battle of the Field Force in the United Kingdom, Part 3: Royal Artillery (Non-Divisional Units), 25 March 1941, with amendments, TNA files WO 212/5 and WO 33/2323.Order of Battle of the Field Force in the United Kingdom, Part 3: Royal Artillery (Non-Divisional units), 22 October 1941, with amendments, TNA files WO 212/6 and WO 33/1883.Joslen, p. 524. 72nd LAA Rgt – from the 3rd AA Division before May 1942; to the 8th AA Division May 194272 LAA Rgt at RA 39–45. 112th (DLI) LAA Rgt – from the 61st AA Brigade Summer 1942; later to IndiaJoslen, p. 526. 37th (TEE) S/L Rgt – from the 67th AA Brigade August 1942 67th (Welch) S/L Rgt 8th AA 'Z' Rgt – to the 61st AA Brigade Autumn 1941; returned August 1942