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 the Second World War. 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 Edinburgh and the Firth of Forth. Its first commander was Brigadier G.C. Kemp (appointed 1 May 1938). 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.
Mobilisation
The TA's AA units were mobilised on 23 September 1938 during the Munich Crisis, units manning their emergency positions within 24 hours, even though many did not yet have their full complement of men or equipment. The emergency lasted three weeks, and they were stood down on 13 October. In February 1939 the existing AA defences came under the control of a new Anti-Aircraft Command. In June a partial mobilisation of TA units was begun in a process known as 'couverture', whereby each AA unit did a month's tour of duty in rotation to man selected AA and searchlight positions. On 24 August, ahead of the declaration of war, AA Command was fully mobilised at its war stations.
Order of battle 1939
The composition of 36 AA Bde on the outbreak of war was as follows: 71st (Forth) AA Regiment, RA – formed 1938 from independent AA batteries 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 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 HQ at Inverness 226 (Caithness and Orkney) AA Bty at Kirkwall – previously independent battery 297 (Inverness) AA Bty at Inverness – previously independent battery 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.
Battle of Britain and the Blitz
The AA regiments of the RA were designated 'Heavy AA' (HAA) from the summer of 1940 (at the time of the Battle of Britain) to distinguish them from the newer Light AA (LAA) units being formed.
Order of Battle 1940–41
During the night bombing Blitz on industrial cities in the winter of 1940–41, 36 AA Bde had the following composition: 71st (Forth) HAA Regiment, RA – as above 114th HAA Regiment, RA – formed November 1940 357, 358, 360 HAA Btys 31st LAA Regiment, RA – formed August 1939 at Perth; transferred from 51 Light AA Bde 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 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 – replaced by 233 LAA Bty by May 1941 3rd AA 'Z' Rgt – new regiment equipped with Z Battery rocket launchers formed in September 1940 103, 107, 115, 118 Z Btys
Mid-war
The Blitz ended in May 1941, but there were occasional raids thereafter and AA Command continued to strengthen its defences. Newly formed units joining AA Command were increasingly 'mixed' ones into which women of the Auxiliary Territorial Service were integrated, while those armed with Z Battery rocket projectiles were partly manned by members of the Home Guard. At the same time, experienced units were posted away for service overseas. This led to a continual turnover of units, which accelerated in 1942 with the preparations for Operation Torch.
Order of Battle 1941–42
From the summer of 1941 the brigade's order of battle was as follows: 71st (Forth) HAA Rgt 227, 229, 325 HAA Btys 382 HAA Bty – attached to 108 HAA Rgt June 1941; left Summer 1941 317 HAA Bty – from 101st HAA Rgt Summer 1941 114th HAA Rgt – to 51 AA Bde May 1942 357, 360 HAA Btys 358 HAA Bty – to new 147th HAA Rgt February, returned March 1942 317 HAA Bty (attached to 51 AA Bde) – from 147th HAA Rgt March 1942