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Air Defence of Great Britain

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Air Defence of Great Britain
Active1925–1936
1943–1944
CountryUnited KingdomUnited Kingdom
BranchRoyal Air Force
TypeCommand
RoleMetropolitan air defence
Garrison/HQAir Ministry,London(1925–1926)
Hillingdon House,Uxbridge(1926–1936)

TheAir Defence of Great Britain(ADGB) was aRoyal Air Force(RAF) command comprising substantial army and RAF elements responsible for the air defence of the British Isles. It lasted from 1925, following recommendations that the RAF take control of metropolitan air defence, until 1936 when it becameRAF Fighter Command.

History[edit]

The ADGB was created as a command in 1925 as a result of the 1923 recommendation of the Steel–Bartholomew Committee, including their recommendation to transfer responsibility for home air defence from theWar Officeto theAir Ministry.[1]It main initial elements were:

  • The RAF's Metropolitan Air Force, initially comprising 25 squadrons (9 fighter), soon expanding to 52 squadrons (17 fighter)
  • 264 heavy AA guns (Royal Artillery) and 672 searchlights (Royal Engineers)
  • The new part-time volunteerObserver Corps

ADGB was organised into three defensive zones:

  • Inner Artillery Zone (IAZ), over London.
  • Air Fighter Zone (AFZ), divided into two areas controlling regular squadrons, theWessex Bombing Areaand the Fighting Area.
  • Outer Artillery Zone (OAZ), a narrow belt along the coast fromSuffolktoSussex.[2][3]

In 1936, ADGB was abolished; the Bombing Area becomingBomber Commandand the Fighting Area becomingFighter Commandand remaining responsible for the ADGB function.[4][5][6]The OAZ was abolished and the AFZ expanded. The guns from the OAZ were used for port and base defence and were added to the London defences. The changing threat meant that AA defences were needed for many more potential targets in the British Isles, notably industries important for war production. The AA component became the1st Anti-Aircraft Divisionand in 1937 the2nd Anti-Aircraft Divisionwas formed to defend theMidlands,withAnti-Aircraft Commandcreated to replace the previous Army arrangements.[7]

In 1937, light AA guns were added, the RAF's view that small-calibre artillery were unsuitable having been finally overturned. In 1940, searchlights were transferred from the Royal Engineers to the Royal Artillery.Unrotated Projectile(rocket) batteries were deployed at the beginning of the war. At its peak from 1941–1942, AA Command comprisedI,IIandIII Anti-Aircraft Corpswith twelve AA divisions, comprising several hundred regiments. GOC-in-C AA Command for most of the war was General SirFrederick Pile,the equal in rank of his 'superior' AOC-in-C Fighter Command.[8]

1943

ADGB was resurrected in 1943 for the rump of Fighter Command defending theUnited Kingdomafter the formation of theRAF Second Tactical Air Forcein 1943 and AA Command.[9]It was Fighter Command in all but name, and this was finally reflected in 1944 with a return to the previous name.[10]

Air Officers Commanding-in-Chief 1925–1936[edit]

Air Officers Commanding-in-Chief included:[11]

From To Name
1 January 1925 26 May 1928 Air Vice MarshalSirJohn Salmond
26 May 1928 1 January 1929 Air Vice MarshalFrancis Scarlett(temporary appointment)
1 January 1929 5 September 1931 Air MarshalSirEdward Ellington
5 September 1931 17 January 1933 Air Marshal SirGeoffrey Salmond
17 January 1933 1 August 1935 Air Marshal SirRobert Brooke-Popham
1 August 1935 13 July 1936 Air Marshal SirJohn Steel

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^Air Commodore J. M. Steel of the Air Ministry and with Colonel W. H. Bartholomew of the War Office
  2. ^Routledge 1994,p. 41.
  3. ^"p. 62"A Short History of the Royal Air Force, Chapter 2, The Inter War Years, 1919–1939Archived12 October 2011 at theWayback Machine
  4. ^Routledge 1994,pp. 44–46.
  5. ^"p. 87"A Short History of the Royal Air Force, Chapter 2, The Inter War Years, 1919–1939Archived12 October 2011 at theWayback Machine
  6. ^"British Military Aviation in 1936"RAF MuseumArchived6 December 2010 at theWayback Machine
  7. ^Routledge 1994,pp. 58–61
  8. ^Routledge 1994,pp. 64–67.
  9. ^"British Military Aviation in 1943 – Part 4"RAF MuseumArchived13 February 2011 at theWayback Machine
  10. ^"British Military Aviation in 1944 – Part 5"RAF MuseumArchived13 February 2011 at theWayback Machine
  11. ^"Air of Authority – A History of RAF Organisation – RAF Commands formed between 1920–1935".Archived fromthe originalon 11 January 2011.Retrieved23 January2011.

Bibliography[edit]

  • Routledge, Brigadier N. W. (1994).A History of the Royal Regiment of Artillery–Anti-Aircraft Artillery, 1914–55.London: Brassey's.ISBN1-85753-099-3.

Further reading[edit]

  • Delve, Ken (1994).The Source Book of the RAF.Shrewsbury: Airlife Publishing.ISBN1-85310-451-5.
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