Anti-Aircraft Command
Encyclopedia
Anti-Aircraft Command was a British Army
command
of the Second World War that controlled the anti-aircraft artillery units of the British Isles.
, another British Army
officer. Pile would remain in command until the end of the war.
It was under the operational direction of RAF Fighter Command
and occupied a headquarters known as Glenthorn in the grounds of Bentley Priory
, home of Fighter Command.
The majority of the guns of AAC were operated by regular British Army
units. Later as the war progressed, these were freed up by the use of men of the Home Guard (loading and firing the guns) and women of the Auxiliary Territorial Service
(handling ammunition and operating gun directors).
-in-Chief have included:
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
command
Command (military formation)
A command in military terminology is an organisational unit that the individual in Military command has responsibility for. A Commander will normally be specifically appointed into the role in order to provide a legal framework for the authority bestowed...
of the Second World War that controlled the anti-aircraft artillery units of the British Isles.
History
The formation of a body of anti-aircraft guns had been announced in 1938 but Anti-Aircraft Command was not formed until 1 April 1939 under General Sir Alan Brooke who then passed control to Sir Frederick PileFrederick Alfred Pile
General Sir Frederick Alfred Pile, 2nd Baronet GCB DSO MC was a British Army officer who served in both World Wars...
, another British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
officer. Pile would remain in command until the end of the war.
It was under the operational direction of RAF Fighter Command
RAF Fighter Command
RAF Fighter Command was one of three functional commands of the Royal Air Force. It was formed in 1936 to allow more specialised control of fighter aircraft. It served throughout the Second World War, gaining recognition in the Battle of Britain. The Command continued until 17 November 1943, when...
and occupied a headquarters known as Glenthorn in the grounds of Bentley Priory
Bentley Priory
Bentley Priory was a medieval priory or cell of Augustinian Canons in Harrow Weald, then in Middlesex but now in the London Borough of Harrow. There are no remains of the priory, but it probably stood near Priory House, off Clamp Hill....
, home of Fighter Command.
The majority of the guns of AAC were operated by regular British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
units. Later as the war progressed, these were freed up by the use of men of the Home Guard (loading and firing the guns) and women of the Auxiliary Territorial Service
Auxiliary Territorial Service
The Auxiliary Territorial Service was the women's branch of the British Army during the Second World War...
(handling ammunition and operating gun directors).
General Officers Commanding-in-Chief
General Officers CommandingGeneral Officer Commanding
General Officer Commanding is the usual title given in the armies of Commonwealth nations to a general officer who holds a command appointment. Thus, a general might be the GOC II Corps or GOC 7th Armoured Division...
-in-Chief have included:
- April 1939 - July 1939 General Sir Alan BrookeAlan Brooke, 1st Viscount AlanbrookeField Marshal The Rt. Hon. Alan Francis Brooke, 1st Viscount Alanbrooke, KG, GCB, OM, GCVO, DSO & Bar , was a senior commander in the British Army. He was the Chief of the Imperial General Staff during the Second World War, and was promoted to Field Marshal in 1944...
- 1939 - 1945 Lieutenant General Sir Frederick PileFrederick Alfred PileGeneral Sir Frederick Alfred Pile, 2nd Baronet GCB DSO MC was a British Army officer who served in both World Wars...
- 1945 - 1946 Lieutenant General Sir William GreenWilliam Wyndham GreenLieutenant General Sir William Wyndham Green KBE CB DSO MC was General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Anti-Aircraft Command.-Military career:Green was commissioned into the Royal Artillery in 1907....
- 1946 - 1948 Lieutenant General Sir Otto LundOtto Marling LundLieutenant General Sir Otto Marling Lund KCB DSO was General Officer Commanding-in-Chief of Anti-Aircraft Command.-Military career:Lund was commissioned into the Royal Artillery in 1911....
- 1948 - 1950 General Sir Ivor ThomasGwilym Ivor ThomasGeneral Sir Ivor Thomas GCB KBE DSO MC was a British Army General during World War II.-Military career:Thomas was commissioned into the Royal Artillery in 1912 and served in World War I....
- 1950 - 1953 Lieutenant General Charles LoewenCharles LoewenGeneral Sir Charles Falkland Loewen GCB, KBE, DSO was a Canadian born and educated soldier who became Adjutant-General to the Forces in the United Kingdom.-Military career:...
- 1953 - 1955 Lieutenant General Maurice ChiltonMaurice ChiltonLieutenant General Sir Maurice Chilton KBE CB was Quartermaster-General to the Forces.-Military career:Chilton was commissioned into the Royal Artillery in 1915....