39th Anti-Aircraft Brigade was an air defence formation of Britain's Territorial Army (TA) during the Second World War. It was responsible under Anti-Aircraft Command for protecting industry along the Humber Estuary and airfields in Lincolnshire during The Blitz. Later it defended the coast of East Anglia against Luftwaffe 'hit-and-run' attacks. It was later converted to a field force formation, covered the embarkation ports for Operation Overlord and defended London against V-1 flying bombs. It served in the campaign in North West Europe, defending Antwerp against V-1s and supervising the clean-up of the notorious Bergen-Belsen concentration camp.
Troops of 9th Bn, Hampshire Regiment, helping to clear bomb damage in Hull.
The National Picture Theatre (right) on Beverley Road, burnt out during the Hull Blitz, now a listed building under the National Civilian WW2 Memorial Trust
Static 3.7-inch HAA gun preserved at Fort Paull in the Hull GDA (Photo: Andy Beecroft).
RA gunners load a mobile multiple launcher, June 1941.
The 2nd Anti-Aircraft Division was an Air Defence formation of the British Army from 1935 to 1942. It controlled anti-aircraft gun and searchlight units of the Territorial Army (TA) defending the East Midlands and East Anglia during The Blitz.
Milton Hall, HQ of the 2nd AA Division in 1941