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In February 1939 the Air Defence of Great Britain was discussed by The Committee of Imperial Defence.

The Air Defence at this point in time was:

The Air Ministry Programme covering:

The Fighter Force

Radio Direction Finding

Balloon Barrage

The War Office Programme covering:

Searchlight Control

Radio Direction Finding for Gun and Searchlight Control

Light A.A. Guns

A.A. Guns

A.A. Gun Ammunition

As a result 1,455 balloons were established across the country with the higher densities covering the more 

strategically important areas such as London and the east coast and the Midlands.

This map below shows the layout of balloon coverage in the United Kingdom in February 1939.

 

 

This had 450 balloons in London, with Birmingham the next biggest at 152 balloons and Liverpool/Birkenhead 

and Glasgow equal at 88 balloons.

Manchester had 80 balloons.

Sheffield had 72 balloons.

Humber had 72 balloons.

Avon & Bristol had 72 balloons.

Newcastle on Tyne had 64 balloons.

Southampton and Portsmouth had 48 balloons each.

Derby and Tees Billingham had 24 balloons each.

Plymouth had 40 balloons.

Cardiff and Swansea had 8 balloons each.

Newport and Port Talbot had 6 balloons each.

Harwich had 5 balloons.

At this stage Scapa Flow was relatively unprotected. This was a huge mistake. On the 6th September 1939 the Cabinet discussed the Air Defence of Scapa Flow. It was recognised that in order to protect Scapa flow, 250 balloons of which 200 would need to be waterborne would ne needed. This was more than half the number protecting London. They saw difficulties with the administrative side as well as the supply of hydrogen. It was decided that Scapa Flow was one of those projects that was a "long-term project for fulfillment as and when more material becomes available", fatal words indeed.

The Cabinet recommended that two Flights of 20 balloons be drawn partly from the London Defences and partly from balloons destined for the provinces be sent to Scapa Flow as an attempt at air defence. It was thought that the moral effect of even a few balloons would be great.

 

On 17th October 1939, four Luftwafffe Junkers 88 attacked Scapa Flow in one 

of the earliest air raids of the war. Iron Duke was damaged and one aircraft shot down. Much angst was expressed by the Cabinet about Scapa Flow and the air defences there,. Post 1918 many German ships had been taken there and the Germans knew its importance in terms of the British Fleet and a safe anchorage. Sir Archibald Sinclair visited Scapa Flow for two days on the 2.3 of January 1940 to inspect the defences in total. He noted "much scepticism", that he felt bound to share, by Naval and Military Officers about the use of a balloon barrage on the islands due to the high winds that prevailed there. He siad that some balloons had arrived but they would probably not be much use until the summer.

 

 

In early January 1940, R.A.F Lyness was set up at Ore Hill, Lyness.

Initially there were four balloon sites on Fara with twelve balloon sites were placed along the east coast of Hoy, and four balloon sites on the north coast of Flotta . In addition eight balloons were set up as waterborne on barges based along the east side of the Fleet Anchorage as it was reasoned that enemy aircraft would attack from the east and waterborne balloons had the advantage of being easily moved about. In 1940 No.20 Balloon Centre, Lyness was manned by 950 Squadron with 32 balloons and 960 Squadron with 24 balloons. Conditions on Orkney were appalling, often personnel were posted away after 3 months on the islands because of the conditions. By 1943 the balloon base was the biggest ever assembled in the north with almost eighty balloons in action. Due to the horrendous gales the rate of balloon damage and loss from weather was the highest anywhere in the country. Wing Commander Robert Norman Lochhead M.C. spent time there and commented in his book, "With Rod Well Bent" about his experiences on the islands.

 

Other balloon sites were not as exposed as sites like Scapa Flow. It was considered that Cardiff did not warrant a huge balloon presence in 1939. However these docks were to play an important role in the war. Up to 1912 these docks were the busiest anywhere due to the vast quantities of coal brought down for export from the Welsh Valleys. With time demand lessened and in 1936 of the three docks, Penarth, Barry and Cardiff, it was decided to close Penarth. By 1939 it was realised that if a war was coming Penarth and the other docks would become very important.  Much redevelopment was carried out and infrastructure of new roads, miles of railway track were constructed. As the war progressed Cardiff gained high importance as it was an ideal location for convoys to deliver cargo from across the Atlantic and also had several huge dry docks for the repair of ships that had limped home after suffering war damage. During the war it was estimated that one third of all the imported war supplies came through Cardiff docks. This necessitated a huge increase in balloon coverage to an average of 40 at any one time with some 6 to 7 balloons covering the city and the others the docks.

 

By the start of war much re-evaluation of balloon numbers took place to help protect the many important areas in the country.

 

 

 

 

EQUIPMENT AND LOCATION OF BALLOON SQUADRONS at OCTOBER 1940

 

AS AT 1st OCTOBER 1940

(Courtesy of Len Bacon)

By October 1940 a steep learning curve had been passed, 4 Balloon Barrage Groups controlled  47 Barrages, using 19 Balloon Centres and 62 Squadrons 

 

No. 30 (BALLOON BARRAGE) GROUP, LONDON.

(Group Captain W. J. Y. Guilfoyle)

                                

                           Flying Strengths During First Year         Initial Date

                           01/10/39  01/01/40  01/04/40  01/07/40  01/10/40      of Deployment

Location

London                   410          312           95          175          349         

 

Harwich                                   18           19           16            23          NOVEMBER 1939

 

Thames                                     19           21          24            24          NOVEMBER 1939

 

Langley                                                                  24            23          JUNE 1940

 

Dover                                                                                    23          JUNE 1940

 

Weybridge                                                                             21          SEPTEMBER 1940

 

Channel Convoy                                                                     06          AUGUST 1940

 

 

 

No. 1 Balloon Centre, Kidbrooke, London. SE3

 Squadron        Equipment                   Location

901                   45 balloons                    Abbey Wood

902                   45 balloons                    Kidbrooke

952                   40 balloons                    Sheerness

                        (32 waterborne)

961                   24 balloons                    Dover

                        (8 waterborne)

 

No. 2 Balloon Centre, Hook, Surrey.

903                   45 balloons                    Forest Hill

904                   45 balloons                    Clapham

905                   45 balloons                    Kensington

 

No. 3 Balloon Centre, Stanmore, Middlesex.

906                   45 balloons                    Hampstead

907                   45 balloons                    Woodberry Down

956                   24 balloons                    Colnbrook

 

No. 4 Balloon Centre, Chigwell, Essex.

908                   45 balloons                    Metropolis

909                   45 balloons                    East Ham

910                   45 balloons                    Dagenham

                        (3 waterborne)

928                   24 balloons                    Harwich

                        (10 waterborne)

 

No. 31 (BALLOON BARRAGE) GROUP, BIRMINGHAM.

(Air Commodore J. C. Quinnell)

 

 

                   Flying Strengths During First Year     Initial Date

                           01/10/39  01/01/40  01/04/40  01/07/40  01/10/40      of Deployment

Location

Birmingham North     37           29           13            52           55           

 

Birmingham South     22           19           11            48           58                

 

Coventry                   17           16            28            56           54          

 

Derby                        08           21           17            32           32          

 

Liverpool                   32           41          10             24           61                               

 

Runcorn                    25           37           18            32           48            

 

Crewe                                      20           12            32           31          OCTOBER 1939

 

Manchester               24            26           14            24           54

 

No. 5 Balloon Centre, Sutton Coldfield.

911                   48 balloons                    West Bromwich

913                   40 balloons                    Sutton Coldfield

962                   24 balloons                    Milford Haven

                        (9 waterborne)

 

No. 6 Balloon Centre, Wythall Near Alvechurch, Birmingham.

914                   40 balloons                    Northfield

915                   40 balloons                    Rowkeath

916                   32 balloons                    Coventry

917                   24 ballons                     Coventry

 

No. 7 Balloon Centre, Alvaston, Derby.

918                   32 balloons                    Alvaston.

 

No. 8 Balloon Centre, Fazakerley, Liverpool.

919                   52 balloons                    Birkenhead

                        (12 waterborne)

921                   48 balloons                    Fazakerley

 

 

 

No. 9 Balloon Centre, Warrington.

 

Squadron         Equipment                   Location

922                   32 balloons                    Cuerdly

923                   32 balloons                    Runcorn

949                   32 balloons                    Crewe

 

No. 10 Balloon Centre, Bowlee, Manchester.

925                   40 balloons                    Manchester & Bowlee

926                   40 balloons                    Bowlee

 

 

No. 32 (BALLOON BARRAGE) GROUP, ROMSEY

(Air Commodore A. A. Walser)

 

                    Flying Strengths During First Year    Initial Date

                           01/10/39  01/01/40  01/04/40  01/07/40  01/10/40      of Deployment

Location

Filton                                                                    24            23          MAY 1940     

 

Avonmouth              16           15           09            20            29                

 

Bristol                      03                                         08           28          

 

Southampton           19            33           39            72            70                    

 

Portsmouth             26            52           46            40            55                                         

 

Plymouth                 17           25           22             24            42                  

 

Cardiff                                   20           12             32            31          

 

Brockworth                                                           08            23         JUNE 1940

 

Yeovil                                                                                   21         JULY 1940

 

Falmouth                                                                              18         AUGUST 1940

 

Milford Haven                                                                       15         SEPTEMBER 1940

 

Barry                                                                                    13        JULY 1940

 

Swansea                                                                               26        JULY 1940

 

Port Talbot                                                                           15        JULY 1940

 

Newport                                                                               28        SEPTEMBER 1940

 

 

No.11 Balloon Centre, Pucklechurch, Bristol.

912                   24 balloons                    Brockworth

927                   32 balloons                    Bristol

935                   24 balloons                    Filton

951                   40 balloons                    Bristol

957                   24 balloons                    Yeovil

 

No.12 Balloon Centre, Fareham, Hampshire.

924                   24 balloons                    Eastleigh

930                   50 balloons                    Southampton

                        (10 waterborne)

932                   32 balloons                    Portsmouth

933                   24 balloons                    Gosport

 

No. 13 Balloon Centre, Collaton Cross, Plymouth.

934                   24 balloons                    Plymouth

959                   24 balloons                    Falmouth

                        (8 waterborne)

964                   24 balloons                    Torpoint

                        (6 waterborne)

 

No. 14 Balloon Centre, Llandaff, Cardiff

953                   39 balloons                    Cardiff

                        (7 waterborne)

958                   25 balloons                    Swansea

                        (3 waterborne)

965                   16 balloons                    Port Talbot

966                   40 balloons                    Newport

969                   16 balloons                    Barry

 

No.33 (BALLOON BARRAGE) GROUP, SHEFFIELD.

(Air Commodore S. W. Smith.)

 

                    Flying Strengths During First Year    Initial Date

                           01/10/39  01/01/40  01/04/40  01/07/40  01/10/40      of Deployment

Location

Newcastle                 09            43             63            48          60              

 

Blyth                                                                         08          07      MAY 1940

 

Billingham                 04            14             24            48          44          

 

Sheffield                   20            29             14             72          62                    

 

Hull                           19            35             55            36           72                                    

 

No. 15 Balloon Centre, Longbenton, Newcastle.

936                   40 balloons                    Benton

                        (4 waterborne)

937                   32 balloons                    South Tyne

                        (3 waterborne)

938                   48 balloons                    Billingham

 

No. 16 Balloon Centre, Norton, Sheffield.

939                   40 balloons                    Sheffield

940                   32 balloons                    Rotherham

 

 

No. 17 Balloon Centre, Sutton on Hull.

942                   42 balloons                    Hull

                        (24 waterborne)

943                   32 balloons                    Hull

 

 

No. 34 (BALLOON BARRAGE) GROUP, EDINBURGH.

(Group Captain H. R. Busteed)

 

                     Flying Strengths During First Year    Initial Date

                           01/10/39  01/01/40  01/04/40  01/07/40  01/10/40        of Deployment

Location

Glasgow                    24           31            11          45           79              

 

Forth                                       35            33          36           48               OCTOBER 1939

Loch Alsh                                                              16                             JUNE TO SEPTEMBER 1940

 

Scapa                                                      09          40           35               FEBRUARY 1940

 

Ardeer                                                                                 24               SEPTEMBER 1940                  

 

Belfast                                                                                 16               SEPTEMBER 1940

No. 18 Balloon Centre, Bishopbriggs, Glasgow.

 

929                   24 balloons                    South Queensferry

                        (7 waterborne)

945                   40 balloons                    Glasgow

946                   48 balloon                     Renfrew

947                   32 balloons                    Glasgow

948                   24 balloons                    Rosyth

967                   48 balloons                    Ardrossan

968                   40 balloons                    Forming at Bishopbriggs: moved to

                        (8 waterborne)               Belfast 12 September 1940

 

No.20 Balloon Centre, Lyness, Orkney.

950                   32 balloons                    Lyness

960                   24 balloons                    Lyness

 

 

 

TOTALS.

 

Groups              Barrages      Balloon Centres      Squadrons                     

    4                      47                    19                        62

                       

 

             

 

 

 

                                   Total Flying Strengths During First Year   

                                                        01/10/39  01/01/40  01/04/40  01/07/40  01/10/40        

 

Number of Balloons in Service                 738            876        587            1092       1741

 

N.B. Depending on where you take the figures from this set of totals can vary- one reason may be that

some Squadrons counted spare balloons on their active list