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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
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
(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)
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