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POLICY REGARDING RESTORATION OF STATIC BALLOON BARRAGES IN AIR DEFENCE GREAT BRITAIN AFTER "DIVER" (V1) THREAT CEASES.

Report by the Sub-Committee for the allocation of active air defence.

 

In July 1944 the Government decided it had to produce a policy following a request by the Air Ministry on the Air Defence of Great Britain,( A.D.G.B. ) for guidance

on those static balloon barrages which should be re-instated and those barrages which should no longer be required, once the threat from the V1 Flying Bombs

had been eliminated.

The Flying Bombs were known among the balloon crews and others as "Divers", since the bomb flew until it was out of fuel and then dived down onto the ground.

The Air Staff were of the view that those air defence barrage balloons squadrons that were employed on "Anti-diver" duties were to be maintained until at least

31st December 1944 and beyond until the threat from Flying Bombs was eliminated. By making a decision on which barrages were to be eliminated meant that the

A.D.G.B. were then able to begin withdrawing huts,

installations to reuse for accommodation for the anti-diver barrage on a more permanent basis during the coming winter period.

It was proposed that the former static barrages be re-classified into three categories:

Category 1. This was where balloons were likely to be required at full barrage status and where all Headquarters, huts, installations and facilities

were to be left intact.

Category 2. This was where balloons were likely to be required on a token basis only and the Headquarters, huts etc., that were deemed surplus

to operational requirements

could be removed straightaway.

Category 3. This was where balloons were not likely to be required on a token basis only and the headquarters, huts etc. surplus to these requirements,

could be removed immediately.

The Chiefs of Staff Anti-aircraft Committee considered the latest assessment of the scale of ait attack on Britain and felt the re-categorisation was an

acceptable position with the provisos that in the case of :

(i) London, all headquarters, huts, installations and facilities were to be retained but the strength of

the re-instated barrage was to be more than the token barrage of 50 balloons and the final strength to be determined on the air situation at the time of re-instatement.

(ii) Scapa Flow, the huts and installations could be withdrawn and the need to replace the barrage was something that was to be reviewed at the end of September 1940.

(iii) A provision was needed for there to be a mobile reserve of balloons for despatch to any particular area at short notice if a attack threat was found to be credible.

(Here they suggested that the Germans might leave Western France and set up a stronghold in the Low countries from which they might launch attacks on the East coast.)

An estimate was made of the numbers of balloons needed countrywide once the V1 Flying Bomb attacks had been neutralised.

                                         

BALLOONS REQUIRED AT FULL BARRAGE STATUS. ALL HEADQUARTERS, HUTS, INSTALLATIONS AND FACILITIES TO BE LEFT INTACT.

BALLOONS REQUIRED ON TOKEN BASIS ONLY AT FULL BARRAGE STATUS. ALL HEADQUARTERS, HUTS, FACILITIES, AND INSTALLATIONS SURPLUS TO THIS REQUIREMENT TO BE REMOVED FORWITH

BARRAGES NOT REQUIRED.  ALL HEADQUARTERS, HUTS, FACILITIES, AND INSTALLATIONS TO BE REMOVED FORWITH

BARRAGE TOWN AND NUMBER OF BALLOONS

BARRAGE TOWN AND NUMBER OF BALLOONS

BARRAGE TOWN AND NUMBER OF BALLOONS

DOVER            24

 

 

LONDON       300                         

PORTSMOUTH           30

 

SCAPA                                                                              40

THAMES          20

SOUTHAMPTON        22

FORTH                                                                             46

HARWICH        30

PLYMOUTH               33

NEWCASTLE                                                                     62

HULL/HUMBER  3

 

SUNDERLAND                                                                   20

 

 

BILLINGHAM                                                                     42

 

 

NORWICH                                                                         20

 

 

YARMOUTH / LOWESTOFT                                                25

 

 

CHELMSFORD                                                                   31

 

 

CANTERBURY                                                                   24

 

 

LANGLEY                                                                          20

 

 

WEYBRIDGE                                                                      20

 

 

YEOVIL                                                                             24

 

 

FALMOUTH                                                                       24

 

 

WESTERN-SUPER-MARE                                                     20

 

 

BRISTOL                                                                           65

 

 

BROCKWORTH                                                                  20

 

 

NEWPORT                                                                         20

 

 

CARDIFF/ BARRY/ PORT TALBOT/ SWANSEA                     40

 

 

DARTMOUTH (MK VI)                                                        20

 

 

 

                               

 

 

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