Anti-aircraft Defences Of Australia During World War II on:
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The following is a list of anti-aircraft defences of Australia during World War II.Anti-aircraft organisation as it existed in late-1942. Prior to the war Australia possessed only very limited air defences. However, by late-1942 an extensive anti-aircraft defence organisation had been developed, with anti-aircraft batteries in place around all the major cities as well as the key towns in northern Australia. A total of two Heavy Anti-Aircraft (HAA) regiments, 32 static HAA batteries, 11 Light Anti-Aircraft (LAA) regiments, 16 independent LAA batteries, three anti-aircraft training regiments and one anti-aircraft training battery were formed. These units were equipped with a range of weapon systems including 3.7 inch anti-aircraft guns and 40 mm Bofors guns. In addition six American anti-aircraft battalions were stationed in Australia, operating in
The following is a list of anti-aircraft defences of Australia during World War II.Anti-aircraft organisation as it existed in late-1942. Prior to the war Australia possessed only very limited air defences. However, by late-1942 an extensive anti-aircraft defence organisation had been developed, with anti-aircraft batteries in place around all the major cities as well as the key towns in northern Australia. A total of two Heavy Anti-Aircraft (HAA) regiments, 32 static HAA batteries, 11 Light Anti-Aircraft (LAA) regiments, 16 independent LAA batteries, three anti-aircraft training regiments and one anti-aircraft training battery were formed. These units were equipped with a range of weapon systems including 3.7 inch anti-aircraft guns and 40 mm Bofors guns. In addition six American anti-aircraft battalions were stationed in Australia, operating in Fremantle
Fremantle () () is a port city in Western Australia located at the mouth of the Swan River (Western Australia), Swan River in the metropolitan area of Perth, the state capital. Fremantle Harbour serves as the port of Perth. The Western Australi ...
, Darwin, Townsville
The City of Townsville is a city on the north-eastern coast of Queensland, Australia. With a population of 201,313 as of 2024, it is the largest settlement in North Queensland and Northern Australia (specifically, the parts of Australia north of ...
, and Brisbane
Brisbane ( ; ) is the List of Australian capital cities, capital and largest city of the States and territories of Australia, state of Queensland and the list of cities in Australia by population, third-most populous city in Australia, with a ...
.
A number of anti-aircraft batteries were subsequently involved in dealing with the threat of Japanese air raids against northern Australia during 1942 and 1943, shooting down 29 enemy aircraft, probably destroying another 27 aircraft and damaging 32 between January 1942 and the end of 1943. Batteries in New Guinea
New Guinea (; Hiri Motu: ''Niu Gini''; , fossilized , also known as Papua or historically ) is the List of islands by area, world's second-largest island, with an area of . Located in Melanesia in the southwestern Pacific Ocean, the island is ...
also saw extensive action. However, as the war progressed and the threat from Japanese aircraft subsided, the manning of anti-aircraft defences in Australia was reduced to release manpower for other branches of the Army and for industry, and was increasingly taken over by Australian Women's Army Service or Volunteer Defence Corps personnel. Most batteries were disbanded between mid-1944 to late 1945.
New South Wales
*Sydney
Sydney is the capital city of the States and territories of Australia, state of New South Wales and the List of cities in Australia by population, most populous city in Australia. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Syd ...
AA Group
** 103rd HAA Regiment
** 108th, 110th and 111th LAA Regiments
** 1st, 7th, 9th, 15th, 20th and 25th AA Batteries
* Newcastle AA Group
** 3rd, 7th and 18th AA Batteries
** 22nd LAA Battery
* Kembla AA Group
** 8th AA Battery
** 221st LAA Battery
Victoria
*Melbourne
Melbourne ( , ; Boonwurrung language, Boonwurrung/ or ) is the List of Australian capital cities, capital and List of cities in Australia by population, most populous city of the States and territories of Australia, Australian state of Victori ...
AA Group
** 112th LAA Regiment
** 10th, 11th and 30th AA Batteries
Queensland
* South Queensland AA Group ** 2/2nd HAA Regiment ** 113th and 114th LAA Regiments ** 6th, 38th AA Batteries * North Queensland AA Group ** 34th, 35th, 36th and 37th AA Batteries ** 223rd, 224th and 226th LAA BatteriesSouth Australia
* 12th and 26th AA BatteriesWestern Australia
*Fremantle
Fremantle () () is a port city in Western Australia located at the mouth of the Swan River (Western Australia), Swan River in the metropolitan area of Perth, the state capital. Fremantle Harbour serves as the port of Perth. The Western Australi ...
AA Group
** 2/3rd, 109th and 116th LAA Regiments
** 4th, 5th and 29th AA Batteries
** 66 SL Battery
Tasmania
* 13th AA BatteryNorthern Territory
* Darwin AA Group ** 2/1st LAA Regiment ** 2nd, 14th and 22nd AA Batteries ** 225th and 233rd LAA BatteriesNew Guinea
*Port Moresby
(; Tok Pisin: ''Pot Mosbi''), also referred to as Pom City or simply Moresby, is the capital and largest city of Papua New Guinea. It is one of the largest cities in the southwestern Pacific (along with Jayapura) outside of Australia and New ...
AA Group
** 23rd and 32nd AA Batteries
** 2/4th HAA Battery
** 2/7th, 234th and 156th LAA Batteries
*Milne Bay
Milne Bay is a large bay in Milne Bay Province, south-eastern Papua New Guinea. More than long and over wide, Milne Bay is a sheltered deep-water harbor accessible via Ward Hunt Strait. It is surrounded by the heavily wooded Stirling Range (Papu ...
AA Group
** 33rd, 23rd (det) AA Batteries
See also
* Structure of the Australian Army during World War II * Coastal defences of Australia during World War IINotes
;Footnotes ;CitationsReferences
* * {{Refend Military history of Australia during World War II Artillery units and formations of Australia