AA Shells

[Raskolnikov]

In the Chapter III ('The Pilotless Bombardment') of Volume VI ('Triumph and Tragedy') of The Second World War, Churchill discusses the movement of the main AAA batteries from their defensive line on the North Downs to the south coast.

The ADGB (Air Defence of Great Britain) deployment at the start of the V1 attacks was with 'fighters ranging out over the sea and over most of Kent and Sussex, where the bombs were dispersed, and guns concentrated in a belt nearer London, where the bombs drew into a more compact front as they approached their target.' However, this was altered and the guns were moved forwards for two reasons. Firstly, 'their Radar for fire control would have more scope' nearer the coast, and, secondly, 'it would be safer to use the proximity-fuzed shells which were now arriving from America' as they would be farther away from urban concentrations. In a footnote, Churchill adds: 'these shells, which were designed to explode as they passed near the target, were dangerous to use over land, since if they missed the target badly they did not explode until they fell to earth.'

Thus, the complete redployment of the vast ADGB organisation was effected by two considerations: the military advantage of an advanced position and the possibility of using proximity-fuzed shells. From Churchill's comments it is clear that if the AAA batteries were located near London, the fall-back rate on the proximity-fuzed shells would be so high as to prohibit their use.

Rask.