76th (Gloucestershire) H.A.A Regt R.A. (TA)

240th Brigade RFA (T), served throughout the First World War. On being reformed in March 1920, it was designated 1st S. M. Brigade R. F. A. (T.F.) with three batteries at Bristol and one at Reading, (formerly Berks. R.H.A.).

In September 1920, its designation changed to 66th South Midland Brigade. R.F.A. (T.F.) batteries being known as 261, 262, 263, and 264. In 1921, The Territorial Force was reorganized as the Territorial Army.

In January 1924, in accordance with the army order No1. 1924, the Brigade became known as 66th (South Midland ) Brigade RFA (TA), then renamed in 1924 as the 66th (SM) Field Regiment RA (TA). It was re-designated as 76 Anti-Aircraft Regiment in January 1939, regaining its "Gloucestershire" title in July. In June 1940, it was re-designated as 76 (Gloucestershire) Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment RA (TA), as which it served during the 2nd World War. It was reformed in January 1947, as the 266th (Mobile) HAA Regiment RA (TA).

Anti - Aircraft Artillery

3.7-inch heavy anti-aircraft guns in Hyde Park, London, 1939
Photo: Imperial War Museums and Wikipedia

Three batteries of 8 x 3.7in AA guns each [24 guns] made up a regiment. A battery's guns were split into four troops designated A. B. C. D. of two guns each. At the end of the war the battery's within the HAA regiments were split down to, 2 x gun Troops of four guns each. During the war the 3.7 Mk 1 was upgraded to a Mk 6 which increased the ceiling from 32,000 feet to 45,00 feet. The rate of fire hand - loading 8 rds per min - Auto loading 19 rds per minute.

The ammunition for the 3.7 inch gun was H.E. Mk 1C - It weighed 28lbs and was a fixed case round i.e. shell and cartridge already mated together, it came with a 199 or 223 time fuze and later Mechanical Time Fuze 207, 298 or 214.

The Shell Shrapnel Mk 2C ws used against low flying aircraft close to gun position. The guns could also fire the Shot AP Mk 5T solid steel shot with tracer. The propelling charge was a cartridge in brass, necked case 28.56 inches long.

As the war progressed the air threat decreased and both heavy and light AA units were used in the field role. HAA batteries equipped with the 3.7-inch HAA gun had long range (18,600 yards at full charge), unrestricted top traverse and were typically handled as medium artillery, and often used for counter bombardment tasks. Their high rate of fire and time fuzes were an added bonus, the latter were particularly useful. In Italy statistics reveal that many HAA regiments fired only a few thousand rounds at air targets but perhaps 50 times as many at ground targets! Most of this fire was indirect although HAA units were not officially issued with the necessary fire control equipment until late 1944. A reduced charge was introduced for ground fire in order to reduce barrel wear.

40-mm Light Ack - Ack was usually used for direct fire, although there is at least one recorded incident of LAA being used for indirect fire controlled by an air observation post (AOP). There were occasions, particularly in Italy, when LAA batteries temporarily operated mortars. More frequently from 1944, LAA fire was used to mark the edges of a barrage, their tracer provided a line, to help keep the infantry on the right course. This 'directional aid' was first used at El Alamein. LAA fire was also a feature of the 'pepperpot' element that characterised large fireplans from late 1944.

One problem was that AA guns were designed to fire short bursts at infrequent targets. However, in the field role, particularly 3.7-inch when firing as part of a fireplan, they were required to fire for periods of a few hours. This caused equipment failure and the guns got so hot that paint on the barrels blistered and on one occasion at least the barrels were visibly drooping. A second possible issue was that 3.7-inch HAA shells had been designed to produce quite large fragments to maximise damage to aircraft. This meant that a burst produced fewer and bigger fragments that needed to create battlefield casualties. Of course this didn't matter too much when neutralisation was required.

In the final months of the war in NW Europe HAA brigades were used as Army Group RA (AGRA) in major fire plans. Army Group RA, in essence an artillery brigade, they were 'army troops' and usually assigned to corps. The number and type of regiments in an AGRA was not fixed, but typically 5 or 6 mostly medium regiments and a heavy regiment. AGRAs were commanded by the CAGRA, a brigadier.

76th (Gloucestershire) H.A.A Regt R.A. (TA)

The Regiment was made up of three batteries, 236, 237 and 238.

Locations of the Regiment between 1938-1945

Bristol Anti-Aircraft Gun Sites

Gun sites in use around Bristol by 76th H.A.A. Regt R.A. (T).

Most, if not all, of the ammunition used by the HAA guns around Bristol and Bath was held at the large ammunition storage facility that was built in 1938, just north of Burnett, south of Keynsham. The facility was also able to repair damaged guns. Most of the buildings were still there in the early 1990s, but are now covered by the Burnett Business Park, just north of Gypsy Lane.

Most of the gun positions were built to a similar design. The four gun-pits of each site were centred around the Command Post, and linked to the magazines by a concrete track. Around the pit a reinforced concrete or brick wall protected the gunners and gun, and a blast mound was built outside the pit, Alongside six of the facades of the octagonal pit were iron ammunition magazines, each with doors, and each containing rounds already fuzed (to different altitude settings to save time). External shelters housed the gun crew and the limber gunner's maintenance recess. The site magazines, like the battery office, operations room and command post, were constructed half underground, the excavated material used for the surrounding mounds. At the entrance to the gun pits were a pair of hinged armour-plated doors, closed during a raid, but normally left open. A similar pair were fixed at the other end of each pit. In most cases the gun pit walls were rendered with a mortar mix, and then the whole unit camouflaged.

The original map data comes from the archived Anti-Aircraft site forum, Bristol Archaeological Research Group's "Bristol's Answer to the Luftwaffe", and Wessex Archaeology's "Smoke Lane Anti-Aircraft Battery." Also useful are the maps on Anti-Aircraft, Gallagher Genes, and The Royal Artillery 1939-45

In the table below, the UK National Grid system (STxxxxxx) is mapped on UK Grid Reference Finder and the decimal Latitude and Longitude mapped on Google Maps.

Map of all points on UK Grid Reference Finder and Google MyMaps

Home Defence

During the bombing of Bristol during World War Two, 1,243 people died and 2,903 were injured in and around the city as a result of Luftwaffe attacks. Among them were 135 being killed and 335 injured at Filton, and 57 killed and 175 injured at Yate. 89,080 properties were destroyed or damaged by enemy action. 240 German airmen were killed and 60 injured during the raids over Bristol. 59,745 heavy anti-aircraft shells were fired at the attackers along with 451 'Z' rockets. The last raid on Bristol was on 15 May 1944.

Some groups of guns, such as those on Purdown were fired electrically from the command post, two troops of two guns would be sited at the Purdown site, but this would vary from two guns to four guns, eight guns is the regimental strength (A, B, C, and D Troops) owing to the re-siting of guns due to the threat posed by the German planes and also to hide the number of guns in action at any one time. This gave the impression of one gun firing i.e. one big flash and one big bang this gave rise to the gossip around St. George area, that there was some sort of supergun at the site which the locals nicknamed as "Purdown Percy."

From the War Diary of W.O. 11 (BSM) A. E. Murley, 237th H.A.A. Bty R.A. (T.A.) held by 266 (GVA) Battery...

1939

August

20 - Battery mobilized and manned guns at Fort Cumberland , Southsea nr Portsmouth

24 - Battery moved back to Bristol, 2 sections to Portbury gunsite, 2 sections to Filton protecting the Bristol Aeroplane Company, manning Lewis guns.

September

3 - War Declared

4 - First Alarm of war from 10 am to 2.30 pm.

25 - Moved to Filton.

October

5 - Moved to Yate Aircraft Works (Parnell's).

14 - Moved to Chipping Sodbury.

27 - Moved to Portbury.

November

23 - Moved to Bude firing camp.

December

3 - Moved back to Portbury.

1940

January

7 - Moved to Brickfields, Winterbourne. (The huts here were used by the Department of Social Security as a resettlement unit for the homeless after the war).

21 - Moved to Portbury.

March

11 - Moved to Brickfields.

15 - Moved to Portbury.

17 -. Moved to Morelands, Portsmouth.

30 - Moved to Nursling, Southampton.

April

13 - Moved to Whippingham, Isle of Wight.

26 - Moved to Nettlestone, Isle of Wight

27th - Moved to Bramley, nr Reading.

May

4 - Moved to Holbrook, nr Gosport.

18 - Moved to Winslow. nr Southampton.

19 - Moved to Southwick, Portsmouth.

22 - Moved to Tangmere, Sussex.

June

5 - Moved to Cribbs Causeway.

23 - Moved to Rockingham Farm, Smoke Lane, Chittening nr Avonmouth.

25 - Air Raid 5 killed, 14 injured.

29 - Air Raid fired 13 rounds.

July

3 - Bombs within 50 yds of camp.

12 - Shot down JU88, which flew over site at 4,000 ft.

14 - Bombs across gun park. No damage or casualties.

23 - Raids all night. Fired 100 rounds.

August

13 - Moved to Cribbs Causeway.

14 - Fired 60 rounds.

24 - Fired 29 rounds.

September

25 - Daylight raid on Filton 20 planes shot down.

The various Gruppen of KG55 put up 58 Heinkel 111s to attack the Bristol aero engine works at Filton, north of Bristol. They were loaded with approximately 100 tons of high explosive and 24 tons of oil bombs. The escort was provided by Bf110s from ZG 26. As the result of the damage inflicted on the works production was curtailed for many weeks. More than 250 people were killed or injured in the attack.

27 - Daylight raid on Filton, 6 planes down in flames.

30 - A Heinkel 111 G1+DN was another victim of 25 September’s raid on the Bristol aero engine works at Filton. Oberleutnant Gottfreid Weigel and his crew baled out safely before the Heinkel crashed at Racecourse Farm, Portbury, near Bristol. An anti-aircraft shell fired by the 237th Battery, 76th HAA Regiment based at Portbury had exploded under the Heinkel's tail and damaged its controls.

October

12 - Moved to Rockingham.

November

5 - Moved to Cribbs Causeway

6 - Lewis gun in action at low flying Heinkel.

24 - Big raid on Bristol, Castle street.

25 - Avonmouth heavily bombed.

26 - Shirehampton bombed.

December

3 - Bomb on Purdown Gunsite, 2 killed 5 wounded.

7 - Bomb hit gun at Brickfields. 2 men seriously wounded.

1941

January

3 - Incendiary raid on Bristol.

February

6 - Moved to Rockingham.

March

11 - Shot down Heinkel during raid on Avonmouth.

16 - Raid on Bristol, fired 67 rounds.

17 - Shot down Dornier and two Flares Incendiaries in ammo bins.

29 - Raid on Avonmouth. Oil tanks on fire.

April

3 - Raid on Avonmouth. Fired 324 rounds, Gordano Gunsite hit, 1 killed 5 wounded.

4 - Raid on Bristol. Fired 450 Rounds, bomb fell in A hut - no injuries.

5 - Moved to Cribbs Causeway.

11 - Blitz on Bristol. Fired 925 rounds.

May

8 - Raid on Bristol.

16 - Moved to reservoir.

June

17 - Shot down J.U. 88 over Bristol.

September

18 - Moved to Rockingham.

October

7 - Moved to St Georges Wharf.

November

10 - Moved to Dover.

December

10 - Camp hit by German long range shells. One lorry burnt out, no casualties.

16 - Dive bomber attack - 10 Stukas shot down. Shelling from 5pm to 7pm.

1942

January

3 - Shelled from 7pm to 8.30pm.

11 - Put up harbour barrage against J.U. 88’s shell landed in camp.

14 - Moved to Yeovil.

28 - Moved to Okehampton for anti-tank shooting.

February

1 - Moved to Yeovil.

March

22 - Moved to Blandford for mobile training.

April

1 - Moved to Havant with T.T.C.

May

15 - Battery finished mobile training. Moved to Stood and Oak street.

June

10 - Moved to Green St., Green.

29 - Moved to All Hallows.

July

3 - Moved to Citadel, Dover.

24 - Surprise raid by 2 x F.W. 190’s. Bombs dropped in Citadel, Dover.

25 - Shelled for two hours - no damage.

30 - Shelled for three hours.

August

8 - Machine gunned by F.W. 190’s. balloon on Gunpark shot down in flames.

10 - Battery commenced mobilising.

12 - Shelled in afternoon. Raid 2am to 3.15am.

14 - Shelled – no injuries.

16 - Shelled E boat fight in channel.

17 - Shelled - no casualties.

September

5 - 3 x bombs in Citadel - no damage.

October

5 - Moved to Shorncliffe, Cheriton, Kent

6 - 8 - Battery did 3 day mobile scheme.

20 - 26 - Battery did 8 day mobile scheme.

November

14 - Vehicles moved to port for loading.

23 - Battery entrained for Glasgow.

24 - Boarded Durban Castle.

27 - Ship sailed at 11pm.

The regiment was on its way to Algiers, north Africa. The battery positions and defence of Bristol was taken over by 133 (Mixed) Heavy A A Regiment R. A, This was made up of four batteries, 451, 462, 463, and 472. The regisment was headquartered at Burwalls, Clifton and 46th A A Brigades HQ was deadquartered at Deer Park, Durdham Down.

North Africa

1942

December

5 - Passed through Straits of Gibraltar.

6 - Battery disembarked at Algiers and marched to Barchi.

9 - Transport began to arriving.

14 - C Troop moved to Birmandries.

15 - D Troop moved to Hussein Dey.Hussein - Dey

17 - B.H.Q. moved to Birmandries.

23 - D Troop shot down J.U. 88 in flames.

24 - French Admiral Jean-Francois Darlan murdered - mounted double guards.

1943

January

3 - Rear party landed.

8 - Rear party vehicles unloaded.

15 - D Troop shot down Heinkel.

27 - C Troop shot down J.U. 88.

February

2 - D Troop moved to Maison Blanche.

April

9th. Battery moved off and arrived at Palestro.

10 - Battery moved on to Side Emberak.

11 - Battery moved on to Ain M’lila.

12 - Battery moved on to Souk-Ahras.

13 - Battery deployed at El Kef. Total journey 485 miles.

20 - Battery deployed at Djebel Abiod.

26 - Battery constructed sites under fire at Sedjenane.

May

7 - Battery moved off, bivvied 10 miles east of Mateur.

8 - D Troop deployed in Bizerta, while enemy still in town.

9 - C Troop and B.H.Q. moved into Bizerta.

June

3 - Battery moved off and bivvied 6 miles east of Mateur.

4 - Battery bivvied at Sousse.

5 - Battery moved into concentration area 12 miles N. of Sfax.

13 - C and D Troops deployed at Sfax.

21 - Battery deployed at Sousse.

29 - Waterproofing of guns and vehicles commenced.

July

12 - Moved to concentration area in Sousse, up V track.

16 - Moved to Brentford Assembly Area.

17 - Moved to Charlton area.

18 - Battery embarked on L.S.T.'S.’s at Sousse. Sailed at 11pm. (Landing ship tanks)

Sicily

1943

July

20 - Battery disembarked at Syracuse at 8 am. troops deployed at Augusta by 2pm.

21 - Big raid on Augusta, fired 320 rounds and shot down 1 plane.

22 - Big night raid fired 654 rounds.

23 - Raid on Augusta. Fired 100 rounds. Troops deployed at Syracuse.

25 - Raid on Syracuse.

26 - Night raid.

27 - Raid – fired 500 rounds.

28th. Raid – fired 600 rounds.

August

10 - Raid fired 800 rounds D Troop shot down 1 plane.

September

21 - Battery moved off and bivvied at Santa Teresa.

22 - Battery bivvied at Messina.

Italy

1943

August

23 - Battery crossed the straits of Messina, in L.C. M’s and L.S.T.’s and bivvied at Gallies near Reggio.

24 - Battery moved to Pizzo.

25 - Battery moved to Catanzaro Marina.

26 - Battery moved on to Strongoli.

27 - Battery moved on to Torrente Saracen.

28 - Battery moved on to Bari.

29 - Battery deployed in defence of Bari.

November

18 - Regiment sports in stadium.

27 - Brigade sports in stadium.

December

2 - Big raid on harbour - 1000 killed, 15 ships sunk in harbour.

5 - C Troop moved to sea front.

24 - C Troop moved back to B. H. 4.

1944

January

12 - Went on to new War Establishment.

27 - B.H.Q. established at Carignola.

28 - C and d Troops deployed at Carignola.

February

1 - Major Chapman new O.C.

15 - Field gunnery course for Officers and Sgt’s.

19 - 23 - Battery on field shooting at San Nicandro.

May

3 - Battery bivvied at Canosa.

6 - Battery moved to concentration area at Calore.

25 - Battery deployed. at Venafro.

June

15 - Battery moved off and staged at Frosinone.

16 - Battery deployed at Rome.

July

1 - Battery employed at Piombino.

15 - Moved to concentration area at San Vicenza.

25 - Battery move to Colle Salvetti.

27 - Troops deployed in field roll against enemy on north side of Arno.

August

3 - Shell landed 10 yards from No 3 gun D Troop – no damage.

4 - D Troop had 150 shells on site – no damage.

6 - C Troop mortared – no casualties.

7 - C and D Troops Shelled – no damage.

11 - D Troop had 20 shells, 1 lorry hit.

12 - D Troop shelled again 1 Matador and a motorcycle damaged.

23 - C and D Troops in action near La Serra, south of San Miniato.

25 - B.H.Q. and Troop rear echelons moved to vicinity of Paloia, B.H.Q. had 9 shells in camp. Tents ruined, dinner blown up, kit holed but no casualties. B.H.Q. moved to alternative position.

27 - B.H.Q. Shelled – No damage.

September

4 - Troops in action just northwest of Lamporecchio against Gothic line. Sites in front of Guards Brigade and 25 pounders.

6 - B.H.Q. and rear echelons move to Ponto Elsa.

8 - All bridges over Arno washed away by rainstorm. Much difficulty getting ammo and rations across.

10 - C and D Troops in action at Montecatini.

12 - D Troop moved to new position 1 mile W. of Montecatini. 4 shells in town, 8 shells landed within 100 yards of B.H.Q. – no damage.

13 - D Troop mortared by Coldsteam Guards registering Defensive Fire task. No damage. 10 shells landed just beyond B.H.Q., 1 in C Troops Wagon lines.

14th. Troops fired Murders in support of Guards brigade attack on Gothic Line. More shells in town.

A MURDER (originally known as METHOD A) was a concentration of all the guns of either a Regiment or the Divisional Artillery on a pin-point target.

15 - Fired more murders for Coldstreams.

16 - Fired counter battery bombards for 6th South African Armoured Division.

18 - More shells in town, 5 South Africans killed.

19 - More shells - no damage.

26 - C and D Troops moved to new positions in mountains north of Bagnols.

October

5 - C and D Troops moved to new positions in mountains 7 miles north of Viareggio.

6 - C Troop shelled with airburst, 1 rifle and 4 tents damaged.

8 - B.H.Q. established 5 miles north of Viareggio on coast road.

12 - C Troop moved to new position 1½ miles south of Forti del Marni.

13 - C Troop shelled with airbursts, water trailer holed in 4 places.

15 - C troop shelled again, No 2 gun cables cut.

20 - C Troop had 55 shells on site No 2 gun put out of action with damaged elevating gear. 155mm shells dropped near B.H.Q.

21 - C Troop again shelled. No damage.

22 - C Troop again shelled No. 3 gun out of action with damaged recuperator.

23 - C Troop shelled again No 1 gun had holes in buffer tank, elevating gear box and recuperating casing. C Troop moved to alternative position.

25 - Shells fell on C Troops old site when flash simulators fired.

26 - Flash simulators on C Troop old site drew more fire.

November

11 - Sites recced in Poretta Terme area, steep and mountainous.

21 - Torrential rain - guns flooded out of pits.

24 - Shells fell near B.H.Q. No casualties.

December

16 - C Troop shelled by 88mm. Control room got direct hits Taylor P.C. wounded in back Bombardier Cook hit in head. Predictor and Height Finder put out of action.

20 - Picked up 6 Germans off the shore in a small boat.

21 - C Troop shelled by 155mm. 2 gun cables cut and 20 rounds exploded, no casualties.

23 - Picked up 5 Italians civilians landing in small from Spezia.

28 - C Troop moved to site 2 miles W. of Canviore (?).

German attack on Serchio Valley, expected to extend here.

1945

January

Battery moved to Lucca in A.A. role. Very quite.

February

19 - Bechuanas joined the battery.

March

13 - Battery moved up to Viareggio again D troop at Mintonte, (?) C Troop at Fiumetto.

26 - White troops in exchange for Bechuanas, left the battery.

April

5 - Attack started with barrage at 5am. both troops busy. Coast O.P. shelled by 170mm.

7 - Coast O.P. hit by 170mm mortar shells and bullets in vicinity - no casualties.

8th. Commanding Officer, Major Chapman, had leg blown off in minefield.

10 - D Troop moved to new site over the Cinquale. C Troop in new site near coast O.P.

12 - B.H.Q. moved to Fiumetto.

13 - Troops moved to new site north of Marina De Massa.

14 - First into Avenza with one 3 tonner and two motorcycles.

23 - Battery moved to Marina Di Carrara.

24 - 11am battery moved through Viareggio, Pistoia. Bologna Modena to San Benedetto Po, in defence of Bridge.

May

2 - Battery moved to Picenza in defence of bridge there. Germans in Italy surrendered.

4th. Germans in Holland, Denmark and Northern Germany Surrendered.

5 -. Germans in South Austria Surrendered.

8 - Churchill spoke at 3pm giving official news of Germany’s surrender. Troops had "Cease Fire."

14 - Moved to Pesaro to join 7th A.G.R.A.

17 - Battery began guarding surrendered enemy personnel in cages at Cesenaties (?) and Cessna.

November

24th. Regiment officially ordered to go into a state of "Suspended Animation." Personnel of the battery posed to 51st H.A.A. Regt.

Deaths on Active Duty

Bristol 1 (Gordano) H.A.A Gun Site, Easton in Gordano

Hendy, Henry Edgar (23) Gunner 1446100, 236 Battery, 76 H.A.A. Regiment Royal Artillery. Son of Mr. and Mrs. W. E. Hendy of Gaunts Earthcott, Almondsbury, Gloucestershire.

Bristol 5 (Brickfields) H.A.A. Gun Site, Winterbourne

Johnson, James (20) Gunner 904948, 238 Battery, 76 H.A.A. Regiment Royal Artillery. Of Brickfields Camp, Winterbourne, Gloucestershire and 64 Ward Street, Grimsby, Lincolnshire. Son of James Henry and Betsy Ann Elizabeth Johnson of Cleethorpes, Lincolnshire.

Bristol 6 (Purdown) H.A.A. Gun Site

Goodenough, John (20) Bombardier 383182, 366 Battery, H.A.A. Royal Artillery. Of Old Sneyd Road, Stoke Bishop, Bristol.

Oxenham, Frederick Ernest (28) Gunner 1581124, 238 Battery, 76 H.A.A. Regiment Royal Artillery. Of 153 Kingsland Road, St. Philips, Bristol. Son of Thomas H. Oxenham of St. Philips. Husband of Lilly Maria Oxenham. Died 3 December 1940 at Cossham Memorial Hospital.

Sibley, Albert George (29) Gunner 1602963, 238 Battery, 76 H.A.A. Regiment Royal Artillery. Of 65 West Borough, Wimbourne, Dorset. Son of Reginald John Sibley of Wimbourne.

Notes

BSM John Kemp 881975, was the senior NCO in 236 Bty but he may have been R.S.M. of the Regiment. Need to check this!

Sources and Resources

Derek Driscoll's original pages

76th (Gloucestershire) H.A.A Regt R.A. (TA) Bristol
76th (Gloucestershire) H.A.A Regt R.A. (TA) Bristol

Other Resources

3.7-inch anti-aircraft guns in Hyde Park, London, 1939 - Imperial War Museums
76 (Gloucestershire) Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment R.A. (TA) - The Royal Artillery 1939-45
76th HAA Regt RA, (236, 237, and 349 Batteries) - WW2 Talk
Avonmouth HAA (Bristol) - Anti-Aircraft
Bristol Air Defence (1940 - 1944) - Walking the Battlefields
Bristol Air Defences, 1939 - 1945 - Gallagher Genes
Bristol Blitz - Wikipedia
Bristol During World War Two - Bristol Historical Resource
Bristol's Answer to the Luftwaffe - Bristol Archaeological Research Group
Burnet Anti-Aircraft Ammunition Depot - Folly Books (Facebook)
Gloucestershire Volunteer Artillery - Wikipedia
Gun Defended Areas: Bristol - The Royal Artillery 1939-45
KG55 Greif Geschwader In Focus - Air Research
Luftwaffe Operations over Bristol 1940/44 - Bristol Historical Association
Map of Heavy Anti-Aircraft Gun Sites - Anti-Aircraft
Memories of Burnett - Keynsham & Saltford Local History Society
Project Kain - Planning Alerts - A 2023 planning assessment around Filton including what is left of the anti-aircraft sites in the area
QF 3.7-inch AA gun - Wikipedia
Smoke Lane Anti-Aircraft Battery - Wessex Archaeology
Somerset and the Defence of the Bristol Channel in the Second World War - The Somerset Archaeological and Natural History Society
The Air Defence of the Bristol Area 1937-44 - Bristol Historical Association
The Bristol & District Blitz War Memorial - Bristol Past
Z Battery - Wikipedia