In December 1935 the 46 (North Midland) Division was disbanded and its headquarters was converted into 2 Anti-Aircraft Division. At first it administered all Anti-Aircraft units in Great Britain outside London and the Home Counties, which were covered by 1 Anti-Aircraft Division. The new division was first organised at York, but shortly afterwards took over 46 Division’s HQ at Normanton, Derby.
When the Anti-Aircraft Corps and Divisions, were disbanded and replaced in October 1942 by a new Anti-Aircraft Group structure, the Midlands and East Anglia including 2 Anti-Aircraft Division’s responsibilities were covered by the 5 Anti-Aircraft Group, headquartered at Hucknall, Nottinghamshire.
HQ York
Order of Battle 1937
Note that at this time Brigades were known as Anti-Aircraft Groups and Regiments as Brigades. Unless noted otherwise the Brigades are gun equipped units.
| 30 (Northumbrian) Anti-Aircraft Group – organised 1 November 1936 in Sunderland |
| 62 (North and East Riding) Anti-Aircraft Brigade |
| 63 (Northumbrian) Anti-Aircraft Brigade |
| 64 (Northumbrian) Anti-Aircraft Brigade |
| 37 (Tyne) Anti-Aircraft Battalion (Tyne Electrical Engineers), Royal Engineers – searchlights |
| 47 (The Durham Light Infantry) Anti-Aircraft Battalion, Royal Engineers – searchlights |
| 31 (North Midland) Anti-Aircraft Group – organised 1 November 1936 in Retford |
| 66 (Leeds Rifles) (The West Yorkshire Regiment) Anti-Aircraft Brigade |
| 67 (The York and Lancaster Regiment) Anti-Aircraft Brigade |
| 43 (The Duke of Wellington’s Regiment) Anti-Aircraft Battalion, Royal Engineers – searchlights |
| 46 (The Lincolnshire Regiment) Anti-Aircraft Battalion, Royal Engineers – searchlights |
| 32 (South Midland) Anti-Aircraft Group – organised 1 November 1936 at Normanton |
| 69 (The Royal Warwickshire Regiment) Anti-Aircraft Brigade |
| 40 (The Sherwood Foresters) Anti-Aircraft Battalion, Royal Engineers – searchlights |
| 42 (The Robin Hoods, Sherwood Foresters) Anti-Aircraft Battalion, Royal Engineers – searchlights |
| 44 (The Leicestershire Regiment) Anti-Aircraft Battalion, Royal Engineers – searchlights |
| 45 (The Royal Warwickshire Regiment) Anti-Aircraft Battalion, Royal Engineers – searchlights |
| 33 (Western) Anti-Aircraft Group – organised at Chester |
| 65 (The Manchester Regiment) Anti-Aircraft Brigade |
| 38 (The King’s Regiment) Anti-Aircraft Battalion, Royal Engineers – searchlights |
| 39 (The Lancashire Fusiliers) Anti-Aircraft Battalion, Royal Engineers – searchlights |
| 41 (5th North Staffordshire Regiment) Anti-Aircraft Battalion, Royal Engineers – searchlights |
HQ: RAF Hucknall
Order of Battle 1939–40
| 32 (South Midland) Anti-Aircraft Brigade – at Derby |
| 68 (North Midland) Anti-Aircraft Regiment |
| 42 (Robin Hoods, Sherwood Foresters) Anti-Aircraft Battalion Royal Engineers – searchlights |
| 44 (Leicestershire Regiment) Anti-Aircraft Battalion Royal Engineers – searchlights |
| 50 (Northamptonshire Regiment) Anti-Aircraft Battalion Royal Engineers – searchlights |
| 39 Anti-Aircraft Brigade – at RAF Digby |
| 62 (Northumbrian) Anti-Aircraft Regiment |
| 67th (York and Lancaster Regiment) Anti-Aircraft Regiment |
| 91st Anti-Aircraft Regiment |
| 40 (Sherwood Foresters) Anti-Aircraft Battalion Royal Engineers – searchlights |
| 46 (Lincolnshire Regiment) Anti-Aircraft Battalion Royal Engineers – searchlights |
| 40 Anti-Aircraft Brigade – organised 29 September 1938 at South Ealing, London |
| 33 (St Pancras) Anti-Aircraft Battalion Royal Engineers |
| 36 (Middlesex) Anti-Aircraft Battalion Royal Engineers |
| 58 (Middlesex) Anti-Aircraft Battalion Royal Engineers |
| 9th Battalion Middlesex Regiment (60 Searchlight Regiment) |
| 10th (3rd City of London) Battalion. Royal Fusiliers (69 Searchlight Regiment) |
| 41 (London) Anti-Aircraft Brigade – organised 29 September 1938 in Chelsea, London |
| 78 (1st East Anglian) Anti-Aircraft Regiment |
| 32 (7th City of London) Anti-Aircraft Battalion Royal Engineers |
| 1/6th Battalion Essex Regiment (64 Searchlight Regiment) |
| 2/6th Battalion Essex Regiment (65 Searchlight Regiment) |
| 50 Light Anti-Aircraft Brigade – organised 24 August 1939 at Hucknall, Nottinghamshire |
| 26 Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment – mobile reserve |
Order of Battle 1940-41
| 32 Anti-Aircraft Brigade – covering the East Midlands |
| 78th Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment (part) |
| 113th Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment (part) – formed Nov 40 |
| 27 Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment |
| 38 Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment (part) |
| 64 Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment (part) |
| 41 Searchlight Regiment |
| 44 Searchlight Regiment |
| 58 Searchlight Regiment |
| 40 AA Brigade – covering airfields |
| 78 Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment (part) |
| 30 Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment |
| 36 Searchlight Regiment |
| 64 Searchlight Regiment |
| 72 (Middlesex) Searchlight Regiment |
| 41 Anti-Aircraft Brigade – covering East Anglia |
| 78 Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment (part) |
| 29 Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment |
| 60 Searchlight Regiment |
| 65 Searchlight Regiment |
| 69 Searchlight Regiment |
| 121 Anti-Aircraft Z Battery – formed by May 41 |
| 50 Anti-Aircraft Brigade – covering Derby & Nottingham |
| 67 Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment |
| 113 Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment (part) |
| 28 Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment |
| 38 Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment (part) |
| 64 Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment (part) |
| 42 Searchlight Regiment |
| 38 Searchlight Regiment (part) |
| 50 Searchlight Regiment |
In the Spring of 1941, The 50 Anti-Aircraft Brigade was split up, keeping the Searchlight regiments while a new 66 Anti-Aircraft Brigade took the guns and rockets.
| 50th Anti-Aircraft Brigade |
| 28 Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment |
| 42 Searchlight Regiment |
| 50 Searchlight Regiment |
| 66 Anti-Aircraft Brigade |
| 67 Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment |
| 113 Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment |
| 38 Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment |
| 64 Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment |
| 15 AA Z Regiment |
Order of Battle 1942
| 32 Anti-Aircraft Brigade |
| 136 Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment – new regiment formed Oct 41; left Mar–Apr 42; returned Jun 42 |
| 45 Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment – from 41 Anti-Aircraft Brigade Aug 42; left Sep 42 |
| 64 Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment – to 41 Anti-Aircraft Brigade by May 42 |
| 120 Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment – converted from Searchlight; joined Sep 42 |
| 134 Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment – new regiment joined Feb–Mar 42; left May–Jun 42 |
| 41 Searchlight Regiment |
| 44 Searchlight Regiment – to 66 Anti-Aircraft Brigade Dec 41 |
| 58th Searchlight Regiment |
| 60 Searchlight Regiment – from 41 Anti-Aircraft Brigade Jan 42; left and converted to 126 Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment Feb–Mar 42 |
| 65 Searchlight Regiment |
| 40 Anti-Aircraft Brigade |
| 30 Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment – left Dec 41 |
| 33 Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment – left Dec 41 |
| 96 Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment – new regiment joined Dec 41; left by May 42 |
| 138 Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment – new regiment joined Jun 42 |
| 36 Searchlight Regiment |
| 64 Searchlight Regiment – to 32 Anti-Aircraft Brigade, May–Jun 42 |
| 41 Anti-Aircraft Brigade |
| 78 Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment – left Apr 42 |
| 82 Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment |
| 106 Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment – from 66 Anti-Aircraft Brigade May 42; left Jul 42 |
| 128 Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment – joined Jul 42; left Aug 42 |
| 161 (Mixed) Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment – new regiment joined Aug 42 |
| 64 Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment – from 32 Anti-Aircraft Brigade by May 42; left Jun 42 |
| 113 Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment – converted from 55 Searchlight Regiment, joined Mar–Apr 42 |
| 126 Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment – converted from 60 Searchlight Regiment, joined May 42 |
| 60 Searchlight Regiment – to 32 Anti-Aircraft Brigade Jan 42 |
| 69 Searchlight Regiment |
| 72 Searchlight Regiment |
| 50 Anti-Aircraft Brigade |
| 144 (Mixed) Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment – from 66 Anti-Aircraft Brigade Aug 42 |
| 20 Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment – joined Aug 42 |
| 111 Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment – left Jul 42 |
| 139 Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment – new regiment joined Aug 42; left Sep 42 |
| 42 Searchlight Regiment |
| 50 Searchlight Regiment – left May–Jun 42 |
| 15 Anti-Aircraft Z Regiment – from 66 Anti-Aircraft Brigade Aug 42 |
| 66 Anti-Aircraft Brigade |
| 106 Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment – to the 41 Anti-Aircraft Brigade May 42 |
| 113 Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment – left Mar 42 |
| 144 (Mixed) Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment – new regiment joined by May 42; to 50 Anti-Aircraft Brigade Aug 42 |
| 38 Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment – left Dec 41 |
| 45 Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment – joined by May 42; to 32 Anti-Aircraft Brigade Aug 42 |
| 44 Searchlight Regiment – from 32 Anti-Aircraft Brigade Dec 41; left by May 42 |
| 15th Anti-Aircraft Z Regiment – to 50 Anti-Aircraft Brigade Aug 42 |