12 Anti-Aircraft Brigade was formed in October 1939 with responsibility for the airfields of the Advanced Air Striking Force of the RAF in France. On return to the UK the Brigade served with Northern Command and AA Command. It moved to Egypt in April 1941 and fought through the desert campaigns and into Tunisia. In September 1943 it moved to Italy and served there until disbandment. 12 Anti-Aircraft Brigade was stood down in May 1945 and was employed in transport, guard and POW duties until disbanding in November 1945.
Note: When a unit designation is two number blocks seperated by a slash (/) this means it is a battery followed by the regiment it is from e.g. 210/73 is 210 Battery from 73 Regiment.
Illustrations of the formation badges under which a unit served or supported are given. This is no guarantee that the unit used this formations badge.
| Oct 39 | Chateau Polignac, France | | HQ BEF |
| May 40 | Blois, France | | HQ BEF |
| May 40 | Nantes, France | | HQ BEF |
| Jun 40 | Tadcaster, Yorkshire |  | Northern Command |
| Oct 40 | Coventry, West Midlands |  | AA Command |
| April 41 | Nile Delta, Egypt | | |
| July 41 | Mersa Matruh, Egypt | | Western Desert Force |
| Sep 41 | Sidi Barrani, Egypt |  | 8 Army |
| Oct 41 | Sanyat Amad Ali, Egypt | | 8 Army |
| Nov 41 | Sidi Rezegh, Libya | | 8 Army |
| Dec 41 | Antelat, Libya | | 8 Army |
| Jan 42 | El Adem, Libya | | 8 Army |
| Aug 42 | El Alamein, Egypt | | 8 Army |
| Jan 43 | Tripoli, Libya | | 8 Army |
| May 43 | Enfidaville, Tunisia | | 8 Army |
| Sep 43 | Salerno, Italy |  | 10 Corps |
| Oct 43 | Naples, Italy |  | US 5 Army |
| Oct 43 | Volturno River, Italy | | 10 Corps |
| Nov 43 | Capua, Italy | | 10 Corps |
| Mar 44 | Venafro, Italy | | 8 Army |
| Apr 44 | Monte Cassino, Italy | | 8 Army |
| Jul 44 | Tiber Valley, Italy | | US 5 Army |
| Aug 44 | Adriatic Front, Italy | | 8 Army |
| Jan 45 | Forli, Italy | | 8 Army |
| Apr 45 | Ferrara, Italy | | 8 Army |
| May 45 | Padua, Italy – Brigade stood down. Employed in
Transport, Guard & POW duties | | |
| Nov 45 | Brigade disbanded | | |
Order of Battle May 1940
| 53 (City of London) Anti-Aircraft Regiment (157, 158, 159 Batteries) |
| 73 Anti-Aircraft Regiment (209, 311, 210 Batteries) |
| 5 (Independent) Anti-Aircraft Battery |
| 162/54 Light Anti-Aircraft Battery |
| 7/2 Searchlight Battery |
Order of Battle October 1942
| 88 Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment (281, 283 Batteries) |
| 94 Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment (291, 292 Batteries) |
| 14 Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment (39, 40, 57 Batteries) |
| 16 Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment (45, 46, 83 Batteries) |
| 27 Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment (82, 274 Batteries) |
| 37/13 Light Anti-Aircraft Battery |
| 2 Troops from 390 Searchlight Battery |
Order of Battle September 1943
| 9 (Londonderry) Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment |
| 57 Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment |
| 87 Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment |
| 13 Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment |
| 14 Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment |
| 52 (East Lancashire) Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment |
| 1 AA Operations Room |
| 2 AA Operations Room |
Under Command for Salerno
| RHQ & 305 Battery 100 Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment |
| 252/80 Heavy Anti-Aircraft Battery |
| 258/47 Light Anti-Aircraft Battery |
| 329/99 Light Anti-Aircraft Battery |
| 807 Mobile Smoke Coy Pioneer Corps |
| 1991 Smoke Coy Pioneer Corps |
Order of Battle Naples April 1943
| Naples |
| 9 Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment |
| 215/57 Heavy Anti-Aircraft Battery |
| 52 Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment |
| 37/13 Light Anti-Aircraft Battery |
| 1 AA Operations Room |
| 807 Smoke Coy |
| 997 Barrage Balloon Sqdn RAF |
| Capodichino and Pomigliano |
| 213 & 214 Batteries, 57 Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment |
| 14 Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment |
| 258/47 Light Anti-Aircraft Battery |
| 2 AA Operations Room |
Order of Battle July 1944
| 1 Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment – left by Oct 44 |
| 57 Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment |
| 97 (London Scottish) Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment |
| 14 Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment |
| 52 Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment |
| 99 Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment – left by Oct 44 |
| 49 AA Operations Room |
Order of Battle January 1945
| 55 (Kent) Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment |
| 57 Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment |
| 79 Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment – left by Apr 45 |
| 14 Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment |
| 30 Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment |
| 52 Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment |
| 323/30 Searchlight Battery |
| 567/30 Searchlight Battery – joined Apr 45 |
| 49 AA Operations Room |
12 Brigade also had 2 Polish Corps Heavy & Light AA Regiments, 3 Italian LAA Batteries & an RAF Regiment LAA Battery.
