50 Anti-Aircraft Brigade was formed in August 1939 at RAF Hucknall, Nottinghamshire. The Brigade was responsible for the defence of Derby, Nottingham and the East Midlands. Initially designated a “Light” Brigade, it became a standard AA Brigade over the winter of 1939-40. In the spring of 1941 the Brigade became “Light” again, keeping the LAA & Searchlight units with the rest going to the newly formed 66 AA Brigade.
The Brigade was earmarked for Normandy but didn’t actually go until sometime after D Day. 50 Anti-Aircraft Brigade moved to Brussels in March 1945 taking over from 101 AA Brigade.
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.
| Aug 39 | RAF Hucknall, Nottinghamshire |  | 2 Anti-Aircraft Division |
| Oct 42 | Nottinghamshire |  | 5 Anti-Aircraft Group |
| Mar 45 | Brussels, Belgium |  | 21 Army Group |
Order of Battle 1939-40
| 68 (North Midland) Anti-Aircraft Regiment RA (200, 222 (Derby), 276, 277 Btys) |
| 28 Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment RA (53 (Derby), 112 (Nottingham), 113 (Warwick) Btys) |
| 41 (5th North Staffordshire Regiment) Anti-Aircraft Battalion Royal Engineers (362, 363, 364, 365 Companies) – Searchlights |
| 42 (Robin Hoods, Sherwood Foresters) Anti-Aircraft Battalion Royal Engineers (366, 367, 368, 369 Companies) – Searchlights |
| 58 (Middlesex) Anti-Aircraft Battalion Royal Engineers (344, 425, 426 Companies) – Searchlights |
Order of Battle 1940-41
| 67 (York and Lancaster Regiment) Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment (187, 188, 189, 198 Btys) |
| 113 Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment (part) – formed Nov, joined Notts–Derby Gun Zone Dec 40 |
| 28 Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment |
| 38 Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment (part) |
| 64 Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment (part) |
| 38 (The King’s Regiment) Searchlight Regiment (part) |
| 42 (Robin Hoods, Sherwood Foresters) Searchlight Regiment |
| 50 (Northamptonshire Regiment) Searchlight Regiment (400, 401, 402, 403 Btys) |
Order of Battle 1941-42
| 144 (Mixed) Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment (497, 498, 503, 504 Btys) – Joined Aug 42 |
| 20 Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment – Joined Aug 42 |
| 28 Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment – Left Autumn 41 |
| 111 Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment (348, 349, 350, 363 Btys) – Joined Dec 41, left Jul 42 |
| 139 Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment (94, 177, 230 Btys) – Joined Jul, left Sep 42 |
| 42 (Robin Hoods, Sherwood Foresters) Searchlight Regiment |
| 50 (Northamptonshire Regiment) Searchlight Regiment |
| 15 AA Z Regiment |
Order of Battle 1942-44
| 144 (Mixed) Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment |
| 147 Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment (360, 403, 427) – Joined Jul, left Aug 43 |
| 172 (Mixed) Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment – Joined Aug 42, left Jul 43 |
| 20 Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment – Left Nov 42 |
| 120 Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment (393, 394, 395 Btys) – Joined Dec 42, left summer 43 |
| 142 Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment (374, 398, 465, 483) – Joined Apr, left Aug 43 |
| 36 (Middlesex) Searchlight Regiment (317, 345, 346, 424) – Joined Sep 43, left Jan 44 |
| 42 (Robin Hoods, Sherwood Foresters) Searchlight Regiment – Left early 43 |
| 43 (5th Duke of Wellington’s) Searchlight Regiment (370, 372, 373 Btys) – Joined Oct 43 |
| 49 (West Yorkshire Regiment) Searchlight Regiment (395, 396, 398 Btys) – Joined Mar 44 |
| 58 (Middlesex) Searchlight Regiment (314, 425, 426 Btys) – Rejoined Feb 44, left Sep 44 |
| 62 (Loyals) Searchlight Regiment (435, 436, 437 Btys) – Joined Dec 42, left early 43 |
| 64 (Essex Regiment) Searchlight Regiment (441, 442, 443 Btys) – Joined Mar, left Jul 44 |
| 65 (Essex Regiment) Searchlight Regiment (444, 445, 446 Btys) – Joined Jul, left Aug 43 |
| 84 Searchlight Regiment (512, 518, 519 Btys) – Joined early 43, disbanded Oct 43 |
| 15 AA Z Regiment ( 120, 180, 181, 219 Btys) – Left Apr 44 |
Order of Battle April 1945
| 155 (Mixed) Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment |
| 150 (Loyals) Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment |
| 1 Independent Light Anti-Aircraft/Searchlight Regiment |
| 7 Battery, 1 Searchlight Regiment |
| 411 Battery, 54 (Durham Light Infantry) Searchlight Regiment |
