3 Anti-Aircraft Corps (United Kingdom)

3 Anti-Aircraft Corps
Active	11 November 1940–30 September 1942
Country	United Kingdom
Branch	British Army
Type	Anti-Aircraft corps
Role	Air Defence
Part of	Anti-Aircraft Command
Garrison/HQ	Edinburgh
Engagements	The Blitz Baedeker Blitz

3 Anti-Aircraft Corps (3 AA Corps) was a high-level formation of Britain's Anti-Aircraft Command from 1940 to 1942. It defended Scotland, Northern Ireland and North East England during the Blitz and the middle years of World War II.

AA Command had been created in 1938 to control the Territorial Army's rapidly-expanding anti-aircraft (AA) organisation within Air Defence of Great Britain. On the outbreak of war in September 1939, it commanded seven AA Divisions, each with several AA Brigades, disposed around the United Kingdom. Continued expansion made this organisation unwieldy, so in November 1940 – during the Luftwaffe's nightly Blitz on London and other British cities – five further AA Divisions were organised, and all the divisions grouped under three corps headquarters directly subordinate to AA Command. 3 AA Corps covered North Eastern England, Scotland and Northern Ireland, and by February 1941 comprised four division-level headquarters and 11 brigades. Its boundaries roughly coincided with 13 Group and 14 Group of RAF Fighter Command.

3 AA Corps had the following organisation from February 1941:

Corps HQ: Edinburgh

General Officer Commanding:

During its short existence, 3 AA Corps had to deal with the 1940–41 Blitz on industrial towns and cities such as Belfast, Clydebank, Greenock and Newcastle upon Tyne, as well as later raids on Middlesbrough and Sunderland. In August 1942, 3 AA Division HQ was sent south to assist in defending the South Coast of England against 'hit and run' attacks by the Luftwaffe.

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