12th (Service) Battalion, Gloucestershire Regiment (Bristol's Own), Service, Italy
5th Division completed its concentration to the east of the River Brenta, not far from Padua, by 20 December. When 5th Division took over part of the line along the River Piave on 27 January 1918 12th Gloucesters relieved an Italian unit, and was ordered to wear Italian helmets to conceal the fact that British troops had taken over. The battalion carried out several fighting patrols against the opposing Hungarian units until 5th Division was relieved on 18 March.


12th (Service) Battalion, Gloucestershire Regiment (Bristol's Own), Service, Spring Offensive
The Germans began their Spring Offensive on the Western Front on 21 March and achieved rapid successes. On 24 March 5th Division was warned that it would return to France. Entrainment began on 1 April, 12th Gloucesters started on 2 April, and the division completed its concentration between Doullens and Frévent on 9 April.


12th (Service) Battalion, Gloucestershire Regiment (Bristol's Own), Service, Spring Offensive
The second phase of the Spring Offensive (Operation Georgette, or the Battle of the Lys) had opened on 7 April and 5th Division took up positions from the Lys Canal to the Forest of Nieppe, where it came under immediate attack (the Battle of Hazebrouck). On 13 April 12th Gloucesters held off one German attack for the loss of 76 casualties, including 18 killed. By 15 April the battalion was well dug in and held off another attack.


12th (Service) Battalion, Gloucestershire Regiment (Bristol's Own), Service, Spring Offensive
The battalion was out of the line from 16 to 21 April, and then carried out an attack of its own on 22 April. Close behind a creeping barrage it captured Le Vert Bois Farm (later renamed 'Gloucester Farm') without serious opposition, but it took all day to take Le Vert Bois itself. The battalion captured three German machine guns and 39 prisoners. The Germans abandoned Operation Georgette a few days later.


12th (Service) Battalion, Gloucestershire Regiment (Bristol's Own), Service, Spring Offensive
On 28 June the British launched a limited operation to improve their positions along the edge of the Nieppe Forest. 12th Gloucesters was tasked with capturing Le Cornet Perdu, moving up in darkness to attack at 06.00. It took all its objectives by 09.30, and pushed patrols up to the Plate Becq river, though a handful of German machine guns had caused 164 casualties, of whom 45 died.


12th (Service) Battalion, Gloucestershire Regiment (Bristol's Own), Service, Hundred Days Offensive
The Allies launched their own Hundred Days Offensive on 8 August 1918, when 5th Division was in reserve. It then came into action at the Third Battle of Albert on 21 August. This was a three-phase attack, with 5th Division passing through 37th Division for the second phase. 95th Brigade led, with 12th Gloucesters as its reserve. Once the second objective had been taken, 12th Gloucesters took over and despite having lost the barrage advanced over a mile of open country with some of 1st East Surreys and just reached the Arras–Albert railway before meeting stronger opposition.


12th (Service) Battalion, Gloucestershire Regiment (Bristol's Own), Service, Hundred Days Offensive
Mist now hampered the artillery and tanks and the battalion was unable to push beyond the railway to the final objective. It had lost an officer and 11 other ranks killed, and nearly 100 wounded. Next day the battalion consolidated, then drove off a German counter-attack at 17.30, capturing 180 prisoners and five machine guns in the process. On 23 August, reinforced by two companies of 1st DCLI, the battalion launched an attack at 11.00 behind a creeping barrage to capture the railway line itself.


12th (Service) Battalion, Gloucestershire Regiment (Bristol's Own), Service, Hundred Days Offensive
The Germans had numerous machine gun nests along it and caused numerous casualties before they were overrun. Having lost the barrage, the battalion was unable to advance beyond the ridge to Irles, and requested reinforcements. Before they arrived, the neighbouring brigade attacked, so Lt-Col Colt led a charge by the remainder of 12th Gloucesters and the DCLI companies to capture the village, though losses were heavy: 30 men were killed and nine officers and 170 men wounded, including Lt-Col Colt (who was awarded the DSO). The previous CO, Lt-Col Rawson, returned to command the battalion.


12th (Service) Battalion, Gloucestershire Regiment (Bristol's Own), Service, Hundred Days Offensive
The weakened battalion was withdrawn into reserve while the rest of 95th Brigade attacked on 30 August (the Battle of the Scarpe) and then took over holding part of the front line. 95th Brigade was relieved on 4 September after the conclusion of the Second Battle of Bapaume. Part of 5th Division went into action at the Battle of Épehy on 18 September, and  12th Gloucesters later received the battle honour despite not being engaged.


12th (Service) Battalion, Gloucestershire Regiment (Bristol's Own), Service, Hundred Days Offensive
All the Allied armies began a rolling offensive all the way along the Western Front on 26 September. The BEF's Third Army stormed across the Canal du Nord on 27 September, and next morning 5th Division launched a follow-up attack. Because the designated assault brigade (13th Brigade) had suffered heavy casualties, 95th Brigade was substituted for it at short notice and only just got to the jumping-off position in time for Zero hour at 02.40.


12th (Service) Battalion, Gloucestershire Regiment (Bristol's Own), Service, Hundred Days Offensive
It ran into considerable opposition and 12th Gloucesters found both its flanks were open; 1st DCLI came up on the left later, but the right remained  exposed and isolated German machine gun posts had to be dealt with using rifle grenades. It was not until 08.00 that the first village was taken. The brigade then had to resort to trench warfare methods to work its way up to the second objective on the slopes of Welsh Ridge by evening. 95th Brigade was also hung up when it attacked again next day, finding the pace of the creeping barrage too fast over broken ground. By the time it was relieved on 30 September 12th Gloucesters' casualties amounted to 52, 24 of them fatal, though it had taken about 120 prisoners.


12th (Service) Battalion, Gloucestershire Regiment (Bristol's Own), Disbandment
While 5th Division had been in Italy, the BEF's manpower shortage led to infantry brigades being reduced from four to three battalions. 5th Division's brigades had retained the four-battalion establishment, but by late 1918 the shortage of manpower was critical, and the division had to fall in line. As the only New Army battalion in 95th Brigade, 12th Gloucesters was ordered to disband and the remaining men were drafted to other units. 12th (Service) Battalion, Gloucestershire Regiment, (Bristol's Own) commenced disbandment on 19 October 1918 while the Battle of the Selle was raging. Most of D Company was posted to 14th Warwicks, which became the divisional pioneer battalion. Others went to 1st Devons and 1st DCLI. The war ended less than a month later when the Armistice with Germany came into effect.


12th (Service) Battalion, Gloucestershire Regiment (Bristol's Own), Disbandment
During its service the battalion had suffered losses of 32 officers and 754 other ranks killed. Of the original 990 men who landed in France in November 1915, 205 had died with the battalion, and over 100 more after being posted to other units.


12th (Service) Battalion, Gloucestershire Regiment (Bristol's Own), 15th (Reserve) Battalion, Gloucestershire Regiment
15th (Reserve) Battalion was formed at Sutton Coldfield on 31 August 1915 from the depot companies of the 12th (Bristol's Own) and 14th (West of England) Battalions of the Gloucesters. The 14th (Service) Battalion was a 'Bantam' battalion that had been raised by the Bristol Citizens' Recruiting Committee on 22 April 1915. The 15th Battalion moved to Chiseldon Camp and joined 22nd Reserve Brigade. The CO from 10 August 1915 to 31 August 1916 was Lt-Col Stephen Willcock. On 1 September 1916 it became 93rd Training Reserve Battalion in 22nd Reserve Bde and on 4 July 1917 it was redesignated 262nd (Infantry) Battalion of the Training Reserve. When the Training Reserve was reorganised in late 1917, the battalion became 51st (Graduated) Battalion, Royal Warwickshire Regiment.


12th (Service) Battalion, Gloucestershire Regiment (Bristol's Own), Memorials
In 1921 Lt-Col Archer-Shee, the 12th Gloucesters' former CO, paid for a memorial to be erected at Longueval on the Somme, where the battalion had first attacked on 29 July 1916. The memorial, in the form of an oak cross known as 'Gloster Cross', disappeared during World War II, but was replaced in 1986 and restored in 2006.


12th (Service) Battalion, Gloucestershire Regiment (Bristol's Own), Memorials
In 1951 the Bristol's Own Old Comrades Association unveiled a bronze memorial plaque in the crypt of St Nicholas Church, Bristol.


12th (Service) Battalion, Gloucestershire Regiment (Bristol's Own), Battle Honours
12th Gloucesters was awarded 22 Battle Honours for its service:


12th (Yorkshire) Parachute Battalion
The 12th (Yorkshire) Parachute Battalion was an airborne infantry battalion of the Parachute Regiment, raised by the British Army during the Second World War. The battalion was formed by the conversion of the 10th (East Riding Yeomanry) Battalion, Green Howards to parachute duties in May 1943. They were then assigned to the 5th Parachute Brigade, alongside the 7th and 13th Parachute battalions, which was part of the 6th Airborne Division.


12th (Yorkshire) Parachute Battalion
The battalion took part in Operation Tonga during the D-Day landings, capturing Ranville and held it against several German counter-attacks. It later fought in the Battle of Breville, and played a part in the 6th Airborne Division advance to the River Seine, after which it was returned to England in September 1944. The battalion was deployed to the River Meuse with the 5th Parachute Brigade during the German Ardennes offensive in December. Its final mission in Europe was Operation Varsity, the River Rhine crossing in March 1945. They then advanced further into Germany, and had reached the Baltic Sea, when Germany surrendered.


12th (Yorkshire) Parachute Battalion
After the war in Europe the battalion was sent to the Far East, taking part in operations in Malaya and Java. In 1946 the battalion rejoined the 6th Airborne Division in Palestine, where it was disbanded. In 1947 a new 12th Battalion was raised as part of the 16th Airborne Division in the reformed Territorial Army.


12th (Yorkshire) Parachute Battalion, Formation
In May 1943, the 10th (East Riding Yeomanry) Battalion, Green Howards was converted to parachute duties becoming the 12th (Yorkshire) Parachute Battalion, under the command of Lieutenant Colonel R.G. Parker. The battalion was then assigned to the 5th Parachute Brigade, part of the 6th Airborne Division.


12th (Yorkshire) Parachute Battalion, Formation
Upon formation, the battalion had an establishment of 556 men in three rifle companies. The companies were divided into a small headquarters and three platoons. The platoons had three Bren machine guns and three 2-inch mortars, one of each per section. The only heavy weapons in the battalion were a 3 inch mortar and a Vickers machine gun platoon. By 1944 a headquarters or support company, was added to the battalion comprising five platoons: motor transport, signals, mortar, machine-gun and anti-tank. With eight 3 inch mortars, four Vickers machine guns and ten PIAT anti-tank projectors.


12th (Yorkshire) Parachute Battalion, Formation
All members of the battalion had to undergo a twelve-day parachute training course carried out at No. 1 Parachute Training School, RAF Ringway. Initial parachute jumps were from a converted barrage balloon and finished with five parachute jumps from an aircraft. Anyone failing to complete a descent was returned to his old unit. Those men who successfully completed the parachute course, were presented with their maroon beret and parachute wings.


12th (Yorkshire) Parachute Battalion, Formation
Airborne soldiers were expected to fight against superior numbers of the enemy, armed with heavy weapons, including artillery and tanks. So training was designed to encourage a spirit of self-discipline, self-reliance and aggressiveness. Emphasis was given to physical fitness, marksmanship and fieldcraft. A large part of the training regime consisted of assault courses and route marching. Military exercises included capturing and holding airborne bridgeheads, road or rail bridges and coastal fortifications. At the end of most exercises, the battalion would march back to their barracks. An ability to cover long distances at speed was expected: airborne platoons were required to cover a distance of 50 miles (80 km) in 24 hours, and battalions 32 miles (51 km).


12th (Yorkshire) Parachute Battalion, Operational history, Normandy
On 6 June 1944, the 12th Parachute Battalion landed in Normandy at 00:50. The battalion was first tasked with securing the village of Le Bas de Ranville, despite the battalions' drop being heavily dispersed (only two thirds could be accounted for), the village was secured by 04:00 and the battalion began digging in around the village. The 12th held their ground until relieved by the 3rd British Infantry Division advancing from the beaches.


12th (Yorkshire) Parachute Battalion, Operational history, Normandy
During this time the 12th Parachute Battalion was bombarded with heavy mortar and artillery fire, and repelled two German counter-attacks by the 125th Panzer Grenadier Regiment; the first was defeated after destroying a Tiger tank and taking a number of prisoners, and the second was repulsed with the help of an air-landed anti-tank battery which had recently arrived. The battalion then relieved the Glider-borne infantry of 2nd Battalion, Ox and Bucks Light Infantry at the River Orne and Caen canal bridges.


12th (Yorkshire) Parachute Battalion, Operational history, Normandy
On 7 June the battalion held a defensive line protecting the bridgeheads south of Ranville when they came under attack by eight Panzer IV tanks and an infantry company of the 21st Panzer Division. The attack was beaten off for the loss of three tanks, but caused several casualties amongst 'A' Company, including the crew of their only supporting 6 pounder anti-tank gun. The battalions' commanding officer Lieutenant Colonel Anthony Johnson was posthumously awarded the Distinguished Service Order for the action, Private Francis James Hall of the battalion was awarded the Military Medal for destroying two of the Panzers in quick succession.


12th (Yorkshire) Parachute Battalion, Operational history, Normandy
On 9 June two companies of the battalion were ordered to support the Royal Ulster Rifles in their assault on Honorine la Chardonnerette. The village proved too heavily defended and R.U.R. were order to withdraw. During the withdrawal Lance-Sergeant John Fennell Nankivell of the 12th Battalion Mortar platoon was awarded the Military Medal for continuing to man the battalion Mortar while under heavy sniper fire to cover the withdrawal of the rest of the company.


12th (Yorkshire) Parachute Battalion, Operational history, Normandy
On 12 June the battalion, now under strength and being held in reserve was ordered to assault the village of Breville with the support of one company from the 12th Battalion Devonshires and the 22nd Independent Parachute Company. The successful capture of the village prevented the German army from using it as a staging area to launch attacks on the River Orne and Caen canal bridgeheads. The Germans never seriously attempted to break through the 6th division's lines again. However the attack cost 12th Parachute Battalion 126 killed (including Lieutenant Colonel Johnson. Lord Lovat who came to observe the battle was wounded at the same time as Johnson was killed. Shelled by Allied Artillery whilst on the start line). This left its three rifle companies with only thirty-five men between them.


12th (Yorkshire) Parachute Battalion, Operational history, River Seine
After a period of rest and reorganisation the battalion rejoined the 5th Parachute Brigade in preparation for the breakout offensive towards the River Seine. On 20 July, the 49th (West Riding) Infantry Division moved into the line between the 6th Airborne Division and the 51st (Highland) Infantry Division. On 7 August GOC Richard Nelson Gale was ordered to prepare the 6th Airborne to move onto the offensive, they would be advancing on the left flank of the 49th Division, with their objective being the mouth of the River Seine. The three divisions east of the Orne together became I Corps; its commander, Lieutenant-General John Crocker, knowing that the 6th Airborne had almost no artillery, vehicles or engineer equipment, did not expect it to advance very quickly. To reach the Seine, the division would have to cross three major rivers.


12th (Yorkshire) Parachute Battalion, Operational history, River Seine
On 17 August the 3rd Parachute Brigade led the division's breakout from the start line, by 18 August the brigade had crossed the River Dives and reached the outskirts of Goustranville. Here the division halted, and the 5th Parachute Brigade took over the attack, their first objective being the village of Putot en Auge. The 13th Parachute Battalion attempted to carry out a bayonet assault on Hill 13 however they were forced to withdraw under heavy fire after a German counterattack. The 7th Parachute Battalion secured the area east of Putot en Auge, while the 12th Parachute Battalion assaulted the village itself, taking 120 German prisoners and several heavy weapons.


12th (Yorkshire) Parachute Battalion, Operational history, River Seine
On 21 August, the 3rd Parachute Brigade advanced towards the River Touques at Pont-l'Évêque facing very heavy resistance from German infantry and armour. Here the brigade held firm while the 5th Parachute Brigade advanced through them, and reached Pont-l'Évêque on 22 August. Both the 12th and 13th battalions attempted to force bridge heads across the Touques river. Under the cover of a smoke barrage, the 12th Battalion attempted to cross at a railway embankment at Saint Jean.


12th (Yorkshire) Parachute Battalion, Operational history, River Seine
The Germans opened fire when they were around 400 yards (370 m) from the river; only ten men from the battalion succeeded in crossing, and then became trapped on the far bank. Running low on ammunition, and without support, they eventually withdrew. Sergeant Dennis Edmund Griss of 'A' Company was awarded the Croix de Guerre for the action. The 13th battalion attempted to cross the first branch of the river but facing fierce German resistance they also withdrew.


12th (Yorkshire) Parachute Battalion, Operational history, River Seine
The next day, patrols from the 7th Parachute Battalion discovered that the Germans had withdrawn during the night, and they therefore crossed the river and secured the high ground to the north, closely followed by the rest of the brigade. On 26 August 5 Parachute Brigade and the Dutch Motorized Brigade raced to capture Pont Audemer the crossing over the River Seine, however the Germans blow up the bridge just 20 minutes before their arrival. Despite being "quite inadequately equipped for a rapid pursuit", in nine days of fighting the 6th Airborne Division had advanced 45 miles (72 km) and captured 400 square miles (1,000 km2) of enemy held territory.


12th (Yorkshire) Parachute Battalion, Operational history, Ardennes
The 6th Airborne Division was called to intervene in the German offensive through the Ardennes on 20 December 1944. On the 29th of that month they attacked the tip of the German thrust and the 5th Parachute Brigade was ordered towards Grupont. The battalion was involved for several months of heavy patrolling, in Belgium and, in February, the Netherlands opposed to the 7th Parachute Division (Fallschirmjäger), the 6th Airborne Division was then withdrawn to England.


12th (Yorkshire) Parachute Battalion, Operational history, Germany
By March 1945 the 12th Parachute Battalion had returned to England for reorganisation and training. Now under the command of Lt Col K. T. Darling it was next participating in the Rhine Crossing, Operation Varsity. At 10:14, 24 March the battalion dropped west of Hamminkeln, north west of Wesel, amidst considerable 88mm fire.


12th (Yorkshire) Parachute Battalion, Operational history, Germany
The drop had left the battalion dispersed and disorientated, they first assembled at a similar but incorrect rendezvous. Upon realising their mistake and proceeding to the correct area, they suffered casualties after coming under fire from German troops dug in along the drop area. The battalion located the German positions, countered them and took several prisoners. The 12th and 13th battalions then made their way off the drop zone and, after a struggle, established themselves on the Brigade's main objective, covering the road to Hamminkeln.


12th (Yorkshire) Parachute Battalion, Operational history, Germany
On 26 March the battalion advanced through Hamminkeln where HQ was established. ' A' Company of the 12th also took 40 POWs who surrendered without resistance.


12th (Yorkshire) Parachute Battalion, Operational history, Germany
During the night of 28 March, 13th Parachute Battalion captured the high ground above the village of Erle. Simultaneously 12th Battalion marched 20 miles (32 km) across country, and were ready to assault Erle once daylight came. The battalion then assaulted at dawn capturing the village after an hour's fight and taking 100-200 POWs.


12th (Yorkshire) Parachute Battalion, Operational history, Germany
On 6 April advancing in the direction of the River Leine, the 12th Parachute Battalion maintained an advance for 30 hours, including 30 miles in 10 hours, and as a result of four major skirmishes, had killed or captured three hundred enemy troops and a considerable amount of war materiel. Following this advance they were furthest troops into Germany of any in British 2nd Army.


12th (Yorkshire) Parachute Battalion, Operational history, Germany
The 5th Parachute Brigade continued its advance through Germany towards the Baltic sea, often supported by tanks of the 6th Guards Tank Brigade.


12th (Yorkshire) Parachute Battalion, Operational history, Far East
Following the war in Europe the battalion deployed with the 5th Brigade to Far East. The end of the war precluded any combat operations against Japanese forces. The brigade took part in the unopposed liberation of Malaya and Singapore. The battalion was then deployed to Malaya under the command of the 23rd Indian Infantry Division. In December 1945 the 23rd Indian Division and 5th Parachute Brigade successfully occupied civil administration buildings in Batavia, including all police stations. Many public officials were suspected of collaboration with the nationalist insurgents and were quickly interrogated and dismissed from the force.


12th (Yorkshire) Parachute Battalion, Operational history, Palestine
In 1946 the 5th Brigade was sent to join the 6th Airborne Division in Palestine, upon arrival in August news was received the 5th Parachute Brigade would be disbanded. Members of the 12th Parachute Battalion were distributed among other parachute units of the division.


12th (Yorkshire) Parachute Battalion, Operational history, Territorial Army
When the Territorial Army was reformed after the war, a new 12th Battalion, Parachute Regiment (TA) was formed in 1947. The battalion was re-designated 12 PARA (TA) in 1948, and again became part of the 5th Parachute Brigade, attached to 16th Airborne Division (TA). In October 1956, the 12th Battalion was amalgamated with the 13th Battalion as the 12/13 PARA (TA). A further amalgamation with 17 PARA in 1967, formed the present day 4th Battalion, Parachute Regiment.


12th AARP Movies for Grownups Awards
The 12th AARP Movies for Grownups Awards, presented by AARP the Magazine, honored films released in 2012 and were announced on February 4, 2013. Susan Sarandon was the winner of the annual Career Achievement Award, and Dustin Hoffman won the award for Breakthrough Achievement for his first directorial effort, Quartet.


12th AARP Movies for Grownups Awards, Awards, Winners and Nominees
Winners are listed first, highlighted in boldface, and indicated with a double dagger ().


12th ALMA Awards
The 12th ALMA Awards honored the accomplishments made by Hispanics in film, television, and music in 2010. This ceremony marked the return of the ALMA Awards after being cancelled the prior year and the first of two consecutive years the show aired on NBC after having previously aired on ABC for 9 years.


12th ALMA Awards
The ceremony was held on September 10, 2011 at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium. The awards were hosted by George Lopez and Eva Longoria, with musical performances by Pitbull, Demi Lovato and Gloria Estefan.


12th ALMA Awards, Winners and nominees
The following is a list of the nominees from film, television, and music. Winners are listed first and highlighted in bold:


12th AVN Awards
The 12th AVN Awards ceremony, organized by Adult Video News (AVN) took place on January 7, 1995, at Bally's Hotel and Casino, Paradise, Nevada beginning at 7:45 p.m. PST / 10:45 p.m. EST. During the ceremony, AVN presented AVN Awards (commonly referred to as the Oscars of porn) in 89 categories honoring the movies released during the period December 1, 1993 to November 30, 1994. The ceremony was produced by Gary Miller, Mark Stone and Marco Polo. Actor Steven St. Croix hosted the show for the first time, with co-hosts Dyanna Lauren and Tera Heart.


12th AVN Awards
Michael Ninn’s Sex won nine awards, including Best Film. Other winners included Dog Walker and Shame with five each. Flashpoint and Idol Country were the top gay movies with four trophies apiece.


12th AVN Awards, Winners and nominees
The nominees for the 12th AVN Awards were announced at the AVN nominations luncheon 30 days prior to the awards ceremony. Dog Walker and Michael Ninn's Sex earned the most nominations with fourteen. They were the most nominated movies since the awards began in 1984. Shame, an avant-garde western, earned ten nominations while Body & Soul and The Dinner Party had nine apiece.


12th AVN Awards, Winners and nominees
The winners were announced during the awards ceremony on January 7, 1995. John Leslie won best director in both the film and the video categories, the first time that had happened. He joined previous winners Cecil Howard and Henri Pachard as the only people to have won three best director awards. Ashlyn Gere won Best Actress in both the film and the video categories, just as she had done two years earlier. Asia Carrera became the first person to win the AVN Award for Female Performer of the Year in her first year in the industry. Kylie Ireland was crowned Starlet of the Year.


12th AVN Awards, Winners and nominees, Major awards
Winners are listed first, highlighted in boldface, and indicated with a double dagger ().


12th AVN Awards, Winners and nominees, Additional award winners
These awards were also announced at the awards show, in two winners-only segments read by T. T. Boy, Dyanna Lauren and Tera Heart. Some of the gay awards were announced by Gender and Chris Green.


12th AVN Awards, Winners and nominees, Honorary AVN Awards, Hall of Fame
AVN Hall of Fame inductees for 1995 were: Robert Bullock, Karen Dior, Chi Chi LaRue, Scotty Fox, Ryan Idol, Sean Michaels, Kelly Nichols, Nikki Randall, Jim South, Sheri St. Clair, Samantha Strong


12th AVN Awards, Presenters and performers
The following individuals, in order of appearance, presented awards or performed musical numbers or magical acts. The show's trophy girls were Lexus Locklear and Lisa Ann.


12th AVN Awards, Ceremony information
Actor Steven St. Croix hosted the show for the first time following a three-year stint by actor Randy West. His co-host for the first half of the show was Dyanna Lauren while Tera Heart co-hosted the last half of the show.


12th AVN Awards, Ceremony information
Midway through the show, AVN executive editor Gene Ross introduced a montage of scenes of humorous moments from a variety of movies, “Great Moments in Adult Video History”, featuring actor Randy West and dozens of others.


12th AVN Awards, Ceremony information
Several other people were involved with the production of the ceremony. Gary Miller and Mark Stone served as producer and director for the show while Marco Polo served as director of the broadcast. Stone also served as musical director.


12th AVN Awards, Ceremony information
There were several new categories for this year's awards show, including: Best Ethnic-Themed Video, Best Special Effects, the Hot Vidéo Award (Best European Release), Most Outrageous Sex Scene and a couple more awards in gay categories.


12th AVN Awards, Ceremony information
John Wayne Bobbitt: Uncut was announced as the movie with the most sales and also the most rentals over the 12 months.


12th AVN Awards, Ceremony information
A VHS videotape of the show was also published and sold by VCA Pictures, which had hardcore clips of the winning movies interspersed with the awards presentations. A softcore version was made available on VHS for promotional purposes by NightVision.


12th AVN Awards, Ceremony information, Critical reception
The show received a mixed reception from media publications. Erotic X-Film Guide called the show “a gala, star-studded event equal in glitz and glamor to any mainstream film awards show.” However, Oui magazine and Adult Cinema Review said the video montage didn't work and some of the other entertainment was long, boring and tedious.


12th AVN Awards, In Memoriam
AVN publisher Paul Fishbein shared a moment of remembrance for industry performers who died over the past 12 months:


12th AVN Awards, Notes
The wrong winner was announced at the show. Adult Video News magazine corrected the mistake: "A program misprint and the fact that Tammi Ann's name was inadvertently dropped, might have caused some confusion in this category. Buttslammers 3 was announced from the program dais, however Buttslammers 4 is the official winner."


12th Academy Awards
The 12th Academy Awards ceremony, presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS), honored the best in film for 1939. The ceremony was held on February 29, 1940, at a banquet in the Coconut Grove at The Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles. It was hosted by Bob Hope (in his first of nineteen turns as host).


12th Academy Awards
David O. Selznick's production Gone with the Wind received the most nominations of the year with thirteen. Other films receiving multiple nominations included: Mr. Smith Goes to Washington; Wuthering Heights; Goodbye, Mr. Chips; Stagecoach; Love Affair; The Wizard of Oz; The Rains Came; The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex; Ninotchka; Of Mice and Men; and Dark Victory.


12th Academy Awards
This was the first year in which an Academy Award (also known as an Oscar) was awarded in the category of special effects (previously, however, "special achievement" awards for effects had occasionally been conferred), and the first time that two awards for cinematography were presented (one for a color film and another for a black-and-white film). This event also marked the first time that more than one film had received ten or more Oscar nominations.


12th Academy Awards
Hattie McDaniel became the first African-American to receive an Academy Award, winning in the Best Supporting Actress category for Gone with the Wind. Mickey Rooney became the second-youngest nominee for Best Actor in a Leading Role at 19, and the first teenager to be nominated for an Academy Award for his performance as Mickey Moran in the musical Babes in Arms.


12th Academy Awards, Academy Awards of Merit
AMPAS presented Academy Awards of Merit in 20 categories. Nominees for each award are listed below; award winners are listed first and highlighted in boldface.


12th Academy Awards, Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award
The Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award was presented to David O. Selznick.


12th Academy Awards, Academy Juvenile Award
The Academy Juvenile Award was presented to Judy Garland for The Wizard of Oz.


12th Academy Awards, The lead-up to the awards ceremony
Prior to the announcement of nominations, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington and Gone with the Wind were the two films most widely tipped to receive a significant number of nominations. Mr. Smith Goes to Washington premiered in Washington with a premier party hosted by the National Press Club who found themselves portrayed unfavourably in the film; the film's theme of political corruption was condemned and the film was denounced in the U.S. Senate.


12th Academy Awards, The lead-up to the awards ceremony
Joseph P. Kennedy, the U.S. Ambassador to Britain urged President Franklin D. Roosevelt and the studio head Harry Cohn to cease showing the film overseas because "it will cause our allies to view us in an unfavourable light". Among those who campaigned in favour of the film were Hedda Hopper who declared it "as great as Lincoln's Gettysburg speech", while Sheilah Graham called it the "best talking picture ever made". Screen Book magazine stated that it "should win every Academy Award". Frank Capra, the director, and James Stewart, the film's star were considered front runners to win awards.


12th Academy Awards, The lead-up to the awards ceremony
Gone with the Wind premiered in December 1939 with a Gallup poll taken shortly before its release concluding that 56.5 million people intended to see the film. The New York Film Critics Award was given to Wuthering Heights after thirteen rounds of balloting had left the voters deadlocked between Mr. Smith Goes to Washington and Gone with the Wind. The press were divided in their support for the nominated actors.


12th Academy Awards, The lead-up to the awards ceremony
Time magazine favoured Vivien Leigh and used her portrait for their Christmas 1939 edition, and The Hollywood Reporter predicted a possible win by Leigh and Laurence Olivier with the comment that they "are, for the moment, just about the most sacred of all Hollywood's sacred cows". West Coast newspapers, particularly in Los Angeles, predicted Bette Davis would win for Dark Victory. Observing that Davis had achieved four box office successes during the year, one paper wrote, "Hollywood will stick by its favourite home-town girl, Bette Davis".


12th Academy Awards, Ceremony
Capra was the incumbent President of the Academy, and in a first for Academy Awards ceremonies, sold the rights for the event to be filmed. Warner Bros. obtained the rights, for $30,000 to film the banquet and the presentation of the awards, to use as a short, and it was shot by the cinematographer Charles Rosher. Variety noted the stars in attendance were conscious of being filmed at the event for the first time and the event was marked by glamour with fashion-conscious actresses wearing the best of gowns, furs and jewellery.


12th Academy Awards, Ceremony
The Los Angeles Times printed a substantially accurate list of winners, despite a promise to withhold the results of the voting, so many of the nominees learned before arriving at the ceremony who had won. Among these were Clark Gable and Bette Davis.


12th Academy Awards, Ceremony
Following the banquet, Capra opened proceedings at 11pm with a short speech before introducing Bob Hope who made his first appearance as host of the awards. Looking at a table laden with awards awaiting presentation, he quipped, "I feel like I'm in Bette Davis' living room". Mickey Rooney presented an Academy Juvenile Award to Judy Garland, who then performed Over the Rainbow, a "Best Song" nominee from The Wizard of Oz.


12th Academy Awards, Ceremony
As the evening progressed, Gone with the Wind won the majority of awards, and Bob Hope remarked to David O. Selznick, "David, you should have brought roller skates". Making a speech, Selznick paused to extend praise and gratitude to Olivia de Havilland, a "Best Supporting Actress" nominee, and made it clear in his speech he knew she had not won.


12th Academy Awards, Ceremony
Fay Bainter presented the awards for Best Supporting Actor and Actress, prefacing her presentation of the latter award with the knowing comment, "It is a tribute to a country where people are free to honor noteworthy achievements regardless of creed, race or color". Hattie McDaniel became the first black performer to win an Academy Award and in expressing her gratitude promised to be "a credit to my race" before bursting into tears.


12th Academy Awards, Ceremony
De Havilland was among those to make their way to McDaniel's table to offer congratulations, though it was reported de Havilland then fled to the kitchen, where she burst into tears. The press reported an irritated Irene Mayer Selznick followed her, and told her to return to their table and stop making a fool of herself.


12th Academy Awards, Ceremony
Robert Donat, the winner for "Best Actor", was one of three nominated actors not present (the others were Irene Dunne and Greta Garbo). Accepting the award for Donat, Spencer Tracy said he was sure Donat's win was welcomed by "the entire motion-picture industry" before presenting the "Best Actress" award to Vivien Leigh. The press noted Bette Davis was among those waiting to congratulate Leigh as she returned to her table.


12th Academy Awards, Post-awards discussion
Further controversy erupted following the ceremony, with the Los Angeles Times reporting that Leigh had won over Davis by the smallest of margins and that Donat had likewise won over James Stewart by a small number of votes. This led Academy officials to examine ways that the voting process, and more importantly, the results, would remain secret in future years. They considered the Los Angeles Times publication of such details as a breach of faith.


12th Academy Awards, Post-awards discussion
Hattie McDaniel received considerable attention from the press with Daily Variety writing, "Not only was she the first of her race to receive an Award, but she was also the first Negro ever to sit at an Academy banquet".


12th Academy Awards, Post-awards discussion
Carole Lombard was quoted as comforting Gable after his loss, with the comment "Don't worry, Pappy. We'll bring one home next year". Gable replied that he felt this had been his last chance to which Lombard was said to have replied, "Not you, you self-centered bastard. I meant me."


12th Academy Awards, Academy Award ceremony presenters
The ceremony presenters are listed below in the sequence of awards presented.


12th Aero Squadron
The 12th Aero Squadron was a United States Army Air Service unit that fought on the Western Front during World War I.


12th Aero Squadron
The squadron was assigned as a Corps Observation Squadron, performing short-range, tactical reconnaissance over the I Corps, United States First Army sector of the Western Front in France, providing battlefield intelligence. After the 1918 Armistice with Germany, the squadron was assigned to the United States Third Army as part of the Occupation of the Rhineland in Germany. It returned to the United States in June 1919 and became part of the permanent United States Army Air Service in 1921, being redesignated as the 12th Squadron (Observation).


12th Aero Squadron
The 12th Reconnaissance Squadron, United States Air Force, now at Grand Forks Air Force Base, North Dakota, traces its lineage and history to the 12th Aero Squadron.


12th Aero Squadron, History, World War I
The 12th Reconnaissance Squadron originated at Kelly Field, Texas in May 1917 when the unit was organized from men picked from about 5,000 aviation recruits being drilled in provisional training companies. Those men formed "H" Company and were selected for their mechanical ability and experience. On 2 June, the unit was given its official designation, 12th Aero Squadron.


12th Aero Squadron, History, World War I
After several weeks of classes on aircraft engines and parts, the squadron went to Wilbur Wright Field at Fairfield, Ohio. Arriving on 5 July 1917, the men began assembling Standard J-1 and Curtiss JN-4 training airplanes shipped direct from the factory, and they took part in the training of the flying cadets that began pouring into the field in late July. The squadron’s first flight is supposed to have been made by a Captain Christy on 17 July 1917 in a Curtiss JN-4 "Jenny".


12th Aero Squadron, History, World War I
At the end of October, preparations for overseas movement were made. The squadron left Wright Field on 31 October, for the Aviation Concentration Center, Camp Mills, Garden City, New York, arriving at Field No. 1 on 2 November. At Garden City, the squadron remained for about a month awaiting transportation. On 5 December it boarded the SS Northland sailing from Philadelphia. After a week waiting at Halifax Nova Scotia, the trans-Atlantic crossing was made without incident, and the ship arrived at Liverpool, England on 25 December.


12th Aero Squadron, History, World War I
The squadron then took a train to Southampton, and made the cross-channel crossing to Le Havre, France, arriving at a British Rest Camp the next day. After a few days, it was moved by a French train south to the large American base at St. Maixent Aerodrome on 1 January 1918.


12th Aero Squadron, History, World War I
After two weeks at St. Maixent, where the squadron largely performed guard duty and drills, orders were received to move to Chaumont-Hill 402 Aerodrome, arriving on 16 January. where its mechanics took charge of maintenance on French Nieuports and SPAD aircraft. On 2 February, the 12th finally began its combat training, being moved to Amanty Airdrome in Lorraine where it joined the 1st, 91st and 88th Aero Squadrons. At Amanty, the squadron was equipped with Avion de Reconnaissance 1 (AR 1) trainers. classes were held in radio and machine-gun work and ground training was conducted by French officers.


12th Aero Squadron, History, World War I
In addition the squadron helped in airfield construction projects. The AR-1s were inferior, obsolete machines, called "Antique Rattletraps" by the pilots, which the French had retired to training duties. However, they were suitable for training and after several weeks of making do with the training provided, on 3 May orders were received to head to the front, being assigned to the I Corps Observation Group at Ourches Aerodrome, where the 12th was designated as a Corps Observation squadron.


12th Aero Squadron, History, World War I, Combat in France
At Ourches, the 12th joined the 1st Aero Squadron and began active operations over the front. It was equipped with SPAD S.XIA.2s aircraft. In combat, the mission of the 12th Aero Squadron was general surveillance of the enemy rear areas by means of both visual and photographic reconnaissance. These missions were carried out for the purpose of intelligence-gathering and informing First Army headquarters informed of enemy movements and preparations for attacks or retreats of its infantry forces.


12th Aero Squadron, History, World War I, Combat in France
The 12th identified enemy activity along roads and railroads, ground stations, various storage dumps and airfields; the numbers of fires and activities of enemy aircraft, and the amount of anti-aircraft artillery was also monitored and reported. Due to the nature of the missions and the depths of enemy area which was penetrated, the missions were carried out at high altitudes, usually between 4,500 and 5,500 meters.


12th Aero Squadron, History, World War I, Combat in France
With few exceptions, the 12th’s pilots had never flown combat, but most of the observers had spent a number of weeks flying with French squadrons on active missions. One of these, Lieutenant Stephen W. Thompson, was at the 1st Squadron Gunnery School at Cazaux Airdrome, near Bordeaux when he was loaned on 5 February to the 123d French Breguet Squadron due to a shortage of observers in that unit. Returning from a bombing raid on Saarbrücken, the aircraft in which Lt Thompson was operating the rear guns was attacked by German Albatross pursuit ships. He shot one down, becoming the first man in an American uniform to shoot down an enemy airplane. Later, on 28 July 1918, as a member of the 12th, he was credited with two more "kills."


12th Aero Squadron, History, World War I, Combat in France
The 12th’s operations in the Toul Sector was a seasoning period for the squadron as it gained experience over a relatively inactive front with almost no enemy air opposition. "On the other hand," according to an Air Service report after the war, "the enemy antiaircraft fire in the sector was exceedingly dense, active and accurate. Pilots of the Group were adept at evading antiaircraft fire after a month in the sector." On 10 June, the 12th Aero Squadron moved to the Baccarat Sector and to the unfinished Flin Aerodrome, from which they supported the 42d American and 167th French Divisions.


12th Aero Squadron, History, World War I, Combat in France
There, the 12th began to receive the latest in French observation aircraft, the Salmson 2A2. This front, too, was considered "stabilized" or quiet, but the opposing German air force, while not flying the latest types, was active and aggressive. The 12th flew visual and photographic reconnaissance, adjusted artillery fire, and staged "infantry-contact patrols" to locate the front lines.


12th Aero Squadron, History, World War I, Combat in France
By 29 June, the squadron had relocated to Saints Aerodrome in the Marne Sector to participate in the Battle of Château-Thierry. The 12th encountered intense opposition in the air from a concentration of German squadrons equipped with the most advanced Fokker aircraft. Encounters with up to 20 enemy aircraft on a patrol was a daily occurrence.


12th Aero Squadron, History, World War I, Combat in France
On 5 July, the squadron moved again to a neighboring field at Francheville in support of the 26th Division, but because of its distance from the front, what would later be known as a "forward operating location," or FOL, was established at Ferme de Moras Aerodrome. Two 12th Squadron aircraft and two from the 88th Aero Squadron were flown to it at daybreak each day and held ready for developing requirements. The Allied counteroffensive was launched on 18 July and the squadron's support was vital in photographing targets ahead of the advance according to priorities set by corps intelligence.


12th Aero Squadron, History, World War I, Combat in France
It was during this operation that oblique photography, sometimes from as low as 400 meters, began to be used; previously all photos had been vertical. The Ferme de Moras location was upgraded to a full airfield on 22 July when the squadron occupied it to participate in the Chateau-Thierry offensive, during which it lost five officers.


12th Aero Squadron, History, World War I, Combat in France
On 28 July 1918 the Squadron had two Salmson Observation aircraft shot down near Villers Sur Fere:2/Lt AP Baker WIA/PoW and 2/Lt JC Lumsden KIA, {shot down by German ace Karl Bolle (27th victory); and  Pilot John C. Miller died of wounds and Observer Lt. Stephen W. Thompson was shot in the leg. (Shot down by Lt Sergy  Frommherz,(10th Victory) of Jagdstaffel 2


12th Aero Squadron, History, World War I, Combat in France
In the first half of August, the unit moved three times, finally being withdrawn from the sector on 12 August for a brief rest at Chailly-en-Brie Aerodrome. The 12th moved to Croix de Metz Airdrome near Toul on 23 August and operated in support of the St. Mihiel offensive. During that offensive, 12–13 September, the unit was equipped with 16 additional Salmsons and flew continuously to support the rapidly advancing 5th Division. Two aircraft, one piloted by Major Lewis Brereton, commander of the I Corps Observation Group and former 12th C.O., were lost, but all four crewmembers survived after landing inside friendly lines. Immediately after the St. Mihiel salient was reduced, the squadron was assigned to support the 90th Division.


12th Aero Squadron, History, World War I, Combat in France
On 20 September, the 12th was transferred to Remicourt Aerodrome to prepare for the Meuse-Argonne offensive which began on 26 September. During the Argonne operation the 12th Aero Squadron was very much in demand. One morning after many assignments had been made, a call came in for a photographic mission. Five planes were ordered for the flight, but only four observers were available. Eddie Foy, a radio officer, volunteered to serve as an observer for the mission.


12th Aero Squadron, History, World War I, Combat in France
The planes encountered a large formation of Germans near the target and three were shot down, one carrying Eddie Foy, who had been wounded. It is believed that he had the distinction of being the only non-flyer in the Air Service to be wounded and taken prisoner as a result of aerial combat.


12th Aero Squadron, History, World War I, Combat in France
In the last few months of the war, the 12th was called in many times to help locate Allied troops that had been cut off from their units. On one such occasion during the Argonne offensive, the 82d Division reported that troops near Verpel, just east of Grand Pre were out of contact with division headquarters. Because of the foul weather and approaching darkness, Captain Steve N. Noyes, squadron commander of the 12th would not send any of his pilots on the mission, going himself instead.


12th Aero Squadron, History, World War I, Combat in France
Flying in dense fog and rain, Captain Noyes located the troops and landed near the division HQ after dark. The information proved to be exact, and the squadron was highly commended for this as well as many other missions. The 12th completed its World War I operations from Julvecourt Aerodrome, where it moved on 5 November in order to operate closer to the front lines.


12th Aero Squadron, History, World War I, Third Army of occupation
After the signing of the Armistice on 11 November 1918, the 12th Aero Squadron became a part of the Army of Occupation. The unit was located at several different places in France and Germany until 30 December, when it went to Fort Alexander (Feste Kaiser Alexander) at Koblenz, Germany, to take part in construction work.


12th Aero Squadron, History, World War I, Demobilization
The squadron received orders from Third Army on 16 April 1919 to demobilize. It was ordered to report to the 1st Air Depot at Colombey-les-Belles Airdrome, to turn in all of its supplies and equipment and was relieved from duty with the AEF. The squadron's Salmson aircraft were delivered to the American Air Service Acceptance Park No. 1 at Orly Aerodrome to be returned to the French. There practically all of the pilots and observers were detached from the squadron.


12th Aero Squadron, History, World War I, Demobilization
Personnel at Colombey were subsequently assigned to the Commanding General, Services of Supply and ordered to report to the Le Mans, France, staging camp on 5 May 1919. There, personnel awaited scheduling to report to one of the Base Ports in France for transport to the United States and subsequent demobilization. Orders were received to report to the port at Brest, France, 20 May. The squadron sailed aboard the USS Liberator on 3 June, arriving at Garden City, New York, on 17 June 1919. There, most members of the squadron were demobilized and returned to civilian life.


12th Aero Squadron, Lineage, Notable personnel
DSC: Distinguished Service Cross; SSC: Silver Star Citation; KIA: Killed in Action KIFA: [Killed in Flying Accident]


12th Aeromedical Airlift Squadron
The 12th Aeromedical Airlift Squadron in an inactive United States Air Force unit. From 1956 through 1969, it flew aeromedical evacuation missions from McGuire Air Force Base. In 1985, the squadron was consolidated with two World War II units, but remained inactive. The consolidated squadrons were the 12th Ferrying Squadron, which ferried aircraft to Europe and from factories to flying units from 1942 and 1944; and the 162d Liaison Squadron, which tested equipment and developed tactics for liaison units between 1944 and 1946.


12th Aeromedical Airlift Squadron, History, Ferrying
The first predecessor of the squadron, the 12th Air Corps Ferrying Squadron, was activated on 8 April 1942 at Logan Field, Massachusetts, but moved the following month to New Castle Army Air Base, Delaware. While stationed in the Northeast, the squadron was primarily involved with delivering aircraft to the European Theater of Operations. In early 1943, the squadron moved to Love Field, Texas, and concentrated on ferrying aircraft from manufacturers to operational and training units.


12th Aeromedical Airlift Squadron, History, Ferrying
At the end of March 1944, Air Transport Command (ATC) reorganized its units in the United States under the Base Unit system, and the 12th was disbanded and with all other ATC units at Love Field was reorganized into the 555th AAF Base Unit. It was reconstituted and consolidated with the other predecessor units in September 1985.


12th Aeromedical Airlift Squadron, History, Liaison tactics development
The squadron's second predecessor is the 162nd Liaison Squadron, which was activated at Aiken Army Air Field, South Carolina on 15 May 1944. Like most liaison squadrons, it was equipped with the Stinson L-5 Sentinel. The squadron developed tactics and tested equipment for liaison units in the Army Air Forces. In particular, during 1945, it tested the suitability of Sikorsky helicopters for the liaison mission. In December 1945, it moved to Brooks Field, Texas, where it operated with the 69th Reconnaissance Group through July. The squadron inactivated on 3 October 1946 and was consolidated with the other predecessor units in September 1985.


12th Aeromedical Airlift Squadron, History, Medical evacuation
The 12th Aeromedical Transport Squadron was activated at McGuire Air Force Base, New Jersey on 8 November 1956, when the 1st Aeromedical Transport Group, which was stationed at Brooks Air Force Base, Texas, replaced the 1706th Air Transport Group. The group was responsible for aeromedical evacuation missions throughout the United States. The 12th Squadron was equipped with Convair C-131 Samaritans and was primarily responsible for evacuation missions in the northeastern United States. In June 1964, Military Air Transport Service (MATS) reorganized its medical evacuation squadrons under the 1405th Aeromedical Transport Wing, stationed at Scott Air Force Base, Illinois. In 1965, mission responsibility expanded to included Newfoundland and Labrador.


12th Aeromedical Airlift Squadron, History, Medical evacuation
When Military Airlift Command (MAC) replaced MATS in January 1966, the 375th Aeromedical Airlift Wing replaced the 1405th Wing and the squadron became the 12th Aeromedical Airlift Squadron. It continued its mission until inactivating in June 1969 as the more capable Douglas HC-9 Nightingale permitted consolidation of the medical evacuation mission in the United States into one location, Scott Air Force Base.


12th Aeromedical Airlift Squadron, History, Medical evacuation
The three squadrons were consolidated into one in September 985, retaining the 12th Airlift designation, but have remained inactive.


12th Aeromedical Airlift Squadron, References, Bibliography
This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency website .


12th Africa Movie Academy Awards
The 2016 Africa Movie Academy Awards ceremony was held on Saturday 11 June 2016 at the Obi Wali International Conference Center in Port Harcourt, Rivers State. The ceremony recognized and honored excellence among directors, actors, and writers in the film industry. The awards night was hosted by Chris Attoh, Mike Ezuruonye and Kgopedi Lilokoe. It aired live on NTA to over 100 million viewers worldwide.


12th Africa Movie Academy Awards
As part of the pre-AMAA activities, Rivers State Ministry of Culture and Tourism collaborated with the Africa Film Academy to host a sponsorship night to mobilize corporate sponsors for the awards. Other media partners included Africa Magic, OHTV, SABC and ONTV.


12th Africa Movie Academy Awards, Nominees and winners
The nominees for the 12th Africa Movie Academy Awards ceremony were announced on 15 May 2016. The Cursed Ones led with 13 nominations while South African films Tell Me Sweet Something and Ayanda were tied with 9 nods each. Ghana had a total of 15 nominations with 5 films including The Cursed Ones, Rebecca, Cursed Treasure, Daggers of Life and The Peculiar Life of a Spider.


12th Africa Movie Academy Awards, Nominees and winners
Winners were announced during the ceremony on 11 June 2016 at the Obi Wali International Conference Center. Eye of the Storm won in the categories Best Film, Achievement in Costume Design and Best Actor in a Supporting Role. Drama-thriller The Cursed Ones took home three awards on that same night, including awards for Best Director (Nana Obiri Yeboah), Achievement in Production Design, as well as Cinematography (Nicholas K. Lory).


12th Africa Movie Academy Awards, Dignitaries
Dignitaries present during the occasion were Governor of Rivers State Ezenwo Nyesom Wike, first lady Eberechi Wike, former Senate President David Mark, Minister of Information Lai Mohammed and veteran actor Pete Edochie.


12th Air Corps (Germany)
12th Air Corps (XII. Fliegerkorps) was formed 1 August 1941 in Zeist from the Stab of the 1. Nachtjagd-Division and was redesignated as I. Jagdkorps on 15 September 1943. The unit was subordinated to Luftwaffenbefehlshaber Mitte.


12th Air Division
The 12th Air Division an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the Eighth Air Force, based at Ellsworth Air Force Base, South Dakota. It was inactivated on 31 July 1990.


12th Air Division, History
The division was established as the 12th Pursuit Wing in the Panama Canal Zone on 20 November 1940. The organization commanded pursuit groups and squadrons for Sixth Air Force until 6 March 1942.


12th Air Division, History
It was reassigned to Eighth Air Force in England during November 1942 as a bombardment wing, but never made operational . All personnel and equipment were withdrawn in January 1943, and the organization did not serve in combat.


12th Air Division, History
Reactivated in 1951, the 12th Air Division was an intermediate command echelon of Strategic Air Command. It conducted training for worldwide bombardment operations. From 1963–1984 and 1988–1990. It maintained an intercontinental ballistic missile capability, conducted staff assistance visits, and monitored programs such as retention, domestic actions, and medical capabilities of its subordinate units.


12th Air Division, History
Its mission was to assure unit Emergency War Order (EWO) capability and combat crew training conducted at Castle and Dyess Air Force Bases, continually evaluate qualification training, direct correction or improvement when appropriate, and represent training concerns to higher headquarters.


12th Air Division, History
It was inactivated in 1990 as part of the military drawdown of the USAF after the end of the Cold War.


12th Air Division, Lineage, Heraldry
Or, a globe azure grid lined of the first between in dexter an airplane palewise ascending argent, exhaust gules and in sinister a missile palewise of the like, overall a gauntlet of the third, grasping an olive branch vert and a lightning flash of the fourth bend sinisterwise and two lightning flashes of the last bendwise, on a chief of the second per chevron inverted seme of mullets argent; all within a diminished bordure of argent (silver gray).


12th Air Division, References, Bibliography
This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency website .


12th Air Group
The 12th Air Group (第十二海軍航空隊, Dai-jūni Kaigun Kōkūtai) was a unit of the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service (IJNAS) during the Second Sino-Japanese War that operated mainly in the campaigns in the Central China.


12th Air Group, History
The unit was formed on 11 July 1937 at the beginning of the Second Sino-Japanese War. It was initially a mixed-role unit equipped with 12 Nakajima A4N fighters, 12 Aichi D1A dive bombers and 12 Kugisho B3Y torpedo bombers. In August it moved to Zhoushuizi airfield at Dalian and in September to Kunda airfield near Shanghai. Between October and November, it converted to new  Mitsubishi A5M fighters. After the capture of Nanking the unit moved to Dajiaochang airfield at Nanking, where it conducted missions against Nanchang and Hankou.


12th Air Group, History
In March 1938, it was designated as fighter-only unit and assimilated fighters from the 13th Air Group, which in turn became a medium-bomber unit. The strength of the 12th Air Group then became 30 A5M fighters. On 29 April, while operating from Anqing and escorting medium bombers to Hankou, the unit's pilots claimed 30 Chinese aircraft show down and seven more probables. Attacks on Hankou continued until July, during which the unit claimed 100 aircraft destroyed and 12 probables for the loss of five fighters.


12th Air Group, History
After the capture of Hankou, the unit transferred to an airbase near Hankou. Nevertheless, due to the lack of range to escort the medium bombers into the inland China, they did not see much action. This changed in summer 1940, when the first batch of new Mitsubishi A6M Zero fighters arrived in China theater. On 13 September, 13 Zeros led by Lieutenant Saburō Shindō engaged 30 Chinese fighters in a dogfight and claimed 27 of them shot down.


12th Air Group, History
From then until summer 1941, the 12th Air Group in Central China and the 14th Air Group in South China made a combined claim of 103 aircraft shot down and further 163 destroyed on the ground for the loss of three aircraft. Both naval units were disbanded on 15 September 1941, which left air operations in China entirely to Imperial Japanese Army Air Service (IJAAS).


12th Air Group, History
The unit at some point or another included many future fighter aces, like Tetsuzō Iwamoto, Saburo Sakai, Ayao Shirane, Tadashi Kaneko, Shigetaka Ōmori, Kaname Harada, Kenji Okabe and Akira Yamamoto. In addition, many prominent bomber pilots and aircrew also served with the unit, such as Shigeharu Murata, Sadamu Takahashi, Kiyoto Furuta, Keiichi Arima and Jūzō Mori.


12th Airborne Command and Control Squadron
The 12th Airborne Command and Control Squadron is a United States Air Force flying unit, assigned to the 461st Air Control Wing, stationed at Robins Air Force Base, Georgia. The squadron flies the Northrop Grumman E-8 Joint STARS (Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System), providing airborne battle management, command and control, surveillance, and target acquisition. The J-STARS radar system detects, locates, classifies, tracks and targets ground movements, communicating information through secure data links with other command posts.


12th Airborne Command and Control Squadron, History, Antisubmarine warfare
The first predecessor of the squadron was activated at Langley Field, Virginia in October 1942 as the 523d Bombardment Squadron, one of the original squadrons of the 378th Bombardment Group. One month later, it was redesignated the 2d Antisubmarine Squadron. The squadron was initially equipped with a number of different types of bombers, but by the end of the year had standardized on the Consolidated B-24 Liberator. With the 378th, the squadron engaged in antisubmarine patrols off the east coast of the United States. When the 378th Group was inactivated in December, the unit was assigned directly to the 25th Antisubmarine Wing, which was responsible for Army Air Forces antisubmarine operations off the Atlantic coast of the United States.


12th Airborne Command and Control Squadron, History, Antisubmarine warfare
In January 1943, it moved to RAF St Eval, Cornwall, being the first of four antisubmarine squadrons to arrive there to participate in the Battle of the Atlantic. From St Eval it began flying antisubmarine patrols around England. Although the squadron remained assigned to the 25th Wing, at St Eval, it was attached to the provisional 1st Antisubmarine Group.


12th Airborne Command and Control Squadron, History, Antisubmarine warfare
In March 1943, the squadron moved to Craw Field, near Port Lyautey, French Morocco, where it was attached to the 2037th Antisubmarine Wing, another provisional organization, until being reassigned to the newly activated 480th Antisubmarine Group. Its mission was to patrol an area of the Atlantic north and west of Morocco. Its antisubmarine activity reached a peak in July, when German U-boats concentrated off the coast of Portugal to intercept Allied convoys bound for the Mediterranean. Its actions protected supply lines for forces involved in Operation Husky, the invasion of Sicily.


12th Airborne Command and Control Squadron, History, Antisubmarine warfare
The unit most frequently attacked enemy subs 700 miles off the coast of Spain, in what was termed, the "Coffin Corner." This was an area in which the subs surfaced to recharge their batteries. It was also possible to attack them in this location before they joined up into wolfpacks. The 2d Squadron earned a Distinguished Unit Citation for its combat contributions in the Battle of the Atlantic against German submarines.


12th Airborne Command and Control Squadron, History, Antisubmarine warfare
The squadron returned to the United States at end of 1943 and was disbanded at Clovis Army Air Field in January 1944. Most of the unit's aircrews became cadres for Boeing B-29 Superfortress unit at Clovis.


12th Airborne Command and Control Squadron, History, Airlift operations in the Mediterranean Theater
The 327th Ferrying Squadron, which was activated at Capodichino Air Base, Italy on 31 May 1944 is the second forerunner of the squadron. The 327th flew cargo, passengers, and mail to destinations in Italy, Sardinia, Corsica, North Africa, and southern France. It moved to the United States in late September 1945 and was inactivated in October.


12th Airborne Command and Control Squadron, History, Operation Ranch Hand
In the fall of 1966 Operation Ranch Hand expanded its size with the delivery of eleven additional Fairchild UC-123B Provider aircraft that had been authorized earlier in the year. As a result, the Special Aerial Spray Flight of the 309th Air Commando Squadron expanded to a full squadron at Tan Son Nhut Airport, being replaced by the 12th Air Commando Squadron on 15 October 1966. Sixteen days later, the squadron suffered its first loss when an aircraft was shot down in the Iron Triangle.


12th Airborne Command and Control Squadron, History, Operation Ranch Hand
The expansion to squadron strength led to the expansion of the unit's defoliation mission to area targets, such as War Zone C, War Zone D and the Mekong Delta, in addition to clearing lines of communication. Due to crowding at Tan Son Nhut, also Saigon's commercial airport, the squadron moved to Bien Hoa Air Base in December.


12th Airborne Command and Control Squadron, History, Operation Ranch Hand
In October 1966, the squadron also began flying insecticide missions. These missions focused on killing malaria spreading mosquitos. A single aircraft was dedicated to this mission, since the application rate of insecticide was much lower than that for herbicides and one mission could cover a large area. Because of the corrosive effects of the insecticide on aircraft camouflage paint, an uncamouflaged aircraft was eventually settled on to fly these missions.


12th Airborne Command and Control Squadron, History, Operation Ranch Hand
In February 1967, the squadron flew its first mission in the southern portion of the Demilitarized zone (DMZ) between North and South Vietnam. Infiltration through the DMZ posed a significant threat to forces in the I Corps area, but the sensitivity of defoliation in an area so near North Vietnam had delayed operations there. By the late summer, selected targets in the northern portion of the DMZ and nearby infiltration routes within North Vietnam had been added to the target list. DMZ operations were flown from the operating location the squadron maintained at Da Nang Air Base.


12th Airborne Command and Control Squadron, History, Operation Ranch Hand
The squadron participated in Operation Pink Rose in late 1966 and early 1967. Pink Rose was an attempt to burn forested areas. In this operation, the unit applied two treatments to the target areas with defoliants. Boeing B-52 Stratofortresses then dropped incendiary bombs to ignite fires in the area. Results were disappointing and no further efforts were made to use forest fire as a method of stripping jungle canopies.


12th Airborne Command and Control Squadron, History, Operation Ranch Hand
In addition to defoliation, the 12th also flew crop destruction missions. Crop destruction missions were flown with planes displaying South Vietnamese markings, and a Republic of Vietnam Air Force member flew on board the lead aircraft. These missions were intended to reduce the amount of food available to Viet Cong forces and to increase the cost of food procurement. Seventh Air Force also found that the missions caused the Viet Cong to divert forces from combat and devote them to raising food. In contrast, a study by the RAND Corporation questioned the effectiveness of these missions, and concluded they increased hostility toward Americans.


12th Airborne Command and Control Squadron, History, Operation Ranch Hand
In January 1968, the squadron flew 589 sorties on target, the most it would fly during the war. However, on 31 January, its base at Bien Hoa was subjected to intense rocket and mortar attack as part of the Tet Offensive, halting operations. On 2 February, the squadron resumed operations, including emergency airlift missions. Six days later, Military Assistance Command Vietnam directed that the spray tanks be removed from the squadron's aircraft and its planes be devoted to airlift. No operations were flown on 28 February, when another rocket attack destroyed four buildings housing squadron aircrew and heavily damaged another. The squadron flew 2866 airlift sorties during the Tet Offensive before returning to the defoliation mission in mid-March.


12th Airborne Command and Control Squadron, History, Operation Ranch Hand
Later in 1968, the unit added Nha Trang Air Base and Phu Cat Air Base to Da Nang as staging areas for defoliation operations as missions clearing friendly lines of communication again took precedence over the area targets of the previous two years. Targets also shifted away from the heavily populated III Corps zone. In May, the squadron received its first UC-123K, equipped with two additional General Electric J85 engines, which greatly reduced the planes' vulnerability to loss of an engine. This conversion was completed by April 1969. By this time, the squadron had lost six UC-123Bs on combat missions.


12th Airborne Command and Control Squadron, History, Operation Ranch Hand
During February 1969, in anticipation of a repeat of the previous year's offensive, the squadron deployed to Phan Rang Air Base, returning to Bien Hoa in early March. As the Nixon administration implemented its plan for American withdrawal from Vietnam, pressure to reduce the squadron's operations increased. Squadron sorties were to be reduced by 30% by July 1970 and in view of the reduction, eleven Providers were transferred to other units in the 315th Special Operations Wing in November. The squadron also lost Nha Trang as a staging base when it was transferred to the South Vietnamese air force.


12th Airborne Command and Control Squadron, History, Operation Ranch Hand
In April 1970, the squadron was notified that the Joint Chiefs of Staff had decided that Agent Orange was no longer to be used. On 9 May, the 12th exhausted its supply of Agent White and flew its last defoliation mission. From 11 May to 6 July, the squadron flew leaflet and flare missions over Cambodia. The reduced insecticide and crop destruction missions no longer required a separate squadron, so the unit moved to Phan Rang, where its personnel and equipment were absorbed by Flight A of the 310th Special Operations Squadron. It became non-operational at the end of July and was inactivated in September 1970.


12th Airborne Command and Control Squadron, History, Operation Ranch Hand
In its four years of operations, the 12th was awarded four Presidential Unit Citations, an Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with Combat "V" Device and several Vietnamese Gallantry Cross with Palm.


12th Airborne Command and Control Squadron, History, Airborne command and control
In September 1985, the 2d Antisubmarine Squadron and 327th Ferrying Squadron were reconstituted and consolidated with the 12th Special Operations Squadron, and the consolidated unit designated the 12th Airborne Command and Control Squadron. However, the squadron remained inactive until January 1996, when it was activated to fly Northrop Grumman E-8 Joint STARS aircraft as part of the 93d Operations Group for air control and target attack radar system.


12th Airborne Command and Control Squadron, History, Airborne command and control
In 2002, the JSTARS mission was transferred to the Georgia Air National Guard and the squadron was transferred to the Guard as part of the 116th Operations Group. This arrangement was reversed in 2011, and the squadron returned to the regular Air Force in 2011.


12th Airborne Command and Control Squadron, Commanders of the 12th Airborne Command and Control Squadron
The commander of the 12th Airborne Command and Control Squadron is an air force position held by a lieutenant colonel. The 12 ACCS is responsible for organizing, equipping, and ensuring the combat capability of more than 200 airmen in the Air Force's first E-8CJoint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System operational squadron.


12th Airborne Command and Control Squadron, References, Bibliography
This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency website .


12th Airlift Flight
The 12th Airlift Flight is an inactive United States Air Force unit.


12th Airlift Flight
As the 12th Troop Carrier Squadron it served with the 322d Air Division stationed at Dreux-Louvilliers Air Base, France, where it was inactivated on 8 January 1961.


12th Airlift Flight, History, World War II
Established as part of the Army Air Corps in January 1938 at Olmsted Field, Pennsylvania but not activated until 1 December 1940. Not equipped or manned. Unit designation transferred to Westover Field, Massachusetts, but not equipped or manned until after the Pearl Harbor Attack. Equipped with Douglas C-47 Skytrain transports and trained for combat resupply and casualty evacuation mission.


12th Airlift Flight, History, World War II
Was ordered deployed to England, assigned to Eighth Air Force in June 1942. Performed intra-theater transport flights of personnel, supply and equipment within England during summer and fall of 1942, reassigned to Twelfth Air Force after Operation Torch invasion of North Africa, stationed at Tafaraoui Airfield, Algeria. In combat, performed resupply and evacuation missions across Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia during North African Campaign. During June 1943, the unit began training with gliders in preparation for Operation Husky, the invasion of Sicily. It towed gliders to Syracuse, Sicily and dropped paratroopers at Catania during the operation. After moving to Sicily, the squadron airdropped supplies to escaped prisoners of war in Northern Italy in October. Operated from Sicily until December until moving to Italian mainland in December.


12th Airlift Flight, History, World War II
Supported Italian Campaign during balance of 1944 supporting partisans in the Balkans. Its unarmed aircraft flew at night over uncharted territory, landing at small unprepared airfields to provide guns, ammunition, clothing, medical supplies, gasoline, and mail to the partisans. It even carried jeeps and mules as cargo. On return trips it evacuated wounded partisans, evadees and escaped prisoners. These operations earned the squadron the Distinguished Unit Citation. It also dropped paratroopers at Megava, Greece in October 1944 and propaganda leaflets in the Balkans in the Mediterranean Theater of Operations until end of combat in Europe, May, 1945.


12th Airlift Flight, History, World War II
After hostilities ended, was transferred to Waller Field, Trinidad attached to the Air Transport Command Transported personnel and equipment from Brazil to South Florida along the South Atlantic Air Transport Route. Squadron picked up personnel and equipment in Brazil or bases in Northern South America with final destination being Miami, Boca Raton Army Airfield or Morrison Fields in South Florida.


12th Airlift Flight, History, European service
Was reassigned to the United States Air Forces in Europe (USAFE), September 1946, performing intro-theater cargo flights based at Munich Air Base. Transferred to Kaufbeuren Air Base when Munich Air Base became a civilian airport. Was re-equipped with Douglas C-54 Skymaster aircraft and deployed to RAF Fassberg during 1948 Berlin Airlift. Flew continuous missions across hostile Soviet Zone of Germany in Berlin Air Corridor, transporting supplies and equipment to airports in West Berlin, 1948-1949. Later operated from Rhein-Main Air Base and Wiesbaden Air Base in American Zone of Occupation, later part of West Germany, until blockade ended. Remained as part of USAFE until 1961, being upgraded to Fairchild C-82 Packet and later Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcar transports as part of USAFE 322d Air Division based in West Germany and France. Inactivated as part of downsizing of USAFE bases in France, 1961.


12th Airlift Flight, History, Executive airlift
The squadron was redesignated the 11th Airlift Flight and activated at Langley Air Force Base in May 1993. It was equipped with C-21 Learjets to provide airlift for high ranking officers of Air Combat Command and other headquarters in the Norfolk-Hampron Roads area. In 1997, this mission was transferred to Air Mobility Command. The flight continued the mission until it was inactivated at the end of July 2005.


12th Airlift Flight, References, Bibliography
This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency website .


12th Alberta Legislature
The 12th Alberta Legislative Assembly was in session from February 19, 1953, to May 12, 1955, with the membership of the assembly determined by the results of the 1952 Alberta general election held on August 5, 1952. The Legislature officially resumed on February 19, 1953, and continued until the third session was prorogued and dissolved on May 12, 1955, prior to the 1955 Alberta general election.


12th Alberta Legislature
Alberta's twelfth government was controlled by the majority Social Credit Party for the fifth time, led by Premier Ernest Manning who would go on to be the longest serving Premier in Alberta history. The Official Opposition was led by James Harper Prowse a member of the Alberta Liberal Party. The Speaker was Peter Dawson who would serve until his death during the 15th legislature on March 24, 1963.


12th Alpini Regiment
The 12th Alpini Regiment (Italian: 12° Reggimento Alpini) is an inactive regiment of the Italian Army's mountain infantry speciality, the Alpini, which distinguished itself in combat during World War I and World War II. First formed on 15 February 1936 to command the units of the 7th Alpini Regiment, which did not participate in the Second Italo-Ethiopian War, the regiment was disbanded on 1 July 1937 upon the 7th Alpini Regiment's command return to Italy. Formed again on 8 August 1992 as unit of the Alpine Brigade "Cadore", the regiment was inactivated 31 January 1997


12th Alpini Regiment, History
The regiment was formed again on 8 August 1992 by elevating the existing Alpini Battalion "Pieve di Cadore" to regiment. Between 1 August 1887 and 11 November 1975 the battalion was part of the 7th Alpini Regiment. After the 7th Alpini Regiment was disbanded during the 1975 Italian Army reform the battalion, based in Tai di Cadore, became one the battalions of the Alpine Brigade "Cadore".


12th Alpini Regiment, History
As the traditions and war flag of the 7th Alpini Regiment were assigned to the "Feltre" battalion, the Pieve di Cadore battalion was granted a new war flag on 12 November 1976 by decree 846 of the President of the Italian Republic Giovanni Leone.


12th Alpini Regiment, History
The Silver Medal of Military Valour awarded to the 7th Alpini Regiment for the regiment's service in the Greco-Italian war, the Gold Medal of Civil Valour awarded to the 7th Alpini Regiment for its service after the Vajont disaster and the Messina earthquake Medal of Merit awarded to the 7th Alpini Regiment in 1908, were duplicated for the new flag of the Pieve di Cadore battalion.


12th Alpini Regiment, History
With the downsizing of the Italian Army after the end of the Cold War the 12th Alpini Regiment and its battalion were disbanded on 31 January 1997.


12th Alpini Regiment, Structure
When the regiment was disbanded it had the following structure:


12th Annual Grammy Awards
The 12th Annual Grammy Awards were held on March 11, 1970. They recognized accomplishments of musicians for the year 1969.


12th Annual Honda Civic Tour
The 12th Annual Honda Civic Tour was a concert tour headlined by American pop rock band Maroon 5, alongside special guest, American pop rock singer Kelly Clarkson. Sponsored by Honda Motor Company, the tour also featured Rozzi Crane and The Voice second season contestant Tony Lucca, as well as American R&B singer PJ Morton as its supporting acts. With 34 dates, the 12th installment of the tour was the longest, which began on August 1, 2013, in Maryland Heights, Missouri at the Verizon Wireless Amphitheater and ended on October 6, 2013, at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles.


12th Annual Honda Civic Tour, Tour dates, Box office
On June 4, 2013, it was announced that the Maryland Heights, Burgettstown, Mansfield, Holmdel, Wantagh, Clarkston, Austin, The Woodlands, Denver, Irvine and Los Angeles show were sold out.


12th Annual Latin Grammy Awards
The 12th Annual Latin Grammy Awards was held on Thursday, November 10, 2011, at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas and was hosted by Lucero and Cristián de la Fuente. The eligibility period for recordings to be nominated is July 1, 2010 to June 30, 2011. The show will be aired on Univision.


12th Annual Latin Grammy Awards
Puerto Rican band Calle 13 were the big winners of the night with nine awards (breaking the previous record of five wins in a single ceremony) including Album of the Year for Entren Los Que Quieran; and Record of the Year and Song of the Year for "Latinoamérica". The Best New Artist award went to Sie7e. Shakira was honored as the Person of the Year the night before the telecast and she also won the award for Best Female Pop Vocal Album for Sale El Sol.


12th Annual Latin Grammy Awards, Awards, General
Calle 13 featuring Totó la Momposina, Susana Baca and Maria Rita – "Latinoamérica"


12th Annual Latin Grammy Awards, Awards, General
Rafa Arcaute and Calle 13 – "Latinoamérica" (Calle 13 featuring Totó la Momposina, Susana Baca and Maria Rita)


12th Annual Latin Grammy Awards, Awards, Urban
Rafa Arcaute and Calle 13 – "Baile de los Pobres" (Calle 13)


12th Annual Latin Grammy Awards, Awards, Alternative
Rafa Arcaute and Calle 13 – "Calma Pueblo" (Calle 13 featuring Omar-Rodríguez-López)


12th Annual Latin Grammy Awards, Awards, Tropical
Rubén Blades and Seis Del Solar – Todos Vuelven Live


12th Annual Latin Grammy Awards, Awards, Regional Mexican
La Arrolladora Banda El Limón – Todo Depende De Tí


12th Annual Latin Grammy Awards, Awards, Regional Mexican
Los Tigres del Norte – MTV Unplugged: Los Tigres del Norte and Friends


12th Annual Latin Grammy Awards, Awards, Traditional
Mercedes Sosa – Deja La Vida Volar – En Gira


12th Annual Latin Grammy Awards, Awards, Recording Package
Javier Mariscal – Chico & Rita (Various Artists)Alejandro Ros – Solo Un Momento (Vicentico)


12th Annual Latin Grammy Awards, Awards, Production
Benny Faccone, Thom Russo and Tom Baker – Drama y Luz (Maná)


12th Anti-Aircraft Brigade (United Kingdom)
12th Anti - Aircraft Brigade (12 AA Bde) was an air defence formation of the British Army during World War II. It specialised in providing anti-aircraft (AA) protection for forward airfields, for the Advanced Air Striking Force in the Battle of France and the Desert Air Force in the North African Campaign. It landed at Salerno in 1943 and fought through the Italian Campaign, its guns often engaging ground targets as well as aircraft. It was reformed postwar and continued for a few years in Anti- Aircraft Command.


12th Anti-Aircraft Brigade (United Kingdom), Origin
On 9 October 1939 the War Office ordered the formation of a brigade headquarters (HQ) to be responsible for defending the airfields of the Advanced Air Striking Force (AASF) then being assembled in France by the Royal Air Force (RAF). Brigadier W.T.O Crewdson, at that time commanding the Territorial Army's 38th Light Anti- Aircraft Brigade in the London area, was appointed to form the new HQ, which became 12th Anti - Aircraft Brigade.


12th Anti-Aircraft Brigade (United Kingdom), Origin
Crewdson and his immediate staff left for France on 11 October while the rest of the HQ assembled at the Duke of York's Headquarters, Chelsea, (HQ of 38 LAA Bde) and landed at Cherbourg on 18 October. By 23 October Brigade HQ was established at Chateau Polignac near the AASF's HQ at Reims. A brigade workshop section of the Royal Army Ordnance Corps (RAOC) was set up at Épernay and a brigade transport section of the Royal Army Service Corps (RASC) was at Reims.


12th Anti-Aircraft Brigade (United Kingdom), Origin
The brigade had no signal section yet, its communications being handled by 2nd Air Formation Signals of the Royal Corps of Signals attached to AASF HQ. The first two units to come under 12 AA Bde's command were the 53rd (City of London) and 73rd Anti- Aircraft Regiments of the Royal Artillery, TA units recruited from London and Birmingham respectively. Both units were equipped with semi-mobile 3-inch guns of 1918 pattern and were deployed to defend the initial five airfields round Reims from which Bristol Blenheims of the AASF began reconnoitring and raiding over Germany.


12th Anti-Aircraft Brigade (United Kingdom), Phoney War
There was no action while the British forces in France (the British Expeditionary Force, with its Air Component, and the independent AASF) were building up through the winter of 1939–40. Crewdson deployed 53rd AA Rgt to protect the AASF's northern airfields while 73rd took the southern group. Early in 1940 12 AA Bde was reinforced by 5 AA Battery from 2nd AA Regiment with the new 3.7-inch heavy AA (HAA) guns, and 162 Bty from 54th (Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders) Light AA Regiment with the new Bofors 40 mm light AA (LAA) guns. A battery of searchlights (S/Ls) was distributed across the airfields. The first four GL Mk. I gunlaying radar sets also arrived amidst much secrecy.


12th Anti-Aircraft Brigade (United Kingdom), Phoney War
The first intimation that the Phoney War was about to end came in late April when a lone Junkers Ju 88 bombed a hospital next to Reims Cathedral; it was engaged by British and French AA guns but escaped. From then on bombing raids were frequent. The joint AASF/12 AA Bde HQ received some damage, and 5 AA Bty was deployed to defend AASF HQ.


12th Anti-Aircraft Brigade (United Kingdom), Phoney War, Order of Battle May 1940
12 AA Brigade had the following dispositions when the Battle of France began in May 1940:


12th Anti-Aircraft Brigade (United Kingdom), Battle of France
When the German offensive in the west opened on 10 May, 12 AA Bde was not involved in the BEFs advance into Belgium and subsequent retreat after the German Army broke through the Ardennes. However, the AASF flew many missions and took heavy casualties against the Ardennes breakthrough, while its airfields were subjected to dive-bombing and low-level attacks with which the old 3-inch guns and their Vickers Predictor No 1 and height-finders could not cope.


12th Anti-Aircraft Brigade (United Kingdom), Battle of France
At Condé Vraux the Luftwaffe destroyed six of 114 Squadron's Blenheims and damaged the remaining 12, as well as the airfield and petrol dump, putting the whole squadron and airfield out of service at the beginning of the battle, although the ground defences accounted for over half the attacking aircraft. By late May the BEF was cut off and was being evacuated from Dunkirk, while the AASF's airfields were being rolled up by German Army Group A as it advanced to the Somme. The AASF then became a mobile force, moving south to Troyes to continue supporting the French, followed by a further move back to the Blois area. 12 AA Brigade redeployed to defend these new airfields.


12th Anti-Aircraft Brigade (United Kingdom), Battle of France
Even after the Dunkirk evacuation ended a number of fighting formations and a large number of rear echelon units were still in France south of the Somme, and fresh British forces were being landed at France's western ports, covered by 3 AA Bde. The AASF's remaining bombers flew back to the UK, while its fighters moved to Nantes to cover this new concentration. 12 AA Brigade set off towards Nantes, its regiments 'trundling their old 3-inch guns at their maximum speed of 10 to 12 mph, though Vendôme, Le Mans and Rennes on the long haul westwards'. Sections of 53rd and 73rd AA Rgts provided temporary cover along the line of retreat. On arrival at Nantes 157 and 159 Btys, each with seven guns, and 7 S/L Bty (without searchlights), occupied positions on either side of the River Loire.


12th Anti-Aircraft Brigade (United Kingdom), Battle of France
On 6 June the brigade was ordered to detach part of 53rd AA Rgt to southern France for an unspecified task. Together with a Troop of 162/54 LAA Bty, 157 and 159 Btys moved 630 miles (1,010 km) to Marseille where they joined 'Haddock Force', manning airfields to launch bombing raids by RAF Wellingtons against Italian targets. However, the surrender of France meant that Haddock Force was evacuated from Marseille to Gibraltar aboard a merchant ship with the remaining Bofors guns mounted on its decks.


12th Anti-Aircraft Brigade (United Kingdom), Battle of France
The situation in France was now beyond remedy, and the British government decided to evacuate its remaining troops from the Atlantic ports between 15 and 17 June (Operation Ariel). Detachments of 73rd AA Rgt maintained temporary cover for 72 hours along the route of the evacuation, and two of its precious GL radar sets were got away from Saint-Nazaire by 79th (Hertfordshire Yeomanry) AA Rgt of 3 AA Bde, but the rest of the equipment had to be destroyed on the dockside. Half of 12 AA Bde HQ embarked at Nantes, the remainder went to La Rochelle where the last vehicles and two GL sets were destroyed.


12th Anti-Aircraft Brigade (United Kingdom), Battle of France
Personnel embarked under air attack and the RMS Lancastria, with thousands of servicemen and civilians aboard, including half of 12 AA Bde HQ and parties of 53rd and 73rd AA Rgts, was sunk off Saint-Nazaire with heavy loss of life. Three of brigade HQ's men were killed while 15 were pulled from the water, several of them wounded.


12th Anti-Aircraft Brigade (United Kingdom), Home Defence
The surviving personnel of 12 AA Bde HQ landed at Plymouth and Swansea. Crewdson was ordered to reassemble the HQ at Towyn in North Wales; then moved to Tadcaster in North Yorkshire, where it joined the brigade signal section that had been formed too late for service in France. At Tadcaster the brigade was under Northern Command, which gave it responsibility for some anti-invasion defence measures in Lincolnshire between the Humber and the Wash.


12th Anti-Aircraft Brigade (United Kingdom), Home Defence
In October 1940 12 AA Bde HQ was ordered to proceed to Paignton and re-mobilise for overseas service. However, embarkation was postponed, and the HQ was instead sent to Coventry to reorganise the AA defences after the devastating air raid of 14/15 November. Embarkation orders were finally received on 1 February 1941 and the headquarters, including the signal section and RASC company, embarked at Gourock, without Brig Crewdson, who had been injured in an accident.


12th Anti-Aircraft Brigade (United Kingdom), Western Desert
12 AA Brigade HQ arrived at Suez on 23 April and moved up to the Nile Delta. On 5 May Brig B.E. Floyd arrived from Malta, where he had been Brigadier, AA (BAA), to take command. The plan had been for the brigade to go to Greece, but the troops there had already been evacuated, and instead it was given the task of administering the AA personnel returning from Greece and Crete. Finally, on 16 July, 12 AA Bde moved up to join the Western Desert Force (WDF). Floyd was appointed BAA of the WDF, and his brigade was given responsibility for AA defence of the port of Mersa Matruh and several airfields. Air raids took place almost nightly, and the AA defences available were wholly inadequate:


12th Anti-Aircraft Brigade (United Kingdom), Western Desert
In September 1941 the WDF made a small advance to Halfaya Pass and 12 AA Bde moved up to Sidi Barrani to protect nearby landing grounds (LGs), with 2nd LAA Rgt coming under its command. Eighth Army was now formed to take over from the WDF, and 12 AA Bde became directly responsible to Army HQ. Shortly afterwards the newly-formed Desert Air Force took over the air units. In October 12 AA Bde HQ moved to Sanyat Amad Ali, where it was also given responsibility for protecting the railway that was being extended across the desert. 88th HAA and 27th LAA Rgts came under its command, while Axis aircraft continued to raid. Brigadier Floyd was evacuated sick and replaced by Brig E.G. Campbell.


12th Anti-Aircraft Brigade (United Kingdom), Western Desert, Operation Crusader
Eighth Army's new offensive into Libya (Operation Crusader) began on 18 November. 12 AA Brigade HQ moved up to Fort Maddelena on the Libyan–Egyptian frontier, and Troops of 2nd LAA Rgt took up positions on new LGs occupied west of the frontier while 27th LAA Rgt covered the Desert Rail Head. General Erwin Rommel's counter-attack caused confusion, with retreating units driving through the LGs and both Eighth Army and 12 AA Bde's HQs. The LGs were evacuated, one Troop of 2nd LAA driving in convoy with advancing German troops, thinking them to be Afrikaans-speaking South Africans. The front was re-established while brigade HQ's clerks manned Boys anti-tank rifles for local defence and Brig J.N. Slater, BAA of Eighth Army, organised a temporary mobile column of  LAA guns and light trucks (known as 'Slatforce') to operate behind enemy lines and cause disruption.


12th Anti-Aircraft Brigade (United Kingdom), Western Desert, Operation Crusader
Eighth Army attacked again, capturing Sidi Rezegh and the LGs around Gambut  on 23 November. 12 AA Brigade set up at Sidi Rezegh, with HQ personnel assisting in burying the dead. During the move the brigade HQ pennant was lost, so a pair of PT shorts was flown as a marker flag. The garrison of Tobruk, including 4 AA Bde, was relieved a few days later. 12 AA Brigade HQ moved up to an abandoned German camp (nicknamed 'Sidi Loot') on the coast about 20 miles from Tobruk, and its defence platoon combed the coast for stray Germans.


12th Anti-Aircraft Brigade (United Kingdom), Western Desert, Operation Crusader
In December the brigade left 68th HAA Rgt (ex-4 AA Bde) to defend Benghazi and moved forward to Antelat. Here in mid-January 1942 the LG suffered the fiercest air attack of the campaign so far when 10 German fighter-bombers attacked, destroying several RAF fighters, though the AA guns shot down three attackers. Because of heavy rain, the RAF decided to evacuate Antelat and concentrate at Msus.


12th Anti-Aircraft Brigade (United Kingdom), Western Desert, Operation Crusader
Brigade HQ was  just pulling out when Rommel launched his counter-offensive on 20 January, and the HQ convoy came under shellfire; two troops of 261/94 HAA Bty were unable to move their guns in the mud and they were captured. Reaching Msus that evening, the brigade found the enemy already approaching, so the retreat continued: 12 AA Bde had to abandon the forward LGs and Benghazi, moving back through Gambut to the airfield at El Adem, which was one of the fortified 'boxes' in Eighth Army's Gazala Line.


12th Anti-Aircraft Brigade (United Kingdom), Western Desert, Battle of Gazala
The Battle of Gazala began on 26 May, and Rommel's Axis forces quickly broke into the British position. As 12 AA Bde fell back from the advanced LGs in a series of defensive deployments, its guns joined the garrisons of the boxes, eight 3.7-inch guns of 88th HAA Rgt and Bofors troops of 2nd LAA Rgt joining 29th Indian Infantry Brigade in El Adem. Although the box was isolated by Axis troops, it held out, with the HAA guns in two-gun detachments engaging tanks, vehicles and guns at close range with High explosive, Armour-piercing and Shrapnel shells.


12th Anti-Aircraft Brigade (United Kingdom), Western Desert, Battle of Gazala
The brigade also lent troops of Bofors guns to roving  'Jock columns'. Eventually, Eighth Army was forced to evacuate the boxes and retreat towards Egypt, the garrison of El Adem slipping away during the night of 17 June. Tobruk was captured on 21 June, including 4 AA Bde HQ and a number of 12 AA Bde's detached units (RHQ, 277 and 282 Btys of 88th HAA Rgt, 107 Bty of 27th LAA Rgt). Conversely, 14th (West Lothian, Royal Scots) LAA Rgt of 4 AA Bde was outside the perimeter and. escaped capture: it was 'picked up' by 12 AA Bde during the retreat.


12th Anti-Aircraft Brigade (United Kingdom), Western Desert, Battle of Gazala
During the long retreat to the El Alamein position, 12 AA Bde, now under Brig Percy Calvert-Jones fell back in a series of rearguard actions at LGs, in the course of which it concentrated a sizeable body of troops: 88th and 94th HAA Rgts, 2nd, 14th, 15th (Isle of Man), 16th, 27th and 42nd LAA Rgts, two S/L troops and some motorised infantry.