Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation
Coastal Command - January 1943
[Command HQ | No 15 Group | No 16 Group | No 17 Group | No 18 Group | No 19 Group | ASR Units]
Command HQ - Eastbury Park, Northwood, Middlesex
Satellite airfields are shown in brackets and some units shown at the main station may have been based at the Satellite and are as such if known.
Units administered directly by Command HQ
Unit | Location/Address | Notes |
HQ RAF Iceland | ||
AMES | Grotta, Iceland | |
No 269 Sqn | Kaldadarnes, Iceland | Hudson |
AMES | Olfus, Iceland | |
No 330 (Norwegian) Sqn | Reykjavik, Iceland | Catalina/Northrop |
No 1407 (Meteorological) Flt | Reykjavik, Iceland | Hampden |
AMES | Vik, Iceland | |
HQ RAF Gibraltar | ||
No 544 Sqn - Detachment | Gibraltar | |
No 233 Sqn | Gibraltar | Hudson |
No 202 Sqn | Gibraltar | Catalina/Sunderland |
Merchant Ship Fighter Unit | Gibraltar | Hurricane |
Meteorological Flight | Gibraltar | Hudson |
No 179 Sqn | Gibraltar | Wellington |
HQ - Derby House, Exchange Buildings, Liverpool
Unit | Location/Address | Notes |
RAF Ballykelly | Ballykelly, RAF Station, Home Forces | Station in RAFNI |
No 120 Sqn | RAF Ballykelly | Liberator |
No 220 Sqn | RAF Ballykelly | Fortress |
RAF Benbecula | No Station HQ? | |
No 206 Sqn | RAF Benbecula | Fortress |
RAF Lough Erne | Lough Erne, | Station in RAFNI |
No 201 Sqn | RAF Lough Erne | Sunderland |
No 228 Sqn | RAF Lough Erne | Sunderland |
No 423 Sqn RCAF | RAF Lough Erne | Sunderland |
RAF Nutts Corner | Station in RAFNI | |
RAF Station Oban | Dungalion House, Oban, Argyll | |
No 330 (Nowegian) Sqn | RAF Oban | Sunderland |
No 422 Sqn RCAF | RAF Oban | Sunderland |
No 4 Flying Boat Servicing Unit | RAF Oban | |
RAF Port Ellen (Bowmore) | Isle of Islay, Argyllshire | Care & Maintenance |
No 246 Sqn | RAF Port Ellen (Bowmore) | Sunderland |
RAF Station Stornoway | Stornoway, Isle of Lewis | |
RAF Tain | Coastal Command Development Unit (reduced to nucleus) | Beaufort/Hudson, Station in Fighter Command |
RAF Station Tiree | Isle of Tiree, Argyllshire | Care & Maintenance |
RAF Station Wig Bay | ||
No 1 Flying Boat Servicing Unit | RAF Wig Bay |
HQ - Black Lion Fields, Gillingham, Kent
Unit | Location/Address | Notes |
RAF Station Benson (Mount Farm) | Benson, Oxfordshire | |
No 540 Sqn | RAF Benson | Mosquito |
No 541 Sqn | RAF Benson | Spitfire |
No 542 Sqn | RAF Benson | Spitfire |
No 543 Sqn | RAF Benson | Spitfire |
No 544 Sqn | RAF Benson | Spitfire/Wellington/Anson |
RAF Station Bircham Newton (Docking) | Bircham Newton, King's Lynn, Norfolk | |
No 521 (Met) Sqn | RAF Bircham Newton | Mosquito/Hampden/Gladiator/Spitfire |
No 320 (Dutch) Sqn | RAF Bircham Newton | Hudson |
No 407 Sqn RCAF | RAF Bircham Newton | Hudson |
No 279 Sqn | RAF Bircham Newton | Hudson, detchment(s) at other station(s) |
No 280 Sqn | RAF Bircham Newton | Anson |
No 1525 (BAT) Flt | RAF Bircham Newton | Flying Training Command |
RAF Station Calshot | Calshot Spit, Hampshire | |
Marine Craft Repair Section | RAF Calshot | |
Marine Craft Section | RAF Calshot | |
Flying Boat Repair Section | RAF Calshot | |
RAF Station Detling | Detling, nr Maidstone, Kent | Station in Army Co-operation Command |
No 16 Group Communications Flt | RAF Detling | Various |
No 1 Coast Artillery Co-operation Flight (Operational Section) | RAF Detling | Spitfire |
RAF Station Felixstowe | Felixstowe, Suffolk | Care & Maintenance |
RAF Station Gosport | Gosport, Hampshire | |
Torpedo Development Unit and Instructional Section | RAF Gosport | Various |
No 2 AACU | RAF Gosport | Less flights at Detling and Roborough |
FAA Maintenance Unit | RAF Gosport | |
No 3502 Servicing Unit | RAF Gosport | |
No 48 Sqn | RAF Gosport | Re-equipping |
RAF Station Langham | Langham, Norfolk | Care & Maintenance |
RAF Station North Coates (Donna Nook) | North Coates, Grimsby, Lincolnshire | |
No 143 Sqn | RAF North Coates | Blenheim/Beaufighter |
No 254 Sqn | RAF North Coates | Beaufighter |
No 236 Sqn | RAF North Coates | Beaufighter |
No 22 Mobile Servicing Unit (Torpedo) | RAF North Coates | |
RAF Station Thorney Island | Thorney Island, Emsworth, Hampshire | |
No 2 Armament Practice Camp | RAF Thorney Island | Lysander |
No 86 Sqn | RAF Thorney Island | Liberator |
No 415 Sqn RCAF | RAF Thorney Island | Hampden |
No 59 Sqn | RAF Thorney Island | Liberator |
HQ - 58 Melville Street, Edinburgh 3
Unit | Location/Address | Notes |
RAF Station Abbotsinch | Abbotsinch, Paisley | |
No 1402 (Meteorological) Flt | RAF Aldergrove | Gladiator/Spitfire/Hudson, Station in RAFNI |
No 1 Armament Practice Camp | RAF Aldergrove | Lysander, Station in RAFNI |
RAF Castle Kennedy | ||
RAF Station Catfoss (Lissett) | Catfoss, Nr Hull, East Yorkshire | |
No 2 OTU | RAF Catfoss | Blenheim/Beaufighter |
Marine Craft Section (Bridlington) | RAF Catfoss | |
RAF Cranwell | Cranwell, Sleaford, Lincolnshire | Station in Technical Training Command |
No 3 OTU | RAF Cranwell | Whitley/Wellington |
RAF Station Crosby | ||
No 9 OTU | RAF Crosby | Beaufighter/Beaufort/Oxford |
RAF Station Dyce | Station in No 18 Group | |
No 1509 (BAT) Flt | RAF Dyce | Wellington |
RAF Station Fraserburgh | ||
No 8 OTU | RAF Fraserburgh | Mosquito |
RAF Station Invergordon | ||
No 4 OTU | RAF Invergordon | Catalina/Sunderland |
No 5 Flying Boat Servicing Unit | RAF Invergordon | |
RAF Station Killadeas | Station in RAFNI | |
No 131 OTU | RAF Killadeas | Catalina |
No 540 Sqn - Detachment | RAF Leuchars | Mosquito, Station in No 18 Group |
RAF Station Limavady (Mullaghmore) | Limavady, Londonderry, Northern Ireland | Station in RAFNI |
No 7 OTU | RAF Limavardy | Wellington |
RAF Station Silloth (Great Orton) | Silloth, Carlisle, Cumberland | |
No 1 (Coastal) OTU | RAF Silloth | Hudson/Anson/Oxford |
RAF Station Squire's Gate | Squire's Gate, Lytham St Annes, Lancashire | |
No 3 School of General Reconnaissance | RAF Squire's Gate | Botha |
No 1 ACCU, 'F' Flight | RAF Squire's Gate | |
RAF Station Stranraer | Stranraer, Wigtownshire | |
No 302 Ferry Training Unit | RAF Stranraer | Catalina |
RAF Station Thornaby (West Hartlepool) | Thornaby, North Yorkshire | |
No 6 OTU | RAF Thornaby | Hudson/Anson |
RAF Station Turnberry | No Station HQ | |
No 5 OTU | RAF Turnberry | Beaufort/Hampden |
No 1 Torpedo Training Unit | RAF Turnberry | Beaufort |
HQ - Pitreavie Castle, Rosyth, Dunfermline
Unit | Location/Address | Notes |
RAF Station Dyce | Dyce, Aberdeen | |
No 404 Sqn RCAF | RAF Dyce | Beaufighter |
No 1509 Flt | RAF Dyce | Oxford, under No 17 Group |
RAF Station Greenock | Greenock, Renfrewshire | |
Flying Boat Major Maintenance | RAF Greenock | |
No 2 Flying Boat Servicing Unit | RAF Greenock | |
Flying Boat Repair Section | RAF Greenock | |
RAF Station Helensburgh | Helensburgh, Dunbartonshire | |
Marine Aircraft Experimental Establishment | RAF Helensburgh | Various |
RAF Station Leuchars | Leuchars, Fife | |
No 1510 (BAT) Flt | RAF Leuchars | Oxford, under No 17 Group |
No 540 Sqn - Detachment | RAF Leuchars | Spitfire/Blenheim |
No 18 Group Communication Flight | RAF Leuchars | Various |
No 455 Sqn RAAF | RAF Leuchars | Hampden |
No 3 Armament Practice Camp | RAF Leuchars | Lysander |
No 144 Sqn | RAF Leuchars | Hampden |
No 23 Mobile Servicing Unit (Torpedo) | RAF Leuchars | |
RAF Station Sullom Voe | Sullon Voe, Shetlands | |
RAF Station Sumburgh (Scatsta) | Sumburgh, Shetlands | |
Vaagar | Faroes Islands | |
RAF Station Wick (Skitten) | Wick, Caithness | |
No 489 Sqn RNZAF | RAF Wick | Hampden |
No 612 Sqn | RAF Wick | Whitley/Wellington |
No 1406 (Meteorological) Flt | RAF Wick | Spitfire/Hampden |
HQ - Mount Wise, Plymouth
Unit | Location/Address | Notes |
RAF Station Beaulieu | Beaulieu, Hampshire | |
No 224 Sqn | RAF Beaulieu | Liberator |
No 405 Sqn RCAF | RAF Beaulieu | Halifax, on detachment from Bomber Command |
RAF Station Chivenor | Chivenor, Barnstable, Devon | |
No 172 Sqn | RAF Chivenor | Wellington |
No 235 Sqn | RAF Chivenor | Beaufighter |
No 58 Sqn | RAF Chivenor | Halifax |
No 21 Mobile Servicing Unit (Torpedo) | RAF Chivenor | |
RAF Station Davidstow Moor | Davidstow Moor, Cornwall | |
No 2 Servicing Unit | RAF Davidstow Moor | |
RAF Hamworthy | ||
No 461 Sqn RAAF | RAF Hamworthy | Sunderland |
RAF Holmsley South | Holmsley South, Hampshire | |
No 547 Sqn | RAF Holmsley South | Wellington VIII |
RAF Mount Batten (RNAS Roborough) | Plymouth, Cornwall | |
No 10 Sqn RAAF | RAF Mount Batten | Sunderland |
No 19 Group Communications Flt | RNAS Roborough | Various |
RAF Station Pembroke Dock | Pembroke Dock, Pembrokeshire | |
Flying Boat Major Maintenance | RAF Pembroke Dock | Lerwick/Sunderland |
No 119 Sqn | RAF Pembroke Dock | Sunderland |
No 3 Flying Boat Servicing Unit | RAF Pembroke Dock | |
No 210 Sqn | RAF Pembroke Dock | Catalina |
RAF Station St Eval | St Eval, nr Wadebridge, Cornwall | |
No 543 Sqn - Detachment | RAF St Eval | Spitfire/Blenheim |
No 1404 (Meteorological) Flt | RAF St Eval | Hampden |
No 502 Sqn | RAF St Eval | Whitley, detachment(s) at other station(s) |
RAF Talbenny (Dale) | RAF Talbenny | No Station HQ? |
No 304 (Polish) Sqn | RAF Talbenny | Wellington |
No 311 (Czechoslovak) Sqn | RAF Talbenny | Wellington |
No 248 Sqn | RAF Talbenny | Beaufighter |
No 4 Armament Practice Camp | RAF Talbenny |
Air/Sea Rescue Marine Craft Units (Home)
No | Location | Controlling Group | Parent Unit |
10 | Aberdeen | 18 | Dyce |
47 | Aberystwyth | 19 | Aberystwyth |
45 | Barry | 19 | St Athan |
14 | Berwick-on-Tweed | 18 | Charter Hall |
15 | Blyth | 18 | Acklington |
21 | Bridlington | 16 | Catfoss |
8 | Buckie | 18 | Lossiemouth |
7 | Burghead | 18 | Kinloss |
61 | Campbeltown | 15 | Greenock |
57 | Donaghadee | 15 | Ballyhalbert |
54 | Douglas | 15 | Andreas |
27 | Dover | 16 | No 961 (Balloon) Sqn |
64 | Drummore | 15 | Stranraer |
38 | Exmouth | 19 | Exeter |
42 | Falmouth | 19 | No 959 (Balloon) Sqn |
26 | Felixstowe | 16 | Felixstowe |
49 | Fishguard | 19 | Pembroke Dock |
53 | Fleetwood | 15 | Squires Gate |
9 | Fraserburgh | 18 | Peterhead |
24 | Gorleston | 16 | No 16 Recruit Centre, Yarmouth |
30 | Gosport | 16 | Gosport |
22 | Grimsby | 16 | North Coates |
16 | Hartlepool | 18 | Acklington |
52 | Holyhead | 15 | Valley |
70 | Iceland | Iceland | Reykjavik |
6 | Invergordon | 18 | Invergordon |
55 | Kirkcudbright | 15 | Wigtown |
58 | Larne | 15 | Aldergrove |
1 | Lerwick | 18 | Sumburgh |
29 | Littlehampton | 16 | Ford |
62 | Loch Boisdale | 15 | Benbecula |
60 | Lough Foyle | 15 | Ballykelly |
25 | Lowestoft | 16 | No 16 Recruit Centre, Yarmouth |
37 | Lyme Regis | 19 | Warmwell |
5 | Meikle Ferry | 18 | Tain |
63 | Menai Straits | 15 | Bodorgan |
13 | Methil | 18 | Leuchars |
11 | Montrose | 18 | Montrose |
28 | Newhaven | 16 | Thorney Island |
43 | Newlyn | 19 | Predannack |
65 | Oban | 15 | Oban |
44 | Padstow | 19 | St Eval |
55 | Peel | 15 | Andreas |
36 | Poole | 19 | Bournemouth |
46 | Porthcawl | 19 | Stormy Down |
56 | Portoferry | 15 | Ballyhalbert |
51 | Pwllheli | 15 | Penrhos |
54 | Ramsey | 15 | Andreas |
27 | Ramsgate | 16 | No 961 (Balloon) Sqn |
41 | Salcombe | 19 | Mount Batten |
2 | Shipinsay | 18 | Kirkwall |
17 | Scalloway | 18 | Sullom Voe |
31 | Sheerness | 16 | No 952 (Balloon) Sqn |
66 | Stornoway | 15 | Stornoway |
59 | Stranraer | 15 | Stranraer |
50 | Swansea | 19 | No 958 (Balloon) Sqn |
12 | Tayport | 18 | Leuchars |
48 | Tenby | 19 | Pembroke Dock |
3 | Thurso | 18 | Wick |
39 | Torquay | 19 | Torquay |
23 | Wells-on-Sea | 16 | Langham |
4 | Wick | 18 | Wick |
All home based ASR MCUs are administered by HQ Coastal Command, through the Coastal Command group in the area of which they are located. Personnel are administered by the most conveniently situated RAF Station, irrespective of command and are on a lodger basis on stations which are not in Coastal Command.
Units on 'number only' basis
The following units of Coastal Command have been reduced to a a 'number only' basis until it becomes practical to re-form them: -
No 102 Wing No 1403 (Meteorological) Flt No 1405 (Meteorological) Flt No 1408 (Meteorological) Flt
Squadrons proceeding overseas: -
No 42 Sqn No 463 Sqn RAAF No 490 Sqn RNZAF
Source - January 1943 SD161
County names used are those in use at the time
[Command HQ | No 15 Group | No 16 Group | No 17 Group | No 18 Group | No 19 Group | ASR Units]
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