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HQ No 32 Group Personnel, units and locations

[May 1939 | Dec 1939]

Reformed as No 32 (Barrage Balloon) Group on 1 March 1939 within Balloon Command

May 1939

Location Command Controlled
Kelvin House, Cleveland Street, London W1 Balloon Command

  • No unit allocated yet

 

Rank Name Date Notes
A/Cdre (Ret)

Bertie C H Drew

Air Officer Commanding, CMG, CVO, CBE

Source - May 1939 Confidential Air Force List

This HQ moved to Commercial Chamber, 1-13 Commercial Road, Portsmouth on 15 May 1939

December 1939

Location Command Controlled
 Commercial Chamber, 1-13 Commercial Road, Portsmouth Balloon Command

  • No 11 Balloon Centre - Bristol

    • No 927 (Balloon) Squadron

    • No 951 (Balloon) Squadron

  • No 12 Balloon Centre - Southsea

    • No 930 (Balloon) Squadron

    • No 931 (Balloon) Squadron

    • No 932 (Balloon) Squadron

    • No 933 (Balloon) Squadron

  • No 13 Balloon Centre - Plymouth

    • No 934 (Balloon) Squadron

  • No 14 Balloon Centre - Cardiff

    • No 935 (Balloon) Squadron

 

Rank Name Date Notes
A/Cdre (Ret)

Bertie C H Drew

Air Officer Commanding, CMG, CVO, CBE
Air Staff
Wg Cdr J C Gretton   Senior Air Staff Officer, RAFO
Flt Lt E L Leader   RAFO
Sqn Ldr V R S White   Maintenance Liaison
Personnel Staff
Wg Cdr C L Lea-Cox 15 May 1939 Senior Personnel Staff Officer
Sqn Ldr B E Harrison   AFC, RAFO
Services
Signals
Fg Off K G Styles 27 Oct 1939  
Miscellaneous
Lt Col M C Brotherton   Armament Duty
Lt E C C Haggart   Code and Cypher Duties, late RAF

Source - December 1939 Confidential Air Force List

It moved to Harefield House, Winchester Road, Romsey, Hampshire on 22 June 1940.

June 1941

Location Command Controlled
 Commercial Chamber, 1-13 Commercial Road, Portsmouth Balloon Command

  • No 11 Balloon Centre - Bristol

    • No 912 (Balloon) Squadron

    • No 927 (Balloon) Squadron

    • No 935 (Balloon) Squadron

    • No 951 (Balloon) Squadron

    • No 955 (Balloon) Squadron

  • No 12 Balloon Centre - Titchfield

    • No 924 (Balloon) Squadron

    • No 930 (Balloon) Squadron

    • No 932 (Balloon) Squadron

    • No 933 (Balloon) Squadron

  • No 13 Balloon Centre - Plymouth

    • No 934 (Balloon) Squadron

    • No 959 (Balloon) Squadron

    • No 964 (Balloon) Squadron

 

Rank Name Date Notes
A/Cdre Andre A Walser 23 Jan 1940 Air Officer Commanding, MC, DFC
Personal Appointment
Plt Off H J W Wilkie  3 May 1941 Personal Assistant to AOC
Air Staff
Wg Cdr C E Benson  1 May 1940 DSO
Sqn Ldr B E Harrison 27 May 1939 AFC, RAFO
Flt Lt Lord Ashburton 26 Mar 1940  
Fg Off S W Messenger 19 Apr 1940  
Administrative Staff
Wg Cdr D L Allen  1 Mar 1940 Senior Administrative Staff Officer, AFC
Wg Cdr A W N Addison  1 Feb 1941  
Flt Lt F E Bishop  1 Sep 1939  
Flt Lt E L Leader 10 Jul 1939  
Flt Lt K C M Stock 15 Nov 1940  
Flt Lt C F Latimer  5 my 1941  
Fg Off E A Huntington-Whiteley    
Fg Off K G Marsh    
Plt Off H A le Bas 21 Feb 1941  
Plt Off W Thomas  3 May 1941  
Services
Engineer
Fg Off G de Jongh  6 Jan 1941  
Plt Off C H Glanville  5 Aug 1940  
Signals
Fg Off K G Styles 27 Oct 1939  
Fg Off W W E Clarke 15 May 1940  
Equipment
Flt Lt E J D Ettwell  1 May 1941  
Physical Training
Fg Off G H Brindley  5 Sep 1940  
Medical
Sqn Ldr D Magrath  6 Nov 1939 Senior Medical Officer, MB, ChB, MRCS, LRCP, DPM, DPH
Fg Off R Piper  1 jul 1940 MB, BCh, MRCS, LRCP
Miscellaneous Appointments
Plt Off W E W Evans 24 Sep 1940  

Source - June 1941 Confidential Air Force List

It moved to Claverton Manor, near Bath, Somerset on 10 November 1941.

 

July 1942

Location Command Controlled
 Claverton Manor, near Bath Balloon Command

  • No 11 Balloon Centre - Bristol

    • No 912 (Balloon) Squadron

    • No 927 (Balloon) Squadron

    • No 935 (Balloon) Squadron

    • No 955 (Balloon) Squadron

    • No 957 (Balloon) Squadron

    • No 992 (Balloon) Squadron

  • No 13 Balloon Centre - Plymouth

    • No 934 (Balloon) Squadron

    • No 959 (Balloon) Squadron

    • No 964 (Balloon) Squadron

  • No 14 Balloon Centre - Cardiff

    • No 953 (Balloon) Squadron

    • No 958 (Balloon) Squadron

    • No 965 (Balloon) Squadron

    • No 966 (Balloon) Squadron

 

Rank Name Date Notes
Act A/Cdre (Wg Cdr) Christopher J R Turner 15 Dec 1941 Air Officer Commanding,
Air Staff
Sqn Ldr Lord Ashburton 26 Mar 1940 Senior Air Staff Officer
Flt Lt S W Messenger 19 Apr 1940  
Flt Lt G P Ritchie 22 May 1942  
Flt Lt W A Foster  2 Jun 1941  
Administrative Staff
Sqn Ldr W H R Lloyds 10 Apr 1942 MC
Sqn Ldr F E Bishop 27 Jul 1941 MBE
Flt Lt G K Horne 22 Nov 1941  
Flt Lt K G Marsh 16 Mar 1942  
Flt Lt H P Bazeley 16 Nov 1941  
Fg Off R G Cookson 10 Apr 1942  
Fg Off D L David 10 Apr 1942  
Fg Off A C B Parlett 10 Apr 1942  
Fg Off S A Powell 10 Apr 1942  
Plt Off G I Williamson 25 Mar 1942  
Plt Off H F Gray  1 Apr 1942  
Staff to the Services
Engineer
Flt Lt G de Jongh  6 Jan 1941  
Fg Off C H Glanville  5 Aug 1940  
Signals
Flt Lt K G Styles 27 Oct 1939  
Plt Off V F Gillett 31 Oct 1941  
Equipment
Flt Lt E F Teiddy 25 Aug 1941  
Physical Training
Fg Off G H Brindley  5 Sep 1940  
Medical
Sqn Ldr L S Everett  3 Nov 1941 Senior Medical Officer, MRCS, LRCP
WAAF Staff Officers
Flt Off C L Boxshall 18 Nov 1941 WAAF

Source - July 1942 Confidential Air Force List

December 1943

Location Command Controlled
 Claverton Manor, near Bath Balloon Command

  • No 6 Balloon Centre - Wythall

    • No 911/13 (Balloon) Squadron

    • No 914/15 (Balloon) Squadron

    • No 916/17 (Balloon) Squadron

    • No 918 (Balloon) Squadron

  • No 11 Balloon Centre - Bristol

    • No 912 (Balloon) Squadron

    • No 927/935 (Balloon) Squadron

    • No 955 (Balloon) Squadron

    • No 957 (Balloon) Squadron

    • No 958 (Balloon) Squadron

    • No 966 (Balloon) Squadron

  • No 13 Balloon Centre - Plymouth

    • No 934 (Balloon) Squadron

    • No 959 (Balloon) Squadron

    • No 964 (Balloon) Squadron

  • No 953 (Balloon) Squadron - Cardiff

 

Rank Name Date Notes
A/Cdre Christopher J R Turner 15 Dec 1941 Air Officer Commanding,
Air Staff
Wg Cdr H Sherwood  6 Jun 1942 Senior Air Staff Officer
Sqn Ldr S W Messenger 19 Apr 1940  
Sqn Ldr W A Foster  2 Jun 1941  
Sqn Ldr H G Bird  1 Oct 1943  
Administrative Staff
Sqn Ldr K G Marsh 16 Mar 1942  
Sqn Ldr E H King  5 Jul 1943  
Sqn Ldr N W Slack  1 Sep 1942  
Staff to the Services
Engineer
Sqn Ldr A Maddison 11 Oct 1943  
Equipment
Sqn Ldr E F Twiddy 25 Aug 1941  
Medical
Wg Cdr W J Hutchinson  1 Apr 1943 Senior Medical Officer, MB, BCh, DPH

Source - December 1943 Confidential Air Force List

June 1944

Location Command Controlled
 Claverton Manor, near Bath Balloon Command

  • No 6 Balloon Centre - Wythall

    • No 991 (Balloon) Squadron

  • No 11 Balloon Centre - Bristol

    • No 912 (Balloon) Squadron

    • No 927/935 (Balloon) Squadron

    • No 955 (Balloon) Squadron

    • No 957 (Balloon) Squadron

    • No 958 (Balloon) Squadron

    • No 966 (Balloon) Squadron

    • No 997 (Balloon) Squadron

  • No 13 Balloon Centre - Plymouth

    • No 934 (Balloon) Squadron

    • No 959 (Balloon) Squadron

    • No 964 (Balloon) Squadron

    • No 999 (Balloon) Squadron

  • No 953 (Balloon) Squadron - Cardiff

 

Rank Name Date Notes
A/Cdre Christopher J R Turner 15 Dec 1941 Air Officer Commanding,
Air Staff
Wg Cdr H Sherwood  6 Jun 1942 Senior Air Staff Officer
Sqn Ldr S W Messenger 19 Apr 1940  
Sqn Ldr W A Foster  2 Jun 1941  
Sqn Ldr G H Hitchings  6 Feb 1944  
Administrative Staff
Sqn Ldr K G Marsh 16 Mar 1942  
Sqn Ldr E H King  5 Jul 1943  
Sqn Ldr N W Slack  1 Sep 1942  
Staff to the Services
Engineer
Sqn Ldr A Maddison 11 Oct 1943  
Equipment
Sqn Ldr R E N Tasker 29 Mar 1944  
Medical
Wg Cdr W J Hutchinson  1 Apr 1943 Senior Medical Officer, MB, BCh, DPH
WAAF Staff Officers
Wg Off Y J Gough  5 Feb 1944 WAAF

Source - June 1944 Confidential Air Force List

It disbanded on 15 November 1944

[May 1939 | Dec 1939 \ Jun 1941 | Jul 1942 | Dec 1943 | Jun 1944]

This page was last updated on 18/03/25©

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