Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation

RAF Home Commands formed between 1939 - 1957

[Army Co-operation | Ferry | Flying Training | Home | RAF in Northern Ireland | Reserve | Technical Training | Transport]

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Reserve Command

Shinfield Park, Reading, Berkshire

Formed by splitting Training Command 27 May 1940.  Absorbed into Training Command, 1 Jun 1968.

Motto:    Per Laborem ad Summa

27 May 1940                       AM Sir Lawrence Pattinson

 7 Jul 1941                           AM Sir William Welsh

17 Aug 1942                        AM Sir Philip Babington

 6 Oct 1945                         AM Sir Arthur Coningham

 1 Aug 1947                        AVM F J Fogarty

15 Oct 1947                        ACM Sir Ralph Cochrane

 1 Mar 1950                        AM Sir Hugh Walmsley

 1 Aug 1952                        AM Sir Laurence Pendred

20 Dec 1955                       AM Sir Richard Atcherley

 1 Mar 1959                        AM Sir Hugh Constantine

24 Sep 1961                        AM Sir Augustus Walker

26 Jun 1964                         AM Sir Patrick Dunn

 1 Oct 1966                         AM Sir John Davis

Listings of units and personnel controlled by this Command available in the Member Areas

Wantage Hall, Reading University, Reading, Berkshire.

Formed by splitting Training Command 27 May 1940.  Absorbed into Training Command, 1 Jun 1968.

Motto: Labore Terrestri Caelestis Victoria

27 May 1940                    AM Sir William Welsh

7 Jul 1941                         AM Sir John Babington

1 Jun 1943                        AM Sir Arthur Barratt

29 Oct 1945                     AM Sir Ralph Sorley

12 Jul 1948                       AM Sir John Jones (later Whitworth Jones)

1 Jul 1952                         AM Sir Victor Groom

15 Sep 1955                     AM Sir George Beamish

10 Jan 1958                      AM Sir Arthur McDonald

29 Sep 1959                     AM Sir Wallace Kyle

12 Feb 1962                     AM Sir Alfred Earle

15 Jan 1964                      AM Sir Donald Evans

18 May 1966                    AM Sir William Coles

This was formed at Dunlambert Hotel, Fortwilliam Park, Belfast on 1 August 1940 by raising No 61 Group to Command status as RAF HQ in Northern Ireland.  On 15 October 1942 it absorbed No 82 Group, was redesignated HQ RAF in Northern Ireland and moved to Parliament Building at Stormont, Belfast.  It moved to Wilmont & Ballydrain, Dunmurry, County Antrim on 4 January 1945, where it absorbed No 15 Group on 1 August 1945, before relocating to RAF Aldergrove on 12 February 1947.  Its final move was to Edenmore (Hotel), Whiteabbey, Belfast in late 1948 before disbanding on 31 May 1950. 

  1 Aug 1940                           A/Cdre/AVM C R Carr

14 Aug 1941                           AVM G C Pirie

 5 Nov 1941                            AVM P C Maltby

21 Nov 1941                           AVM J B Cole-Hamilton  

15 Oct 1942                            AVM A T Cole RAAF

14 Mar 1943                           AVM D F Stevenson

7 Dec 1943                             A/Cdre W H Primrose

20 Aug 1944                           A/Cdre A R Churchman

15 Aug 1946                           A/Cdre C L Falconer

13 Oct 1948                           A/Cdre B V Reynolds

This was formed 1 December 1940 to take over the duties of No 22 (Army Co-Operation) Group and was temporarily located along with HQ, No 70 Group at Farnborough until moving into a new HQ at Ramslade Flats, Bracknell, Berkshire.  It disbanded 31 May 1943.

1 Dec 1940                         AM Sir Arthur Barratt

Listings of units and personnel controlled by this Command available in the Member Areas

Ferry Command

Ferry Command was formed on 20 July 1941 from the Atlantic Ferry Service (Atfero) with its HQ at 507 Royal Bank Buildings, Montreal, Canada and later moved to Dorval Airport, Montreal.  It was renamed No 45(Atlantic Ferry) Group on 25 March 1943

20 Jul 1941                             ACM Sir Frederick Bowhill

Listings of units and personnel controlled by this Command available in the Member Areas

Transport Command

Transport Command was formed on 25 March 1943, the initial nucleus staff being accommodated at Bush House, SE Wing, London, WC2 until moving to its new HQ at Harrow on 15 April 1943.

It was renamed Air Support Command on 1 August 1967.  

Motto:    Ferio Ferendo (I strike by carrying)

25 Mar 1943                           ACM Sir Frederick Bowhill

 15 Feb 1945                          AM Sir Ralph Cochrane

 24 Sep 1947                          AM Sir Brian Baker

31 Mar 1950                           AM Sir Aubrey Ellwood

 1 Jan 1952                             AVM R S Blucke

 3 Jun 1952                             AVM C E N Guest

15 Mar 1954                          AVM G R Beamish

15 Oct 1955                           AM Sir Andrew McKee

16 May 1959                          AM Sir Denis Barnett

30 Apr 1962                           AM Sir Edmund Hudleston

 1 Dec 1963                            AM Sir Kenneth Cross

27 Jan 1967                            AM Sir Thomas Prickett

Listings of units and personnel controlled by this Command available in the Member Areas

R.A.F. Transport Command Veterans Association

Home Command  

[Army Co-operation | Ferry | Flying Training | Home | RAF in Northern Ireland | Reserve | Technical Training | Transport]

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This page was last updated on 17/03/25^© 

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