Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation

RAF Home Commands formed between 1958 - 2002

[Air | Air Support | Logistics | Personal & Training | RAF Support  | Signals  | Strike | Support]

[Badges]

Formed 3 Nov 1958 by raising No 90 (Signals) Group to Command status.  Reduced to Group status within Strike Command, 1 Jan 1969. 

Motto:    Aetherem Vincere 

Air Officers Commanding: -

3 Nov 1958                      AVM L Dalton-Morris

 1 Mar 1961                      AVM A Foord-Kelcey ("Locum Tenens")

 9 Jun 1961                        AVM W P G Pretty

 1 Feb 1964                       AVM Sir Thomas Shirley

 7 May 1966                      AVM B Ball

Formed 1 Aug 1967 by renaming Transport Command.  Absorbed into Strike Command as No 38 (Tactical Support) Group and No 46 (Strategic Support) Group, 1 Sep 1972

Motto:    Ferio Ferendo (I strike by carrying)

Air Officers Commanding-in-Chief: -

 1 Aug 1967                            AM Sir Thomas Prickett

 1 Jul 1968                              AM Sir Lewis Hodges

  1 Oct 1970                            AM Sir Harry Burton

Formed by the amalgamation of Bomber Command and Fighter Command, 30 Apr 1968.  Coastal Command was absorbed as No 18 (Maritime) Group,   28 Nov 1969.  Air Support Command was absorbed as No 38 (Tactical Support) and No 46 (Strategic Support) Group, 1 Sep 1972.  RAF Germany was absorbed as No 2 (Bomber) Group , 1 Apr 1993.  Disbanded 1 Apr 2007 by being merged with Personnel and Training Command into Air Command.

Motto:    Defend and Strike

Air Officers Commanding-in-Chief: -

30 Apr 1968                           ACM Sir Wallace Kyle

26 Aug 1968                           ACM Sir Denis Spotswood

 5 Jan 1971                             ACM Sir Andrew Humphrey

 1 Feb 1974                            ACM Sir Denis Smallwood

21 May 1976                          ACM Sir Nigel Maynard

26 Mar 1977                           ACM Sir David Evans

15 Sep 1980                           ACM Sir Keith Williamson

20 Sep 1982                           ACM Sir David Craig

29 Aug 1985                           ACM Sir Peter Harding

 9 Sep 1988                            ACM Sir Patrick Hine

 5 Apr 1989                            ACM Sir Michael Graydon

 4 Nov 1992                           ACM Sir John Thomson

30 Jun 1994                            ACM Sir Richard Johns

14 Jul 1994                             ACM Sir William Wratten

25 Jul 1997                             ACM Sir John Alison

29 Mar 1999                           ACM Sir Peter Squire

 6 Apr 2000                            ACM Sir Anthony Bagnall

 5 Apr 2001                            ACM Sir John Day.

31 Jul 2003:                            ACM Sir Brian Burridge

13 Jan 2006                            ACM Sir Joe French

Support Command was formed by renaming Maintenance Command, 31 Aug 1973.  Renamed RAF Support Command when Training Command was absorbed , 13 Jun 1977.

Motto:    Ut Aquilae Volent (Where eagles dare)

Air Officers Commanding-in-Chief: -

31 Aug 1973                        AM Sir Reginald Harland  

Formed 13 Jun 1977 by renaming Support Command following its absorption of Training Command.  Split into Personnel & Training Command and Logistics Command, 1 Apr 1994.

Motto:    Ut Aquilae Volent (Where eagles dare)

Air Officers Commanding-in-Chief: -

13 Jun 1977                            AM Sir Rex Roe

30 Aug 1978                           AM Sir Keith Williamson

 3 May 1980                           AM Sir John Gingell

27 Apr 1981                           AM Sir Michael Beavis

15 Feb 1984                           AM Sir David Harcourt-Smith

 2 Jan 1986                             AM Sir John Sutton

 5 Apr 1989                            AM/ACM Sir Michael Graydon

                                               ACM Sir John Thomson

5 Oct 1992                             ACM Sir John Willis

Formed 1 Apr 1994 by splitting the role of RAF Support Command.  The AOC-in-C was a dual role filled by the Air Member for Logistics.  The  AML was also the RAF's Chief Engineer, if qualified as such.  Disbanded 31 Oct 1999 and most of its roles were transferred to the tri-service Defence Logistics Organisation, which formed on 1 Apr 2000.

The badge had a steel gauntlet representing the military strength of the Command., supporting an eagle and an astral crown representing the RAF front line and Britain's defence interests.

Motto:    Sustentamus et Bellent (We sustain that they may fight)

Air Officers Commanding-in-Chief: -

  1 Apr 1994                           ACM Sir Michael Alcock         

 8 Mar 1996                            ACM Sir John Allison

11 Jul 1997                             AM Sir Colin Terry    

30 Apr 1999                           AM M D Pledger  

 3 Sep 1999                            AVM G Skinner        

Formed 1 Apr 1994 by splitting the role of RAF Support Command.  The AOC-in-C is now a dual role filled by the Air Member for Personnel.  On 1 Sep 2006 HQ PTC moved from RAF Innsworth to its new home alongside HQ Strike Command at High Wycombe. Disbanded 1 Apr 2007 by being merged with Strike Command into Air Command.

Motto:    Ut Aquilae Surgant

Air Officers Commanding-in-Chief: -

 1 Apr 1994               ACM Sir Andrew Wilson                      

 1 May 1995               AM/ACM Sir David Cousins

 7 Aug 1998                AM Sir Anthony Bagnall

23 Mar 2000               AM Sir John Day

25 Apr 2003                AM Sir Joe French

 6 Jan 2006                  AM B M Thornton

Formed 1 Apr 2007 by the merger of Strike Command with Personnel and Training Command with its HQ at High Wycombe.

 C-in-Cs: -

1 Apr 2007                        ACM Sir Clive Loader

xx xxx xxxx                        ACM Sir Christopher Moran

xx xxx 2010                       ACM S Bryant

Deputy C-in-C (Operations): -

 1 Apr 2007                      AM I W McNicoll

14 Apr 2010                     AM R Garwood

Deputy C-inC (Personnel)/Air Member for Personnel: -

 1 May 2007                     AM S G G Dalton

xx xxx 2009                      AM S Bryant

xx Jul 2010                        AVM M G Lloyd (acting)

 1 Sep 2010                      AM A Pulford

[Air | Air Support | Logistics | Personal & Training | RAF Support  | Signals  | Strike | Support]

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

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