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Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation
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The 900 series of squadron numbers was allocated to Barrage Balloon units of the Auxiliary Air Force. Only one RAF squadron ever held a number greater than 1000, click here for details of that squadron. The dates shown are those between which the squadron number was in use. When a squadron was disbanded in one location but reformed in another on the same day then a break in the dates has not been shown.
Many thanks to Len Bacon for providing me with the results of his research into the RAF Balloon squadrons.
Photo of a Balloon 'Sweetheart' Pin, unit of origin unknown (Courtesy Stuart Farman)
| No
30 (Balloon Barrage) Group 17 Mar 1937 - 7 Jan 1945 |
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| No 1 Balloon
Centre, Kidbrooke, London SE3
4 Oct 1937 - xx xxx 1960 |
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No 2 Balloon Centre, Hook, Surrey
xx xxx 1937 - pre Jun 1944 |
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| No 3 Balloon
Centre, Stanmore, Middlesex
xx xxx 1937 - Current |
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| No 4 Balloon
Centre, Chigwell, Essex
2 Aug 1938 - 1 Apr 1943 |
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| No 22 Balloon
Centre, Biggin Hill, Kent 19 Feb 1944 - 20 Nov 1944 |
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| No 23 Balloon
Centre, Gravesend, Kent 1 Feb 1944 - 15 Jan 1945 |
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| No 24 Balloon
Centre, Redhill, Surrey 1 Jul 1944 - 15 Jan 1945 |
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| No
31 (Balloon Barrage) Group Birmingham 1 Apr 1939 - 13 Nov 1941 |
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| No 5 Balloon
Centre, Whitehouse Common, Sutton Coldfield, Birmingham
xx xxx xxxx - pre Jun 1944 |
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| No 6 Balloon
Centre, Wythall, Birmingham
xx xxx xxxx - xx xxx xxxx Transferred to No 32 Group13 Nov 1941 |
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| No 7 Balloon
Centre, Curzon Lane, Alvaston, Derbyshire
xx xxx xxxx - pre Jun 1944 |
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| No 8 Balloon
Centre, Fazakerley, Liverpool
xx xxx xxxx - pre Jun 1944 |
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| No 9 Balloon
Centre, Houghton Green, Warrington
xx xxx xxxx - pre Jun 1944 |
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| No 10 Balloon
Centre, Bowlee, Middleton, Manchester
xx xxx xxxx - pre Jun 1944 |
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| No
32 (Balloon Barrage) Group Romsey/Bath 1 Mar 1939 - 15 Nov 1944 |
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| No 11 Balloon
Centre, Pucklechurch, Bristol
xx xxx xxxx - xx xxx xxxx |
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| No 12 Balloon
Centre, Southampton Road, Titchfield, Fareham, Hants
xx xxx xxxx - xx xxx xxxx Transferred to No 30 Group - pre Jun 1944 |
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| No 13 Balloon
Centre, Collaton Cross, Yealhampton, Plymouth
xx xxx xxxx - xx xxx xxxx |
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| No 14 Balloon
Centre, Caerau, Ely, Cardiff
xx xxx xxxx - pre Jun 1944 |
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| No 21 Balloon
Centre, Pembroke Dock, Wales
27 Aug 1940 - 31 Dec 1941 |
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| No
33 (Balloon Barrage) Group Long Benton/Sheffield (1940) 1 Mar 1939 - 4 Sep 1944 |
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| No 15 Balloon
Centre, Long Benton, Forest Hall, Newcastle-upon-Tyne
xx xxx xxxx - xx xxx xxxx |
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| No 16 Balloon
Centre, Hemsworth, Norton, Sheffield
15 Aug 1939 - pre Jun 1944 |
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| No 17 Balloon
Centre, Sutton-on-Hull, Hull
17 May 1939 - 15 Oct 1942 |
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| No
34 (Balloon Barrage) Group Edinburgh 1 Jul 1940 - 4 Sep 1944 |
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| No 18 Balloon
Centre, Bishopbridge, Glasgow
xx Aug 1939 - xx xxx xxxx |
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| No 19 Balloon
Centre, Rosyth, Fife
21 Oct 1939 - 6 May 1940 |
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| No 18 Balloon
Centre, Lyness, Orkney 2 Jun 1940 - 27 Dec 1941 |
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| 901 (County of London) | 16 May 1938 - | 5 Flts of 9 Balloons - Woolwich, Abbey Wood, Kidbrooke |
| 902 (County of London) | 16 May 1938 - | 5 Flts of 9 Balloons - Kidbrooke, Brixton |
| 903 (County of London) | 16 May 1938 - xx xxx 1944 | 5 Flts of 9 Balloons. Amalgamated with 902 Sqn. - Brixton/Forest Hill |
| 904 (County of Surrey) | 16 May 1938 - | 5 Flts of 9 Balloons - Clapham |
| 905 (County of) Surrey | 16 May 1938 - xx xxx 1944 | 5 Flts of 9 Balloons. Amalgamated with 901 Sqn - Kensington, Clapham |
| 906 (County of Middlesex) | 7 Jul 1938 - | 5 Flts of 9 Balloons - Hampstead, Kensington |
| 907 (County of Middlesex) | 16 May 1938 - | 5 Flts of 9 Balloons - Harringay/Woodberry Down |
| 908 (County of Essex) | 5 Jul 1938 - | 5 Flts of 9 Balloons Wanstead, Harringay |
| 909 (County of Essex) | 16 May 1938 - | 5 Flts of 9 Balloons - West Ham, East Ham |
| 910 (County of Essex) | 5 Jul 1938 - | 5 Flts of 9 Balloons - Dagenham, East Ham. 3 Waterborne (Aug 1940) |
| 911 (County of Warwick) | xx Jan 1939 - - xx xxx xxxx | 4 Flts of 8 Balloons - West Bromich, Chelmsford,
Erdington (Dec 1943).
48 Balloons in Aug 1940 |
| 912 (County of Warwick) | xx Jan 1939 - - xx xxx xxxx | 4 Flts of 8 Balloons - Brockworth, Gloucester.
24 Balloons in Aug 1940 |
| 913 (County of Warwick) | xx Jan 1939 - - xx xxx xxxx | 3 Flts of 8 Balloons - Erdington/Sutton Coldfield, Chelmsford |
| 914 (County of Warwick) | xx Jan 1939 - pre Jun 1944 | 4 Flts of 8 Balloons - Wythall/Northfield.
40 Balloons in Aug 1940 |
| 915 (County of Warwick) | xx Jan 1939 - - xx xxx xxxx | 4 Flts of 8 Balloons - Bourneville/Rowkeath, Chelmsford. 40 Balloons in Aug 1940 |
| 916 (County of Warwick) | xx Jan 1939 - xx xxx xxxx xx Jun 1944 - xx xxx xxxxx |
3 Flts of 8 Balloons - Coventry.
32 Balloons in Aug 1940 Reformed for Anti-'Diver' duties |
| 917 (County of Warwick) | xx Jan 1939 - pre Jun 1944 | 3 Flts of 8 Balloons - Coventry |
| 918 (County of Derby) | xx Jan 1939 - pre Jun 1944 | 3 Flts of 8 Balloons - Derby/Alveston. 32 Balloons in Aug 1940 |
| 919 (West Lancashire) | xx Jan 1939 - pre Jun 1944 | 4 Flts of 8 Balloons. - Birkenhead.
52 Balloons in Aug 1940 12 Waterborne (Aug 1940) |
| 920 | xx Jan 1939 - pre Dec 1943 | 4 Flts of 8 Balloons - Londonderry A & B Flts later 12 Balloons each, C & D retained 8 each |
| 921 (West Lancashire) | xx Jan 1939 - 20 Feb 1943 | 3 Flts of 8 Balloons - Liverpool/Fazakerley.
48 Balloons in Aug 1940 |
| 922 (West Lancashire) | xx Jan 1939 - pre Dec 1943 | 4 Flts of 8 Balloons - Warrington/Curerdley |
| 923 (West Lancashire) |
xx Jan 1939 - xx xxx xxxx xx Jun 1944 - xx xxx xxxx |
4 Flts of 8 Balloons - Runcorn/Birkenhead Reformed for Anti-'Diver' duties |
| 924 | xx Jan 1939 - xx xxx xxxx | 4 Flts of 8 Balloons - Southampton/Eastleigh.
24 Balloons in Aug 1940 |
| 925 (East Lancashire) | xx Jan 1939 - pre Jun 1944 | 3 Flts of 8 Balloons - Manchester. 40 Balloons in Aug 1940 |
| 926 (East Lancashire) | xx xxx xxxx - pre Jun 1944 | 3 Flts of 8 Balloons - Bowlee/Manchester 40 Balloons in Aug 1940 |
| 927 (County of Gloucester) | xx Jan 1939 - xx xxx xxxx | 3 Flts of 8 Balloons - Bristol.
32 Balloons in Aug 1940 |
| 928 | xx Jan 1939 - xx xxx xxxx | 3 Flts of 8 Balloons- Felixstowe/Harwich 10 Waterborne (Aug 1940) |
| 929 | xx Jan 1939 - xx xxx xxxx | 3 Flts of 8 Balloons - South Queensferry 7 Waterborne (Aug 1940) |
| 930 (Hampshire) | xx Jan 1939 - pre Dec 1943 | 3 Flts of 8 Balloons- Southampton.
50 (10 Waterborne ) Balloons in Aug 1940 |
| 931 (Hampshire) | xx Jan 1939 - pre Dec 1943 | 3 Flts of 8 Balloons |
| 932 (Hampshire) | xx Jan 1939 - xx xxx xxxx |
3 Flts of 8 Balloons - Portsmouth. 32 Balloons in Aug 1940 |
| 933 (Hampshire) | xx Jan 1939 - xx xxx xxxx | 3 Flts of 8 Balloons - Portsmouth/Gosport |
| 934 (County of Devon) | xx Jan 1939 - xx xxx xxxx | 5 Flts of 8 Balloons - Plymouth.
24 Balloons in Aug 1940 |
| 935 (County of Glamorgan) | xx Jan 1939 - xx xxx xxxx | 2 Flts of 8 Balloons, Plymouth/Filton.
24 Balloons in Aug 1940 |
| 936 (County of Northumberland) | 20 Feb 1939 - 4 Jun 1943 | 4 Flts of 8 Balloons - Newcastle upon Tyne 4 Waterborne (Aug 1940) Amalgamated with No 937 on 4 Jun 1943 |
| 937 (County of Northumberland) | 20 Feb 1939 - 4 Jun 1943 | 4 Flts of 8 Balloons - Newcastle upon Tyne 40 (3 Waterborne) Balloons in Aug 1940 Amalgamated with No 936 on 4 Jun 1943 |
| 936/937 | 4 Jun 1943 - 1 Dec 1944 | |
| 938 (County of Northumberland) | 20 Feb 1939 - 1 Dec 1944 | 3 Flts of 8 Balloons - Stockton on Tees/Billingham. 48 Balloons in Aug 1940 |
| 939 (West Riding) | xx Jan 1939 - xx xxx xxxx | 3 Flts of 8 Balloons - Sheffield |
| 940 (West Riding) | xx xxx xxxx - pre Jun 1944 | 3 Flts of 8 Balloons - Sheffield |
| 941 (West Riding) | xx Jan 1939 - xx xxx xxxx | 3 Flts of 8 Balloons - Sheffield/Sunderland (May
1943) 40 Balloons in Aug 1940 Amalgamated with 939 due to lack of volunteers |
| 942 (East Riding) | 25 Jan 1939 - 1 Jan 1942 | 3 Flts of 8 Balloons - Sutton on Hull 42 (24 Waterborne) Balloons in Aug 1940 Amalgamated with 943 - 1 Jan 1942 |
| 943 (East Riding) | 25 Jan 1939 - 1 Jan 1942 | 3 Flts of 8 Balloons - Sutton on Hull 32 Balloons in Aug 1940 Amalgamated with 942 - 1 Jan 1942 |
| 942/943 (East Riding) | 1 Jan 1942 - 31 Aug 1944 | Anti-'Diver- duties from 31 Jul 1944 |
| 944 (East Riding) | 25 Jan 1939 -26 Apr 1942 | 3 Flts of 8 Balloons - Sutton on Hull |
| 945 (City of Glasgow) |
xx Jan 1939 - xx xxx xxxx xx Jun 1944 - xx xxx xxxx |
4 Flts of 8 Balloons - Glasgow. 40 Balloons in Aug 1940 Reformed in 22 Balloon Centre for Anti-'Diver' duties |
| 946 (City of Glasgow) | xx Jan 1939 - pre Jun 1944 | 4 Flts of 8 Balloons - Renfrew 48 Balloons in Aug 1940 |
| 947 (City of Glasgow) |
xx Jan 1939 - pre Jun 1944 xx Jun 1944 - xx xxx xxxx |
3 Flts of 8 Balloons - Glasgow 32 Balloons in Aug 1940 Reformed in 22 Balloon Centre for Anti-'Diver' duties |
This was formed at No 4 Balloon Centre, Chigwell on 2 Oct 1939 from four flights (16 Balloons) drawn from the London barrage for service in Orkney under the 'Q' Plan to provide protection of the anchorage at Scapa Flow and the oil terminal at Lyness. Initially administered by HQ Balloon Command it was transferred to No 33 Group when it moved to Ore on Hoy Island, Orkney.
Rosyth 24 Balloons in Aug 1940. It disbanded before December 1943
Officers Commanding: -
2 Oct 1939 Flt Lt Hall
This page was last updated on 17/03/25©
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