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Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation
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Coastal Command - February 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 - Detachment | Reykjavik, Iceland | Catalina/Northrop |
| No 1407 (Meteorological) Flt | Reykjavik, Iceland | Hampden |
| No 9 MT Company | Reykjavik, Iceland | |
| AMES | Vik, Iceland | |
| HQ RAF Gibraltar | ||
| No 48 Sqn | Gibraltar | Hudson |
| 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 Station Aldergrove | Aldergrove RAF Station, Home Forces | Station in RAFNI |
| No 1402 (Meteorological) Flt | RAF Aldergrove | Gladiator/Spitfire/Hudson |
| No 1 Armament Practice Camp | RAF Aldergrove | Lysander |
| 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 Station Oban | Dungalion House, Oban, Argyll | |
| No 330 (Norwegian) 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 Floating Dock | RAF Port Ellen (Bowmore) | |
| RAF Speke | Liverpool, Lancashire | Station in Fighter Command |
| No 15 Group Communications Flt | RAF Speke | Various |
| RAF Station Stornoway | Stornoway, Isle of Lewis | |
| 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 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, detchment(s) at other station(s) |
| 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 (Penshurst) | Detling, nr Maidstone, Kent | Station in Army Co-operation Command |
| No 16 Group Communications Flt | RAF Detling | Various |
| RAF Station Felixstowe | Felixstowe, Suffolk | |
| Flying Boat Storage and Major Maintenance | RAF Felixstowe | |
| 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 |
| No 3502 Servicing Unit | RAF Gosport | |
| 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 5 Mobile Servicing Unit (Torpedo) | RAF North Coates | |
| 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 | Fortress |
HQ - 58 Melville Street, Edinburgh 3
| Unit | Location/Address | Notes |
| RAF Station Abbotsinch | Abbotsinch, Paisley | |
| RAF Castle Kennedy | ||
| No 2 Torpedo Training Unit | RAF Castle Kennedy | Beaufighter/Beaufort |
| 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 (Longtown) | ||
| 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 East Fortune | ||
| No 132 OTU | RAF East Fortune | Beaufighter |
| 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 |
| RAF Station Limavady (Mullaghmore) | Limavady, Londonderry, Northern Ireland | Station in RAFNI |
| No 7 OTU | RAF Limavardy | Wellington |
| RAF Station Long Kesh (Maghaberry) | Station in RAFNI | |
| No 5 OTU | RAF Long Kesh | Beaufort/Hampden |
| RAF Station Port Ellen | Station in No 15 Group | |
| No 304 Ferry Training Unit | RAF Port Ellen | Beaufighter |
| 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 |
| RAF Station Stornoway | Station in No 15 Group | |
| No 303 Ferry Training Unit | RAF Stornoway | Wellington |
| RAF Station Stranraer | Stranraer, Wigtownshire | |
| No 302 Ferry Training Unit | RAF Stranraer | Catalina |
| RAF Templeton | ||
| No 306 Ferry Training Unit | RAF Templeton | Beaufort |
| RAF Station Thornaby (West Hartlepool) | Thornaby, North Yorkshire | |
| No 6 OTU | RAF Thornaby | Hudson/Anson |
| RAF Station Turnberry | No Station HQ | |
| No 1 Torpedo Training Unit | RAF Turnberry | Beaufort |
| No 14 Mobile Servicing Unit (Torpedo) | RAF Turnberry |
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 |
| RAF Station Greenock | Greenock, Renfrewshire | |
| No 2 Flying Boat Servicing Unit | 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 |
| 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 | |
| No 2 Torpedo Refresher School | RAF Leuchars | |
| RAF Station Sullom Voe | Sullon Voe, Shetlands | |
| RAF Station Sumburgh (Scatsta) | Sumburgh, Shetlands | |
| RAF Tain | Station in Fighter Command | |
| No 1 Torpedo Refresher School | RAF Tain | |
| 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 547 Sqn | RAF Chivenor | Wellington |
| 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 58 Sqn | RAF Holmsley South | Whitley |
| 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 | |
| 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 |
| 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 - February 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]
This page was last updated on 08/07/19 using FrontPage 2003©
