Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation

Bomber Command - April 1943

[No 1 Group | No 2 Group | No 3 Group | No 4 Group | No 5 Group | No 6 Group | No 8 Group | No 26 Group | No 91 Group | No 92 Group | No 93 Group | 1 BW Sub Wing]

Command HQ - High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire

Satellite airfields are shown in brackets and some units shown at the main station may have been based at the Satellite

No 1 (Bomber) Group

HQ - Bawtry Hall, Bawtry, Doncaster, West Yorkshire

 

Unit	Location/Address	Notes
RAF Station Binbrook (Grimsby & Wickenby)	Binbrook, Lincolnshire
No 12 Sqn	RAF Binbrook	Wellington
No 100 Sqn	RAF Binbrook	Lancaster
RAF Station Elsham Wold (Kirmington)	Elsham, Brigg, Lincolnshire
No 103 Sqn	RAF Elsham Wold	Halifax
No 166 Sqn	RAF Elsham Wold (Kirmington)	Wellington III
RAF Station Hemswell (Ingham)	Hemswell, Lincolnshire
No 199 Sqn	RAF Hemswell	Wellington III
No 300 (Polish) Sqn	RAF Hemswell	Wellington
No 301 (Polish) Sqn	RAF Hemswell	Wellington
No 305 (Polish) Sqn	RAF Hemswell	Wellington
RAF Station Holme	Holme on Spalding Moor, East Yorkshire
No 101 Sqn	RAF Holme	Wellington
No 460 Sqn RAAF	RAF Holme	Wellington/Halifax
No 1520 (BAT) Flt	RAF Breighton	Oxford
RAF Station Lindholme (Blyton)	Lindholme, Doncaster, Yorkshire
No 1481 (Bomber) Gunnery Flt	RAF Lindholme	Lysander
No 1503 (BAT) Flt	RAF Lindholme	Oxford
No 1656 Conversion Unit	RAF Lindholme	Lancaster/Manchester
No 1662 Conversion Unit	RAF Lindholme	Halifax/Manchester
No 1 Servicing Unit	RAF Lindholme

No 2 (Bomber) Group

HQ - Castle Hill House, Huntingdon, Huntingdonshire

 

Unit	Location/Address	Notes
RAF Station Feltwell (Methwold)	Feltwell, Thetford, Norfolk
No 21 Sqn	RAF Feltwell	Ventura
No 487 Sqn RNZAF	RAF Feltwell	Ventura
No 464 Sqn RAAF	RAF Feltwell	Ventura
No 1519 (BAT) Flt	RAF Feltwell	Oxford
No 320 Sqn	RAF Feltwell (Methwold)	Mitchell
No 98 Sqn	RAF Foulsham	Mitchell
No 180 Sqn	RAF Foulsham	Mitchell
Hardwick (Bungay) (C & M)	Hardwick, Norfolk	Stations occupied by and awaiting transfer to USAAF
Hethel (Tibenham)	Hethel, Norfolk	Hethel occupied by and awaiting transfer to USAAF
RAF Station Horsham St Faith (Attlebridge)	Horsham St Faith, Norwich, Norfolk	Attlebridge awaiting occupation by the USAAF
No 1508 (BAT) Flt	RAF Horsham St Faith	Oxford
RAF Station Marham	Marham, King's Lynn, Norfolk
No 1483 (Bomber) Gunnery Flt	RAF Marham	Wellington
No 1655 Mosquito Training Unit	RAF Marham	Mosquito
No 139 Sqn	RAF Marham	Mosquito
No 105 Sqn	RAF Marham	Mosquito
Shipdham (Wendling)	Shipdham, Norfolk	Station occupied by and awaiting transfer to USAAF
RAF Station Swanton Morley (Oulton)	Swanton Morley, Dereham, Norfolk
No 88 Sqn	RAF Swanton Morley	Boston III
No 226 Sqn	RAF Swanton Morley	Boston III
No 1515 (BAT) Flt	RAF Swanton Morley	Oxford
Tibenham		Station awaiting occupation by the USAAF
RAF Station Wattisham	Wattisham, Bildeston, Ipswich, Suffolk	Station occupied by and awaiting transfer to USAAF
RAF Station Watton (Bodney)	Watton, Thetford, Norfolk	Bodney awaiting occupation by the USAAF
Wendling	Wendling, Norfolk	Station awaiting occupation by the USAAF
RAF Station West Raynham (Great Massingham & Sculthorpe)	West Raynham, Fakenham, Norfolk
No 107 Sqn	RAF West Raynham	Boston III
No 342 Sqn	RAF West Raynham	Boston III
No 1482 (Bomber) Gunnery Flt	RAF West Raynham	Lysander/Blenheim

No 3 (Bomber) Group

HQ - Exning, nr Newmarket, Cambridgeshire

 

Unit	Location/Address	Notes
No 1504 (BAT) Flt	Detachment at various station in No 3 Group	Oxford
Bury St Edmunds (Rattlesden)	Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk	Station occupied by and awaiting transfer to USAAF
Care & Maintenance Party	RAF Bury St Edmunds
RAF Station Downham Market (Great Ashfield)	Downham Market, Norfolk	Great Ashfield awaiting occupation by the USAAF
No 218 Sqn	RAF Downham Market	Stirling
Earls Colne	Earls Colne, Essex	Station awaiting occupation by the USAAF
Care & Maintenance Party	RAF Earls Colne
RAF Station Honington (Knettishall)	Honington, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk	Station occupied by and awaiting transfer to USAAF
Horham (Thorpe Abbots)	Horham, Essex	Stations awaiting occupation by the USAAF
Care & Maintenance Party	Horham
Knettishall		Station awaiting occupation by the USAAF
Care & Maintenance Party	Knettishall
RAF Station Mildenhall (Lakenheath, East Wretham & Newmarket)	Mildenhall, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk
No 149 Sqn	RAF Mildenhall	Wellington/Stirling
No 75 Sqn	RAF Mildenhall	Wellington
No 115 Sqn	RAF Mildenhall	Lancaster II
RAF Station Oakington (Bourn)	Oakington, Cambridgeshire
No 7 Sqn	RAF Oakington	Stirling
No 15 Sqn	RAF Oakington	Stirling
Rattlesden		Station occupied by and awaiting transfer to USAAF
Care & Maintenance Party	Rattlesden
Snetterton Heath	Snetterton Heath Norfolk	Station awaiting occupation by the USAAF
Care & Maintenance Party	Snetterton Heath
RAF Station Stradishall (Chedburgh & Ridgewell)	Stradishall, Newmarket, Suffolk
No 90 Sqn	RAF Stradishall	Stirling
No 214 Sqn	RAF Stradishall	Stirling
No 1657 Conversion Unit	RAF Stradishall	Stirling
RAF Station Tempsford (Gransden Lodge)	Tempsford, Sandy, Bedfordshire
No 138 Sqn	RAF Tempsford	Various
No 161 Sqn	RAF Tempsford	Whitley/Lysander
No 192 Sqn	RAF Tempsford	Wellington/Mosquito
Bombing Development Unit	RAF Tempsford	Various
Thorpe Abbots		Station awaiting occupation by the USAAF
Care & Maintenance Party	Thorpe Abbots
RAF Station Waterbeach	Waterbeach, Cambridgeshire
No 1651 Conversion Unit	RAF Waterbeach	Stirling

No 4 (Bomber) Group

HQ - RAF York

No 5 (Bomber) Group

HQ - St Vincents, Grantham, Lincolnshire

 

Unit	Location/Address	Notes
RAF Station Bottesford (Langer)	Bottesford, nr Nottingham, Leicestershire
No 467 Sqn RAAF	RAF Bottesford	Lancaster
No 207 Sqn	RAF Bottesford	Lancaster
RAF Station Coningsby (Woodhall Spa)	Coningsby, Lincolnshire
No 97 Sqn	RAF Coningsby	Lancaster
No 1514 (BAT) Flt	RAF Coningsby	Oxford
RAF Station Scampton (Dunholme Lodge & Fiskerton)	Scampton, Lincolnshire
No 57 Sqn	RAF Scampton	Wellington
No 49 Sqn	RAF Scampton	Hampden/Manchester
No 1518 (BAT) Flt	RAF Scampton	Oxford
RAF Station Swinderby (Barkston Heath, Wigsley & Winthorpe)	Swinderby, Lincolnshire
No 1654 Conversion Unit	RAF Swinderby	Manchester/Lancaster/Halifax
No 1660 Conversion Unit	RAF Swinderby	Manchester/Lancaster
No 1661 Conversion Unit	RAF Swinderby	Manchester/Lancaster
RAF Station Syerston (Balderton & Fulbeck)	Syerston, Newark, Nottinghamshire
No 61 Sqn	RAF Syerston	Lancaster
No 106 Sqn	RAF Syerston	Lancaster
No 1485 (Bomber) Gunnery Flt	RAF Syerston	Lysander
RAF Station Waddington (Skellingthorpe & Bardney)	Waddington, nr Lincoln, Lincolnshire
No 9 Sqn	RAF Waddington	Lancaster
No 44 Sqn	RAF Waddington	Lancaster
No 50 Sqn	RAF Waddington	Lancaster
No 1506 (BAT) Flt	RAF Waddington	Oxford

No 6 (RCAF) Group

HQ - Allerthorpe Hall, Knaresborough, Yorkshire

 

Unit	Location/Address	Notes
RAF Station Leeming (Skipton-on-Swale)	Leeming, Leeming Bar, Northallerton, North Yorkshire
No 405 Sqn RCAF	RAF Leeming	Halifax
No 408 Sqn RCAF	RAF Leeming	Halifax
RAF Station Middleton St George (Croft)	Yarm, Co. Durham
No 419 Sqn RCAF	RAF Middleton St George	Wellington
No 420 Sqn RCAF	RAF Middleton St George	Wellington
No 427 Sqn RCAF	RAF Middleton St George	Wellington
No 1535 (RCAF) (BAT) Flt	RAF Middleton St George	Oxford
RAF Station Topcliffe (Dalton & Dishforth)	Thirsk, North Yorkshire
No 6 Group Communication Flight	RAF Topcliffe	Waco/BA Eagle
No 1659 Conversion Unit	RAF Topcliffe	Halifax
No 424 Sqn RCAF	RAF Topcliffe	Wellington
No 425 Sqn RCAF	RAF Topcliffe	Wellington
No 426 Sqn RCAF	RAF Topcliffe	Wellington
No 428 Sqn RCAF	RAF Topcliffe	Wellington
No 1512 (BAT) Flt	RAF Topcliffe	Oxford

No 8 (Bomber) Group

HQ - RAF Wyton, Huntingdonshire

 

Unit	Location/Address	Notes
RAF Station Wyton (Graveley & Warboys)	St Ives, Huntingdonshire
No 35 Sqn	RAF Wyton	Halifax
No 83 Sqn	RAF Wyton	Lancaster
No 109 Sqn	RAF Wyton	Mosquito IX
No 156 Sqn	RAF Wyton	Wellington
No 1507 (BAT) Flt	RAF Wyton	Oxford

No 26 (Signals) Group

HQ - Langley Hall, Slough, Buckinghamshire

 

Unit	Location/Address	Notes
North West Signals Centre: controlling the following: - W/T Station	Blackbrook Aston Hill
No 61 Wireless Unit: controlling the following: - Meteorological Station D/F Station D/F Station D/F Station D/F Station D/F Station D/F Station D/F Station D/F Station D/F Station D/F Station	Cheadle Dunstable Highbridge Kinnaber Lydford Marston Mere, Branston Oakhill, Tean Pendeen Stranraer Sutton Vallance Wick
No 362 Wireless Unit: controlling the following: - Station 'X'	Chicksands Bletchley
No 2 Signals Depot: controlling the following: - No 1 Emergency Fitting Party No 3 Emergency Fitting Party No 2 Emergency Fitting Party No 16 Emergency Fitting Party No 17 Emergency Fitting Party W/T Station W/T Station	Cowglen, Thornliebank, Glasgow Darlington Market Weighton Morecombe Perth Perth Redbrae Symington
RAF Station Great Witcombe	Great Witcombe
RAF Despatch Rider Letter Service	Hendon Hall
RAF Station Leighton Buzzard: controlling the following: - W/T Station W/T Station W/T Station	Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire Cardington Dagnall Greenford	including RAF Central Teleprinter Exchange
No 350 Signals Depot	Newbold Revel
No 80 Signals Wing: controlling the following: - W/T Station W/T Station W/T Station W/T Station W/T Station W/T Station W/T Station W/T Station W/T Station W/T Station W/T Station W/T Station W/T Station W/T Station W/T Station W/T Station W/T Station W/T Station W/T Station W/T Station W/T Station W/T Station W/T Station W/T Station W/T Station W/T Station W/T Station W/T Station W/T Station W/T Station W/T Station W/T Station W/T Station W/T Station W/T Station W/T Station W/T Station W/T Station W/T Station W/T Station W/T Station W/T Station W/T Station W/T Station W/T Station W/T Station W/T Station W/T Station W/T Station W/T Station W/T Station W/T Station W/T Station W/T Station W/T Station W/T Station W/T Station W/T Station W/T Station W/T Station W/T Station W/T Station W/T Station W/T Station W/T Station W/T Station W/T Station W/T Station W/T Station W/T Station W/T Station W/T Station W/T Station W/T Station W/T Station W/T Station W/T Station W/T Station W/T Station W/T Station	Aldenham Lodge Hotel, Radlett, Hertfordshire Alcester Alton Ashmansworth Ayton Beach Farm Beacon Hill Bolthead Bosley Braintree Brentwood Bretton Bricket Wood Butser Butser Hill Caister Capel Coalville Cottesmore Delabole Diss Ditchling Ecchinswell Edingthorpe Elsted Elstree Epsom Eye Fairlight Fairmile Flimwell Frodsham Gittisham Hill Hagley Harpenden Henfield Hexham Highbridge High Flatts Hindhead Honiton Hounslow Hurst Green Ide Hill Ivybridge Kenilworth Kimmeridge Kinglear Kingsdown Kington Magna Lantern House Littlestone-on-Sea Little Waltham Longside Lympsham Marske Merthyr Tydfil Millington Mimbridge Mintlaw Mow Cop Mundesley Oakley Parliament Hill Porlock Potter's Bar Reston Ringwood Rogate Scarborough Shipham Sidmouth Southbourne South Elkington Stockbridge Templecombe Tranent Ventnor West Hougham Windlesham Worth Matravers
No 1 Signals Depot: controlling the following: - No 14 Emergency Fitting Party No 6 Emergency Fitting Party Inter-Service Ionesphere Prediction Bureau No 11 Emergency Fitting Party No 15 Emergency Fitting Party No 8 Emergency Fitting Party No 5 Emergency Fitting Party No 4 Emergency Fitting Party No 7 Emergency Fitting Party No 1 Special Aircraft Maintenance Party No 12 Emergency Fitting Party No 13 Emergency Fitting Party No 9 Emergency Fitting Party No 2 Special Aircraft Maintenance Party No 4 Special Aircraft Maintenance Party No 3 Special Aircraft Maintenance Party No 10 Emergency Fitting Party	West Drayton, Middlesex Addington Drayton Great Baddow Harlow Havant Hednesford Holton-le-Moor Honington Ingham Jurby Kidlington Kingsnorth Oakley Squires Gate Staverton West Freugh Weston-super-Mare
No 363 Wireless Unit: controlling the following: - HD Unit HD Unit HD Unit HD Unit HD Unit HF/DF Unit HD Unit HD Unit HD Unit HF/DF Unit HD Unit HF/DF Unit	West Kingsdown Acton Beachy Head Folkestone Gorleston Hawkinge Lewes Montrose Scarborough Shaftesbury Sittingbourne Strete Upton Grey
RAF Station White Waltham: controlling the following: - W/T Field Exercise Camp	White Waltham Putteridge Bury
No 81 Signals Wing: controlling the following: - W/T Station No 2 Western Area Signals Centre W/T Station W/T Station No 5 Western Area Signals Centre No 4 Western Area Signals Centre No 3 Western Area Signals Centre W/T Station No 1 Western Area Signals Centre	Municipal Homes, Worcester, Worcestershire Bodmin Gloucester Hartlebury Shab Hill Stonehurst Stroud Tetbury Winstone Worcester

No 91 (Bomber) Group

HQ - Abingdon, Berkshire

 

Unit	Location/Address	Notes
RAF Station Abingdon (Stanton Harcourt)	Abingdon, Berkshire
No 10 OTU	RAF Abingdon	Whitley
No 1501 (BAT) Flt	RAF Abingdon	Oxford
RAF Station Harwell (Hampstead Norris)	Harwell, Didcot, Berkshire
No 15 OTU	RAF Harwell	Wellington
No 1443 Ferry Training and Despatch Flt	RAF Harwell	Wellington II
No 1516 (BAT) Flt	RAF Harwell	Oxford
RAF Station Honeybourne (Long Marston)	Honeybourne, Worcestershire
No 24 OTU	RAF Honeybourne	Whitley
RAF Station Kinloss (Forres)	Kinloss, Forres, Morayshire
No 19 OTU	RAF Kinloss	Whitley
RAF Station Lossiemouth (Elgin)	Lossiemouth, Morayshire
No 20 OTU	RAF Lossiemouth	Wellington
RAF Station Medmenham	Danesfield Court, Medmenham, Buckinghamshire
Central Interpretation Unit (a)	RAF Medmenham
RAF Station Moreton in Marsh (Edgehill & Enstone)	London Road, Moreton in Marsh, Gloucestershire
No 21 OTU	RAF Moreton in Marsh,	Wellington
No 1446 Ferry Training Flt	RAF Moreton in Marsh,	Wellington/Anson
RAF Station Pershore (Stratford)	Pershore, Worcestershire
No 23 OTU	RAF Pershore	Wellington
RAF Station Wellesbourne Mountford (Gaydon)	Wellesbourne Mountford, Warwickshire
No 22 OTU	RAF Wellesbourne Mountford	Wellington III

(a) Operationally controlled by the Air Ministry

All OTUs also had Ansons as well as their principal training type

No 92 (Bomber) Group

HQ - Winslow

 

Unit	Location/Address	Notes
RAF Station Aldermaston	Aldermaston, Berkshire
RAF Station Bicester (Hinton-in-the-Hedges)	Bicester, Oxfordshire
No 13 OTU	RAF Bicester	Blenheim
No 307 Ferry Training Unit	RAF Bicester	Blenheim
No 1473 Flt	RAF Bicester	Wellington
No 1551 Flt	RAF Bicester	Anson/Master
RAF Station Bruntingthorpe (Bitteswell)
RAF Station Chipping Warden (Silverstone & Turweston)	Chipping Warden, nr Banbury, Oxfordshire
No 12 OTU	RAF Chipping Warden	Wellington
No 1517 (BAT) Flt	RAF Chipping Warden	Oxford
RAF Station Cottesmore (Saltby)	Cottesmore, Oakham, Rutland
No 14 OTU	RAF Cottesmore	Hampden/Wellington
RAF Station North Luffenham (Woolfox Lodge)	North Luffenham, Rutland
No 29 OTU	RAF North Luffenham	Wellington
RAF Station Upper Heyford (Hinton-in-the-Hedges & Barford St John)	Upper Heyford, Oxfordshire
No 16 OTU	RAF Upper Heyford	Wellington
RAF Station Upwood	Upwood, Ramsey, Huntingdonshire
No 17 OTU	RAF Upper Heyford	Blenheim, detachment(s) at other station(s)
No 1511 (BAT) Flt	RAF Upwood	Oxford
RAF Station Wing (Little Horwood)	Wing, Leighton Buzzard, Buckinghamshire
No 26 OTU	RAF Wing	Wellington
No 92 Group Communication Flight	RAF Wing	Various
RAF Station Westcott (Oakley)	Wing, Leighton Buzzard, Buckinghamshire
No 11 OTU	RAF Westcott	Wellington
Engine Control Demonstration Unit	RAF Westcott	Wellington III

No 93 (Bomber) Group

HQ - Egginton Hall, Egginton, Derby

 

Unit	Location/Address	Notes
RAF Station Bramcote (Nuneaton)	Nuneaton, Warwickshire
No 18 (Polish) OTU	RAF Bramcote	Wellington
No 1513 (BAT) Flt	RAF Bramcote	Oxford
RAF Station Finningley (Bircotes)	Finningley, Doncaster, West Yorkshire
No 18 (Polish) OTU - Detachment	RAF Finningley	Wellington
No 1507 (BAT) Flt	RAF Finningley	Oxford
RAF Station Hixon (Seighford)	Hixon, Staffordshire
No 30 OTU	RAF Hixon	Wellington
RAF Station Lichfield (Tatenhill & Church Broughton)	Lichfield, Staffordshire
No 27 OTU	RAF Lichfield	Wellington
No 93 Group Communication Flight	RAF Lichfield	Various
RAF Station Whitchurch Heath (Sleap)	Whitchurch, Shropshire	later renamed Tilstock
No 81 OTU	RAF Whitchurch Heath	Whitley
RAF Station Wymeswold (Castle Donington)	Wymeswold, Leicestershire
No 28 OTU	RAF Wymeswold	Wellington

All OTUs also had Ansons as well as their principal training type

1st Bombardment Wing, RAF Substitution Unit

HQ - Brampton Grange, Huntingdon

This unit is administered by HQ Bomber Command but for discipline is affiliated to HQ No 2 Group.

 

Unit	Location/Address	Notes
RAF Station Bassingbourn	Kneesworth, Royston, Cambridgeshire	Station occupied by and awaiting transfer to USAAF
No 17 OTU - Detachment	RAF Bassingbourn	Blenheim
RAF Steeple Morden	Steeple Morden, Royston, Cambridgeshire	Satellite of Bassingbourn, Station awaiting occupation by the USAAF
RAF Station Chelveston	Chelveston, nr Wellingborough, Northamptonshire	Station occupied by and awaiting transfer to USAAF
RAF Grafton Underwood	Grafton Underwood, Northamptonshire	Satellite of Chelveston, Station occupied by and awaiting transfer to USAAF
RAF Station Molesworth	Molesworth, Huntingdonshire	Station occupied by and awaiting transfer to USAAF
RAF Alconbury	Alconbury, Huntingdonshire	Satellite of Molesworth, Station occupied by and awaiting transfer to USAAF
RAF Kimbolton	Kimbolton, Huntingdonshire	Satellite of Molesworth, Station awaiting occupation by the USAAF
RAF Station Polebrook	Polebrook, Peterborough, Northamptonshire	Station occupied by and awaiting transfer to USAAF
RAF Station Little Staughton	Little Staughton, Huntingdonshire	C & M Party, Station occupied by and awaiting transfer to USAAF
RAF Station Podington	Podington, Bedfordshire	Station occupied by and awaiting transfer to USAAF

Source - April 1943 SD161

County names used are those in use at the time

[No 1 Group | No 2 Group | No 3 Group | No 4 Group | No 5 Group | No 6 Group | No 8 Group | No 26 Group | No 91 Group | No 92 Group | No 93 Group | 1 BW Sub Wing]

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