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Coastal Command - April 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
No 210 Sqn - Detachment Gibraltar Catalina
Merchant Ship Fighter Unit Gibraltar Hurricane
Meteorological Flight Gibraltar Hudson
No 179 Sqn Gibraltar Wellington, detachment(s) at other station(s)

No 15 (Reconnaissance) Group

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 120 Sqn RAF Aldergrove Liberator
No 1 Armament Practice Camp RAF Aldergrove Lysander
RAF Ballykelly Ballykelly, RAF Station, Home Forces Station in RAFNI
No 280 Sqn - Detachment RAF Ballykelly Anson
RAF Benbecula   No Station HQ?
No 206 Sqn RAF Benbecula Fortress
No 220 Sqn RAF Benbecula Fortress
RAF Castle Archdale Lough Erne, Station in RAFNI, renamed from Lough Erne
No 201 Sqn RAF Castle Archdale Sunderland
No 228 Sqn RAF Castle Archdale Sunderland
No 423 Sqn RCAF RAF Castle Archdale Sunderland
RAF Station Oban Dungalion House, Oban, Argyll  
No 330 (Norwegian) Sqn RAF Oban Sunderland, detachment(s) at other station(s)
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  

No 16 (Reconnaissance) Group

HQ - Black Lion Fields, Gillingham, Kent

 
Unit Location/Address Notes
RAF Station Benson (Mount Farm) Benson, Oxfordshire Mount Farm occupied by and awaiting transfer to USAAF
No 540 Sqn RAF Benson Mosquito, detchment(s) at other station(s)
No 541 Sqn RAF Benson Spitfire
No 542 Sqn RAF Benson Spitfire
No 543 Sqn RAF Benson Spitfire, detchment(s) at other station(s)
No 544 Sqn RAF Benson Spitfire/Wellington/Anson, detchment(s) at other station(s)
RAF Station Bircham Newton (Docking) Bircham Newton, King's Lynn, Norfolk  
No 521 (Met) Sqn RAF Bircham Newton Mosquito/Hampden/Gladiator/Spitfire
No 1525 (BAT) Flight RAF Bircham Newton Oxford
No 53 Sqn 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 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 1622 (AAC) Flight RAF Gosport Various
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 Beaufighter
No 254 Sqn RAF North Coates Beaufighter VIC
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 17 (Training) Group

HQ - 58 Melville Street, Edinburgh 3

 
Unit Location/Address Notes
RAF Station Abbotsinch Abbotsinch, Paisley  
RAF Station Alness Invergordon Renamed from RAF Invergordon
No 4 OTU RAF Alness Catalina/Sunderland
No 5 Flying Boat Servicing Unit RAF Alness  
RAF Castle Kennedy    
No 2 Torpedo Training Unit RAF Castle Kennedy Beaufighter/Beaufort
RAF Station Catfoss (Lissett) Catfoss, Nr Hull, East Yorkshire Satellite in Bomber Command
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 8 OTU RAF Dyce Mosquito
No 1509 (BAT) Flt RAF Dyce Wellington
RAF Station East Fortune (Macmerry)   Satellite in Army Co-operation Command (C & M)
No 132 OTU RAF East Fortune Beaufighter
RAF Station Fraserburgh   Care & Maintenance
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 6 OTU RAF Silloth Hudson/Anson
RAF Station Squire's Gate (Warton) Squire's Gate, Lytham St Annes, Lancashire Satellite  - C & M
No 3 School of General Reconnaissance RAF Squire's Gate Botha
RAF Station Stornoway   Station in No 15 Group
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 1 (Coastal) OTU RAF Thornaby Hudson/Anson/Oxford
RAF Station Turnberry   No Station HQ
No 1 Torpedo Training Unit RAF Turnberry Wellington/Hampden
No 14 Mobile Servicing Unit (Torpedo) RAF Turnberry  

 

No 18 (Reconnaissance) Group

HQ - Pitreavie Castle, Rosyth, Dunfermline

 
Unit Location/Address Notes
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 (Woodhaven) 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  
No 235 Sqn RAF Leuchars Beaufighter
No 1477 (Norwegian) Flight RAF Leuchars (Woodhaven) Catalina
RAF Station Sullom Voe Sullom Voe, Shetlands  
No 190 Sqn RAF Sullom Voe Catalina
RAF Station Sumburgh (Scatsta) Sumburgh, Shetlands  
RAF Tain   Station in Fighter Command
No 1 Torpedo Refresher School RAF Tain  
No 547 Sqn - Detachment RAF Tain Wellington
Vaagar Faroes Islands  
RAF Station Wick (Skitten) Wick, Caithness  
No 407 Sqn RCAF RAF Wick Hudson
No 489 Sqn RNZAF RAF Wick Hampden
No 612 Sqn RAF Wick Whitley
No 1406 (Meteorological) Flt RAF Wick Spitfire/Hampden

No 19 (Reconnaissance) Group

HQ - Mount Wise, Plymouth

 
Unit Location/Address Notes
RAF Station Beaulieu Beaulieu, Hampshire  
No 224 Sqn RAF Beaulieu Liberator
RAF Station Chivenor Chivenor, Barnstable, Devon  
No 59 Sqn RAF Chivenor Fortress
No 172 Sqn RAF Chivenor Wellington
No 179 Sqn - Detachment RAF Chivenor Wellington
No 547 Sqn RAF Chivenor Wellington, detachment at Tain
No 404 Sqn RCAF RAF Chivenor Beaufighter
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/Halifax
No 502 Sqn RAF Holmsley South Halifax
RAF Mount Batten (RNAS Roborough) Plymouth, Cornwall  
No 10 Sqn RAAF RAF Mount Batten Sunderland
No 19 Group Communications Flt RNAS Roborough Various
No 1623 (AAC) 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
No 248 Sqn RAF Predannack Beaufighter, station in Fighter Command
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 Hudson/Ventura/Albemarle
No 10 OTU - Detachment RAF St Eval Whitley, on detachment from Bomber Command
RAF Talbenny (Dale) Talbenny No Station HQ?
No 304 (Polish) Sqn RAF Talbenny Wellington
No 311 (Czechoslovak) Sqn RAF Talbenny Wellington
No 303 Ferry Training Unit RAF Talbenny Wellington
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 Coltishall
30 Gosport 16 Gosport
22 Grimsby 16 North Coates
16 Hartlepool 18 Acklington
52 Holyhead 15 Valley
70 Iceland Iceland Reykjavik
6 Invergordon 18 Alness
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 Coltishall
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 1405 (Meteorological) Flt                    No 1408 (Meteorological) Flt

Source - April 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©

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