Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation


Home Page

Main Menu

Quick Menu

Members' Area

What New?

About this site

Reunions

Help Needed?

Glossary

Bibliography

Sign Guest Book

View Guest Book

Link to Amazon

Online Store

Contact Me


Coastal Command - April 1944


[Command HQ | No 15 Group | No 16 Group | No 17 Group | No 18 Group | No 19 Group | No 247 Group | RAF Gibraltar | RAF Iceland | ASR MCU]

Command HQ - RAF Northwood, Middlesex

No 15 (Reconnaissance) Group

HQ - Derby House, Exchange Buildings, Liverpool

 
Unit Location/Address Notes
No 1 Armament Practice Camp RAF Aldergrove Lysander/Martinet, Station in No 17 Group
No 1402 Flt RAF Aldergrove Gladiator/Spitfire VI, Station in No 17 Group
RAF Station Ballykelly    
No 59 Sqn RAF Ballykelly Liberator V
No 8059 Servicing Echelon RAF Ballykelly To service the aircraft of No 59 Sqn
No 86 Sqn RAF Ballykelly Liberator V
No 8086 Servicing Echelon RAF Ballykelly To service the aircraft of No 86 Sqn
No 8120 Servicing Echelon RAF Ballykelly To service the aircraft of No 120 Sqn in Iceland
RAF Benbecula    
Care & Maintenance Party RAF Benbecula  
RAF Station Castle Archdale    
No 201 Sqn RAF Castle Archdale Sunderland
No 8201 Servicing Echelon - Detachment RAF Castle Archdale To service the aircraft of No 201 Sqn
No 422 Sqn RCAF RAF Castle Archdale Sunderland
No 8422 Servicing Echelon RAF Castle Archdale To service the aircraft of No 422 Sqn
No 423 Sqn RCAF RAF Castle Archdale Sunderland
No 8423 Servicing Echelon RAF Castle Archdale To service the aircraft of No 423 Sqn
No 407 Sqn RCAF RAF Limavady Wellington XII/XIV, Station in RAFNI
No 8407 Servicing Echelon - Detachment RAF Limavady To service the aircraft of No 407 Sqn, Station in RAFNI
RAF Port Ellen (Bowmore)    
Care & Maintenance Party RAF Port Ellen  
No 30 Embarkation Unit RAF Port Ellen  
No 15 Group Communication Flt RAF Speke Various, Station in ADGB
RAF Station Tiree Isle of Tiree, Argyllshire  
No 281 Sqn RAF Tiree Warwick II
No 8281 Servicing Echelon RAF Tiree To service the aircraft of No 281 Sqn
No 518 Sqn RAF Tiree Halifax V
No 8518 Servicing Echelon RAF Tiree To service the aircraft of No 518 Sqn

No 16 (Reconnaissance) Group

HQ - Black Lion Fields, Gillingham, Kent

 
Unit Location/Address Notes
RAF Station Benson Benson, Oxfordshire  
No 106 (PR) Wing RAF Benson  
No 540 Sqn RAF Benson Mosquito, detachment(s) at other station(s)
No 541 Sqn RAF Benson Spitfire, detachment(s) at other station(s)
No 542 Sqn RAF Benson Spitfire
No 544 Sqn RAF Benson Mosquito IX/XVI
Photographic Reconnaissance Development Unit RAF Benson Spitfire XI/Mosquito IX/XVI
No 309 Ferry Training and Aircraft Despatch Flight RAF Benson Master
RAF Station Bircham Newton (Docking) Bircham Newton, King's Lynn, Norfolk  
No 415 Sqn RCAF RAF Bircham Newton Wellington XIII/Albacore
No 8415 Servicing Echelon RAF Bircham Newton To service the aircraft of No 415 Sqn
No 521 Sqn RAF Bircham Newton Spitfire/Ventura//Gladiator
No 8521 Servicing Echelon RAF Bircham Newton To service the aircraft of No 521 Sqn
No 279 Sqn RAF Bircham Newton Hudson
No 8279 Servicing Echelon RAF Bircham Newton To service the aircraft of No 279 Sqn
No 8048 Servicing Echelon RAF Bircham Newton To service the aircraft of No 48 Sqn (Gibraltar)
No 8233 Servicing Echelon RAF Bircham Newton To service the aircraft of No 233 Sqn (Azores/Gibraltar)
No 1525 (BAT) Flight RAF Bircham Newton Oxford
No 3504 Servicing Unit RAF Bircham Newton  
No 8206 Servicing Echelon RAF Bircham Newton  
No 8220 Servicing Echelon RAF Bircham Newton  
RAF Station Calshot Calshot Spit, Hampshire  
Marine Craft Section (Ferry Pool) RAF Calshot  
No 6 Flying Boat Servicing Unit RAF Calshot Various
No 8330 Servicing Echelon RAF Calshot To service the aircraft of No 330 Sqn
No 16 Group Communication Flt RAF Detling Station in ADGB
RAF Station Dyce    
No 1509 (BAT) Flight RAF Dyce Oxford
No 8 OTU RAF Dyce Mosquito/Spitfire
Alastrean House Unit RAF Dyce
RAF Station Felixstowe Felixstowe, Suffolk  
Flying Boat Major Maintenance RAF Felixstowe  
RAF Station Gosport Gosport, Hampshire
Aircraft Torpedo Development Unit RAF Gosport Various
No 3502 Servicing Unit RAF Gosport
RAF Station Langham
No 2 Armament Practice Camp RAF Langham Lysander/Martinet
RAF Station North Coates North Coates, Grimsby, Lincolnshire
No 254 Sqn RAF North Coates Beaufighter VIC
No 8254 Servicing Echelon RAF North Coates To service the aircraft of No 254 Sqn
No 236 Sqn RAF North Coates Beaufighter X
No 8236 Servicing Echelon RAF North Coates To service the aircraft of No 236 Sqn
No 143 Sqn RAF North Coates Beaufighter XI
No 8143 Servicing Echelon RAF North Coates To service the aircraft of No 143 Sqn
No 22 Mobile Servicing Unit (Torpedo) RAF North Coates  
RAF Station Thornaby Thornaby, North Yorkshire  
No 280 Sqn RAF Thornaby Warwick I, detachment(s) at other station(s)
No 8280 Servicing Echelon RAF Thornaby To service the aircraft of No 280 Sqn
ASR Training Unit RAF Thornaby Wellington IC
RAF Station Thorney Island Thorney Island, Emsworth, Hampshire  
No 415 Sqn - Detachment RAF Thorney Island Albacore

 

No 17 (Training) Group

HQ - 58 Melville Street, Edinburgh 3

 
Unit Location/Address Notes
RAF Station Aldergrove    
No 1674 Heavy Conversion Unit RAF Aldergrove Liberator III/V
RAF Station Alness    
No 4 OTU RAF Alness Catalina/Sunderland
No 5 Flying Boat Servicing Unit RAF Alness  
RAF Station Crosby-on-Eden (Longtown)    
No 9 OTU RAF Crosby-on-Eden Beaufighter/Beaufort
No 1674 Heavy Conversion Unit - Detachment RAF Longtown Halifax
RAF Station East Fortune    
No 132 OTU RAF East Fortune Beaufighter/Beaufort
RAF Station Haverfordwest (Templeton)    
No 7 OTU RAF Haverfordwest Wellington
RAF Station Killadeas (St Angelo)    
No 131 OTU RAF Killadeas Catalina
No 235 Sqn - Detachment RAF St Angelo Beaufighter X
No 8235Servicing Echelon RAF S Angelo To service the aircraft of No 235 Sqn
RAF Station Long Kesh    
RAF Station Oban    
No 4 Flying Boat Servicing Unit RAF Oban  
No 302 Ferry Training Unit RAF Oban Catalina
No 37 Embarkation Unit RAF Oban  
RAF Station Silloth (Great Orton) Silloth, Carlisle, Cumberland  
No 6 OTU RAF Silloth  
RAF Station Squire's Gate (Warton) Squire's Gate, Lytham St Annes, Lancashire  
No 3 School of General Reconnaissance RAF Squire's Gate Anson
RAF Station Turnberry    
No 1 Torpedo Training Unit RAF Turnberry Beaufighter VIC/Beaufort I/II/Hampden
No 5 OTU RAF Turnberry Beaufort I/II/Ventura/Hudson

 

No 18 (Reconnaissance) Group

HQ - Pitreavie Castle, Rosyth, Dunfermline

 
Unit Location/Address Notes
RAF Station Greenock    
No 2 Flying Boat Servicing Unit RAF Greenock  
RAF Station Helensburgh Helensburgh, Dunbartonshire  
Marine Aircraft Experimental Establishment RAF Helensburgh Various
RAF Floating Dock RAF Helensburgh  
RAF Station Leuchars (Woodhaven) Leuchars, Fife  
No 540 Sqn - Detachment RAF Leuchars Mosquito
No 18 Group Communication Flt RAF Leuchars  
No 489 Sqn RNZAF RAF Leuchars Beaufighter X
No 8489 Servicing Echelon RAF Leuchars To service the aircraft of No 489 Sqn
No 455 Sqn RAAF RAF Langham Hampden
No 3 Armament Practice Camp RAF Leuchars Lysander
No 23 Mobile Servicing Unit (Torpedo) RAF Leuchars  
No 333 (Norwegian) Sqn RAF Leuchars Catalina/Mosquito VI - Catalinas at Woodhaven
No 8333 Servicing Echelon RAF Leuchars To service the aircraft of No 333 Sqn
RAF Station Sullom Voe Sullom Voe, Shetlands  
No 210 Sqn RAF Sullom Voe Catalina
No 8210 Servicing Echelon RAF Sullom Voe To service the aircraft of No 210 Sqn
No 330 (Norwegian) Sqn RAF Sullom Voe Sunderland
RAF Station Sumburgh Sumburgh, Shetlands  
RAF Station Tain Tain  
Care & Maintenance Party RAF Tain  
RAF Station Vaagar    
Care & Maintenance Party RAF Vaagar  
RAF Station Wick (Skitten) Wick, Caithness  
No 404 Sqn RCAF RAF Wick Beaufighter XI
No 8404 Servicing Echelon RAF Wick To service the aircraft of No 404 Sqn
No 519 (Meteorological) Sqn RAF Wick Ventura/Spitfire
No 8519 Servicing Echelon RAF Wick To service the aircraft of No 519 Sqn
No 618 Sqn RAF Wick Mosquito IV
No 8618 Servicing Echelon RAF Wick To service the aircraft of No 618 Sqn
No 144 Sqn RAF Wick Beaufighter XI
No 8144 Servicing Echelon RAF Wick To service the aircraft of No 144 Sqn
No 1693 Flt RAF Wick Anson

No 19 (Reconnaissance) Group

HQ - Mount Wise, Plymouth

 
Unit Location/Address Notes
RAF Station Chivenor Chivenor, Barnstable, Devon  
No 172 Sqn RAF Chivenor Wellington XII/XIV, detachment(s) at other station(s)
No 8172 Servicing Echelon RAF Chivenor To service the aircraft of No 172 Sqn
No 179 Sqn - Detachment RAF Chivenor Wellington
No 8179 Servicing Echelon RAF Chivenor To service the aircraft of No 179 Sqn
No 304 (Polish) Sqn RAF Chivenor Wellington XI/XIII
No 8304 Servicing Echelon RAF Chivenor To service the aircraft of No 304 Sqn
No 612 Sqn RAF Chivenor Wellington XII/XIV
No 8612 Servicing Echelon - Detachment RAF Chivenor To service the aircraft of No 612 Sqn
RAF Station Davidstow Moor    
No 172 Sqn - Detachment RAF Davidstow Moor Wellington XII/XIV
No 21 Mobile Servicing Unit (Torpedo) RAF Davidstow Moor  
No 280 Sqn - Detachment RAF Davidstow Moor Warwick I
No 281 Sqn - Detachment RAF Davidstow Moor Warwick II
No 282 Sqn RAF Davidstow Moor Warwick I
No 8282 Servicing Echelon RAF Davidstow Moor To service the aircraft of No 282 Sqn
RAF Dunkeswell    
RAF Station Mount Batten (Roborough)    
No 10 Sqn RAAF RAF Mount Batten Sunderland
No 19 Group Communication Flt RNAS Roborough, Plymouth, Devon Various
RAF Station Pembroke Dock (Angle) Pembroke Dock, Pembrokeshire  
No 461 Sqn RAAF RAF Pembroke Dock Sunderland
No 8461 Servicing Echelon RAF Pembroke Dock To service the aircraft of No 461 Sqn
No 228 Sqn RAF Pembroke Dock Sunderland
No 8228 Servicing Echelon RAF Pembroke Dock To service the aircraft of No 228 Sqn
No 308 Ferry Training Unit RAF Pembroke Dock  
No 3 Flying Boat Servicing Unit RAF Pembroke Dock  
No 8201 Servicing Echelon RAF Pembroke Dock To service the aircraft of No 201 Sqn
Coastal Command Development Unit RAF Angle  
RAF Predannack Station in ADGB
No 248 Sqn RAF Portreath Mosquito VI
No 8248 Servicing Echelon RAF Portreath To service the aircraft of No 248 Sqn
RAF Predannack Station in ADGB
No 311 Sqn RAF Predannack Liberator V
No 8311 Servicing Echelon RAF Predannack To service the aircraft of No 311 Sqn
RAF Station St Davids (Brawdy)  
No 517 Sqn RAF St David Halifax V
No 8517 Servicing Echelon RAF St David To service the aircraft of No 517 Sqn
No 58 Sqn RAF St David Halifax
No 8058 Servicing Echelon RAF St David To service the aircraft of No 58 Sqn
No 502 Sqn RAF St David Halifax II
No 8502 Servicing Echelon RAF St David To service the aircraft of No 502 Sqn
RAF Station St Eval St Eval, nr Wadebridge, Cornwall  
No 224 Sqn RAF St Eval Liberator
No 8224 Servicing Echelon RAF St Eval To service the aircraft of No 224 Sqn
No 53 Sqn RAF St Eval Liberator V
No 8053 Servicing Echelon RAF St Eval To service the aircraft of No 53 Sqn
No 547 Sqn RAF St Eval Wellington XI/XIII
No 8547 Servicing Echelon RAF St Eval To service the aircraft of No 547 Sqn
No 541 Sqn - Detachment RAF St Eval Spitfire
No 4 Armament Practice Camp Talbenny Lysander, station in Transport Command

 

No 247 Group

HQ - Lagens, Azores

 
Unit Location/Address Notes
No 172 Sqn - Detachment Azores Wellington
No 206 Sqn Azores Fortress
No 220 Sqn Azores Fortress
No 233 Sqn - Detachment Azores Hudson
No 269 Sqn Azores Spitfire V/Hudson/Martinet, detachment(s) at other station(s)
No 8269 Servicing Echelon Azores To service the aircraft of No 269 Sqn
No 74 Staging Post Azores  
No 242 Maintenance Azores  
Repair and Salvage Unit Azores  

RAF Gibraltar

 
Unit Location/Address Notes
No 1500 (Target Towing) Flt Lysander
No 48 Sqn   Hudson VI
No 541 Sqn - Detachment   Anson
No 233 Sqn   Hudson, detachment in the Azores
No 202 Sqn   Catalina/Sunderland
No 8202 Servicing Echelon    
No 179 Sqn   Wellington XII/XIV
No 40 Embarkation Unit    
No 301 AMES
No 520 Sqn   Halifax V/Gladiator
No 8520 Servicing Echelon    

 

RAF Iceland

 
Unit Location/Address Notes
AMES Grotta  
AMES Olfus  
RAF Station Reykjavik    
No 120 Sqn RAF Reykjavik Liberator V, servicing echelon at Ballykelly
No 1407 Flt RAF Reykjavik Ventura
No 9 MT Company RAF Reykjavik  
No 13 Embarkation Unit RAF Reykjavik  
No 269 Sqn - Detachment   Spitfire V/Hudson/Martinet
No 162 Sqn RCAF   Canso A
AMES Vik  

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 Bridlington
8 Buckie 18 Banff
7 Burghead 18 Kinloss
61 Campbeltown 15 Greenock
30 Cowes 16 Gosport
6 Cromarty 18 Alness
57 Donaghadee 15 Ballyhalbert
54 Douglas (detachments at Peel & Ramey) 15 Andreas
27 Dover 16 No 961 (Balloon) Sqn
64 Drumore 15 West Freugh
38 Exmouth 19 Exeter
42 Falmouth 19 No 959 (Balloon) Sqn
26 Felixstowe 16 Felixstowe
49 Fishguard 19 St Davids
53 Fleetwood 15 Squires Gate
9 Fraserburgh 18 Banff
24 Gorleston 16 No 992 Sqn
22 Grimsby 16 North Coates
16 Hartlepool 18 Acklington
52 Holyhead 15 Valley
70 Iceland Iceland Reykjavik
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
24 Lowestoft - Detachment 16 No 992 (Balloon) Sqn
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 Brighton
42 Newlyn - Detachment 19 No 959 (Balloon) Sqn
65 Oban 15 Oban
44 Padstow 19 St Eval
54 Peel (detachment) 15 Andreas
36 Poole 19 Bournemouth
67 Port Ellen 15 Port Ellen
46 Porthcawl 19 Stormy Down
56 Portoferry 15 Ballyhalbert
51 Pwllheli 15 Penrhos
54 Ramsey (detachment) 15 Andreas
27 Ramsgate (Detachment) 16 No 961 (Balloon) Sqn
41 Salcombe 19 Mount Batten
17 Scalloway 18 Sumburgh
2 Shipinsay 18 Kirkwall
31 Sheerness 16 No 952 (Balloon) Sqn
66 Stornoway 15 Stornoway
59 Stranraer 15 Stranraer
12 Tayport 18 Leuchars
48 Tenby 19 Pembroke Dock
3 Thurso 18 Wick
39 Torquay 19 Torquay
23 Wells-on-Sea 16 Bircham Newton
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

No 119 Sqn                             No 246 Sqn

Source - April 1944 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 | No 247 Group | RAF Gibraltar | RAF Iceland | ASR MCU]

This page was last updated on 08/07/19 using FrontPage 2003©

[Top of Page]