Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation

Reserve Command and Other Home Units - July 1950

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Reserve Command

HQ - RAF White Waltham

 

Unit	Location/Address	Notes
Reserve Command Communication Sqn	RAF White Waltham	Various

HQ, RAF Record Office, RAF Uxbridge (Station in Technical Training Command)

No 61 (Eastern Reserve) Group

HQ - RAF Kenley

 

Unit	Location/Address	Notes
No 55 Recruiting Centre	Brighton
No 5 RAF RAF Reserve Centre	Cambridge
No 22 Reserve Flying School	Cambridge	Tiger Moth/Anson/Chipmunk
Cambridge UAS	Cambridge
No 45 Recruiting Centre	Cambridge
No 53 Recruiting Centre	Chatham
No 46 Recruiting Centre	Colchester
No 52 Recruiting Centre	Croydon
Reserve Command Gliding Instructors' School	RAF Detling
No 1958 (AOP) Flight Type 'A' RAuxAF	RAF Hendon	Auster
RAF Antarctic Flight	RAF Hendon	Functionally controlled by ACAS (Ops)
No 1959 (AOP) Flight Type 'A' RAuxAF	RAF Henlow	Auster, station in TTC
No 1961 (AOP) Flight Type 'A' RAuxAF	RAF Henlow	Auster, station in TTC
No 3619 (County of Suffolk) Fighter Control Unit RAuxAF	Ipswich
No 47 Recruiting Centre	Ipswich
No 61 Group Communication Flight	RAF Kenley
No 661 (AOP) RAuxAF Sqn HQ	RAF Kenley
No 3661 (AOP) Mobile Servicing Section RAuxAF	RAF Kenley
No 1957 (AOP) Flight Type 'A' RAuxAF	RAF Kenley	Auster
No 1960 (AOP) Flight Type 'B' RAuxAF	RAF Kenley	Auster
No 4 MT Company	RAF Kidbrooke	Functionally controlled by Air Ministry (D Movements)
Air Publication and Forms Store	RAF Kidbrooke	Functionally controlled by Air Ministry (ST12)
British Bombing Survey Unit	London
AMMRU (O & M)	London
No 54 Recruiting Centre	Maidstone
No 49 Recruiting Centre	Norwich
No 3620 (County of Norfolk) Fighter Control Unit RAuxAF	Old Catton, Norwich
No 4 RAF Reserve Centre	Rochester
No 24 Reserve Flying School	Rochester	Tiger Moth/Anson
No 3500 (County of Kent) Fighter Control Unit RAuxAF	RAF Sandwich	Station in Fighter Command
No 50 Recruiting Centre	Wanstead
Air Ministry Unit	RAF West Drayton
'D' Unit	RAF West Drayton

No 62 (Southern Reserve) Group

HQ - RAF Rudloe Manor

 

Unit	Location/Address	Notes
RAF Station Booker
Joint Services Staff College Flight	RAF Booker
No 3617 (County of Hampshire) Fighter Control Unit RAuxAF	Bournemouth
RAF Staff College	Bracknell	Functional control by AM (DST)
No 36 Recruiting Centre	Bristol
No 662 (AOP) RAuxAF Sqn HQ	RAF Colerne	Station in Maintenance Command
No 3662 (AOP) Mobile Servicing Section RAuxAF	RAF Colerne
No 1956 (AOP) Flight Type 'A' RAuxAF	RAF Colerne	Auster
No 1963 (AOP) Flight Type 'A' RAuxAF	RAF Colerne	Auster
No 27 RAF Reserve Centre	Exeter
No 3512 (County of Devon (Exeter)) Fighter Control Unit RAuxAF	Exeter
No 10 Reserve Flying School	Exeter	Tiger Moth/Anson
No 37 Recruiting Centre	Exeter
GCI Station	Exminster
No 12 Reserve Flying School	Filton	Tiger Moth/Anson
No 38 Recruiting Centre	Gloucester
GCI Station	Hack Green
No 14 Reserve Flying School	Hamble	Tiger Moth/Anson
GCI Station	Hope Cove
Oxford UAS	Kidlington	Station in Maintenance Command
No 62 Group Communication Flight	RAF Middle Wallop	Station in Fighter Command
No 1962 (AOP) Flight Type 'A' RAuxAF	RAF Middle Wallop	Auster
No 39 Recruiting Centre	Oxford
RAF Station Pershore
No 1 RAF Police Wing	RAF Pershore
No 21 RAF Reserve Centre	Plymouth
No 3513 (County of Devon (Plymouth)) Fighter Control Unit RAuxAF	Plymouth
No 40 Recruiting Centre	Plymouth
No 41 Recruiting Centre	Portsmouth
No 22 RAF Reserve Centre	RAF Pucklechurch
No 24 RAF Reserve Centre	Reading
No 42 Recruiting Centre	Reading
No 3507 (County of Somerset) Fighter Control Unit RAuxAF	RAF Rudloe Manor
No 43 Recruiting Centre	Salisbury
Southampton UAS	Southampton
No 44 Recruiting Centre	Southampton
RAF Station Staverton
RAF Police Dog Training Centre	RAF Staverton
No 23 RAF Reserve Centre	RAF Titchfield
No 3618 (County of Sussex) Fighter Control Unit RAuxAF RAuxAF	RAF Wartling
No 8 Reserve Flying School	Woodley	Tiger Moth/Anson/Chipmunk

No 63 (Western & Welsh Reserve) Group

HQ - RAF Hawarden

 

Unit	Location/Address	Notes
No 20 Recruiting Centre	Barrow
No 2 Reserve Flying School	Barton, Manchester	Tiger Moth/Anson
No 21 Recruiting Centre	Birmingham
No 43 RAF Reserve Centre	Bowlee
No 3613 (City of Manchester) Fighter Control Unit RAuxAF	Bowlee
No 41 RAF Reserve Centre	Cardiff (Llandaff)
No 3614 (County of Glamorgan) Fighter Control Unit RAuxAF	Cardiff (Llandaff)
No 3 Reserve Flying School	Cardiff Airport	Tiger Moth/Anson
No 22 Recruiting Centre	Cardiff
No 44 RAF Reserve Centre	Castle Bromwich
No 5 Reserve Flying School	Castle Bromwich	Tiger Moth/Anson
No 3605 (County of Warwick) Fighter Control Unit RAuxAF	Castle Bromwich
Birmingham UAS	Castle Bromwich
No 24 Recruiting Centre	Chester
No 25 Recruiting Centre	Coventry
No 20 Personnel Transit Centre	RAF Cranage	Functional control by AM (DPS)
No 22 Personnel Transit Centre	RAF Croft	Functional control by AM (DPS)
No 42 RAF Reserve Centre	Fazakerley
No 3611 (West Lancashire) Fighter Control Unit RAuxAF	Fazakerley
No 31 Recruiting Centre	Hanley, Stoke on Trent
RAF Station Hawarden
No 63 Group Communication Flight	RAF Hawarden
No 5 Personnel Despatch Centre	RAF Hednesford	Functional control by AM (DGM)
Command Major Servicing Unit	RAF Honiley
Instrument Training Flight	RAF Honiley	Chipmunk
No 19 Reserve Flying School	RAF Hooton Park	Anson/Tiger Moth
No 663 (AOP) RAuxAF Sqn HQ	RAF Hooton Park
No 3663 (AOP) Mobile Servicing Section RAuxAF	RAF Hooton Park
No 1953 (AOP) Flight Type 'A' RAuxAF	RAF Hooton Park	Auster
No 1955 (AOP) Flight Type 'B' RAuxAF	RAF Hooton Park	Auster
No 26 Recruiting Centre	Liverpool
No 1952 (AOP) Flight Type 'A' RAuxAF	RAF Llandow	Auster, station in Maintenance Command
No 27 Recruiting Centre	Manchester
Manchester UAS	Manchester
No 28 Recruiting Centre	Newport, Monmouth
No 29 Recruiting Centre	Preston
No 1951 (AOP) Flight Type 'A' RAuxAF	Ringway	Auster
RAuxAF Air Traffic Control	Ringway
No 30 Recruiting Centre	Shrewsbury
No 3509 (County of Stafford) Fighter Control Unit RAuxAF	Stoke-on-Trent
No 32 Recruiting Centre	Swansea
No 101 Personnel Dispersal Centre	RAF Warton	Station in Maintenance Command Functional control by AM (DGM)
No 21 Personnel Transit Centre	RAF Warton	Station in Maintenance Command Functional control by AM (DPS)
No 33 Recruiting Centre	Wigan	Detachment at Bolton
No 45 RAF Reserve Centre	Wolverhampton
No 25 Reserve Flying School	Wolverhampton	Tiger Moth/Anson/Chipmunk
No 1954 (AOP) Flight Type 'A' RAuxAF	Wolverhampton	Auster
No 34 Recruiting Centre	Wolverhampton
RAF Station Woodvale
No 35 Recruiting Centre	Worcester

No 64 (Northern Reserve) Group

HQ - Heslington, York

 

Unit	Location/Address	Notes
No 65 RAF Reserve Centre	Alvaston, Derby
No 8 Recruiting Centre	Bradford
No 23 Recruiting Centre	Carlisle
Leeds UAS	RAF Church Fenton	Station in Fighter Command
No 16 Reserve Flying School	Derby	Tiger Moth/Anson
No 9 Recruiting Centre	Derby
No 69 RAF Reserve Centre	Desford
No 7 Reserve Flying School	Desford	Tiger Moth/Anson
No 1969 (AOP) Flight Type 'A' RAuxAF	Desford	Auster
No 61 RAF Reserve Centre	Doncaster
No 9 Reserve Flying School	Doncaster	Tiger Moth/Anson
RAF Unit	RAF Harrogate
No 664 (AOP) Sqn RAuxAF HQ	Hucknall	Station in Maintenance Command
No 3664 (AOP) Mobile Servicing Section RAuxAF	Hucknall
No 1970 (AOP) Flight Type 'B' RAuxAF	Hucknall	Auster
No 10 Recruiting Centre	Huddersfield
No 11 Recruiting Centre	Hull
No 14 Recruiting Centre	Leeds
No 12 Recruiting Centre	Leicester
No 13 Recruiting Centre	Lincoln
No 64 Group Communication Flight	RAF Linton-on-Ouse	Station in Fighter Command
No 64 RAF Reserve Centre	RAF Long Benton
No 3508 (County of Northumberland) Fighter Control Unit RAuxAF	RAF Long Benton
No 15 Recruiting Centre	Middlesborough
No 16 Recruiting Centre	Newcastle
Nottingham UAS	RAF Newton	Station in Fighter Command
No 48 Recruiting Centre	Northampton
GCI Station	Northstead
No 3504 (County of Nottingham) Fighter Control Unit RAuxAF	Nottingham
No 1965 (AOP) Flight Type 'A' RAuxAF	RAF Ouston	Auster
No 3506 (County of Northampton) Fighter Control Unit RAuxAF	Peterborough
GCI Station	Seaton Snook
No 19 Recruiting Centre	Sheffield
No 18 Recruiting Centre	Sunderland
No 3505 (East Riding) Fighter Control Unit RAuxAF	RAF Sutton-on-Hull	Station in TTC
No 2 RAF Reserve Centre	Sywell
No 6 Reserve Flying School	Sywell	Tiger Moth/Anson
No 3608 (North Riding) Fighter Control Unit RAuxAF	RAF Thornaby
RAF Station Usworth
No 23 Reserve Flying School	RAF Usworth	Tiger Moth/Anson
Durham UAS	RAF Usworth
No 3609 (West Yorkshire) Fighter Control Unit RAuxAF	Yeadon
No 1964 (AOP) Flight Type 'A' RAuxAF	Yeadon	Auster

No 65 (London Reserve) Group

HQ - RAF Hendon

 

Unit	Location/Address	Notes
No 58 Recruiting Centre	Blackheath
No 57 Recruiting Centre	Ealing
University of London Air Sqn	Fairoaks
No 18 Reserve Flying School	Fairoaks	Chipmunk/Anson
No 86 RAF Reserve Centre	RAF Hornchurch	Station in TTC
No 17 Reserve Flying School	RAF Hornchurch	Tiger Moth/Anson, station in TTC
No 3604 (County of Middlesex) Fighter Control Unit RAuxAF	London
No 3700 Radar Reporting Unit RAuxAF	London
No 81 RAF Reserve Centre	London
No 56 Recruiting Centre	London	Kingsway, WC2
No 1 Reserve Flying School	Panshanger	Chipmunk/Anson
No 15 Reserve Flying School	Redhill	Tiger Moth/Anson
No 83 RAF Reserve Centre	RAF Stanmore Park	Station in Fighter Command
No 51 Recruiting Centre	Watford

No 66 (Scottish Reserve) Group

HQ - RAF Turnhouse

 

Unit	Location/Address	Notes
Glasgow UAS	RNAS Abbotsinch
No 3612 (County of Aberdeen) Fighter Control Unit RAuxAF	Aberdeen
No 1 Recruiting Centre	Aberdeen
No 101 RAF Reserve Centre	RAF Bishopsbriggs
No 3602 (City of Glasgow) Fighter Control Unit RAuxAF	RAF Bishopsbriggs
No 2 Recruiting Centre	Dumfries
No 3 Recruiting Centre	Dundee
No 3511 (City of Dundee) Fighter Control Unit RAuxAF	Dundee
Aberdeen UAS	RAF Dyce
No 1967 (AOP) Flight Type 'A' RAuxAF	RAF Dyce	Auster
No 3603 (City of Edinburgh) Fighter Control Unit RAuxAF	Edinburgh
No 4 Recruiting Centre	Edinburgh
No 5 Recruiting Centre	Glasgow
No 3510 (County of Inverness) Fighter Control Unit RAuxAF	Inverness
No 6 Recruiting Centre	Inverness
St Andrews UAS	RAF Leuchars	Station in Coastal Command
No 11 Reserve Flying School	Perth	Tiger Moth/Anson/Chipmunk
No 103 RAF Reserve Centre	Perth
No 666 (AOP) RAuxAF Sqn HQ	Perth
No 3666 (AOP) Mobile Servicing Section RAuxAF	Perth
No 1966 (AOP) Flight Type 'A' RAuxAF	Perth	Auster
No 7 Recruiting Centre	Perth
No 66 Group Communication Flight	RAF Turnhouse
Edinburgh UAS	RAF Turnhouse
No 1968 (AOP) Flight Type 'A' RAuxAF	RAF Turnhouse	Auster

No 67 (Northern Ireland Reserve) Group

HQ - RAF Aldergrove

 

Unit	Location/Address	Notes
No 67 Group Communication Flight	RAF Aldergrove	Station in Coastal Command
No 59 Recruiting Centre	Belfast
Queen's UAS	RAF Sydenham
No 3502 (Ulster) Fighter Control Unit RAuxAF	Whiteabbey

Reserve Command, Inactive Stations

 

Inactive Station	Parent Station	Status
Aston Hill (W/T Station)	Hawarden	R
Calveley	Hawarden	S
Drem	Turnhouse	R
Dumbarton (McAllister's Boat Yard)	Bishopbriggs	S
East Fortune	Turnhouse	R
Grangemouth	Turnhouse	S
Stoke Orchard	Staverton	S
Wrexham,	Hawarden	S

S = Surplus to long-term requirements

R = Retention is currently required

Bomb Disposal Units

 

Unit	Location/Address	Notes
HQ Bomb Disposal Wing	RAF North Coates	Administered by No 24 Group, Technical Training Command
No 5131 Bomb Disposal Sqn comprising: -	RAF Rufforth
No 6202 Flt	RAF Kirknewton
No 6204 Flt	RAF Rufforth
No 6235 Flt	RAF Dishforth
No 5133 Bomb Disposal Sqn comprising: -	RAF Waterbeach
No 6217 Flt	RAF Waterbeach
No 6219 Flt	RAF Feltwell
No 6221 Flt	RAF Hornchurch
No 5134 Bomb Disposal Sqn comprising: -	RAF Biggin Hill
No 6209 Flt	RAF Biggin Hill
No 6226 Flt	RAF Rye

Movements Units (Embarkation)

Operational control and personnel matters relating to officers manning the Embarkation Units was vested in the Director of Movements at the Air Ministry but the parent stations were responsible for pay, accounting and administration of airmen.

 

Unit	Location/Address	Parent Unit
No 86	Hamburg	No 431 Equipment Depot
No 110	Hook of Holland	HQ BAFO
No 3	Liverpool	No 63 Group
No 1	London	No 61 Group
No 2	Southampton	No 62 Group

RAF and RAuxAF Regiment Squadrons (Home)

Source - SD161 (118th Edition) - July 1950

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This page was last updated on 21/07/23^©

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