Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation

Home Command and USAF Units in the UK - February 1953

[Home Command | RAF Record Office | No 61 Group | No 62 Group | No 63 Group | No 64 Group | No 65 Group | No 66 Group | Inactive Stations | USAF Units in the UK]

Home Command

HQ - RAF White Waltham

 

Unit	Location/Address	Notes
Home Command Communication Sqn	RAF White Waltham	Various
Home Command Examining Unit	RAF White Waltham	Anson/Chipmunk/Buckmaster

HQ, RAF Record Office

No 61 (Eastern) Group

HQ - RAF Kenley

 

Unit	Location/Address	Notes
No 2600 (City of London) (LAA) Sqn (RAuxAF)	RAF Biggin Hill	Station in Fighter Command
No 58 Recruiting Centre	Blackheath
University of London Air Sqn	RAF Booker	Chipmunk, station in No 62 Group
No 55 Recruiting Centre	Brighton
AM Survey Production Centre	Bushey Park	Functionally controlled by AM (DD (Nav))
No 5 RAF Reserve Centre	Cambridge
No 22 Reserve Flying School	Cambridge	Tiger Moth/Anson/Chipmunk
Cambridge UAS	Cambridge	Chipmunk
Cambridge University Fighter Control Flight	Cambridge
No 45 Recruiting Centre	Cambridge
No 53 Recruiting Centre	Chatham
RAF Medical Rehabilitation Unit	RAF Chessington
RAF Movement Unit (Road & Rail), Western Command HQ	Chester	Functionally controlled by Air Ministry (D Mov)
No 52 Recruiting Centre	Croydon
No 4 Reserve Centre	Cuxton
RAF Station Detling
Home Command Gliding Instructors' School	RAF Detling
No 57 Recruiting Centre	Ealing
RAF Movement Unit (Road & Rail), Scottish Command HQ	Edinburgh	Functionally controlled by Air Ministry (D Mov)
RAF Hospital	Ely
No 18 Reserve Flying School	Fairoaks	Chipmunk/Anson
RAF Unit (M of S) Farnborough	Farnborough (MoS)
Institute of Aviation Medicine	Farnborough (MoS)	Functionally controlled by AM (DGMS)
Meteorological Research Flight	Farnborough (MoS)	Hastings/Mosquito
RAF Medical Rehabilitation Unit	RAF Headley Court
No 1958 (AOP) Flight Type 'A' RAuxAF	RAF Hendon	Auster, station in Transport Command
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 17 Reserve Flying School	RAF Hornchurch	Tiger Moth/Anson, station in FTC
No 1 Civilian Anti-Aircraft Co-operation Unit	RAF Hornchurch
RAF Movement Unit (Road & Rail), Eastern Command HQ	Hounslow	Functionally controlled by Air Ministry (D Mov)
No 50 Recruiting Centre	Ilford
No 47 Recruiting Centre	Ipswich (Town)
RAF Station Kenley
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 Mov)
No 60 Recruiting Centre	Kingston-on-Thames
No 2 Civilian Anti-Aircraft Co-operation Unit	RAF Little Snoring
AMMRU (O & M)	London	Functionally controlled by AM (D of O)
Central Medical Establishment	London	Functionally controlled by AM (DGMS)
No 1 Movements Unit (Embarkation)	London	Functionally controlled by AM (D Mov)
No 81 Reserve Centre	London
No 1 Air Intelligence Unit RAFVR	London
Central Recruiting Office	London	Kingsway, WC2
University of London Fighter Control Flight	London
RAF Movement Unit (Road & Rail), London District HQ	London	Functionally controlled by Air Ministry (D Mov)
HQ, UK Provost and Security Services	London (Acton)	Functionally controlled by Air Ministry (Provost Marshal)
No 49 Recruiting Centre	Norwich
No 1 Reserve Flying School	Panshanger	Chipmunk/Anson
No 15 Reserve Flying School	Redhill	Chipmunk/Anson
No 24 Reserve Flying School	Rochester	Chipmunk/Anson
RAF Station Ruislip
Air Ministry Unit	RAF Ruislip
HQ, No 5 RAF Police District (UK)	RAF Ruislip	Functionally controlled by Air Ministry (Provost Marshal)
No 1 Aeronautical Information Documents Unit	RAF Ruislip	Functionally controlled by Air Ministry (DNC)
RAF Movement Unit (Road & Rail), Southern Command HQ	Salisbury	Functionally controlled by Air Ministry (D Mov)
RAF Hospital	RAF Uxbridge	Station in TTC
'RAF Station West Drayton
'D' Unit (RAF)	RAF West Drayton	Administered by USAF
RAF Movement Unit (Road & Rail), Northern Command HQ	York	Functionally controlled by Air Ministry (D Mov)

No 62 (Southern) Group

HQ - RAF Pucklechurch

 

Unit	Location/Address	Notes
No 622 Sqn RAuxAF	Blackbushe (MCA)	Valetta
RAF Station Booker
No 1 Basic Flying Training School	RAF Booker	Chipmunk
RAF Staff College	Bracknell	Functional control by AM (DST)
No 36 Recruiting Centre	Bristol
No 662 (AOP) RAuxAF Sqn HQ	RAF Colerne	Station in Fighter 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
RAF Medical Rehabilitation Unit	RAF Collaton Cross
No 37 Recruiting Centre	Exeter
No 10 Reserve Flying School	Exeter	Tiger Moth/Anson
No 3 Civilian Anti-Aircraft Co-operation Unit	Exeter
Bristol UAS	RAF Filton	Chipmunk, station in Fighter Command
No 12 Reserve Flying School	RAF Filton	Chipmunk/Anson
No 2501 (County of Gloucestershire) (LAA) Sqn, RAuxAF	RAF Filton
Princess Mary's RAF Hospital	RAF Halton	Station in TTC
RAF Institute of Pathology and Tropical Medicine	RAF Halton
Dental Training Establishment	RAF Halton
No 14 Reserve Flying School	Hamble	Chipmunk/Anson
No 1 Basic Air Navigation School	Hamble	Anson
Oxford UAS	RAF Kidlington	Chipmunk, station in Maintenance Command
No 1962 (AOP) Flight Type 'A' RAuxAF	RAF Middle Wallop	Auster, station in Fighter Command
RAF Police Depot	RAF Netheravon
Joint Concealment Centre	RAF Netheravon	Functionally controlled by Air Ministry (D of Ops)
No 39 Recruiting Centre	Oxford
Oxford University Fighter Control Flight	Oxford
No 40 Recruiting Centre	Plymouth
RAF Station Pucklechurch
No 62 Group Combined Reserve Centre	RAF Pucklechurch
No 42 Recruiting Centre	Reading
Southampton UAS	Southampton	Chipmunk
No 44 Recruiting Centre	Southampton
No 2 Movements Unit (Embarkation)	Southampton	Functionally controlled by AM (D Mov)
Southampton University Technical Flight	Southampton
No 23 Reserve Centre	RAF Titchfield
MEAF Base Accounts Office	RAF Titchfield	Functionally controlled by AM (DPS (B))
C & M Party	RAF Weston-on-the-Green
No 8 Reserve Flying School	Woodley	Tiger Moth/Anson
RAF Hospital	Wroughton
Satellite of RAF Hospital, Wroughton	Burderop Park	Allocated to USAF

No 63 (Western & Welsh) Group

HQ - RAF Hawarden

 

Unit	Location/Address	Notes
No 2 Basic Flying Training School	Ansty	Chipmunk
RAF Station Church Lawford		Satellite, Ansty
No 2 Reserve Flying School	Barton, Manchester	Tiger Moth
No 21 Recruiting Centre	Birmingham
University of Birmingham Airfield Construction Flight	Birmingham
No 43 Reserve Centre	Bowlee
HQ, No 2 RAF Police District (UK)	Bowlee
No 41 Reserve Centre	Cardiff (Llandaff)
No 3 Reserve Flying School	Cardiff Airport	Chipmunk/Anson
No 1952 (AOP) Flight Type 'A' RAuxAF	Cardiff Airport	Auster
No 22 Recruiting Centre	Cardiff
RAF Station Castle Bromwich
No 44 Reserve Centre	RAF Castle Bromwich
No 5 Reserve Flying School	RAF Castle Bromwich	Chipmunk/Anson
University of Birmingham Air Sqn	RAF Castle Bromwich	Chipmunk
RAF Hospital	RAF Cosford	Station in TTC
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 Reserve Centre	Fazakerley
RAF Station Hawarden
No 63 Group Communication Flight	RAF Hawarden
HQ, No 51 Wing, RAF Regiment	RAF Hawarden
No 168 (LAA) Sqn, RAF Regiment	RAF Hawarden
No 199 (LAA) Sqn, RAF Regiment	RAF Hawarden
No 2605 (County of Warwick) (LAA) Sqn RAuxAF Regiment	RAF Honiley
No 663 (AOP) RAuxAF Sqn HQ	RAF Hooton Park	Station in Fighter Command
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
Command Major Servicing Unit	RAF Lichfield	Station in FTC
No 26 Recruiting Centre	Liverpool
No 3 Movements Unit (Embarkation)	Liverpool	Functionally controlled by AM (D Mov)
No 5 Civilian Anti-Aircraft Co-operation Unit	Llanbedr	Vampire/Spitfire/Beaufighter
No 4 Civilian Anti-Aircraft Co-operation Unit	RAF Llandow	Station in Maintenance Command
RAF Station Lytham
No 5 Personnel Despatch Centre	RAF Lytham	Functional control by AM (DGM)
No 21 Personnel Transit Centre	RAF Lytham	Functional control by AM (DPS)
Medical Training Establishment	|RAF Lytham	Functionally controlled by AM (DGMS)
Manchester UAS	Manchester	Chipmunk
No 27 Recruiting Centre	Manchester
RAF Hospital	RAF Padgate	Station in TTC
No 29 Recruiting Centre	Preston
RAF Station Ringway
No 1951 (AOP) Flight Type 'A' RAuxAF	Ringway	Auster
RAF Hospital	RAF St Athan	Station in TTC
No 32 Recruiting Centre	Swansea
RAF Hospital	RAF Weeton	Station in TTC
RAF Hospital	RAF West Kirby	Station in TTC
RAF Hospital	RAF Wilmslow	Station in TTC
No 25 Reserve Flying School	Wolverhampton	Tiger Moth/Anson
No 1954 (AOP) Flight Type 'A' RAuxAF	Wolverhampton	Auster
No 34 Recruiting Centre	Wolverhampton
RAF Station Woodvale
No 19 Reserve Flying School	RAF Woodvale	Anson/Chipmunk
University of Liverpool Air Sqn	RAF Woodvale	Chipmunk
No 2611 (West Lancashire) (LAA) Sqn RAuxAF Regiment	RAF Woodvale
No 35 Recruiting Centre	Worcester
No 30 Recruiting Centre	Wrexham

No 64 (Northern) Group

HQ - Heslington, York

 

Unit	Location/Address	Notes
Air Crew Allocation Unit	Alvaston, Derby	Functionally controlled by Air Ministry (DD Sel)
No 8 Recruiting Centre	Bradford
No 23 Recruiting Centre	Carlisle
No 16 Reserve Flying School	Derby	Prentice/Anson
No 3 Basic Flying Training School	Derby	Chipmunk
No 9 Recruiting Centre	Derby
No 7 Reserve Flying School	Desford	Tiger Moth/Anson
No 5 Basic Flying Training School	Desford	Chipmunk
No 1969 (AOP) Flight Type 'A' RAuxAF	Desford	Auster
No 9 Reserve Flying School	Doncaster	Tiger Moth/Anson
No 2616 (South Yorkshire) (LAA) Sqn RAuxAF Regiment	Doncaster
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 2504 (County of Nottingham) (LAA) Sqn RAuxAF Regiment	Hucknall
No 11 Recruiting Centre	Hull
Hull UAS	Hull	Chipmunk
No 14 Recruiting Centre	Leeds
Leeds University Airfield Construction Flight	Leeds
No 12 Recruiting Centre	Leicester
No 13 Recruiting Centre	Lincoln
RAF Station Long Benton
No 15 Recruiting Centre	Middlesborough
No 16 Recruiting Centre	Newcastle
Nottingham UAS	RAF Newton	Chipmunk, station in Fighter Command
RAF Hospital	RAF Nocton Hall
No 17 Recruiting Centre	Nottingham
Nottingham University Technical Flight	Nottingham
No 1965 (AOP) Flight Type 'A' RAuxAF	RAF Ouston	Auster, station in Fighter Command
RAF Station Pocklington
No 64 Group Communication Flight	RAF Rufforth	Station in Maintenance Command
No 19 Recruiting Centre	Sheffield
Leeds UAS	Sherburn-in-Elmet	Chipmunk
No 6 Reserve Flying School	Sywell	Prentice
No 4 Basic Flying Training School	Sywell	Chipmunk
No 2608 (North Riding) (LAA) Sqn RAuxAF Regiment	RAF Thornaby
No 23 Reserve Flying School	RAF Usworth	Chipmunk/Anson
No 2 Basic Air Navigation School	RAF Usworth	Anson
Durham UAS	RAF Usworth	Chipmunk
RAF Station Yeadon
No 1964 (AOP) Flight Type 'A' RAuxAF	RAF Yeadon	Auster
No 2609 (West Riding) (LAA) Sqn RAuxAF Regiment	RAF Yeadon

No 66 (Scottish) Group

HQ - RAF Turnhouse

 

Unit	Location/Address	Notes
No 1967 (AOP) Flight Type 'A' RAuxAF	Abbotsinch (RNAS)	Auster
No 1 Recruiting Centre	Aberdeen
RAF Station Bishopbriggs
No 2602 (City of Glasgow) (LAA) Sqn RAuxAF Regiment	RAF Bishopbriggs
No 3 Recruiting Centre	Dundee
No 2612 (County of Aberdeen) (LAA) Sqn RAuxAF Regiment	RAF Dyce	Station in Fighter Command
Aberdeen UAS	RAF Dyce	Chipmunk
No 4 Recruiting Centre	Edinburgh
No 5 Recruiting Centre	Glasgow
No 6 Recruiting Centre	Inverness
St Andrews UAS	RAF Leuchars	Chipmunk, station in Fighter Command
No 11 Reserve Flying School	Perth	Anson/Chipmunk
Glasgow UAS	Perth	Chipmunk
No 103 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
Edinburgh UAS	RAF Turnhouse	Chipmunk, station in Fighter Command
No 1968 (AOP) Flight Type 'A' RAuxAF	RAF Turnhouse	Auster
No 2603 (City of Edinburgh) (LAA) Sqn RAuxAF Regiment	RAF Turnhouse

No 67 (Northern Ireland) Group

HQ - Whiteabbey

 

Unit	Location/Address	Notes
No 67 Group Communication Flight	RAF Aldergrove	Station in Coastal Command
No 2502 (Ulster) (LAA) Sqn RAuxAF Regiment	RAF Aldergrove
No 59 Recruiting Centre	Belfast
Northern Ireland Signals Centre	Dundonald
Queen's UAS	RAF Sydenham	Chipmunk

Home Command, Inactive Stations

 

Inactive Station	Parent Station	Status
Anstruther (Radar)	HQ No 66 Group	R
Aston Hill (W/T Station)	Hawarden	R
Borve Castle (Radar)	HQ No 66 Group	R
Brenish (Radar)	HQ No 66 Group	R
Burifa Hill (GEE)	HQ No 66 Group	R
Calveley	Hawarden	S
Capenhurst (M/F D/F)	Hawarden	R
Crustan (Radar)	HQ No 66 Group	R
Deerness (Radar)	HQ No 66 Group	R
Doonies Hill (Radar)	HQ No 66 Group	R
Dunnet Head (Radar)	HQ No 66 Group	R
Eorodale (Radar)	HQ No 66 Group	R
Greian Head (Radar)	HQ No 66 Group	R
Kilchiaran (Radar)	HQ No 66 Group	R
Noss Hill (Radar)	HQ No 66 Group	R
Poulton	Hawarden	-
Rhuddlan (Radar)	Hawarden	S
Rosehearty (Radar)	Dyce	S
St Cyrus (Radar)	HQ No 66 Group	R
Saligo Bay (Radar)	HQ No 66 Group	R
Saxa Vord (Radar)	HQ No 66 Group	R
Scousborough (GEE)	HQ No 66 Group	R
Skaw (Radar)	HQ No 66 Group	R
Ulbster (Radar)	HQ No 66 Group	R
Windy Head (GEE)	HQ No 66 Group	R
Wrexham,	Hawarden	S

S = Surplus to long-term requirements

R = Retention is currently required

USAF Units in the UK

 

Location	Unit	Notes
RAF Bassingbourn	Strategic Reconnaissance Sqn (Detachment) Air Base Group (Detachment)	Station in Bomber Command
RAF Bentwaters	HQ Defence Fighter Wing Air Service Group 1 x Defence Fighter Sqns 1 x Fighter Bomber Sqn	Station in Fighter Command
Bovingdon	HQ 3rd Air Force Communication Flight	MCA Airfield
RAF Brize Norton	Air Service Wing Battalion of Engineer Aviation Group	Station in Bomber Command
Burderop Park	Hospital Group	Station in Home Command
RAF Burtonwood	Air Depot Wing Air Rescue Flight	Station in Home Command
Bushey Park	HQ, Air Rescue Sqn Airways Communication Service Sqn
RAF Chelveston	Engineer Battalion	Station in No 90 Group
RAF Chicksands	Radio Sqn (Mobile)	Station in No 90 Group
RAF Croughton	Airways Communication Service Sqn (Detachment)
RAF Fairford	Air Service Wing (Detachment) Battalion of Engineer Aviation Group	Station in Bomber Command
RAF Greenham Common	Air Service Wing (Detachment) Battalion of Engineer Aviation Group	Station in Bomber Command
Heston	Radar Bombing Scoring Sqn	MCA Airfield
RAF Lakenheath	Medium Bomber Sqn Air Base Group (Detachment)	Station in Bomber Command
London	Special Investigation Unit
RAF Manston	Fighter Escort Group Air Rescue Flight Air Base Wing	Station in Fighter Command
RAF Mildenhall	HQ Medium Bomber Wing Medium Bomber Sqn Air Base Group	Station in Bomber Command
RAF Molesworth	Troop Carrier Wing (Detachment)
Northwick Park	HQ, Air Base Group
Norton Barracks	Air Base Group (Detachment)
Prestwick	Air Base Sqn	MCA Airfield
RAF Ruislip	HQ 3rd Air Force HQ, 7th Air Division
RAF Sculthorpe	HQ 49th Air Division Air Base Group Bomber Group 3 x Bomber Sqns Air Rescue Flight	Station in Bomber Command
RAF Sealand	Air Depot Wing	Station in Maintenance Command
Shaftesbury	Personnel Processing Group
RAF Shepherds Grove	2 x Defence Fighter Sqns Air Service Group (Detachment)	Station in Fighter Command
RAF Sturgate	Air Base Group (Detachment)	Station in Fighter Command
RAF Upper Heyford	Medium Bomber Sqn Battalion of Engineer Aviation Group Air Base Wing (Detachment)	Station in Bomber Command
RAF Waddington	Air Base Group (Detachment)	Station in Bomber Command
RAF West Drayton	Reconnaissance Technical Sqn Air Base Sqn	Station in Home Command
RAF Wethersfield	Fighter Bomber Group 2 x Fighter Bomber Sqns	Station in Fighter Command
Wimpole Park	Hospital Group	Station in Bomber Command
Wordwell	Air Base Group (Detachment)	Station in Bomber Command

Source - SD161 (149th Edition) - February 1953

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