210 Group

This was formed at the Governor's Palace, Tripoli on 12 February 1943 by redesignating No 243 Wing as No 210 (Fighter) Group in Middle East Command to command to undertake the static defence of Tripolitania and protection of coastal shipping. On 1 October it was transferred to North-West African Air Forces and then on 15 October to Mediterranean Allied Coastal Air Force, moving to Algiers on 19 October, Alma Marine on 30 October, before returning to Algiers on 6 January 1944, where it supposedly disbanded on 1 May 1944, but is not shown in December 1943 Confidential Air Force List.

Rank	Name	Date	Notes
Wg Cdr	G D Garvin	12 Feb 1943	Assumed command of No 210 Group on formation
Gp Capt	J Grandy	15 Feb 1943	Arrived at Castel Benito to assume command
Gp Capt	J Grandy	16 Feb 1943	Assumed command of No 210 Group
Wg Cdr	G D Garvin	16 Feb 1943	Relinquished command of No 210 Group and assumed duties of SASO
Maj	Warburton	24 Feb 1943	Posted in for Defence duties

Unit	Date	Notes
No 73 Sqn	12 Feb 1943	Taken over on formation
No 89 Sqn det	12 Feb 1943	Taken over on formation
No 213 Sqn	12 Feb 1943	Taken over on formation
No 274 Sqn	12 Feb 1943	Taken over on formation
No 976 Sqn	12 Feb 1943	Taken over on formation
No 295 AMES	12 Feb 1943	Taken over on formation
No 880 AMES	12 Feb 1943	Taken over on formation
No 881 AMES	12 Feb 1943	Taken over on formation
No 1 Sector Operations Room	12 Feb 1943	Taken over on formation
No 2 Sector Operations Room	12 Feb 1943	Taken over on formation
No 30 Wireless Unit	12 Feb 1943	Taken over on formation
No 5 Field Unit	12 Feb 1943	Taken over on formation
No 12 Radio Installation and Maintenance Unit	12 Feb 1943	Taken over on formation
No 3 Repair and Salvage Unit	12 Feb 1943	Taken over on formation
No 252 AMES	14 Feb 1943	Arrived at Tripoli to join the Group

It reformed on 6 July 1944 at the Standard Oil Building in Algiers to control coastal air forces in North Africa.

Rank	Name	Date	Notes
Gp Capt	E W Whitley	15 Oct 1943	Air Officer Commanding, DSO, DFC
Air Staff
Wg Cdr	John M Thompson	29 Mar1944	Senior Air Staff Officer, DSO, DFC; later A/Cdre
Sqn Ldr	R E Smissen	15 Oct 1943
Sqn Ldr	J E G Utting	15 Oct 1943
Sqn Ldr	R Hadingham	11 Mar 1944
Sqn Ldr	P H Burgoyne	22 Feb 2944
Administrative Staff
Sqn Ldr	M Devlin	15 Oct 1943
Staffs of the Services
Engineer
Sqn Ldr	A Shimmons	15 Oct 1943
Armament
Sqn Ldr	S E G Presho	13 Mar 1944
Medical
Wg Cdr	M O Richardson	23 Dec 1943	Senior Medical Officer, MRCS, LRCP

It moved to Hotel St George in Algiers on 6 August 1944 and was transferred to AHQ Malta in January 1945. It disbanded on 25 April 1945.

Location	Command	Controlled
Algiers	Mediterranean Allied Coastal Air Force	No units listed