242 Group

This Group was formed as a nucleus in the Air Ministry on 24 August 1942 to support the planned Allied landings in North Africa, Operation Torch, in November 1942.

This nucleus arrived in Algiers on 13 November and moved to Phillipeville on 19 November, Jemappes on 20 November, Constantine on 22 November and Guelma on 26 November, before establishing itself at Ain Seymour Holiday Camp at Bizerta on 28 November. It was raised to full group status on 6 December but on 25 December was split into two echelons, one being at Souk-el-Arba and the second at Ghardimaou. Its location continued to change as the Allied forces advanced.

Control was transferred to North-West African Tactical Air Force on 18 February 1943 and then to North-West African Coastal Air Force on 26 May 1943.

Rank	Name	Date	Notes
A/Cdre	Kenneth B B Cross	22 Feb 1942	Air Officer Commanding, DSO, DFC; later ACM
Air Staff
Wg Cdr	K W Gough	26 Sep 1942	AFC
Wg Cdr	H S L Dundas	1 Mar 1942	DFC
Administrative Staff
Wg Cdr	G L Thomson	9 Apr 1942	DSC, DFC
Sqn Ldr	N D Barratt	1 Mar 1943
Staffs of the Services
Signals
Wg Cdr	H W Berry	16 Feb 1943	Chief Signals Officer
Medical
Sqn Ldr	R M Outfin	7 Sep 1942	LMSSA

Location

Command

Controlled

Palermo, Sicily/ Taranto, Italy*

Mediterranean Allied Tactical Air Force

(Mediterranean Allied Air Forces)

Wings: -

No 286 Wing - Grottaglie
No 323 Wing - Foggia
No 325 Wing - Monte Corvino

Squadrons: -

No 6 Squadron
No 73 Squadron
No 221 Squadron
No 249 Squadron
No 253 Squadron
No 255 Squadron
No 608 Squadron
No 975 (Barrage Balloon) Squadron
No 985 (Barrage Balloon) Squadron
No 1435 Squadron
No 2864 Squadron, RAF Regiment - Taranto
No 2865 Squadron, RAF Regiment - Grottaglie
No 2867 Squadron, RAF Regiment - Cape Dichino

Other Units: -

No 242 Group Communication Flight - San Vito
No 1 General Reconnaissance Operations Room - Naples
No 136 Air Stores Park - Foggia
No 253 Air Sea Rescue Unit - Bari
No 110 Repair and Salvage Unit - Grottaglie
No 16 Supply and Transport Column - Taranto

Rank	Name	Date	Notes
A/Cdre	Gilbert Harcourt-Smith	24 Feb 1944	Air Officer Commanding, CBE, MVO; later AVM
Personal Appointment
Flt Lt	D Giles	5 Mar 1944	Personal Assistant to AOC, DFC
Air Staff
Gp Capt	R W M Clark	10 Feb 1944	Senior Air Staff Officer
Wg Cdr	G Williams	12 Mar 1944
Sqn Ldr	A R de L Inniss	28 Jul 1943	DFC
Sqn Ldr	P Meston	19 Feb 1944
Sqn Ldr	L G Honisett	11 Mar 1944
Sqn Ldr	D N Lansdown	11 Mar 1944
Sqn Ldr	F C Seldon	18 Apr 1944
Sqn Ldr	M S Hards	11 Apr 1944	DFC, DFM
Sqn Ldr	W G Eager	29 Mar 1944
Administrative Staff
Wg Cdr	J T Phelan	26 May 1943	Senior Officer i/c Administration
Sqn Ldr	A N Glover	26 May 1943	Personnel, MC
Sqn Ldr	A M Jamison	24 Feb 1944	Organisation
Staffs of the Services
Engineer
Sqn Ldr	R J Alderson	1 Aug 1943
Signals
Wg Cdr	G E Walker	24 Jun 1943
Sqn Ldr	J A Browning	26 May 1943
Sqn Ldr	R G Poole	10 Apr 1944
Equipment
Sqn Ldr	P G Tyler	19 Jul 1943
RAF Regiment
Sqn Ldr	J Rosie	15 Sep 1943