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

HQ No 32 Group Personnel, units and locations

[May 1939 | Dec 1939]

Reformed as No 32 (Barrage Balloon) Group on 1 March 1939 within Balloon Command

May 1939

Location Command Controlled
Kelvin House, Cleveland Street, London W1 Balloon Command

  • No unit allocated yet

 

Rank Name Date Notes
A/Cdre (Ret)

Bertie C H Drew

Air Officer Commanding, CMG, CVO, CBE

Source - May 1939 Confidential Air Force List

This HQ moved to Commercial Chamber, 1-13 Commercial Road, Portsmouth on 15 May 1939

December 1939

Location Command Controlled
 Commercial Chamber, 1-13 Commercial Road, Portsmouth Balloon Command

  • No 11 Balloon Centre - Bristol

    • No 927 (Balloon) Squadron

    • No 951 (Balloon) Squadron

  • No 12 Balloon Centre - Southsea

    • No 930 (Balloon) Squadron

    • No 931 (Balloon) Squadron

    • No 932 (Balloon) Squadron

    • No 933 (Balloon) Squadron

  • No 13 Balloon Centre - Plymouth

    • No 934 (Balloon) Squadron

  • No 14 Balloon Centre - Cardiff

    • No 935 (Balloon) Squadron

 

Rank Name Date Notes
A/Cdre (Ret)

Bertie C H Drew

Air Officer Commanding, CMG, CVO, CBE
Air Staff
Wg Cdr J C Gretton   Senior Air Staff Officer, RAFO
Flt Lt E L Leader   RAFO
Sqn Ldr V R S White   Maintenance Liaison
Personnel Staff
Wg Cdr C L Lea-Cox 15 May 1939 Senior Personnel Staff Officer
Sqn Ldr B E Harrison   AFC, RAFO
Services
Signals
Fg Off K G Styles 27 Oct 1939  
Miscellaneous
Lt Col M C Brotherton   Armament Duty
Lt E C C Haggart   Code and Cypher Duties, late RAF

Source - December 1939 Confidential Air Force List

It moved to Harefield House, Winchester Road, Romsey, Hampshire on 22 June 1940.

June 1941

Location Command Controlled
 Commercial Chamber, 1-13 Commercial Road, Portsmouth Balloon Command

  • No 11 Balloon Centre - Bristol

    • No 912 (Balloon) Squadron

    • No 927 (Balloon) Squadron

    • No 935 (Balloon) Squadron

    • No 951 (Balloon) Squadron

    • No 955 (Balloon) Squadron

  • No 12 Balloon Centre - Titchfield

    • No 924 (Balloon) Squadron

    • No 930 (Balloon) Squadron

    • No 932 (Balloon) Squadron

    • No 933 (Balloon) Squadron

  • No 13 Balloon Centre - Plymouth

    • No 934 (Balloon) Squadron

    • No 959 (Balloon) Squadron

    • No 964 (Balloon) Squadron

 

Rank Name Date Notes
A/Cdre Andre A Walser 23 Jan 1940 Air Officer Commanding, MC, DFC
Personal Appointment
Plt Off H J W Wilkie  3 May 1941 Personal Assistant to AOC
Air Staff
Wg Cdr C E Benson  1 May 1940 DSO
Sqn Ldr B E Harrison 27 May 1939 AFC, RAFO
Flt Lt Lord Ashburton 26 Mar 1940  
Fg Off S W Messenger 19 Apr 1940  
Administrative Staff
Wg Cdr D L Allen  1 Mar 1940 Senior Administrative Staff Officer, AFC
Wg Cdr A W N Addison  1 Feb 1941  
Flt Lt F E Bishop  1 Sep 1939  
Flt Lt E L Leader 10 Jul 1939  
Flt Lt K C M Stock 15 Nov 1940  
Flt Lt C F Latimer  5 my 1941  
Fg Off E A Huntington-Whiteley    
Fg Off K G Marsh    
Plt Off H A le Bas 21 Feb 1941  
Plt Off W Thomas  3 May 1941  
Services
Engineer
Fg Off G de Jongh  6 Jan 1941  
Plt Off C H Glanville  5 Aug 1940  
Signals
Fg Off K G Styles 27 Oct 1939  
Fg Off W W E Clarke 15 May 1940  
Equipment
Flt Lt E J D Ettwell  1 May 1941  
Physical Training
Fg Off G H Brindley  5 Sep 1940  
Medical
Sqn Ldr D Magrath  6 Nov 1939 Senior Medical Officer, MB, ChB, MRCS, LRCP, DPM, DPH
Fg Off R Piper  1 jul 1940 MB, BCh, MRCS, LRCP
Miscellaneous Appointments
Plt Off W E W Evans 24 Sep 1940  

Source - June 1941 Confidential Air Force List

It moved to Claverton Manor, near Bath, Somerset on 10 November 1941.

 

July 1942

Location Command Controlled
 Claverton Manor, near Bath Balloon Command

  • No 11 Balloon Centre - Bristol

    • No 912 (Balloon) Squadron

    • No 927 (Balloon) Squadron

    • No 935 (Balloon) Squadron

    • No 955 (Balloon) Squadron

    • No 957 (Balloon) Squadron

    • No 992 (Balloon) Squadron

  • No 13 Balloon Centre - Plymouth

    • No 934 (Balloon) Squadron

    • No 959 (Balloon) Squadron

    • No 964 (Balloon) Squadron

  • No 14 Balloon Centre - Cardiff

    • No 953 (Balloon) Squadron

    • No 958 (Balloon) Squadron

    • No 965 (Balloon) Squadron

    • No 966 (Balloon) Squadron

 

Rank Name Date Notes
Act A/Cdre (Wg Cdr) Christopher J R Turner 15 Dec 1941 Air Officer Commanding,
Air Staff
Sqn Ldr Lord Ashburton 26 Mar 1940 Senior Air Staff Officer
Flt Lt S W Messenger 19 Apr 1940  
Flt Lt G P Ritchie 22 May 1942  
Flt Lt W A Foster  2 Jun 1941  
Administrative Staff
Sqn Ldr W H R Lloyds 10 Apr 1942 MC
Sqn Ldr F E Bishop 27 Jul 1941 MBE
Flt Lt G K Horne 22 Nov 1941  
Flt Lt K G Marsh 16 Mar 1942  
Flt Lt H P Bazeley 16 Nov 1941  
Fg Off R G Cookson 10 Apr 1942  
Fg Off D L David 10 Apr 1942  
Fg Off A C B Parlett 10 Apr 1942  
Fg Off S A Powell 10 Apr 1942  
Plt Off G I Williamson 25 Mar 1942  
Plt Off H F Gray  1 Apr 1942  
Staff to the Services
Engineer
Flt Lt G de Jongh  6 Jan 1941  
Fg Off C H Glanville  5 Aug 1940  
Signals
Flt Lt K G Styles 27 Oct 1939  
Plt Off V F Gillett 31 Oct 1941  
Equipment
Flt Lt E F Teiddy 25 Aug 1941  
Physical Training
Fg Off G H Brindley  5 Sep 1940  
Medical
Sqn Ldr L S Everett  3 Nov 1941 Senior Medical Officer, MRCS, LRCP
WAAF Staff Officers
Flt Off C L Boxshall 18 Nov 1941 WAAF

Source - July 1942 Confidential Air Force List

December 1943

Location Command Controlled
 Claverton Manor, near Bath Balloon Command

  • No 6 Balloon Centre - Wythall

    • No 911/13 (Balloon) Squadron

    • No 914/15 (Balloon) Squadron

    • No 916/17 (Balloon) Squadron

    • No 918 (Balloon) Squadron

  • No 11 Balloon Centre - Bristol

    • No 912 (Balloon) Squadron

    • No 927/935 (Balloon) Squadron

    • No 955 (Balloon) Squadron

    • No 957 (Balloon) Squadron

    • No 958 (Balloon) Squadron

    • No 966 (Balloon) Squadron

  • No 13 Balloon Centre - Plymouth

    • No 934 (Balloon) Squadron

    • No 959 (Balloon) Squadron

    • No 964 (Balloon) Squadron

  • No 953 (Balloon) Squadron - Cardiff

 

Rank Name Date Notes
A/Cdre Christopher J R Turner 15 Dec 1941 Air Officer Commanding,
Air Staff
Wg Cdr H Sherwood  6 Jun 1942 Senior Air Staff Officer
Sqn Ldr S W Messenger 19 Apr 1940  
Sqn Ldr W A Foster  2 Jun 1941  
Sqn Ldr H G Bird  1 Oct 1943  
Administrative Staff
Sqn Ldr K G Marsh 16 Mar 1942  
Sqn Ldr E H King  5 Jul 1943  
Sqn Ldr N W Slack  1 Sep 1942  
Staff to the Services
Engineer
Sqn Ldr A Maddison 11 Oct 1943  
Equipment
Sqn Ldr E F Twiddy 25 Aug 1941  
Medical
Wg Cdr W J Hutchinson  1 Apr 1943 Senior Medical Officer, MB, BCh, DPH

Source - December 1943 Confidential Air Force List

June 1944

Location Command Controlled
 Claverton Manor, near Bath Balloon Command

  • No 6 Balloon Centre - Wythall

    • No 991 (Balloon) Squadron

  • No 11 Balloon Centre - Bristol

    • No 912 (Balloon) Squadron

    • No 927/935 (Balloon) Squadron

    • No 955 (Balloon) Squadron

    • No 957 (Balloon) Squadron

    • No 958 (Balloon) Squadron

    • No 966 (Balloon) Squadron

    • No 997 (Balloon) Squadron

  • No 13 Balloon Centre - Plymouth

    • No 934 (Balloon) Squadron

    • No 959 (Balloon) Squadron

    • No 964 (Balloon) Squadron

    • No 999 (Balloon) Squadron

  • No 953 (Balloon) Squadron - Cardiff

 

Rank Name Date Notes
A/Cdre Christopher J R Turner 15 Dec 1941 Air Officer Commanding,
Air Staff
Wg Cdr H Sherwood  6 Jun 1942 Senior Air Staff Officer
Sqn Ldr S W Messenger 19 Apr 1940  
Sqn Ldr W A Foster  2 Jun 1941  
Sqn Ldr G H Hitchings  6 Feb 1944  
Administrative Staff
Sqn Ldr K G Marsh 16 Mar 1942  
Sqn Ldr E H King  5 Jul 1943  
Sqn Ldr N W Slack  1 Sep 1942  
Staff to the Services
Engineer
Sqn Ldr A Maddison 11 Oct 1943  
Equipment
Sqn Ldr R E N Tasker 29 Mar 1944  
Medical
Wg Cdr W J Hutchinson  1 Apr 1943 Senior Medical Officer, MB, BCh, DPH
WAAF Staff Officers
Wg Off Y J Gough  5 Feb 1944 WAAF

Source - June 1944 Confidential Air Force List

It disbanded on 15 November 1944

[May 1939 | Dec 1939 \ Jun 1941 | Jul 1942 | Dec 1943 | Jun 1944]

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

         [Top of Page]