Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation
HQ No 33 Group Personnel, locations and units 1939 - 1945
[Dec 1939 | Sep 1940 | Jun 1941 | Jul 1942 | Dec 1943 | Jun 1944 | Jun 1945]
It was formed on 1 March 1939 at Kelvin House, Cleveland Street, London W1 but moved to its operational base at 3 Windsor Terrace, Newcastle upon Tyne on 22 May 1939.
| Location | Command | Controlled |
| 3 Windsor Terrace, Newcastle upon Tyne | Balloon Command |
|
| Rank | Name | Date | Notes |
| A/Cdre | Henry R Busteed | Air Officer Commanding, OBE, AFC, RAFO | |
| Personal Appointment | |||
| Personal Assistant to AOC | |||
| Air Staff | |||
| Wg Cdr | J A Ferguson | Senior Air Staff Officer, OBE | |
| Sqn Ldr | C W Harrison | 14 Aug 1939 | |
| Sqn Ldr | J W Martin | ||
| Plt Off | K E Kidd | 29 Sep 1939 | |
| Personnel Staff | |||
| Wg Cdr | A C Bayley | 22 May 1939 | Senior Personnel Staff Officer, |
| Sqn Ldr | W B Hellard | ||
| Services | |||
| Armament | |||
| Fg Off | J J Burton | 2 Oct 1939 | |
| Miscellaneous | |||
| Lt (Ret) | A C Teesdale | Code and CypherDuties | |
Source - December 1939 Confidential Air Force List
It moved to Newland House, Beverley Road, Kingston-upon-Hull on 3 April 1940 and to Parkhead House, Parkhead, Sheffield 11 on 4 July 1940
| Location | Command | Controlled |
| Parkhead House, Parkhead, Sheffield 11 | Balloon Command |
|
| Rank | Name | Date | Notes |
| A/Cdre | Sydney W Smith | 19 Feb 1940 | Air Officer Commanding, OBE |
| Personal Appointment | |||
| Fg Off | Lord Cavendish Bentinek | 14 Jun 1940 | Personal Assistant to AOC |
| Air Staff | |||
| Sqn Ldr | W R Collins | 30 Jun 1940 | |
| Flt Lt | M V Moloney | 8 Mar 1940 | |
| Flt Lt | V L Benson | 27 Nov 1940 | |
| Fg Off | E J C Smither | 14 Apr 1941 | |
| Administrative Staff | |||
| Wg Cdr | H W Tait | 17 Aug 1940 | Senior Administrative Officer, DFC |
| Flt Lt | H C Radcliffe | 1 Mar 1940 | |
| Flt Lt | F L Clark | 25 Oct 1939 | |
| Fg Off | R H Mais | 3 Mar 1941 | |
| Plt Off | W N Pomphrey | 10 Aug 1940 | |
| Plt Off | L C Lake | 13 Aug 1940 | |
| Services | |||
| Engineer | |||
| Flt Lt | G G Simpson | 7 Mar 1940 | DSC |
| Fg Off | A A Bell | 20 Apr 1940 | |
| Signals | |||
| Fg Off | N S Lott | 25 Nov 1940 | |
| Plt Off | Gordon M McMinn | later A/Cdre | |
| Armament | |||
| Flt Lt | E E Page | 8 Jul 1940 | |
| Fg Off | F J Greenacre | 15 Mar 1941 | |
| Equipment | |||
| Sqn Ldr | E D Galloway | 1 Jun 1940 | |
| Medical | |||
| Sqn Ldr | W J Hutchinson | 7 Nov 1940 | Senior Medical Officer, MB, BCh, DPH |
| Fg Off | M Walton | 7 Dec 1940 | MB, BS, DPH, BHy |
| Physical Training | |||
| Fg Off | E J Bowes | 8 Nov 1940 | |
| Miscellaneous Appointments | |||
| Plt Off | R A Wilton | ||
| Plt Off | K W Malkin | ||
Source - June 1941 Confidential Air Force List
| Location | Command | Controlled |
| Parkhead House, Parkhead, Sheffield 11 | Balloon Command |
|
| Rank | Name | Date | Notes |
| Act A/Cdre (Wg Cdr) | John G Murray | 15 Aug 1941 | Air Officer Commanding |
| Air Staff | |||
| Wg Cdr | J T Chorlton | 5 Jan 1942 | MC |
| Sqn Ldr | F K R Coldstream | 1 Dec 1941 | |
| Sqn Ldr | V L Benson | 27 Nov 1940 | |
| Flt Lt | E J C Smither | 14 Apr 1941 | |
| Flt Lt | C R M Clarke | 1 Oct 1941 | |
| Fg Off | L C Lake | 13 Aug 1940 | |
| Administrative Staff | |||
| Sqn Ldr | J S Padmore | 29 May 1942 | Senior Administrative Officer, MC |
| Flt Lt | H C Radcliffe | 1 Mar 1940 | |
| Flt Lt | R H Mais | 3 Mar 1941 | |
| Flt Lt | E S Riley | 5 Jan 1942 | |
| Flt Lt | R Musgrave | 1 May 1942 | |
| Flt Lt | G Smith | 15 May 1942 | |
| Flt Lt | H H Tarrant | 15 May 1942 | |
| Flt Lt | G A Wright | 15 May 1942 | |
| Flt Lt | H W Bennett | 15 May 1942 | |
| Flt Lt | P K B Steadman | 15 May 1942 | |
| Flt Lt | R R Smith | 15 May 1942 | |
| Fg Off | A E Webb | 15 May 1942 | |
| Fg Off | A Kenworthy | 15 May 1942 | |
| Fg Off | W N Pomphrey | 10 Aug 1940 | |
| Fg Off | C H Smith | 1 Oct 1941 | |
| Services | |||
| Engineer | |||
| Flt Lt | G G Simpson | 7 Mar 1940 | DSC |
| Flt Lt | R G A Colley | 3 Jan 1942 | |
| Signals | |||
| Fg Off | J F Mortimer | 31 Oct 1941 | |
| Plt Off | G B Buchan | 14 Feb 1942 | |
| Armament | |||
| Flt Lt | F J Greenacre | 1 Mar 1942 | |
| Equipment | |||
| Sqn Ldr | C R Moseley | 21 Aug 1941 | |
| Fg Off | L Woodhead | 1 Apr 1942 | |
| Medical | |||
| Sqn Ldr | W J Hutchinson | 7 Nov 1940 | Senior Medical Officer, MB, BCh, DPH |
| WAAF Staff Officers | |||
| Sqn Off | E A M Llewellyn | 18 Apr 1941 | WAAF |
Source - July 1942 Confidential Air Force List
| Location | Command | Controlled |
| Parkhead House, Abbey Lane, Sheffield 11 | Balloon Command |
|
| Rank | Name | Date | Notes |
| A/Cdre | John G Murray | 15 Aug 1941 | Air Officer Commanding |
| Air Staff | |||
| Wg Cdr | J T Chorlton | 5 Jan 1942 | Senior Staff Officer, MC |
| Sqn Ldr | V L Benson | 27 Nov 1940 | |
| Sqn Ldr | F J Grenaccre | 1 Mar 1942 | |
| Sqn Ldr | L C Lake | 13 Aug 1940 | |
| Administrative Staff | |||
| Sqn Ldr | W N Pomphrey | 10 Aug 1940 | |
| Sqn Ldr | J L Addleshaw | 30 Dec 1942 | |
| Sqn Ldr | R R Piggott | 1 May 1943 | |
| Services | |||
| Engineer | |||
| Sqn Ldr | R G A Colley | 22 Sep 1943 | |
| Equipment | |||
| Sqn Ldr | W J Amlot | 1 May 1943 | |
| Medical | |||
| Wg Cdr | W N Montgomery | 11 Oct1943 | Senior Medical Officer, MD, BCh, DPH |
| WAAF Staff Officers | |||
| Wg Off | L M Turner | 16 Sep 1943 | WAAF |
Source - December 1943 Confidential Air Force List
| Location | Command | Controlled |
| Parkhead House, Abbey Lane, Sheffield 11 | Balloon Command |
|
| Rank | Name | Date | Notes |
| A/Cdre | John G Murray | 15 Aug 1941 | Air Officer Commanding |
| Air Staff | |||
| Wg Cdr | J T Chorlton | 5 Jan 1942 | Senior Staff Officer, MC |
| Sqn Ldr | F J Grenaccre | 1 Mar 1942 | |
| Sqn Ldr | E P Whitehorn | ||
| Sqn Ldr | E J C Smither | ||
| Administrative Staff | |||
| Sqn Ldr | J L Addleshaw | 30 Dec 1942 | Personnel |
| Sqn Ldr | F J Kershaw | ||
| Sqn Ldr | R R Piggott | 1 May 1943 | Organisation |
| Services | |||
| Engineer | |||
| Sqn Ldr | R G A Colley | 22 Sep 1943 | |
| Equipment | |||
| Sqn Ldr | C R Pottinger | 13 Dec 1943 | |
| Medical | |||
| Wg Cdr | W N Montgomery | 11 Oct1943 | Senior Medical Officer, MD, BCh, DPH |
| WAAF Staff Officers | |||
| Wg Off | L M Turner | 16 Sep 1943 | WAAF |
Source - June 1944 Confidential Air Force List
It disbanded into No 30 Group on 4 September 1944
[Dec 1939 | Sep 1940 | Jun 1941 | Jul 1942 | Dec 1943 | Jun 1944]
This page was last updated on 18/03/25©