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Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation
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No 125 Airfield/Wing Personnel, units and locations
It was formed as No 125 Airfield at Gravesend on 24 June 1943 from personnel of Nos 3020 and 3036 Servicing Echelons in No 83 Group. Initially, its squadrons operated alongside No 122 Airfield but on 11 August 1943 it received its own Wing Commander Flying and began operating on its own from 15 August. Meanwhile on 1 August 1943 it had bee placed under No 15 Wing but was redesignated No 125 Wing on 12 May 1944 in No 15 Sector (No 15 Wing, renamed), No 83 Group, 2nd TAF. It moved to the Continent on 17 June 1944 to begin a nomadic existence through France, Belgium, Holland and finally into Germany, disbanding at Lubeck on 14 July 1945.
Personnel Movements 1943
| Rank | Name |
Date |
Notes |
| Sqn Ldr | E J Praill | 24 Jun 1943 | Arrived on posting for duty as Chief Technical Officer |
| Fg Off | W J Watts | 24 Jun 1943 | Arrived on posting for duty as a Technical Officer |
| Fg Off | K J D Young | 24 Jun 1943 | Arrived on posting for duty as a Technical Officer |
| Plt Off | C R Curry | 24 Jun 1943 | Arrived on posting for duty as Adjutant |
| Plt Off | E C Burkett | 24 Jun 1943 | Arrived on posting for duty as MT Officer |
| Sqn Ldr | C H Hartley | 24 Jun 1943 | Arrived on posting for duty as Senior Administrative Officer |
| Flt Lt | H L Humm | 24 Jun 1943 | Arrived on posting for duty as Equipment Officer |
| Act Flt Lt | J H Salmon | 25 Jun 1943 | Arrived on posting for duty as Flying Control Officer |
| Sqn Ldr | J H Lapsley | 26 Jun 1943 | Appointed as Officer Commanding and promoted to Act Wg Cdr |
| Act Flt Lt | J A Byrne | 26 Jun 1943 | Arrived for duty as Catering Officer |
| Act Wg Cdr | J H Lapsley | 26 Jun 1943 | Assumed command on arrival |
| Flt Lt | T A Weise | 28 Jun 1943 | Posted in for Intelligence duties |
| Act Sqn Ldr | R C S Grant | 1 Jul 1943 | Posted in for duty as Senior Medical Officer |
| Plt Off | Taylor | 2 Jul 1943 | Posted in for Codes and Cypher duties |
| Fg Off | Marler | 2 Jul 1943 | Posted in for Equipment duties |
| Fg Off | Harrison | 3 Jul 1943 | Posted in for Signals duties |
| Capt | Griffin | 4 Jul 1943 | Posted in for duty as Air Liaison Officer |
| Act Flt Lt | J A Byrne | 6 Jul 1943 | Posted in for duty as Catering Officer |
| Act Capt | J F Snow | 12 Jul 1943 | Posted in for duty as Air Liaison Officer |
| Act Flt Lt | C R Curry | 14 Jul 1943 | Airfield Adjutant, posted to HQ Fighter Command |
| Fg Off | Lee | 19 Jul 1943 | Posted in for duty as Airfield Adjutant |
| Fg Off | A H Ashton | 20 Jul 1943 | Posted in for duty as Fire and Gas Officer |
| Fg Off | D H Banks | 21 Jul 1943 | Posted in for Flying Control duties |
| Plt Off | D Osborne | 24 Jul 1943 | Posted in for Flying Control duties |
| Act Wg Cdr | J H Lapsley | 24 Jul 1943 | Detached to Rollestone Camp for Senior Officers' Anti-Gas Course |
| Maj | A S Lockwood | 29 Jul 1943 | Posted in for duty as Commander, RAF Regiment |
| Sqn Ldr | F C McNulty | 1 Aug 1943 | Posted in as supernumerary for duty as RC Padre |
| Plt Off | R Davies | 3 Aug 1943 | Posted in for duty as PT Officer |
| Wg Cdr | R D Yule | 11 Aug 1943 | Posted in for duty as Wg Cdr - Flying |
Source - No 125 Wing ORB
Unit Composition and Movements 1943
| Unit | Date | Notes |
| No 19 Sqn | 24 Jun 1943 | arrived on formation |
| No 132 Sqn | 24 Jun 1943 | arrived on formation |
| No 125 Airfield | 2 Jul 1943 | Moved from RAF Gravesend to Newchurch ALG |
| No 101 Mobile Dental Unit | 11 Jul 1943 | Attached for temporary duty |
| No 101 Mobile Dental Unit | 12 Jul 1943 | Moved from Lympne to No 125 Airfield |
| No 3 Flight, No 2879 Sqn RAF Regiment | 15 Jul 1943 | Moved from Newchurch ALG to Kingscliffe |
| No 1 Flight, No 2880 Sqn RAF Regiment | 15 Jul 1943 | Moved from Newchurch ALG to Kingscliffe |
| No 3 Flight, No 2881 Sqn RAF Regiment | 15 Jul 1943 | Moved from Newchurch ALG to Kingscliffe |
| No 3209 Servicing Commando Unit | 22 Jul 1943 | Moved from RAF Zeals to No 125 Airfield |
| No 2878 Sqn RAF Regiment | 24 Jul 1943 | Moved from RAF Upavon to No 125 Airfield |
| No 3205 Servicing Commando Unit | 2 Aug 1943 | Advance party, arrived at No 125 Airfield |
| No 3205 Servicing Commando Unit | 3 Aug 1943 | Main party, arrived at No 125 Airfield to service No 19 Sqn's aircraft |
| No 175 Sqn | 5 Aug 1943 | Transferred from No 121 Airfield |
| No 2878 Sqn RAF Regiment | 4 Aug 1943 | Possibly moved to RAF Filey |
| No 2834 Sqn RAF Regiment | 4 Aug 1943 | Arrived to take over local defence |
| No 175 Sqn | 12 Aug 1943 | Returned to No 121 Airfield |
| No 602 Sqn | 13 Aug 1943 | Transferred from No 121 Airfield |
| No 19 Sqn | 18 Aug 1943 | Transferred to No 122 Airfield |
| No 3205 Servicing Commando Unit | 18 Aug 1943 | Probably transferred to No 122 Airfield |
| No 184 Sqn | 18 Aug 1943 | Transferred from No 122 Airfield |
| No 2878 Sqn RAF Regiment | 24 Aug 1943 | Moved from RAF Filey to No 125 Airfield |
| No 5056 (C) MSU | 27 Aug 1943 | Moved from No 125 Airfield to No 129 Airfield |
| 1 Flight, No 3205 Servicing Commando Unit | 13 Sep 1943 | Arrived at No 125 Airfield from No 128 Airfield |
| 'B' Section, No 3205 Servicing Commando Unit | 26 Sep 1943 | Moved to No 129 Airfield |
| 'A' Section, No 3206 Servicing Commando Unit | 26 Sep 1943 | Arrived at No 125 Airfield |
| 'B' Section, No 3206 Servicing Commando Unit | 26 Sep 1943 | Arrived at No 125 Airfield |
| Advance Party, No 125 Airfield | 10 Oct 1943 | Moved from Newchurch ALG to RAF Detling |
| Main Party, No 125 Airfield | 12 Oct 1943 | Moved from Newchurch ALG to RAF Detling |
Source - No 125 Wing ORB
Personnel Movements 1944
| Rank | Name |
Date |
Notes |
| Act Wg Cdr | J H Lapsley | 23 Jan 1944 | Detached to Largs for Combined Operations Course |
| Act Wg Cdr | J H Lapsley | 31 Jan 1944 | Ceased to be detached to Largs for Combined Operations Course |
| Wg Cdr | R D Yule | 13 Mar 1944 | Posted to Group Control Centre |
| Flt Lt | H L Humm | xx Apr 1944 | Posted to HQ, No 15 Wing as Senior Equipment Officer (Sqn Ldr post) |
| Sqn Ldr | E J Praill | xx Apr 1944 | Posted to HQ, No 15 Wing as Chief Technical Officer |
| Flt Lt | K Hitchins | xx Apr 1944 | Appointed Airfield Chief Technical Officer |
| Flt Lt | J H Salmon | 24 May 1944 | Reposted to Sqn Ldr post in Flying Control |
| Flt Lt | Moreland | 25 May 1944 | Posted in from No 123 Wing as Flt Lt - Flying Control |
| Sqn Ldr | R C S Grant | 6 Jun 1943 | Killed in action |
| Sqn Ldr | D Elphick | xx xxx 1944 | Posted in as Senior Medical Officer |
| Sqn Ldr | E H E Cross | 28 Jun 1944 | Posted in as Senior Medical Officer |
| Sqn Ldr | D Elphick | 28 Jun 1944 | Attached to No 2 Beach Unit |
| Wg Cdr | A C Stewart | 7 Jul 1944 | Posted out |
| Sqn Ldr | A G Page | 7 Jul 1944 | Promoted to Act Wg Cdr for duty as Wg Cdr - Flying |
| Flt Lt | B D Clarke | 11 Jul 1944 | Posted in for duty as Dental Officer |
| Wg Cdr | J H Lapsley | 14 Jul 1944 | Posted to Home Establishment |
| Gp Capt | J Rankin | 14 Jul 1944 | Posted in from No 15 Sector (disbanded), as OC |
| Sqn Ldr | E J Praill | 16 Jul 1944 | Attached for duty as Chief Technical Officer |
| Sqn Ldr | K Hitchins | 16 Jul 1944 | Detached to Rear HQ No 83 Group, pending posting |
| Flt Lt | O Lee | 2 Oct 1944 | Killed in action |
| Wg Cdr | A G Page | 6 Oct 1944 | Completed his tour and posted to Home Establishment |
| Wg Cdr | J Wray | 6 Oct 1944 | Posted in for duty as Wg Cdr - Flying |
| Wg Cdr | G C Keefer | 13 Nov 1944 | Posted in for duty as Wg Cdr - Flying |
Source - No 125 Wing ORB
Unit Composition and Movements 1944
| Unit | Date | Notes |
| No 132 Sqn | 17 Jan 1944 | to RAF Castletown |
| No 602 Sqn | 17 Jan 1944 | to RAF Skaebrae |
| No 453 Sqn | 19 Jan 1944 | arrived |
| No 118 Sqn | 20 Jan 1944 | arrived |
| No 453 Sqn | 21 Jan 1944 | Detached to RAF Hutton Cranswick for Gunnery course |
| No 118 Sqn | 23 Jan 1944 | Detached to RAF Peterhead (Combined Operations Course?) |
| No 453 Sqn | 4 Feb 1944 | Returned from RAF Hutton Cranswick on completion of Gunnery course |
| No 118 Sqn | 5 Feb 1944 | Ceased to be detached to RAF Peterhead (Combined Operations Course?) |
| No 184 Sqn | 5 Mar 1944 | Moved to RAF Redhill to convert to Typhoons |
| No 118 Sqn | 9 Mar 1944 | Moved to RAF Skaebrae |
| No 132 Sqn | 11 Mar 1944 | Returned from RAF Castletown |
| No 602 Sqn | 11 Mar 1944 | Returned from RAF Skaebrae |
| No 132 Sqn | 12 Mar 1944 | Detached to RAF Fairwood Common for Bombing and Gunnery course |
| No 453 Sqn | 12 Mar 1944 | Detached to RAF Peterhead for Bombing and Gunnery course |
| No 602 Sqn | 13 Mar 1944 | Detached to RAF Llanbedr for Bombing and Gunnery course |
| No 453 Sqn | 19 Mar 1944 | Ceased to be detached to RAF Peterhead for Bombing and Gunnery course |
| No 132 Sqn | 19 Mar 1944 | Ceased to be detached to RAF Fairwood Common for Bombing and Gunnery course |
| No 602 Sqn | 20 Mar 1944 | Ceased to be detached to RAF Llanbedr for Bombing and Gunnery course |
| 'A' Party, No 125 Airfield | 15 Apr 1944 | Moved to RAF Ford |
| 'B' Party, No 125 Airfield | 18 Apr 1944 | Moved to RAF Ford |
| Ground elements, No 125 Airfield | 30 Apr 1944 | Practice move to the Concentration Area (Old Sarum) |
| Ground elements, No 125 Airfield | 3 May 1944 | Returned to RAF Ford |
| No 125 Airfield | 12 May 1944 | Redesignated No 125 Wing |
| 'A' & 'B' Sections, No 125 Wing | 12 Jun 1944 | Moved to the Concentration Area at Old Sarum |
| No 505 (C) MSU | 12 Jun 1944 | Moved to the Concentration Area at Old Sarum |
| 'A' Section, No 125 Wing | 15 Jun 1944 | Moved to the Marshalling Area |
| 'B' Section, No 125 Wing | 17 Jun 1944 | Moved to the Marshalling Area |
| 'A' Section, No 125 Wing | 20 Jun 1944 | Began loading (at Gosport?) |
| 'A' Section, No 125 Wing | 22 Jun 1944 | Sailed for the continent |
| 'B' Section, No 125 Wing | 22 Jun 1944 | Moved to Gosport to begin embarking |
| 'A' Section, No 125 Wing | 23 Jun 1944 | Arrived off Normandy, disembarked and misdirected to B.9 |
| 'B' Section, No 125 Wing | 23 Jun 1944 | Arrived off Normandy |
| 'B' Section, No 125 Wing | 24 Jun 1944 | Disembarked and proceeded to B.11 |
| 'A' Section, No 125 Wing | 24 Jun 1944 | Moved to B.11 |
| Airlift Party and Sqns | 25 Jun 1944 | Moved from RAF Ford to Airfield B.11 |
| No 441 (RCAF) Sqn | 14 Jul 1944 | Transferred from No 144 Wing |
| No 125 Wing | 2 Sep 1944 | Moved from B.11 to B.2 Beauvais/Nivillers |
| 'A' Party, No 125 Wing | 14 Sep 1944 | Moved from B.2 Beauvais/Nivillers to B.70 Antwerp/Deurne |
| 'B' Party, No 125 Wing | 17 Sep 1944 | Moved from B.2 Beauvais/Nivillers to B.70 Antwerp/Deurne |
| No 125 Wing | 27 Sep 1944 | Moved from B.70 Antwerp/Deurne to B.82 Grave |
| No 132 Sqn | 28 Sep 1944 | Transferred to ADGB |
| No 441 Sqn | 28 Sep 1944 | Transferred to ADGB |
| No 453 Sqn | 28 Sep 1944 | Transferred to ADGB |
| No 602 Sqn | 28 Sep 1944 | Transferred to ADGB |
| No 80 Sqn | 28 Sep 1944 | Transferred from No 126 Wing |
| No 130 Sqn | 28 Sep 1944 | Transferred from No 126 Wing |
| No 274 Sqn | 28 Sep 1944 | Transferred from No 126 Wing |
| No 402 Sqn | 28 Sep 1944 | Transferred from No 126 Wing |
| No 80 Sqn | 1 Oct 1944 | Transferred to No 123 Wing |
| No 274 Sqn | 7 Oct 1944 | Transferred to No 122 Wing |
| No 125 Wing | 3 Nov 1944 | Moved from B.82 Grave to B.64 Diest |
| No 41 Sqn | 8 Nov 1944 | Transferred from UK |
| No 350 Sqn | 8 Nov 1944 | Transferred from UK |
| No 610 Sqn | 8 Nov 1944 | Transferred from UK |
| No 402 Sqn | 27 Dec 1944 | Transferred to No 126 Wing |
| No 610 Sqn | 31 Dec 1944 | Transferred from No 127 Wing |
| No 610 Sqn | 31 Dec 1944 | Transferred from No 127 Wing |
| No 125 Wing | 31 Dec 1944 | Moved from B.64 Diest to Y.32 Ophoven |
Source - No 125 Wing ORB
Personnel Movements 1945
| Rank | Name |
Date |
Notes |
| Flt Lt | Cripps | 13 Jan 1945 | Senior Intelligence Officer, posted out |
| Flt Lt | Harrison | 13 Jan 1945 | Signals Officer, posted out |
| Flt Lt | Anderton | 13 Jan 1945 | Electrical Section, posted out |
| Fg Off | D Osborne | 13 Jan 1945 | Flying Control, posted out |
| Flt Lt | S E Jeffreys | 30 Jan 1945 | Posted in for duty as Senior Intelligence Officer |
| Gp Capt | J Rankin | 28 Mar 1945 | Posted to Home Establishment |
| Wg Cdr | J E Johnson | 28 Mar 1945 | Posted in from No 127 Wing, promoted Act Gp Capt and assumed command |
Source - No 125 Wing ORB
Unit Composition and Movements 1945
| Unit | Date | Notes |
| No 41 Sqn | 25 Jan 1945 | Transferred to No 127 Wing |
| No 125 Wing | 27 Jan 1945 | Moved from Y.32 Ophoven to B.78 Eindhoven |
| No 130 Sqn | 1 Feb 1945 | Detached to No 17 APC, Warmwell |
| No 130 Sqn | 1 Feb 1945 | Returned from No 17 APC, Warmwell |
| No 610 Sqn | 21 Feb 1945 | Detached to No 17 APC, Warmwell |
| No 41 Sqn | 21 Mar 1945 | returned to No 127 Wing |
| No 125 Wing | 8 Apr 1945 | Moved from B.78 Eindhoven to B.106 Twente-Enschede |
| No 125 Wing | 16 Apr 1945 | Moved from B.106 Twente-Enschede to B.118 Celle |
| No 137 Sqn | 7 May 1945 | Transferred from No 124 Wing |
| No 414 Sqn | 7 May 1945 | arrived |
| No 486 Sqn | 7 May 1945 | arrived |
| No 125 Wing | 10 May 1945 | Moved from B.118 Celle to B.160 Kastrup |
| No 130 Sqn | 10 May 1945 | Transferred to UK |
| No 125 Wing | 12 May 1945 | Moved from B.118 Celle to B.160 Kastrup |
| No 125 Wing | 21 Jun 1945 | Moved from B.160 Kastrup to B.172 Husum |
| No 137 Sqn | 21 Jun 1945 | Moved from B.160 Kastrup to B.172 Husum |
| No 350 Sqn | 21 Jun 1945 | Moved from B.160 Kastrup to B.172 Husum |
| No 41 Sqn | 21 Jun 1945 | Moved from B.160 Kastrup to B.172 Husum |
| No 486 Sqn | 21 Jun 1945 | Transferred to No 122 Wing |
| No 125 Wing | 11 Jul 1945 | Moved from B.172 Husum to B.158 Lubeck |
Source - No 125 Wing ORB
This page was last updated on 31/05/20©
