|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ground Defence Training Units etc
This section will give brief histories of those ground training units providing training to personnel involved in aspects of ground defence: -
Air Defence Missile Operations Training School
This was formed on 1 January 1960 at Watton under the control of No 12 Group and was redesignated the Surface-to-Air Operational Training School on 1 January 1961.
No 1 Anti-Aircraft Practice Camp, Locking
This was probably opened on 7 February 1943, with its target towing flight being based at Weston Zoyland under the control of No 72 Group and closed on 1 August 1944.
Officers Commanding: -
7 Feb 1943 Sqn Ldr A T Cannon
No 2 Anti-Aircraft Practice Camp, Langham
This was probably opened on 16 February 1943, with its target towing flight being based at Langham under the control of No 72 Group and closed on 31 March 1945.
Officers Commanding: -
16 Feb 1943 Sqn Ldr H S Cardew
No 3 Anti-Aircraft Practice Camp, Felixstowe
This was probably opened on 16 March 1943, with its target towing flight being based at Ipswich, coming under the control of No 72 Group on 5 May but a disbandment date has not been found.
Officers Commanding: -
16 Mar 1943 Flt Lt Standish
No 4 Anti-Aircraft Practice Camp, Towyn
This was probably opened around 1 April 1943, with its target towing flight being based at Towyn under the control of No 72 Group and closed on 19 September 1945.
No 5 Anti-Aircraft Practice Camp, Filey
This was probably opened around March 1943, with its target towing flight being based at Hutton Cranswick but a disbandment date has not been found on 17 June 1943.
No 6 Anti-Aircraft Practice Camp, Acklington
This was probably opened around 1 June 1943, with its target towing flight being based at Acklington under the control of No 72 Group and closed on 20 November 1944.
No 7 Anti-Aircraft Practice Camp, Shoreham
This was probably opened around 21 April 1943, with its target towing flight being based at Shoreham under the control of No 72 Group, moving to Hunmanby Moor on 26 April 1944, where it but closed on 1 August 1944.
No 8 Anti-Aircraft Practice Camp, Montrose
This was probably opened around 4 May 1943, with its target towing flight being based at Montrose under the control of No 72 Group and closed on 1 August 1944.
No 9 Anti-Aircraft Practice Camp, Leysdown
A formation or closure date for this Camp has not yet been found.
75 mm Gun School
This was formed at Eastchurch in No 27 Group on 15 January 1942 to train ground defence personnel in the use of the 75 mm Gun. Courses of two weeks duration began on 15 March with a fortnightly intake and peak of 48, however on 1 February 1942 it was redesignated the RAF Artillery School.
RAF Artillery School
This was formed at Eastchurch in No 20 Group on 1 February 1942 when it was decided to increase scope of its training to include the Smith Gun. At the same time the trainee peak was raised to 130 and it probably disbanded into the RAF Regiment Depot after July 1942
Combatant Training School
This was formed at Scampton for Nos 1 and 5 Groups on 8 October 1945.
Officers Commanding: -
8 Oct 1945 Sqn Ldr J P Pugh
Defence Units for W/T 'Y' Stations
These were formed on 16 July 1940 to provide defence for te W/T 'Y' Stations at Streete, Beachy Head, Hawkinge and West Kingsdown and were placed in No 26 Group. The unit were parented as follows: -
Streete - RAF Mount Batten
Beachy Head - RAF Kenley
Hawkinge - RAF Hawkinge
West Kingsdown - RAF Kidbrooke
No 1 Ground Gunners School
This was formed on 20 November 1939 at North Coates in No 25 Group to commence training on 4 December, with courses of 30 trainees beginning each week. Its role being to train Ground Defence crews in:-
Defence against low flying aircraft.
Defence of Station and Landing Grounds against enemy raiding parties and sabotage parties, including defence against enemy parachutists.
Defence against enemy mechanised forces and the protection of our own convoys.
It moved to Ronaldsway on 1 July 1940 and on 25 February 1941 it began providing training Instructors for ground defence personnel on a course of six days duration, each course comprising 30 officers and 30 NCOs.
It was redesignated No 3 RAF Regiment School on 15 February 1942.
Ground Observers School
This was formed at St Athan in No 20 Group between June 1942 and January 1943 and possibly disbanded in late 1944.
Joint Rapier Training Unit
This was formed on 1 April 1999 at Honington and disbanded on 31 March 2006.
Light Anti-Aircraft Gunnery School
This was formed from RAF Regiment School, Hunmanby Moor on 15 August 1945 at Nethertown, Cumberland, moving to Watchet on 15 July 1947 and disbanded on 10 February 1950.
No 1 PAC Unit
This unit formed on 10 May 1940 at the RAE Section, Exeter to undertake training on its operational equipment prior to moving to Uxbridge to be kitted out. Originally destined for Norway, this move was cancelled following its capitulation and instead the unit operated detachments around the country for the defence of factories, aerodromes, etc. On 13 June 1940, No 1 PAC Pool was formed under the control of HQ No 1 PAC Unit and at some point this HQ and Pool moved to Uxbridge, leaving the training element at Exeter. It was redesignated PAC School on 1 September when it was joined by the training element from Exeter.
No 1 PAC Pool
This unit formed on 13 June 1940 at Exeter under the control of HQ No 1 PAC Unit, Its purpose was to hold a pool of trained personnel available for deployment at various locations as required. Airmen deployed to non RAF locations, such as factories, would remain on the strength of the Pool. It moved to Uxbridge at some point and was absorbed into the PAC School when it was formed on 1 September 1940.
PAC School
This was possibly formed in June 1940 around the same time as No 1 PAC Pool was formed, both under the control of No 1 PAC Unit. It seems that the HQ, No 1 PAC Unit and No 1 PAC Pool had moved to Uxbridge at some point, leaving PAC School. On 1 September the training element also moved to Uxbridge at which point No 1 PAC Unit, No 1 PAC Pool and the training element were combined to form the PAC School, being administered by RAF Uxbridge. Personnel where accommodated at Uxbridge but were bussed daily to the airfield at Denham for practical training. As well as training the school took over the installation and maintenance duties of No 1 PAC Unit and the personnel holding duties of No 1 PAC Pool.
PAC Establishment
This was formed on 24 October 1940 at Denham, although personnel lived and messed at Uxbridge, by renaming the PAC School and continued to carry out the same functions. It was under the operational control of the Deputy Directorate of Home Operations but under HQ Technical Training Command for administration and training. It became a self-accounting unit in June 1941 and was transferred to No 27 Group between 1 -10 July 1941.
Parachute Jumping Training Unit
Originally destined for service in Norway, this was formed on 5 January 1949 at Hildesheim in No 2 Group and closed on 22 October 1949.
No 1 Parachute School
This was formed from No 1 Parachute and Glider Training School on 10 June 1950 at Abingdon and was redesignated No 1 Parachute Training School on 1 November 1953.
Parachute Training Centre
This was formed on 21 June 1940 at Ringway in No 22 Group and was redesignated the Central Landing School on 31 August 1940.
No 1 Parachute Training School
This was formed on 15 February 1942 at Ringway in No 70 Group, as the PTC within the Airborne Forces Establishment. It was transferred to No 38 Group on 1 November 1943 and was redesignated No 1 PTS on 18 July. On 28 March 1946 it moved to Upper Heyford, where it and was redesignated No 1 Parachute and Glider Training School on 2 December 1947.
No 1 Parachute Training School
It reformed from No 1 Parachute School on 1 November 1953 at Abingdon, moving to it present home at Brize Norton on 3 May 1976 and remains in existence.
No 3 Parachute Training School
This was formed from the Air Landing School (India) and the Air Navigation School on 26 February 1944 at Chaklala in No 229 Group, being transferred to BAFSEA on 1 April 1945 and then to No 1 (Indian) Group on 1 March 1947, finally being disbanded in November 1947.
No 4 Parachute Training School
This was formed on 2 May 1944 at Gioia del Colle in No 214 Group, being transferred to MACAF on 10 October and disbanded on 30 April 1945.
Parachute Training School (India)
This was formed on 22 September 1941 at Willingdon, Delhi but on 8 January 1942 it was rdesignated Air Landing School (India).
Parachute Training Squadron
This was formed on 22 October 1940 at Ringway, within the CLE and disbanded on 15 February 1942 into the Parachute Training School.
Rapier Training Unit
This was formed on 1 April 1984 at West Raynham, moving to Honington in 1994, where it was redesignated the Joint Rapier Training Unit on 1 April 1999 and disbanded on 31 March 2006.
RAF Anti-Gas School
This was formed by 1939 at Uxbridge in No 24 Group, moving to Rollestone Camp on 12 June 1939 and disbanded on 10 August 1946 into the RAF School of Fire Fighting and Anti-Gas.
RAF Central School of Aircraft Recognition
This was formed on in April 1951 at Bentley Priory, Stanmore, moving to Uxbridge on 15 September 1954 and then to West Malling on 11 November 1957, where it disbanded on 20 March 1959.
No 1 RAF Regiment School
This was formed on 15 February 1942 at Filey Camp and closed in February 1943.
No 2 RAF Regiment School
This was formed on 1 February 1942 at Whitley Bay and closed on 25 January 1943.
No 3 RAF Regiment School
This was formed from No 1 Ground Gunners School on 15 February 1942 at Ronaldsway, Isle of Man, moving to Douglas by 31 August but closed in February 1943, re-opening almost immediately at Filey after which its fate is unknown.
RAF Regiment Reinforcement Pool
This was formed from the Forward Echelon of the RAF Regiment Depot (ACSEA) on 9 June 1945 at Rangoon, Burma. Its functions were to: -
a centre for immediate replacement of RAF Regiment personnel in the Southern Burma area
a centre for the accommodation temporarily non-effective RAF Regiment personnel in the Southern Burma area.
a holding centre for certain items of specialist RAF Regiment equipment.
Its fate is currently unknown.
Surface-to-Air Missile Operational Training School
This was formed from the Air Defence Missile Operations Training School on 1 January 1961 at Watton in No 12 Group and disbanded on 21 January 1964.
It reformed on 1 October 1963 at North Coates and disbanded at Watton on 17 September 1964 into No 25 Squadron.
This page was last updated on 19/05/24
