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Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation
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This section gives brief histories of a variety of units involved in the operation, repair, salvage and servicing of Mechanical Transport (MT). There were also a number of Storage and Maintenance Units as well as Repair and Salvage Units dedicated to MT, but these are not shown here but have been included in the relevant section elsewhere.
Air Ministry MT Section
A formation date has not yet been found but was probably shortly after the formation of the Air Ministry in 1918. However on 13 March 1940 the Section was reorganised as follows: -
Section A
This was transferred to the Air Ministry Unit at Staffordshire House (in No 11 Group) for all purposes other than operational control, which remained with the Air Ministry.
Sections B, C & D
These were placed under RAF Hendon (in No 11 Group) for all purposes other than operational control, which was exercised as follows: -
Section B - Air Ministry (E11)
Section C - Air Ministry (ACAS)
Section D - Bomber Command
On 1 November 1940, 'B' Section was redesignated No 4 MT Company and on 7 January 1941, the remaining Sections, 'A', 'C' and 'D' were also absorbed in No 4 MT Company, effectively disbanding the AM MT Section.
No 2 MT Squadron
This was formed by redesignating No 2 MT Company on 1 June 1954 at Lichfield but when Lichfield closed in March 1958, it moved to Stafford. In 1992 it was reduced to flight status as No 2 MT Flight but returned to squadron status on 10 August 1998 and in 2005 moved to its present location at Wittering as part of No 85 (Expeditionary Logistics) Wing.
MT Companies
The role of these units was to supplement existing station transport if it should be necessary to rapidly move operational squadron, except Army Co-operation squadron, which were already established for rapid movement. Each company was divided into four sections, each being capable of moving one squadron. The Companies were under the operational control of the Air Ministry (DDE9) but under No 40 Group for administration.
No 1 MT Company
This was originally formed for service with 'X' Force in Norway and was ordered to disband on 18 June 1940.
It reformed on 16 July 1940 at Portland Garage, Woodland Road, Darlington, later moving to Mowden Hall, Darlington. In October 1940 a Mobile Messing Unit was attached capable of providing hot meals for 600 personnel on stations where bomb damage prevented local messing.
It disbanded in September 1943.
No 2 MT Company
This was formed on 16 July 1940 at King's College, Cambridge. In October 1940 a Mobile Messing Unit was attached capable of providing hot meals for 600 personnel on stations where bomb damage prevented local messing.
It moved to Stow-cum-Quy in April 1945, to Leicester East in 1946 and then to Warton in 1947, from where it operated a detachment at Woodvale to work at Liverpool dock. It moved again in April 1949, this time to Bicester with detachments at Bottesford, Harby, Warton, Handforth and Stafford and then again to Lichfield in late 1952, where it was redesignated No 2 MT Squadron on 1 June 1954.
No 3 MT Company
This was formed on 16 July 1940 at Oakenoast, Sevenoaks Road, Ightham, Kent. In October 1940 a Mobile Messing Unit was attached capable of providing hot meals for 600 personnel on stations where bomb damage prevented local messing.
It moved to Borough Green in July 1942 and then to Leicester East in December 1945, where it disbanded in April 1946.
No 4 MT Company
This was formed on 1 November 1940 from Section 'B' Air Ministry MT Section, Hendon under the operational control of DDE9. It moved to 9 Abbey Road, London NW8 on 27 December 1940 and on 7 January 1941 the remaining Sections of the AM MT Section, 'A', 'C' and 'D' were also absorbed in No 4 MT Company.
It disbanded in December 1945.
No 5 MT Company
This was formed in January 1941 at Liverpool, under the control of No 40 Group to deal with the requirements of dock clearance in the Merseyside area, the Cased Aircraft Park and the Embarkation Office at Liverpool. It moved to Woodvale in February 1946, where it disbanded in September 1946.
No 6 MT Company
This was formed in March 1941 at 113 St Vincent's Street, Glasgow, C1 in No 40 Group, moving on 19 January 1942 to No 107 St Vincent's Street, Glasgow. It relocated to Bishopbriggs in November 1945, where it disbanded in September 1946.
No 7 MT Company
This was formed in March 1941 at Tranby Croft, Tranby Lane, Hessle, near Hull in No 40 Group and moved to Cardiff in April 1942, where it disbanded in July 1946.
No 8 MT Company
This was formed in December 1941 at Colerne, moving to Ashley, near Box, Chippenham in January 1942; moved to Leicester East, where it disbanded in March 1946.
No 9 MT Company
This was formed in December 1943 at Reykjavik and disbanded in June 1945.
No 51 MT Company
This was formed in February 1946 in the Middle East. It probably disbanded in December 1950.
No 52 MT Company
This was formed in October 1942 at Almaza and disbanded in August 1944.
No 53 MT Company
This was formed in May 1944 at Rivet, moving to Bouzarea, Algeria in February 1945, where it disbanded in September 1945.
No 54 MT Company
This was formed in July 1944 at Foggia, moving to Cancello in August 1944 from where it operatd detachments at Bari and Civita Castellana. It disbanded in November 1946.
No 55 MT Company
This was formed in November 1944 at Imphal and Silchar, moving to Monywa, Burma in February 1945, Meiktila in April and then to Rangoon in June 1945, where it disbanded in September 1946.
No 57 MT Company
This was formed in November 1944 at Chittagong, moving to Ramu in February 1945 and then to Avadi in July 1945, where it disbanded in September 1946.
No 58 MT Company
This was formed in April 1945 at Igea Marina, Rimini, moving to Udine in May 1945, where it disbanded in June 1947.
No 59 MT Company
This was formed in 1946 and probably disbanded in 1947.
No 300 MT Company
This was formed in April 1943 at Handcross, moving to Easthampstead Park in June and then back to Handcross in July, where It disbanded in August 1943.
No 1 Supply and Transport Column
This unit does not appear to have ever been formed.
No 2 Supply and Transport Column
This was formed in September 1939 in France but it disbanded in 1 April 1940.
No 3 Supply and Transport Column
This unit was allocated to the South African Air Force
No 4 Supply and Transport Column
This was probably formed around December 1942. It was based at various locations throughout the Middle East and Mediterranean including Bardia, Magrum, Bir El Gardabia (Misurata), Kairouan, Tunis, Cerignola, Foggia and San Spirito until it disbanded in 2 July 1946.
No 5 Supply and Transport Column
This was probably formed around August 1941. It was based at various locations throughout the Middle East including Abu Haggag, Helwan, Port Tewfik, Tobruk, Marble Arch, Tripoli, Ben Gardane, the Sfax area, Almaza and Suez Road until it disbanded in 2 February 1945.
No 6 Supply and Transport Column
This was probably formed around September 1939. It was based at various locations throughout the Middle East and Mediterranean including Helwan, the Maatan Bagush area, Bardia, Lete, Marble Arch, Tripoli, Medinine, the Sfax area and Bari until it disbanded in 2 June 1944.
No 7 Supply and Transport Column
This was probably formed around December 1942. It was based at various locations throughout the Middle East including Helwan and El Adem until it disbanded in 1 August 1944.
No 8 Supply and Transport Column
This was probably formed around January 1942. It was based at various locations throughout the Middle East and Mediterranean including Shaibah, Rehoveth, Tripoli, Naples and Saviano until it disbanded in 1 July 1944.
No 9 Supply and Transport Column
This was formed in the UK, probably around January 1942 for service in the Middle East. It was based at various locations throughout the Middle East and Mediterranean including Helwan, Heliopolis, LG167, Gambut, Lete and Naples until it disbanded in 1 November 1945.
No 10 Supply and Transport Column
Its formation was announced in January 1942 but probably occurred around July 1942. It was based at various locations throughout the Middle East and Mediterranean including Helwan, Tobruk, Nofilia, Tripoli, Medinine, Bou Hadjar, Ras el Ain and Bari until it disbanded on 2 November 1945.
No 11 Supply and Transport Column
This was probably formed around October 1942. It was based at various locations throughout the Middle East including El Daba, Tobruk, Tripoli, and Benghazi until it disbanded in 1 May 1944.
No 12 Supply and Transport Column
This was probably formed around April 1943. It was based at various locations throughout the Middle East including Almaza, Haifa, Aleppo and Ras el Ain (detachment) until it disbanded in 1 May 1944.
No 13 Supply and Transport Column
This unit does not appear to have ever been formed.
No 14 Supply and Transport Column
This unit does not appear to have ever been formed.
No 15 Supply and Transport Column
This was probably formed around January 1943. It was based at various locations throughout the Middle East and Mediterranean including Algiers, Le Kroub, San Spirito, Blida and Florence until it disbanded in 1 December 1945.
No 16 Supply and Transport Column
This was probably formed around April 1943. It was based at various locations throughout the Middle East and Mediterranean including Blida and Taranto until it disbanded in 1 April 1944.
No 17 Supply and Transport Column
This unit does not appear to have ever been formed.
No 18 Supply and Transport Column
This unit does not appear to have ever been formed.
No 19 Supply and Transport Column
This was probably formed around April 1943. It seemes to have based mainly at Rivet until it disbanded in 1 May 1944.
No 20 Supply and Transport Column
This was probably formed around March 1943. It was based at various locations throughout the Middle East and Mediterranean including La Sebala, Lebardo and St Germain until it disbanded in 1 May 1944.
No 21 Supply and Transport Column
This was probably formed around September 1944 at Aboukir before moving to Greece, where it disbanded in 1 November 1945.
No 309 Supply and Transport Column
This was probably formed around August 1943 in No 83 Group. It was based at various locations throughout North-West Europe until it disbanded in 1 May 1946.
No 310 Supply and Transport Column
This was probably formed around July 1943. It was based at various locations throughout the Middle East and Mediterranean including Cerignola, Chicuti, Montenero and Bellaria until it disbanded in 1 April 1945.
No 311 Supply and Transport Column
This was probably formed around December 1943. It was based at various locations throughout the Middle East and Mediterranean including Cerignola, Chicuti and Iesi until it disbanded in 1 April 1945.
No 312 Supply and Transport Column
This was probably formed around August 1943 in No 84 Group. It was based at various locations throughout North-West Europe until it disbanded in 1 June 1946.
No 313 Supply and Transport Column
This was probably formed around October 1944 at Kirton in Lindsay and was transferred to No 85 Group around May 1944. It was based at various locations throughout North-West Europe until it disbanded in 1 January 1946.
No 314 Supply and Transport Column
This was probably formed around February 1944 at Snailwell and was transferred to No 2 Group around May 1944. It was based at various locations throughout North-West Europe until it disbanded in 1 April 1946.
No 317 Supply and Transport Column
This was probably formed around November 1944 in 2nd TAF. It was based at various locations throughout North-West Europe but its fate is unknown.
No 317 Supply and Transport Column
It reformed in 1951 and disbanded in 1955, no other details at present
MT Light Repair Units operated with regard to MT in the same way as RSUs operated with aircraft, in that they held a small replacement pool of vehicles and to carry out repair and salvage and major inspections on all MT. They held a 7 days stock of 'quick turnover' items, obtaining replenishments from the ASPs. Any repairs taking longer than three days were to be returned to the Forward Repair Unit.
No 1 MT Light Repair Unit
This was formed in March 1941 at Montesquieu, Tunisia, moving to Ghardimaou, where it was renamed No 10 MTLRU in May 1943.
No 2 MT Light Repair Unit
This was formed in August 1942 at Wadi Natrun, moving to El Adem in November, Lete in December and Tripoli, Libya in February 1943 and was redesignated No 3 (ME) MTLRU in July 1943.
Officers Commanding: -
xx Apr 1943 Flt Lt W H Herbert
No 3 MT Light Repair Depot
This was formed from MT Light Repair Section on 12 October 1943 at Silchar under the control of No 186 Wing and was redesignated No 148 RSU in 1 December 1943.
No 3 MT Light Repair Unit
This was formed from No 2 (ME) MTLRU in July 1943 at Sorman-Sabratha Road. It moved to Catania, Sicily in August 1943, across to Italy in September 1943 and disbanded in February 1947.
No 4 MT Light Repair Depot
This was formed on 12 November 1943 at Dohazari and was redesignated No 148 RSU in 1 December 1943.
No 5 MT Light Repair Depot
This was formed on 12 November 1943 at Comilla and was redesignated No 150 RSU in 1 December 1943.
No 5 MT Light Repair Unit
This was formed from No 5 (ME) MT Repair Section in May 1943 at Ramleh, moving to Tel Litwinsky, Palestine in January 1944 and then to Shallufa, Egypt in November 1947, where it disbanded in December 1947.
No 7 MT Light Repair Unit
This was formed from No 7 (ME) MT Repair Section in May 1943 at Boulac, Cairo and disbanded in June 1946.
No 10 MT Light Repair Unit
This was formed by renaming No 1 MTLRU in May 1943 at Ghardimaou. moving to Le Bardo in June, across to Italy in December 1943, Klagenfurt, Austria in June 1945 and finally to El Firdan, Egypt in October, where it disbanded in November 1945.
No 13 MT Light Repair Unit
This was formed in May 1944 at Foggia, moving to Bari in March 1946, where it disbanded in July 1946.
No 14 MT Light Repair Unit
This was formed in June 1944 at Bari, moving to Iesi in October 1944, where it disbanded in April 1946.
No 15 MT Light Repair Unit
This was formed in May 1944 at Secondigliano, Italy, moving to Capodichino in March 1946, where it disbanded in June 1946.
No 16 MT Light Repair Unit
This was formed in May 1944 at Rivet, moving to Corsica in June, Bainem in November, San Severo, Italy in March 1945 and finally to Udine in May 1945, where it disbanded in December 1945.
No 70 MT Light Repair Unit
This was formed in July 1943 at Heston, moving to Penshurst in August, Croydon in October and then to Petworth in April 1944. It had moved across to France by July 1944, into Belgium by September and was at Eindhoven, Holland by October 1944, finally moving into Germany in April 1945, where it disbanded in May 1946.
No 71 MT Light Repair Unit
This was formed in September 1943 at Heston, moving to Charcott September, amptons (sic) in October, Penshurst in March 1944 and to Corehampton Down in April 1944. It moved across to France in June, was in Belgium by September and at Eindhoven in October 1944, finally moving into Germany in April 1945, where it disbanded in January 1946.
No 72 (Polish) MT Light Repair Unit
No 73 MT Light Repair Unit
This was formed in December 1943 at Lasham, moving to Wyfold in March 1944, Camberley in October and by November had moved to Brussels in Belgium, remaining there until moving to Gutersloh in March 1946, where it disbanded in December 1946.
No 74 MT Light Repair Unit
This was formed in February 1944 at Hornchurch. It moved to Horsham April 1944 across the Chanel to France in August, to Belgium in September then into Germany in April 1945. It disbanded in February 1947.
MT Light Repair Unit (Western Desert)
This was formed on 1 November 1941 at Fuka, under the operational control of No 206 Group. It moved to Gambut in December, Qassaba in February 1942 and then to Wadi Natrum in June, where it was redesignated No 2 (ME) MTLRU in August 1942.
MT Light Repair Section
This was formed on 1 June 1943 at Imphal and Silchar under the control of No 186 Wing and was redesignated No 3 MTLR Depot in 12 October 1943.
MT Light Repair Unit
This was formed on 1 November 1941 at Fuka but its fate is unknown.
No 3 MT Light Repair Unit
This was formed on a number plate basis under the control of AHQ Iraq and Persia around May 1943.
No 10 MT Light Repair Unit
This was formed in June 1943 at Sidi Tarbet moving to Lobardo on 30 October but its fate is unknown.
No 17 MU (MT Light Repair Unit)
This was formed on 16 July 1945 at Bilaspur but disbanded in September 1945.
No 1 MT Repair Unit
This was formed by 1952 at Honington but it disbanded on 1 September 1952.
No 10 MT Repair Depot
This was formed on 09 May 1918 at Wormwood Scrubs and disbanded in December 1919.
No 1 MT Storage Unit
This was formed on 1 August 1935 at The Hyde, Hendon. It moved to the Palace of Engineering in Wembley under the control of No 24 Group on 27 November 1936 and was redesignated 'D' Temporary MU in 15 October 1938.
Officers Commanding: -
1 Aug 1935 Flt Lt A G Stratford-Tuke
No 2 MT Storage Unit
This was formed on 2 December 1935 at Kenley and was redesignated 'F' Temporary MU in 15 October 1938.
Officers Commanding: -
2 Dec 1935 Flt Lt A Connock
28 Jan 1936 Flt Lt S R L Poole
No 3 MT Storage Unit
This was formed on 30 March 1937 at Mousehold, Norwich and was redesignated 'G' Temporary MU in 15 October 1938.
MT Storage Unit, Helwan
A formation date for this unit has not been found but it was redesignated the Vehicle Reserve Unit on 20 November 1941.
No 1 (ME) Fuel Transportation Company
This was formed in May 1943 later moving to Tripoli (Libya), Athlit and St Jean, where it disbanded in July 1946.
No 2 (ME) Fuel Transportation Company
This was formed in May 1943 later moving to Lete, Benghazi (Libya) and Shallufa, where it disbanded in May 1949.
No 1 MT Base Depot
This was formed in January 1943 at Ferme Germain, near Rivet, Algeria. It moved to Guyotville in January 1944 and then to Maison Blanche in November, where it disbanded in December 1945.
No 2 MT Base Depot
This was formed in October 1943 at Tunis and was possibly redesignated No 12 (ME) MTRU in October 1943.
No 3 MT Base Depot
This was formed in December 1943 at Helwan and disbanded in November 1945.
No 1 (Middle East) MT Repair Unit
This was formed in May 1943 at Alexandria and disbanded, in June 1946.
No 12 (Middle East) MT Repair Unit
This was formed in November 1943 at Tunis and disbanded in August 1945.
No 1 (Middle East) MT Repair Section
This was formed in May 1942 at Alexandria but was redesignated No 1 (ME) MTRU in May 1943.
No 5 (Middle East) MT Repair Section
This was formed in August 1942 at Ramlah and was redesignated No 5 (ME) MTRU in May 1943.
No 7 (Middle East) MT Repair Section
This was formed in February 1943 at Boulac, Cairo and was redesignated No 7 (ME) MTRU in May 1943.
No 4 MT Base Depot
This was formed in November 1944 at Versuvius and disbanded in August 1946.
No 5 MT Base Depot
This was formed in November 1944 at Zellik, Belgium and from September 1945 operated a detachment at Langerhorn, Hamburg, it disbanded in August 1950.
Air Ministry (Non-Standard) MT Storage Pool
No formation or disbandment dates have been located for this unit.
Officer Commanding: -
24 Feb 1919 Plt Off Albert M Webster
Base Transport Unit
This was formed 1 September 1943 at Weston Zoyland under the control of No 44 Group. It disbanded on 28 January 1944.
MT Repair Unit (Germany)
This was formed in January 1951 at Utersen under the control of 2nd TAF. It disbanded 1 January 1953.
Road Petrol Tanker Unit
A formation date for this unit has not found but it operated in France and disbanded at Uxbridge on 24 June 1940.
Vehicle Reserve Unit
This was formed on 20 November 1941 at Helwan by redesignating the MT Storage Unit, Helwan.
This page was last updated on 19/05/24©
