Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation
Overseas Commands - Middle East & Mediterranean
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Formed 14 Dec 1917 by raising existing HQ to Divisional status, renamed RAF Middle East on 1 Apr 1918.
14 Dec 1917: Maj-Gen W S Brancker
3 Jan 1918 Maj-Gen W G H Salmond
RAF Middle East
Formed 1 Apr 1918 from HQ RFC Middle East. Renamed Middle East Area, 18 Mar 1920.
1 Apr 1918 Maj-Gen/AVM W G H Salmond
Middle East Area
Formed 18 Mar 1920 by renaming RAF Middle East. Renamed RAF Middle East, 1 Apr 1922
18 Mar 1920 AVM Sir Geoffrey Salmond
23 Feb 1922 AVM E L Ellington
Listings of units and personnel controlled by this Command available in the Member Areas
RAF Middle East
Reformed 1 Apr 1922 by renaming Middle East Area. Renamed Middle East Command, 11 Jan 1943.
1 Apr 1922 AVM E L Ellington
27 Nov 1923 AVM O Swann
5 Nov 1926 AVM T I Webb-Bowen
12 Oct 1929 AVM F R Scarlett
26 Sep 1931 AVM C L N Newall
21 Sep 1934 AVM C T MacLean
10 Mar 1938 AVM H R Nicholl
In 1939 the appointment of the commander of RAF Middle East was raised to that of a Commander-in-Chief
Air Officer's Commanding in Chief
1 Apr 1939 AM-ACM Sir William Mitchell
13 May 1940 ACM Sir Arthur Longmore
1 Jun 1941 AM - ACM Sir Arthur Tedder
Listings of units and personnel controlled by this Command available in the Member Areas
Middle East Command
Formed 29 Dec 1941 by renaming HQ RAF Middle East. Became RAF element of Mediterranean Air Command, 15 Feb 1943 . Responsible for RAF operations in the Eastern part of the Middle East. Absorbed into RAF Mediterranean and Middle East, 1 Aug 1945.
29 Dec 1941 ACM Sir Arthur Tedder
11 Jan 1943 ACM Sir Sholto Douglas
14 Jun 1944 AM Sir Keith Park
8 Feb 1945 AM Sir Charles Medhurst
Listings of units and personnel controlled by this Command available in the Member Areas
RAF Mediterranean and Middle East
Formed 10 Dec 1943 to control RAF elements in the Western Mediterranean under the command of Mediterranean Allied Air Forces. On 31 Jul 1945 it absorbed Middle East Command on the disbandment of Mediterranean Allied Air Forces, 1 Aug 1945. Renamed Middle East Air Force, 1 Jun 1949.
14 Jan 1944 AM Sir John Slessor*
16 Mar 1945 AM Sir Guy Garrod*
1 Aug 1945 AM Sir Charles Medhurst
1 Mar 1948 AM Sir William Dickson
*Deputy Air Commander in Chief, Mediterranean Allied Air Forces/Commander-in-Chief, RAF Mediterranean and Middle East
Formed 1 Jun 1949 by renaming Med & ME Command
1 Mar 1961 Northern Group MEAF took name on transfer to Middle East Command (Aden).
23 Jan 1950 AM Sir John Baker
7 Feb 1952 AM Sir Victor Groom
19 May 1952 AM Sir Arthur Sanders
15 Oct 1953 AM Sir Claude Pelly
24 Sep 1956 AM Sir Hubert Patch
26 Nov 1958 AM Sir William MacDonald
Formed 1 Mar 1961 as a unified command from the Southern Group of MEAF. Originally named Near East Command (Cyprus). The RAF element being named Air Forces Near East. Disbanded, xx xxx 1962.
Near East Air Force
Formed 1 Mar 1961, Southern Group MEAF took name on transfer to Near East Command (Cyprus). Disbanded 31 Mar 1976 by renaming as AHQ Cyprus.
16 Aug 1960 AM Sir William MacDonald
16 Jul 1962 AM Sir Denis Barnett
25 Sep 1964 AM Sir Thomas Prickett*
21 Nov 1966 AM Sir Edward Gordon-Jones*
6 May 1969 AM Sir Denis Smallwood*
2 Feb 1970 AM Sir Derek Hodgkinson*
25 Jun 1973 AM Sir John Aiken*
*Also Commander, British Forces Near East/Cyprus
Middle
East Command
Formed
1 Mar 1961 as a unified command from HQ British Forces Arabian Peninsula.
Originally named Middle East Command (Aden).
The RAF element being named Air Forces Middle East.
With the British withdrawal
from Aden, it was renamed HQ British Forces Gulf, 1 Sep 1967?.
1 Mar
1961 AM
Sir Charles Elworthy
1 Jun 1963
Air
Forces Middle East
Formed
1 Mar 1961 as the RAF element of
Middle East Command. Absorbed
into Air Forces Gulf, 1 Sep 1967.
10
Aug 1959
AVM D J P Lee
2
Aug 1961
AVM F E Rosier
7
Oct 1963
AVM J E Johnson
15 Dec 1965 AVM A H Humphrey
Malta Command
Formed 1 Apr 1918?, reduced to No 17 (Malta) Wing, 27 Sep 1918.
xx xxx 1918: ?
Mediterranean District
Formed 12 Dec 1918 with Command status under the control of Middle East Area, renamed Mediterranean Group, 18 Mar 1920 .
2 Apr 1919 A/Cdre O Swann
Listings of units and personnel controlled by this Command available in the Member Areas
Formed 18 Mar 1920 with Command status, renamed RAF Mediterranean, 1 Apr 1922 .
1 Apr 1920 A/Cdre O Swann
2 Jun 1920 Gp Capt E L Gerrard
18 Aug 1921 A/Cdre C R Samson
Listings of units and personnel controlled by this Command available in the Member Areas
RAF Mediterranean
Formed 1 Apr 1922 by renaming Mediterranean Group. Renamed AHQ Malta, 26 Dec 1941
1 Apr 1922 A/Cdre C R Samson
2 Mar 1923 Gp Capt A W Bigsworth
8 Apr 1925 Wg Cdr W L Welsh (Temporary)
9 Nov 1925 A/Cdre R H Clark-Hall
1 Feb 1929 A/Cdre J L Forbes
22 Jan 1932 A/Cdre C E H Rathborne
7 Jun 1935 A/Cdre P C Maltby
21 Dec 1938 A/Cdre R Leckie
20 Jan 1940 A/Cdre - AVM F H M Maynard
1 Jun 1941 AVM H P Lloyd
Listings of units and personnel controlled by this Command available in the Member Areas
Formed 26 Dec 1941 by renaming RAF Mediterranean. Subordinate to Middle East Command. Transferred to Mediterranean Air Command, 18 Feb 1943; to HQ Mediterranean Allied Air Forces, 10 Jan 1944; to RAF Mediterranean and Middle East, 1 Aug 1945. Granted independent command status, 1 Dec 1953. Disbanded 30 Jun 1968.
26 Dec 1941 AVM H P Lloyd
15 Jul 1942 AVM K R Park
6 Jan 1944 A/Cdre J R Scarlett-Streatfield
26 Mar 1944 AVM R M Foster
19 Oct 1944 AVM K B Lloyd
6 Jun 1947 AVM C R Steele
8 Nov 1949 AVM N H D'Aeth
8 Sep 1952 AVM-AM B V Reynolds
26 Jan 1956 AM Sir Gilbert Nicholetts
28 Oct 1957 AM Sir Edward Chilton
19 May 1959 AM Sir Walter Cheshire
3 Dec 1961 AVM J G Davis
1 Mar 1963 AVM D C McKinley
1 Nov 1965 AVM E G Jones
19 Nov 1966 AVM R D Elliott
Listings of units and personnel controlled by this Command available in the Member Areas
Air
Commander Malta
AHQ
Malta disbanded 30 Jun 1968 with control being transferred to HQ NEAF.
Air Commander Malta assumed direct command of RAF units assigned to
Malta. Post ceased to
exist with British withdrawal from Malta, 31 Mar 1979.
30
Jun 1968
A/Cdr
27
Mar 1971
A/Cdre W E Colahan
29
Sep 1973
A/Cdre A H Mawer
2
Jun 1975
A/Cdre A G Steele
12
Mar 1977
A/Cdre H D Hall
Palestine Command
Formed 1 Feb 1922 to control all British forces in the mandated territories. Renamed HQ Transjordan & Palestine , 1 Oct 1926
16 Jun 1922 Maj-Gen (Temp AVM) Sir Henry Tudor (Temporary Commission as an AVM relinquished 26 Apr 1924)
29 Feb 1924 A/Cdre E L Gerrard
Listings of units and personnel controlled by this Command available in the Member Areas
HQ Transjordan & Palestine
Formed 1 Oct 1926 by renaming HQ Palestine Command. Reduced to Group status, 21 Feb 1928
1 Oct 1926 A/Cdre E L Gerrard
Listings of units and personnel controlled by this Command available in the Member Areas
British Forces in Palestine & Transjordan
Formed by raising HQ RAF in Palestine & Transjordan to Command status on 15 September 1935
xx xxx 1935 AVM R E C Peirse
15 Sep 1936 Lt-Gen J G Dill
9 Apr 1938 Lt-Gen R H Haining
Responsibility for the defence of the region was temporarily transferred to the War Office on 15 September 1936 when a GOC was appointed. The AOC is directly responsible to the GOC for the general conduct of operations by all units in the command. For the administration and training of the RAF units in his command he comes under the AOC, RAF Middle East.
Listings of units and personnel controlled by this Command available in the Member Areas
RAF in Palestine & Transjordan
This was formed at the Old Fast Hotel Building, Jerusalem on 15 September 1936 from HQ RAF Palestine & Transjordan as the RAF element of British Forces in Palestine & Transjordan. On 14 June 1941 an Advanced HQ was formed at Jerusalem to control operations in Syria and on 1 December 1941 the Command was redesignated AHQ Levant.
15 Sep 1936: A/Cdre R M Hill
1 Jul 1938 A/Cdre A T Harris
10 Aug 1939 A/Cdre J H D'Albiac
Listings of units and personnel controlled by this Command available in the Member Areas
Formed 28 Sep 1922 with Command status to control all units operating in Turkey. Disbanded on 1 Oct 1923
22 Sep 1922 Gp Capt P F M Fellowes
Listings of units and personnel controlled by this Command available in the Member Areas
Formed 1 Dec 1941 by renaming RAF Palestine & Transjordan. Subordinate to RAF Middle East and its successors. Disbanded, 27 Jul 1948.
21 May 1941 A/Cdre L O Brown
27 May 1942: Gp Capt H W Mermagen
24 Jun 1943 A/Cdre B McEntegart
21 Feb 1944 A/Cdre J P Coleman
25 Nov 1944 A/Cdre H D McGregor
15 Sep 1946 A/Cdre W L Dawson
Reformed 1 May 1955 by renaming AHQ Iraq. Moved to Cyprus, 15 Jan 1956. Disbanded, 1 Apr 1958.
1 May 1955 A/Cdre/AVM C D C Boyce
15
Jan 1956
A/Cdre W J Crisham
Listings of units and personnel controlled by this Command available in the Member Areas
AOC Cyprus
xx xxx 1952 A/Cdre V S Bowling
xx xxx 1954
Formed within MEAF 9 Jan 1954, absorbed into AHQ Levant 15 Jan 1956. Reformed 1 Apr 1976 as the RAF element of British Forces Cyprus.
9 Jan 1954 A/Cdre C D C Boyce
15 Jan 1956 - 31 Mar 1976 Disbanded
1 Apr 1976 AVM R D Austen-Smith*#
24 Mar 1979 A/Cdre M R Williams**
4 Oct 1980 AVM R L Davis*
24 Mar 1983 A/Cdre R J Offord**
24 Oct 1985 AVM K W Hayr*
25 Oct 1990 AVM A F C Hunter #
xx xxx 1993
17 Feb 1995 AVM P Millar #
16 Jan 1998
4 Sep 2000 AVM T W Rimmer #
5 Sep 2003
*Also Commander, British Forces Near East/Cyprus
**Also Deputy Commander, British Forces Near East/Cyprus
#Also Administrator Sovereign Base Areas
British Forces Near East/Cyprus
British Forces Near East formed 21 Nov 1966, renamed British Forces Cyprus, 31 Mar 1976.
21 Nov 1966 AM Sir Edward Gordon-Jones
6 May 1969 AM Sir Denis Smallwood
2 Feb 1970 AM Sir Derek Hodgkinson
25 Jun 1973 AM Sir John Aiken
xx Nov 1975
1 Apr 1976 AVM R D Austen-Smith #
4 Oct 1980 AVM R L Davis #
xx Mar 1983
24 Oct 1985 AVM K W Hayr
25 Oct 1990 AVM A F C Hunter #
xx xxx 1993
17 Feb 1995 AVM P Millar #
16 Jan 1998 Maj-Gen A I Ramsey #
4 Sep 2000 AVM T W Rimmer #
5 Sep 2003 Maj-Gen P T C Pearson #
xx xxx xxxx Maj-Gen R J Cripwell#
20 Jan 2015 AVM M Wigston
#Also Administrator Sovereign Base Areas
Aden Command
Formed xx Feb 1928 to control all British forces operating in the Protectorate. Renamed HQ British Forces in Aden, between Jul 1936 and Jul 1937
8 Mar 1928 Gp Capt W G S Mitchell
5 Sep 1929 Gp Capt - A/Cdre C T Maclean
7 Aug 1931 Gp Capt O T Boyd
20 Jan 1934 Gp Capt - A/Cdre C F A Portal
2 Dec 1935 AVM E L Gossage
Listings of units and personnel controlled by this Command available in the Member Areas
Formed 14 Apr 1942 by renaming Aden Command. Renamed HQ British Forces, Arabian Peninsula, 6 Oct 1956.
xx xxx 1936/7 AVM E L Gossage
1 Jul 1936 A/Cdre W A McClaughry
28 Sep 1938 AVM G R M Reid
10 Sep 1941: AVM F G D Hards
12 Jan 1943 AVM F H MacNamara VC (RAAF)
12 Mar 1945 AVM H T Lydford
8 Mar 1948 AVM A C Stevens
1 Mar 1950 AVM F J Fressanges
11 Mar 1952 AVM D Macfadyen
12 Oct 1953 AVM S O Bufton
17 Sep 1955 AVM L F Sinclair
AVM S O Bufton and his staff at HQ British
Forces Aden in 1954-55 (click to enlarge) Photo courtesy - Maureen Teulier |
Listings of units and personnel controlled by this Command available in the Member Areas
HQ British Forces, Arabian Peninsula
Formed 6 Oct 1956 by renaming HQ British Forces, Aden. Disbanded, 1 Mar 1961 by being renamed HQ Air Forces, Middle East (Aden).
Air
Officers Commanding
6 Oct 1956 AVM L F Sinclair
30 Sep 1957 AVM M L Heath
Air
Officers Commanding in Chief
19 Sep 1959 ACM Sir Hubert Patch
3
Aug 1960
AM Sir Charles Elworthy
RAF
Persian Gulf/Air Forces Gulf
Formed
4 Jul 1959 as HQ RAF Persian Gulf subordinate to British Forces Arabian
Peninsula. Renamed Air Forces Gulf,
1 Sep 1967. Disbanded, 15
Dec 1971.
30
Nov 1961
G/C E W Tacon
13
Jan 1964
A/Cdre E G L Millington
27
Jun 1966
A/Cdre J G Topham
24
May 1968
A/Cdre J L W Ellacombe
HQ
British Forces Gulf
Formed
1 Sep 1967 by renaming HQ Middle East Command following the British
withdrawal from Aden. Disbanded, 15 Dec 1971.
1
Sep 1967
R-Adm J E L Martin RN
Eastern Air Command (Allied Command)
Formed 14 Jan 1943 by raising No 333 Group to Command status. Absorbed into North-West African Coastal Air Force, 18 Feb 1943.
14 Jan 1943 AM Sir William Welsh
Mediterranean Air Command (Allied Command)
Formed 15 Feb 1943 to co-ordinate all Allied air operations in the Mediterranean area following the North African Landing. Subordinate formations being, Middle East Command, RAF Malta and North-West African Air Forces. Amalgamated with North-West African Air Forces to form Mediterranean Allied Air Forces, 10 Dec 1943.
15 Feb 1943 ACM Sir Arthur Tedder
Northwest African Air Forces (Allied Command)
Formed 17 Feb 1943 to control Allied air operations in the western part of the theatre. Subordinate elements being NW African Strategic Air Force, NW African Tactical Air Force, NW African Coastal Air Force. Command was invested in a USAAF Officer. Amalgamated with Mediterranean Air Command to form Mediterranean Allied Air Forces, 10 Dec 1943.
Deputy Air Commander/AOC NW Africa
1 Mar 1942 AVM J M Robb
Northwest African Tactical Air Force (Allied Command)
Formed 17 Feb1943 subordinate to Northwest African Air Forces. Renamed Mediterranean Tactical Air Force, 10 Dec 1943.
1 Mar 1943 AM Sir Arthur Coningham
Northwest African Strategic Air Force (Allied Command)
Formed 17 Feb 1943 subordinate to Northwest African Air Forces. Renamed Mediterranean Strategic Air Force, 10 Dec 1943.
1 Mar
1943 Maj-Gen
G E Stratemeyer (USAAF)
Northwest African Coastal Air Force (Allied Command)
Formed 17 Feb 1943 subordinate to Northwest African Air Forces. Renamed Mediterranean Coastal Air Force, 10 Dec 1943.
1 Mar 1943 AVM H P Lloyd
Mediterranean Allied Air Forces (Allied Command)
Formed 10 Dec 1943 by amalgamating Mediterranean Air Command and Northwest African Air Forces. Disbanded 1 Aug 1945.
Deputy Air Commander in Chief, Mediterranean Allied Air Forces/Commander in Chief RAF Mediterranean and Middle East
14 Jan 1944 AM Sir John Slessor
16 Mar 1945 AM Sir Guy Garrod
Listings of units and personnel controlled by this Command available in the Member Areas
Mediterranean Allied Tactical Air Force (Allied Command)
Formed 10 Dec 1943 by renaming Northwest African Tactical Air Force. Title 'Allied' added 1 Feb 1944. Disbanded 6 Jul 1945
10 Dec 1943 AM Sir Arthur Coningham
xx xxx xxxx Lt-Gen J K Cannon (USAAF)
Listings of units and personnel controlled by this Command available in the Member Areas
Mediterranean Allied Strategic Air Force (Allied Command)
Formed 10 Dec 1943 by renaming Northwest African Strategic Air Force. Title 'Allied' added 1 Feb 1944. Disbanded 1 Aug 1945.
10 Dec 1943 Maj-Gen J Doolittle (USAAF)
Listings of units and personnel controlled by this Command available in the Member Areas
Mediterranean Allied Coastal Air Force (Allied Command)
Formed 10 Dec 1943 by renaming Northwest African Coastal Air Force. Title 'Allied' added 1 Feb 1944. Renamed Mediterranean Coastal Air Forces, 1 Aug 1945
10 Dec 1943 AVM H P Lloyd
1 Nov 1944 AVM J Whitford
Listings of units and personnel controlled by this Command available in the Member Areas
Mediterranean Coastal Air Force
Formed 1 Aug 1945 by renaming RAF elements of Mediterranean Allied Coastal Air Forces. Renamed AHQ Italy, 1 Oct 1945.
1 Aug 1945 AVM J Whitford
Formed 12 Dec 1941 within Coastal Command by raising No 200 Group to Command status. Reduced to Group status as AHQ Gibraltar, 1 Sep 1953.
16 Dec 1941 AVM S P Simpson
22 Feb 1944 AVM W Elliott
8 Jun 1944 AVM A C Stevens
29 Aug 1945 A/Cdre A D Rogers
1 Mar 1948 A/Cdre R B Jordan
7 Jan 1949 A/Cdre G R C Spencer
9 Jan 1950 A/Cdre W G Cheshire
8 Feb 1952 A/Cdre C E Chilton
Listings of units and personnel controlled by this Command available in the Member Areas
AHQ Gibraltar
Formed 1 Sep 1953 within Coastal Command by reducing RAF Gibraltar to Group status. Disbanded, 30 Nov 1966.
21
Sep 1953
A/Cdre G G Barrett
12
Jan 1956
A/Cdre J D Miller
20 May 1958 A/Cdre R B Thomson
Air
Commander Gibraltar/Commander, Maritime Air Gibraltar
The
post of Air Commander Gibraltar was introduced,
xx Aug 1971. The joint
RAF/NATO Command was established , xx xxx 1988.
Disestablished, xx xxx xxxx
Air Commanders
28
Aug 1971
A/Cdre C E Ness
15
Dec 1973
A/Cdre D H Sutton
1
Oct 1975
A/Cdre C Fountain
30
Aug 1977
A/Cdre J Langston
24 Jul 1979 A/Cdre K A C Wirdnam
1
Jul 1981 A/Cdre
J C Atkinson
4
Jul 1983
A/Cdre J M Pack
25
Apr 1986
A/Cdre B J Lemon
Air
Commander & Commander, Maritime Air Gibraltar
7 Oct 1988 A/Cdre K J Lovett
Formed 1 Oct 1945 by renaming Mediterranean Coastal Air Force. Disbanded, 6 Oct 1947
1 Oct 1945 AVM J Whitford
3 Nov 1945 AVM F J Fogarty
9 May 1946 AVM R M Foster
12 Jun 1946 AVM L Darvell
20 Feb 1947 A/Cdre A J Rankin
AHQ Sudan
Formed 6 Jun 1940. Reduced to No 203 Group, 17 Aug 1940.
6 Jun 1940 Gp Capt C E V Porter
HQ RAF Cyrenaica
Formed 25 Feb 1941. Reduced to No 204 Group, 12 Apr 1941.
25 Feb 1941 Gp Capt L O Brown
AHQ Western Desert
Formed 21 Oct 1941 by raising No 204 Group to Command status. Renamed AHQ Libya 20 Jan 1942. Renamed AHQ Western Desert Air Force, 10 Jul 1943
21 Oct 1941 AVM A Coningham
20 Jan 1942 - 3 Feb 1942 Renamed AHQ Libya.
3 Feb 1942 AVM A Coningham
31 Jan 1943 AVM H Broadhurst
Listings of units and personnel controlled by this Command available in the Member Areas
AHQ Libya
Formed 20 Jan 1942 by renaming AHQ Western Desert. Renamed AHQ Western Desert 3 Feb 1942.
3 Feb 1942 AVM A Coningham
Desert Air Force
Formed 10 Jul 1943 by renaming AHQ Western Desert. Subordinate element of Northwest/Mediterranean Allied Tactical Air Force. Disbanded by renaming Advanced AHQ Italy, 30 Jun 1946.
10 Jul 1943 AVM H Broadhurst
6 Apr 1944 AVM W F Dickson
3 Dec 1944 AVM R M Foster
30 Aug 1945? A/Cdre C L Falconer
Listings of units and personnel controlled by this Command available in the Member Areas
Formed 19 Oct 1940 by expanding SHQ RAF Nairobi. Reduced to No 207 Group, 15 Dec 1941. Reformed 16 Nov 1942 by raising No 207 Group to Command status.
Disbanded 15 Sep 1951. Reformed 1
Feb 1961. Disbanded, 11 Dec 1964.
19 Oct 1940 A/Cdre W Sowrey
16 Nov 1942 A/Cdre M L Taylor
5 Mar 1943 AVM H S Kerby
xx Dec 1944 Gp Capt R H Carter (SASO)
xx Jan 1945 AVM B E Baker
xx Jun 1945: Brig H G Willmott SAAF
29 Sep 1945 A/Cdre S H C Gray
17 Dec 1946 A/Cdre N A P Pritchett
17 Nov 1947 A/Cdre A G Bishop
xx xxx 1948 AVM A C Stevens
xx xxx 1949 A/Cdre E D H Davies
19 Apr 1950 A/Cdre L T Pankhurst
Commander
12
Dec 1960
A/Cdre J C MacDonald
Listings of units and personnel controlled by this Command available in the Member Areas
Formed 8 or 22 Oct 1941. Subordinate to Middle East Command/Mediterranean Allied Air Forces. Disbanded by being reduced to No 500 Wing, 1 Aug 1946
21 Sep 1941 A/Cdre E A B Rice
25 Oct 1942 AVM J B Cole-Hamilton
23 Jan 1944 AVM R Graham
14 Dec 1944 AVM G R M Reid
4 Mar 1946 Gp Capt R K Hamblin
Listings of units and personnel controlled by this Command available in the Member Areas
Formed 1 Dec 1941 by raising No 202 Group to Command status. Renamed Air Defences Eastern Mediterranean, 4 Mar 1943.
xx May 1942 AVM W A McClaughry
5 Jan 1943 AVM R E Saul
Reformed, 31 Aug 1944. Disbanded by being absorbed into No 219 Group, 28 Feb 1946
26 Mar 1945 A/Cdre A J Rankin
7 Jul 1945 A/Cdre S O Bufton
Listings of units and personnel controlled by this Command available in the Member Areas
AHQ Air Defences Eastern Mediterranean
Formed 4 Mar 1943 by renaming AHQ Egypt. Renamed AHQ Eastern Mediterranean 1 Feb 1944.
4 Mar 1943 AVM R E Saul
AHQ Eastern Mediterranean
Formed 1 Feb 1944 by renaming AHQ Air Defences Eastern Mediterranean. Absorbed into No 219 Group, 28 Feb 1946.
1 Feb 1944 AVM T A Langsford-Sainsbury
5 May 1945 AVM S E Toomer
Listings of units and personnel controlled by this Command available in the Member Areas
Formed 7 Jun 1944 from AHQ 'G' Force. Subordinate element of Mediterranean Allied Air Forces. Disbanded, 15 Jul 1945.
1 Jun 1944 AVM W Elliott
13 Feb 1945 AVM G H Mills
Listings of units and personnel controlled by this Command available in the Member Areas
HQ British Air Forces in Greece
Formed 15 Nov 1940 to control units operating in Greece. Ceased to exist following fall of Greece, Apr 1941
15 Nov 1940 AVM J H D'Albiac
AHQ Greece
Formed 15 Oct 1944 to control No 377 Wing. Disbanded, 11 Jan 1947 into RAF Delegation Greece.
12 Oct 1944 A/Cdre G W Tuttle
Listings of units and personnel controlled by this Command available in the Member Areas
Formed 6 Sep 1945 to control RAF units of occupation in Austria. Control of Austrian based units transferred to RAF Italy, 15 Jun 1946.
6 Sep 1945 AVM R M Foster
Formed 15 Jun 1946. Renamed RAF Austria Commission, 15 Aug 1946
15 Jun 1946 A/Cdre R H S Spaight
This was formed on 20 Jun 1946 by redesignating No 218 Group.
20 Jun 1946 A/Cdre E A Burridge
HQ
RAF Cyprus
Reformed 8 Jun 1941, Disbanded into No 259 Wing, 29 Jul 1941.
Formed
9 Jan 1954, Absorbed into
AHQ Levant, 15 Dec 1956. Reformed 1 Apr 1976 from HQ Near East Air
Force, currently controls the RAF elements of HQ British Forces Cyprus.
9
Jan 1954
A/Cdre C D C Boyce
28 Apr 1978 A/Cdre D A Arnott
Formed
1 Apr 1976. The Commander of British Forces Cyprus, also holds the post
of The Administrator, British Sovereign Base Areas, Cyprus,
1 Apr 1976 AVM R D Austen-Smith
28 Apr 1978:
Maj-Gen W R Taylor
31 Mar 1983 Maj-Gen Sir Desmond Langley
29 Oct 1985 AVM K W Hayr
21 Apr 1988 Maj-Gen J P W Friedberger
xx xxx 1990 AVM A F C Hunter
25 Mar 1993 Maj-Gen A G H Harley
17 Feb 1995 AVM P Miller
16 Jan 1998 Maj-Gen A I Ramsay
5 Feb 2000 AVM T W Rimmer
5 Sep 2003 Maj-Gen P T C Pearson
26 Apr 2006 AVM R H Lacey
16 Oct 2008 Maj-Gen J H Gordon
4 Nov 2010 AVM G E Stacey
3 Jan 2012 Maj-Gen R Cripwell
20 Jan 2015 AVM M Wigston
xx Feb 2017 Maj-Gen J T E Illingworth
25 Sep 2019 Maj-Gen J R Thompson
xx Aug 2022 AVM P J M Squires
HQ
British Forces Arabian Peninsula/British Forces Middle East
Formed
9 Aug 1990 as HQ British Forces Arabian Peninsula
to control British units assigned to the Coalition Forces
as part of Operation 'Desert Shield/Storm'.
Renamed HQ British Forces Middle East,
29 Aug 1990. Disbanded, xx
xxx xxxx.
Commander
29
Aug 1990 AVM
R A F Wilson
1
Oct 1990
Lt-Gen Sir Peter De la Billiere
Air
Commander
9
Aug 1990
AVM R A F Wilson
This page was last updated on 22/12/23©