Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation
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It was originally formed on 1 April 1918 in No No 1 Area, at 11/12 Dover Street, Piccadilly, London W1, being transferred to South-Eastern Area on 8 May 1918, when No 1 Area was redesignated. The title (Training) was added on 8 August 1918 and by May 1919 it controlled Nos 1 (Canadian), 6, 18 and 86 Wings. The following month it moved to 4 Thurloe Place, South Kensington, London SW7, then in August to Plough Lane, Croydon, being transferred to the newly formed Southern Area on 20 September 1919. It moved again in 8 January 1920, this time to RAF Kenley and when Inland Area was formed in 1 April the title (Training) was dropped, taking over all the units of the disbanded No 2 Group and then on 1 September 1921 it took over those of No 3 Group but on 19 May 1924 it was disbanded by being renumbered as No 6 Group. It reformed the same day at Kidbrooke, moving to West Drayton on on 9 April 1926 but three days later it was renumbered No 21 (Training) Group.
On 25 August 1927 the Air Defence Group was redesignated No 1 Air Defence Group, within Air Defences of Great Britain, now being responsible for the units of the Special Reserve and Auxiliary Air Force. Initially located at 145 Slone Street, London SW1 but moved 33/34 Tavistock Place on 23 Mar 1932. It was renamed No 6 (Auxiliary) Group on 1 May 1936 under the control of Bomber Command.
It was reformed 1 May 1936 as No 1 (Bomber) Group, by renaming Central Area at Abingdon. On 14 July 1936 it was transferred to the newly formed Bomber Command, initially equipped with Hawker Hinds, which were gradually replaced by Bristol Blenheims and Fairey Battles. By Aug 1939, the Group had standardised on the Fairey Battle, the Blenheims having been transferred to No 2 Group, and it had been earmarked as part of the forces to be deployed to the continent in support of the British Expeditionary Force, should this be necessary. With the increasing tension in Europe the Group was mobilised on 24 August 1939 and was redesignated Advanced Air Striking Force.
A new No 1 (Bomber) Group reformed on 12 September 1939 at Benson, which was intended to take control of the Battles in France once the Blenheims of second echelon arrived in France but in the event the second echelon was not dispatched to the continent and No 1 Group disbanded on 22 December 1939. With the return of the Battles of the AASF following the French collapse, No 1 Group was reformed on 22 June 1940 at Hucknall in Nottinghamshire. It continued to operate Battles against targets Dutch and French ports, whilst beginning the conversion to the Vickers Wellington. The Group HQ moved to Bawtry Hall near Doncaster on 20 July 1940, where it remained until 1983. It gradually built up its strength controlling stations in North Lincolnshire and parts of East Yorkshire, but the latter were transferred to No 4 Group in 1943. From the end of 1941, the group's squadrons began to convert to the Avro Lancaster (although No 103 had initially received the Halifax). In the Autumn of 1943 the group formed its first Base at Binbrook (No 12) and by the end of the year the whole group was split into Bases. The group operated as part of Bomber Command's 'Main Force' throughout the war and by the end of the war it had flown 56,430 sorties and lost 1,429 aircraft on operations along with 8,577 aircrew.
The Group remained in existence after the war but its units soon re-equipped with the Avro Lincoln, which were often sent on detachment to Malaya. In 1951, the Group introduced the RAF's first jet bomber into service when No 101 Squadron at Binbrook was re-equipped and in 1958 No 1 (Bomber) Group took over the Canberra units of No 3 Group. However, the end was in sight for the Canberra as a bomber as No 1 (Bomber) Group began receiving the Vulcan in 1957, with the last Canberra squadron, No 35, being disbanded in Sep 1961. On 1 November 1967, No 3 (Bomber) Group was disbanded and its units were taken over by No 1 (Bomber) Group.
On 30 April 1968, Bomber and Fighter Commands were amalgamated into a new Strike Command with the HQ Bomber Command element taking over the designation No 1 (Bomber) Group, although it relocated up to Bawtry. On 1 September 1972 the title (Bomber) was dropped and it became simply No 1 Group. On 17 November 1983 it moved to Upavon, where it absorbed No 38 Group the following day, remaining there until 30 July 1993 when it moved to Benson and then on 1 April to High Wycombe. Following a restructuring in January 2000, No 1 Group took control of all offensive and defensive operations including ground attack, strike and air defence. Control was transferred to HQ Air Command on 1 April 2007 and it remains active at the present time (2020).
Air Officers Commanding
16 Feb 1920 Brig-Gen J H W Becke
29 Feb 1920 Gp Capt H C T Dowding
27 Feb 1922 Gp Capt E L Gerrard
1 Jan 1923 A/Cdre E L Gerrard
26 Feb 1924 A/Cdre C R Samson
26 May 1924 ?
21 Jul 1924 Gp Capt R Gordon
31 Dec 1924 Gp Capt P L W Herbert
12 Apr 1926 - 25 Aug 1927 Disbanded
Reformed as No 1 Air Defence Group from the Air Defence Group - 25 Aug 1927
25 Aug 1927 A/Cdre E L Gerrard
11 Nov 1929 A/Cdre W F MacN Foster
2 Jan 1934 A/Cdre J E A Baldwin
12 Aug 1935 A/Cdre J C Quinnell
No 1 Air Defence Group redesignated No 6 (Auxiliary) Group and a new No 1 (Bomber) Group formed by redesignating Central Area.
1 May 1936 A/Cdre O T Boyd
7 Jan 1937 A/Cdre S W Smith
17 Feb 1938 AVM P H L Playfair
24 Aug 1939 - 12 Sep 1939 Renamed Advanced Air Striking Force
3 Sep 1939 AVM A C Wright
22 Dec 1939 - 22 Jun 1940 Disbanded
27 Jun 1940 A/Cdre J J Breen
1 Dec 1940 A/Cdre-AVM R D Oxland
24 Feb 1943 AVM E A B Rice
12 Feb 1945 AVM R S Blucke
15 Jan 1947 AVM C E N Guest
24 Jan 1949 AVM G H Mills
5 Apr 1951 AVM D A Boyle
27 Apr 1953 AVM J R Whitley
3 Oct 1956 AVM G A Walker
14 Jun 1959 AVM J G Davis
1 Dec 1961 AVM P H Dunn
1 May 1964 AVM D C Stapleton
1 Jun 1966 AVM M H LeBas
23
Dec 1968 AVM R L Wade
8 Feb 1971
AVM B P T Horsley
3 Mar 1973
AVM D G Evans
29 Nov 1975
AVM P J Lageson
5 Jul 1978
AVM D B Craig
11 Apr 1980
AVM M W P Knight
18 Dec 1982
AVM D Parry-Evans
17 Sep 1983
A/Cdre H S Carver
17 Nov 1983
AVM D Parry-Evans
xx xxx xxxx
AVM M G Simmons
19 Feb 1987
AVM C J Thomson
24 Feb 1989
AVM R A F Wilson
15 Apr 1991
AVM R E Johns
1 Feb 1993
AVM P T Squire
28 Jul 1993
AVM J R Day
xx Apr 1997 AVM G E Stirrup
24 Jan 2000 Vacant?
10 Mar 2000 AVM P V Harris
12 Mar 2001 AVM G L Torpy
3 Jul 2003 AVM C H Moran
xx Apr 2005 AVM D Walker
xx Jul 2007 AVM C N Harper
6 Mar 2009 AVM G Bagwell
xx xxx 2011 AVM
xx Jul 2014 AVM G M Waterfall
28 Apr 2016: AVM G M D Mayhew
xx Sep 2018: AVM H Smyth
xx Mar 2020 AVM A P Marshall
12 Nov 2021: AVM I W Duguid
xx Jan 2023: AVM M R Flewin
Listings of units and personnel controlled by this Group available in the Members' Area
Originally formed at 4 Norham Gardens, Oxford on 1 April 1918 in No 1 Area., it was transferred to South-Eastern Area on 8 May 1918. The title (Training) was added on 8 August 1918 and on 27 November it moved to Merton College, Oxford, then to 158 Banbury Road in the city, before settling at RAF Uxbridge on on 7 July 1919. On moving to Uxbridge the title (Training) was dropped and it was transferred to Southern Area on 20 September 1919 but was reduced to Cadre in Dec, before disbanding on 31 March 1920, its units being taken over by No 1 Group.
It reformed at Abingdon on 20 March 1936 as No 2 (Bomber) Group in Central Area. On its formation it was taken over by the newly created Bomber Command on 14 July 1936, moving to Andover on on 26 January 1937 and then to Wyton on 2 May 1928. Following the outbreak of war it moved to Castle Hill House in Huntingdon in October 1939. It operated the Command’s light bomber force, initially composed of Blenheims, these were later replaced by Bostons, Venturas and Mosquitoes. On 15 May 1943 it moved to Bylaugh Hall, East Dereham and on 1 June was transferred to the control of HQ 2nd TAF. Destined to operate on the continent following the invasion of Normanby, it moved to Mongewell Park, Wallingford on 16 January 1944 from where it controlled the operations of its unit until able to move to Belgium settling at Caserne de Cavalerie, Boulevard General Jacques, Brussels. Its squadrons became well known for carrying out a number of precision low level daylight raids, particularly its Mosquito units. It remained in Germany as part of the British Air Forces of Occupation until disbanding on 1 May 1947.
It reformed at Sundern on 1 December 1948, again as part of BAFO, but was transferred to 2nd TAF on 1 September 1951, when BAFO was redesignated. It now controlled all flying units in 2nd TAF but disbanded again on 15 November 1958. Following the end of the Cold War, British forces in Germany began to reduce and on 1 April 1993 RAF Germany was redesignated No 2 Group under the control of RAF Support Command at Rheindahlen but as the contraction continued it was absorbed into No 1 Group on 1 April 1996 and disbanded.
A major reorganisation of the RAF saw it reformed again on 7 January 2000, this time at High Wycombe, taking control of air transport, air-to-air refuelling and AEW. In 2003/4, it became responsible for Combat Support, which includes the transport fleet, air refuelling resources and the RAF Regiment. On 1 April 2006, it took over the responsibilities of No 3 Group which was disbanded on that date.
Air Officers Commanding
1 Apr 1918 Lt Col W R Freeman
31 Mar 1920 - 20 Mar 1936 Disbanded
20 Mar 1936 Gp Capt Hon L J E Twisleton-Wykham-Fiennes
1 Jun 1936: A/Cdre B E Sutton (But probably cancelled and never assumed command)
1 Sep 1936 A/Cdre S J Goble (RAAF)
2 Dec 1937 A/Cdre C H B Blount
16 May 1938 AVM C T Maclean
17 Apr 1940 AVM J M Robb
12 Feb 1941 AVM D F Stevenson
17 Dec 1941 AVM A Lees (In Ceylon by 1 Dec 1942)
xx Nov 1942 ? (Temporary)
29 Dec 1942 AVM J H D'Albiac
1 Jun 1943 AVM B E Embry
8 Aug 1945 AVM P E Maitland
18 Mar 1946 A/Cdre L W Cannon
3 Jun 1946 AVM A L Paxton
1 May 1947 - 1 Dec 1948 Disbanded
1 Dec 1948 A/Cdre L F Sinclair
16 Jan 1950 A/Cdre The Earl of Bandon
18 Jun 1951 A/Cdre H D McGregor
9 Nov 1953 AVM J R Hallings-Pott
1 Jul 1955 AVM S R Ubee
15 Nov 1958 - 1 Apr 1933 Disbanded
1 Apr 1993 AVM G A Robertson
17 Jan 1994 AVM R H Goodall
1 Apr 1996 - 7 Jan 2000 Disbanded
1 Apr 2000 AVM K D Filbey
2 Aug 2002 AVM N D A Maddox
xx Jan 2005 AVM I W McNicoll
9 Feb 2007 AVM A D Pulford
xx xxx 2008 AVM S Hillier
xx Oct 2010: AVM P C Osborn
18 Jan 2013 AVM S K P Reynolds
xx xxx 2015
xx xxx 2017 AVM D J E Cooper
xx Sep 2019 AVM A K Gillespie
6 Oct 2021 AVM S A Marshall
Listings of units and personnel controlled by this Group available in the Members' Area
It was originally planned to form at Castle Hotel, Cambridge on 1 April 1918 in No 1 Area but it was 10 May 1918 before formation took place, by which time No 1 Area had been redesignated South-Eastern Area. In 1 July 1918 it was transferred to Midland Area and on 8 August the title (Training) was added. It moved to Mousehold Heath, near Norwich on 1 July 1919 and with the disbanding of Midland Area it was transferred to Northern Area on 18 October 1919. A further move was made to Spittlegate, on 10 November 1919, the title (Training) being dropped at the same time and on 1 April 1920 it was transferred to Inland Area. It was disbanded on 31 August 1921 with most of its units being transferred to the control of No 1 Group.
No 3 (Training) Group was reformed in Inland Area from No 11 Wing on 1 April 1923, again at Spittlegate near Grantham being redesignated No 23 (Training) Group on 12 April 1926.
Its next incarnation began on 1 May 1936 as No 3 (Bomber) Group when Western Area, Air Defence of Great Britain was renamed and on 14 July was transferred to the control of the newly formed Bomber Command. Initially located at Andover, it moved Mildenhall in January 1937. In October 1938, one of its squadrons, No 99, received the first Vickers Wellington and the Group soon became fully equipped with this type. On 29 March 1940 it moved again to Harraton House at Exning near Newmarket, where it remained throughout the war. From late 1940 the Group began re-equipping with the Short Stirling, the first of the RAF's new four-engined heavy bombers. During 1943 some of its units began to replace their Stirlings with Lancasters but it was late 1944 before the Group was fully equipped with the new type. When the 'Pathfinder Force' was formed in 1942, it was placed under the administrative control of No 3 Group but soon achieved independent status as No 8 (Pathfinder) Group. It also operated a number of 'Special Duties' units, involved in SOE supply missions and radio countermeasures, the latter being transferred to No 100 Group in 1944. The group mainly operated as part of Bomber Command's 'Main Force' throughout the war and by the end of the war it had flown 66,613 sorties and lost 1,668 aircraft on operations.
The Group HQ returned to Mildenhall on 28 October 1946, with its units gradually replacing their Lancasters with Lincolns. but due to the expected time lag in converting to an all-jet force, No 3 Group was tasked with converting a number of its units to fly the Boeing Washington (B-29). Canberras began to replace the Washingtons in 1953 and then in 1955 it began to introduce the first of the V-Bombers, the Vickers Valiant. In 1957 it also began to receive the Handley Page Victor and in 1958, all but one of its Canberra squadrons were transferred to No 1 Group. From 1959 to 1963 it controlled the RAF’s Southern Thor Force and following the withdrawal of the Thor IRBM in 1963, the Group was left in control of the Victor and Valiant squadrons of Bomber Command. As the result of the forthcoming formation of Strike Command in 1968, No 3 Group was disbanded on 1 November 1967, with its units being transferred to No 1 Group.
It was reformed at High Wycombe on 1 April 2000 to control 'Joint Force Harrier' and Maritime resources. This included all RAF Harriers and FAA Sea Harriers as well as Maritime resources such as the Nimrod and SAR helicopters. In 2003/4 further re-structuring took place which saw the group becoming responsible for Air Battle Management, losing the Harrier force to No 1 Group, but gaining the AEW force from No 2 Group. However, on 1 April 2006, its responsibilities were transferred to No 2 Group and it was disbanded.
Air Officers Commanding
30 Nov 1919 Gp Capt U J D Bourke
23 Nov 1920 Gp Capt A M Longmore
31 Aug 1921 - 1 Apr 1923 Disbanded
16 Apr 1923 A/Cdre T I Webb-Bowen
7 Mar 1924 A/Cdre L E O Charlton
2 Jan 1925 A/Cdre R Gordon
1 Oct 1925 A/Cdre I M Bonham-Carter
12 Apr 1926 - 1 May 1936 Disbanded
1 May 1936 AVM P H L Playfair
18 Feb 1938 A/Cdre A A B Thomson
29 Aug 1939 AVM J E A Baldwin
14 Sep 1942 AVM The Hon R A Cochrane
27 Feb 1943 AVM R Harrison
28 Feb 1946 AVM A C Collier
xx xxx 1946 Vacant
9 Jul 1946 AVM R M Foster
18 Mar 1947 AVM L Darvall
14 Dec 1948 AVM A Hesketh
15Sep 1951 AVM W A D Brook
1 Sep 1953 AVM E C Hudleston
2 Feb 1956 AVM K B B Cross
4 May 1959 AVM M H Dwyer
9 Oct 1961 AVM B K Burnett
5 Aug 1964 AVM D F Spotswood
26 Nov 1965 AVM D G Smallwood
15 Feb 1967: AVM J T Lawrence
1 Nov 1967 - 1 Apr 2000 Disbanded
1 Apr 2000 R-Adm I R Henderson RN
24 Jul 2001 R-Adm S. Lidbetter RN
7 Oct 2003 AVM A D White
Listings of units and personnel controlled by this Group available in the Members' Area
This Group was originally formed in Great Yarmouth on 1 April 1918 under the control of No 1 Area, moving to Belmont House and Cliff in Felixstowe in May. It was transferred to South Eastern Area on 8 May 1918, when No 1 Area as redesignated and on 8 August became No 4 (Operations) Group and disbanded on 24 March 1919.
It reformed at Mildenhall on 1 April 1937 as No 4 (Bomber) Group within Bomber Command, moving north to Linton-on-Ouse on 29 June, but it was 1 September 1938 before it assumed executive control over it's units. By the outbreak of war it controlled station in Yorkshire equipped with Whitley, which at that time were the only units in Bomber Command considered to be training in night bombing. The Group carried out its first operation on the night of 3/4 September 1939, following the declaration of war earlier that day. It moved its HQ to Heslington Hall, near York on 7 April 1940, were it remained for the remainder of the war and for some time afterwards. In late 1940 the first Halifax arrived to began the re-equipment of No 35 Squadron and through 1941 and into 1942 the other units in the group gradually replaced their Whitleys with Halifaxes. When No 6 (RCAF) Group was formed, No 4 Group lost a number of its stations in North Yorkshire and County Durham but these were replaced by new ones further south in the East Riding and around York. The group mainly operated as part of Bomber Command's 'Main Force' throughout the war and by the end of the war it had flown 57,407 sorties and lost 1,509 aircraft on operations.
However, No 4 Group wasn't destined to remain under Bomber Command and on 7 May 1945 it was transferred to Transport Command and its squadron began flying transport sorties to the continent, Middle East and Far East, many gradually replacing their Halifaxes with Liberators or Avro Yorks. It finally disbanded on 2 February 1948.
Air Officers Commanding
1 Apr 1918 Col C R Samson
24 Mar 1919 - 1 Apr 1937 Disbanded
1 Apr 1937 Vacant
12 Jun 1937 A/Cdre A T Harris
25 May 1938 A/Cdre C H B Blount
3 Jul 1939 A/Cdre-AVM A Coningham
26 Jul 1941 AVM C R Carr
12 Feb 1945 AVM J R Whitley
7 May 1945 AVM H S P Walmsley
15 Dec 1945 AVM A C Stevens
2 Oct 1946 A/Cdre A P Revington
Listings of units and personnel controlled by this Group available in the Members' Area
This Group was originally formed at 18 Marine Parade, Dover on 1 April 1918 in VII Brigade, No 1 Area from the Dover-Dunkirk Group RNAS. It was transferred to South-Eastern Area on 8 May 1918, when No 1 Area was redesignated. By 3 June 1918 it was operating an Advanced HQ at Spycker and on 8 August 1918, it became No 5 (Operations) Group. It was raised to Command status, under direct Air Ministry control on 15 August nut returned to Group status in South-Eastern Area on 25 February 1919, finally disbanding on 15 May 1919.
It reformed at Mildenhall on 1 September 1937 from a nucleus provided by No 3 Group as No 5 (Bomber) Group under the control of Bomber Command. On 2 October 1937 it moved to 'St Vincents' in Grantham, remaining there until 14 November 1943 when it relocated to Morton Hall, near Swinderby. Its units were initially equipped with a mixture of Hinds and Audaxes but these were replaced by Blenheims before the Group's standard equipment became the Handley Page Hampden. The end of 1940 saw the first unit, No 207 Squadron, re-equip with the Avro Manchester, which during 1941 gradually began to replace the Hampdens, but unfortunately problems with the Manchester's Vulture engines led to them often being grounded for modifications to be undertaken. Eventually, the Manchesters were replaced by the Avro Lancaster, which took the fuselage of the Manchester mated to a new wing fitted with four Merlin engines. No 5 Group undertook a number of high profile raids with the Lancaster, the most famous probably being the daylight raid on the MAN engine works in Augsburg on 17 April 1942 and the attacks on the Ruhr dams on 16/17 May 1943 by No 617 Squadron, both of which resulted in the award of VC to their leaders, Sqn Ldr John Nettleton and Wg Cdr Guy Gibson, respectively.
Following the Dams raid, No 617 Squadron effectively became a 'special operations' unit and under Wg Cdr Leonard Cheshire soon began to acquire a reputation, with the squadron often acting as marker unit for the rest of the Group, rather than utilising the services of No 8 (Pathfinder) Group. As a result No 5 Group was often tasked with carrying out other special operations, often involving No 617 Squadron and later No 9 Squadron, including the delivery of 12,000 lb 'Tallboy' and 22,000 lb 'Grand Slam' deep penetration bombs, against targets such as the Tirpitz and the Bielefeld viaduct. By the end of the war it had flown 70,357 sorties and lost 1,888 aircraft on operations. With the end of the war in Europe, No 5 Group began training to become part of 'Tiger Force', the proposed RAF bomber force to be sent to the Pacific to join in the final assault against Japan, but the dropping of the Atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki brought the war to an end before deployment could be made. As a result the Group disbanded on 15 December 1945.
Air Officers Commanding
1 Apr 1918 Lt Col F C Halahan
xx May 1918 Brig-Gen C L Lambe
15 May 1919 - 1 Sep 1937 Disbanded
17 Aug 1937 A/Cdre W B Callaway
14 Sep 1939 AVM A T Harris
22 Nov 1940 AVM N H Bottomley
12 May 1941 AVM J C Slessor
25 Apr 1942 AVM W A Coryton
28 Feb 1943 AVM The Hon R A Cochrane
16 Jan 1945 AVM H A Constantine
Listings of units and personnel controlled by this Group available in the Members' Area
It was formed at Covent Garden Hotel, London WC2 as No 6 (Equipment) Group on 1 Apr 1918 under the control of No 1 Area, which was redesignated South-Eastern Area on 8 May and was redesignated Technical Group on 15 August 1918.
On 27 September 1918 it reformed at Taranto in Italy as No 6 (Adriatic) Group, being disbanded into No 66 Wing on 20 December 1918.
It reformed again on 1 May 1924, this time at Kenley as No 6 (Fighter) Group, but disbanded again on 20 May 1926 on being absorbed into Fighting Area.
Its next incarnation began on 1 May 1936 as No 6 (Auxiliary) Group by redesignating No 1 (Air Defence Group). It was located at 33/34 Tavistock Place, London WC1 (renumbered No 11 on 1 January 1938) and was responsible for the squadrons of the Auxiliary Air Force (including the ex-Special Reserve units). On 14 July 1936 to was transferred to the newly formed Bomber Command and on 1 January 1939 was renamed No 6 (Bomber) Group. It relocated to North Walsham Road, Old Catton, Norwich on 3 April 1939 and then to Abingdon on 5 September, On 3 September1939 it assumed control of the Bomber Command squadrons allocated operational training, which in 1940 were reorganised into Operational Training Units. It was disbanded by being redesignated No 91 Group on 11 May 1942.
Following the outbreak of war, the RCAF began sending units to the UK to join the fight against Nazi Germany, operating under the control of the RAF. A number of these units were bomber squadrons for service with Bomber Command and initially they were spread throughout the Groups within the Command but by the autumn of 1942, sufficient bombers units had arrived or been formed in the UK to permit a RCAF Group to be formed within Bomber Command. Therefore on 25 October 1942, No 6 (RCAF) (Bomber) Group was formed at RAF Linton-on-Ouse, moving to Allerton Park, near Knaresborough on 1 December, assuming executive control on 1 January 1943. The Group took over the most northerly stations within Bomber Command from No 4 Group situated in North Yorkshire and County Durham and initially operated Wellingtons but these were gradually replaced by Halifaxes and later Lancasters. By the end of the war it had flown 39,584 sorties and lost 784 aircraft on operations. The Group disbanded on 31 August 1945 but a rear HQ remained at Allerton Park until 1 November.
Air Officers Commanding
1 Apr 1918
15 Aug 1918 - 27 Sep 1918 Disbanded
15 Aug 1918 Col C R Samson
20 Dec 1918 - 1 May 1924 Disbanded
16 May 1924 A/Cdre C R Samson
20 May 1926 - 1 May 1936 Disbanded
14 Jul 1936 A/Cdre J C Quinnell
2 Sep 1939 AVM W F MacN Foster
16 Mar 1942 G/C - A/Cdre H S P Walmsley
25 Oct 1942 AVM G E Brookes RCAF
Listings of units and personnel controlled by this Group available in the Members' Area
This was formed at 'Rokeby', Waine-a-Long Road, Salisbury on 1 April 1918 by renaming Southern Training Brigade in No 2 Area, which was redesignated South-Western Area on 8 May 1918. The title (Training) was added on 8 August 1918. By the time it disbanded by being absorbed into HQ SW Area on 16 August 1919, it had moved to 'Delapre', Manor Road, Salisbury.
It reformed at 'Delapre', Manor Road, Salisbury when HQ South-Western Area was reduced to Group status, within Southern Area on 20 September 1919. On 1 April 1920 it was transferred to Inland Area and disbanded into Wessex Bombing Area on 12 April 1926.
As the number of Operational Training Units increased during 1940 it was decided to form a second Group to relieve No 6 Group of sole responsibility so on 15 July 1940, it was reformed as No 7 (Operational Training) Group at Brampton Grange, Huntingdonshire. It took over Nos 13, 14, 16 and 17 OTUs and moved to Winslow Hall, Winslow, Buckinghamshire on 1 September 1941 but was redesignated No 92 Group on 11 May 1942.
It reformed on 1 November 1944, taking over No 5 Group's old HQ at "St Vincent's", Grantham to assume control over Bomber Command's Heavy Conversion Units. The main HQ disbanded on 21 December 1945, with the remaining HCU's being transferred to No 91 Group but a Rear HQ remained until 10 February 1946.
Air Officers Commanding
1 Jul 1919 Gp Capt T C R Higgins
16 Aug 1919 - 20 Sep 1919 Disbanded
20 Sep 1919: Gp Capt - A/Cdre T C R Higgins
1 Sep 1922: A/Cdre L E O Charlton
1 Jan 1923 A/Cdre E A D Masterman
26 Nov 1924 A/Cdre A M Longmore
1 Apr 1925 A/Cdre D Le G Pitcher
12 Apr 1926 - 15 Jul 1940 Disbanded
15 Jul 1940 A/Cdre The Hon R A Cochrane
2 Nov 1940 A/Cdre L H Cockey
11 May 1942 - 1 Nov 1944 Disbanded
1 Nov 1944 AVM G S Hodson
23 Feb 1945 AVM E A B Rice
Listings of units and personnel controlled by this Group available in the Members' Area
This Group formed at 1 Cumberland Place, Southampton on 1 April 1918 in No 2 Area, which became South-Western Area on 8 May 1918. The title (Training) was added on 8 August 1918 and it disbanded on 15 May 1919, with its units being taken over by No 7 Group.
It reformed at Brampton Grange, Huntingdonshire as No 8 (Light Day Bomber) Group on 1 September 1941 but disbanded on 28 January 1942 as the result of the arrival of USAAF units.
The Pathfinder Force was formed at RAF Wyton under the administrative control of No 3 Group on 15 August 1942 but following expansion it was redesignated No 8 (Pathfinder Force) Group on 13 January 1943. Moving to Castle Hill House, Huntingdon on 15 May 1943, it provided target making facilities to the rest of Bomber Command, except No 5 Group at times, for the remainder of the war and disbanded on 15 December 1945. By the end of the war its heavy bombers had flown 22,838 sorties and lost 575 aircraft on operations, whilst the figures for its Mosquito units were 28,215 and 100 respectively.
Air Officers Commanding
xx xxx 1918 Brig-Gen J M Steel
15 May 1919 - 1 Sep 1941 Disbanded
8 Sep 1941 A/Cdre F J Fogarty
xx Dec 1941 AVM D F Stevenson?
28 Jan 1942 - 13 Jan 1943 Disbanded
13 Jan 1943 AVM D C T Bennett
21 May 1945 AVM J R Whitley
Listings of units and personnel controlled by this Group available in the Members' Area
It was formed at Mount Wise, Plymouth on 1 April 1918 in No 2 Area, which became South-Western Area on 8 May 1918. The title (Operations) was added on 8 August 1918 and it disbanded on 15 May 1919.
It reformed as part of Fighter Command on 9 August 1940 as No 9 (Fighter) Group, to cover North-West England and Northern Ireland at Barton Hall, near Preston. It's original Sector stations were located at Speke, Baginton, Jurby and Ternhill. On 15 April 1943 it took over control of Fighter Command's OTUs on the disbandment of No 81 Group. Its operational commitment was transferred to No 12 Group on 4 August 1944, retaining responsibility for operation training within the Command but on 17 September 1944 it was absorbed into No 12 Group.
Air Officers Commanding
1 Apr 1918 Brig-Gen E L Gerrard
xx xxx xxxx Brig-Gen H D Briggs
15 May 1919 - 9 Aug 1940 Disbanded
16 Sep 1940 AVM W A McClaughry
xx Apr 1942 AVM L H Slatter
26 Jun 1942 AVM W F Dickson
xx xxx 1942: A/Cdre C R Steele (Temp)
10 Nov 1942 AVM J Whitwoth Jones
2 Jul 1943 AVM L N Hollinghurst
6 Nov 1943 A/Cdre C A Stevens (Temp)
7 Dec 1943 AVM D F Stevenson
Listings of units and personnel controlled by this Group available in the Members' Area
This page was last updated on 28/12/22