Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation

Overseas Groups - Iraq, India and the Far East

This was formed at Baghdad in January 1920 from No 31 Wing being raised to Group status as Mesopotamia Group on 31 January 1921.

4 Apr 1920             Wg Cdr C S Burnett

This was formed at Baghdad on 31 January 1921 by raising Mesopotamian Wing to Group status and was redesignated RAF Iraq on 29 September 1921.

6 Jan 1921             Gp Capt A E Borton

This was formed at Basrah on 1 October 1922 and was disbanded on 31 July 1925, becoming SHQ Basrah.

1 Oct 1922             Gp Capt E F Briggs

23 Nov 1923          Gp Capt ?

This was formed 1 November 1928 at Peshawar to administer Nos 1 and 2 (Indian) Wings stations and disbanded by being redesignated No 223 Group on 1 May 1942. 

It reformed at Lahore 1 May 1942 as No.1 (Indian) Training Group but there no record of disbandment. 

However, it was reformed at Peshawar by amalgamating No 223 Group and North West Frontier Wing on 15 August 1945 under AHQ India.  It was reorganised on 1 June 1947 taking over control of all operational stations and squadrons of the  Royal Indian Air Force.  It disbanded on 15 August 1947.

12 Jan 1929           Gp Capt H le M Brock

2 Apr 1931            Gp Capt A S Barratt

2 Sep 1932            Gp Capt B E Sutton

4 Oct 1934            Gp Capt N H Bottomley

8 Jan 1938             Gp Capt-A/Cdre C C Darley

18 Mar 1940          A/Cdre J C Russell

 7 Aug 1945           A/Cdre F W Long

 7 Jun 1947            A/Cdre R B Jordan

Listings of units and personnel controlled by this Group available in the Member Area

It possibly formed by 1 January 1940 at Lahore but its fate is unknown.

It eventually formed at Begumpet on 1 October 1945  to control Nos 1, 2 and 14 SoAFTT as well as Nos 1 and 2 Recruit Training Centres, disbanding on 1 June 1946. 

However, it reformed on 1 May 1946 by redesignating No 225 Group at Hindustan near Bangalore.  In July it took over units from Nos 226 and No 4 (Indian) Groups when they disbanded.  It was reorganised on 1 June 1947 taking over control of all training and maintenance units of the  Royal Indian Air Force and was reduced to a Wing basis on 15 August 1947.

 1 Jul 1940              Gp Capt H G W Lock?

 1 May 1946            A/Cdre E F Waring

27 Sep 1946            A/Cdre C D Adams

  Listings of units and personnel controlled by this Group available in the Member Area

This was formed at Barrackpore on 1 May 1946 by redesignating No 228 Group and reduced to Wing basis on 1 June 1947, with its units being transferred to Nos 1 and 2 (Indian) Groups.

 1 May 1946            A/Cdre H F V Battle

15 Jun 1946             A/Cdre A L A Perry-Keene

29 Nov 1946            A/Cdre R B Jordan

This was formed at Agra on 1 May 1946 by redesignating No 227 Group and was disbanded by being downgraded to No 4 (Indian) Wing, within No 2 (Indian) Group on 15 July 1946.

 1 May 1946            A/Cdre A L A Perry-Keene

  Listings of units and personnel controlled by this Group available in the Member Area

This page was last updated on 30/09/24

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