AHQ Levant
AHQ Levant | |
---|---|
Country | United Kingdom |
Branch | Royal Air Force |
Air Headquarters Levant (AHQ Levant) was a command of the British Royal Air Force (RAF) established on 1 December 1941, by renaming the command known as . It controlled RAF units in the Mandate of Palestine and in the Emirate of Transjordan. Prior to being disbanded on 27 July 1948, Air H.Q. Levant was a sub-command of RAF Middle East Command and its successors.[1] RAF Middle East Command became a sub-command of the Mediterranean Air Command in February 1943.
An AHQ Levant was reformed on 1 May 1955 when AHQ Iraq was renamed AHQ Levant as an interim measure following a new agreement with the Iraq Government for the defence of Iraq and use by the RAF of bases in Iraq. On 1 December 1955 AHQ Levant started to transfer from RAF Habbaniya to Cyprus (probably RAF Nicosia) and on 15 January 1956, when the move was complete, and AHQ Levant were amalgamated as AHQ Levant.[2] AHQ Levant was disbanded, 1 Apr 1958.
Orders of battle (1941-1945)[]
- H.Q RAF Palestine and Transjordan 11 November 1941
Air Commodore Leslie Brown
- Air H.Q. Levant 27 October 1942
Group Capt Herbert Mermagen
- , Bristol Blenheims
- (Met.), Gloster Gladiators
- No. 2 Photographic Reconnaissance Unit RAF (Detachment), Hawker Hurricanes
-
- No. 451 Squadron RAAF, Hurricane
- Air H.Q. Levant 10 July 1943
A/Cdre Bernard McEntegart
- No. 208 Squadron, Hurricane
- (Meteorological), Gladiator
- Air H.Q. Levant June, 1944
Air Commodore
- Air H.Q. Levant January, 1945
Air Commodore Hector McGregor (RNZAF)
- Reformation of Air H.Q. Levant 1 May 1955
- 1 May 1955 - April 1956, on renaming of A.H.Q. Iraq, A.V.M. Hugh Hamilton Brookes[4]
Met.= Meteorological Det.=Detachment;RAAF=Royal Australian Air Force.
References[]
Citations[]
- ^ a b "CMD O2". Archived from the original on 10 September 2014. Retrieved 2 September 2014. RAF Web Mediterranean Commands
- ^ David Lee, Flight from the Middle East, pg. 105
- ^ Richards, D. and H. Saunders, The Royal Air Force 1939-1945 (Volumes 2-3, HMSO, 1953)
- ^ "H H Brookes_P".
Bibliography[]
- David Lee, Flight from the Middle East: A history of the Royal Air Force in the Arabian Peninsula and adjacent territories 1945-1972, HMSO 1980
- Royal Air Force overseas commands
- Military units and formations of the Royal Air Force in World War II
- Military units and formations established in 1941
- Military units and formations disestablished in 1958
- Military units and formations in Mandatory Palestine in World War II