No. 19 Group RAF
No. 19 Group was a group of the Royal Air Force, active from 1918, and then from 1941-1969.
History[]
It was formed in April 1918 as No. 19 (Equipment) Group in York, but disbanded in June.
Second World War[]
It was reformed in early 1941 as No. 19 (General Reconnaissance) Group, Coastal Command, at Mount Wise, Plymouth. Among its squadrons during the war was No. 461 Squadron RAAF.
Its units in February 1942 included:
- No. 19 Group RAF (GR), under command of Air Commodore G.R. Bromet, CBE, DSO[1]
Cold War[]
19 Group assets during October 1946:[5]
- 210 Sqn, RAF St Eval, Avro Lancaster GR.3
- 224 Sqn, RAF St Eval, Lancaster GR.3
- 210 Sqn, RAF Calshot, Sunderland GR.5
- 230 Sqn, RAF Calshot, Sunderland GR.5
- 36 Sqn, RAF Thorney Island, de Havilland Mosquito FB.6
- 42 Sqn, RAF Thorney Island, Bristol Beaufighter TF.10
The group relocated to RAF Mount Batten in 1947.
In 1953, initial NATO documents instructing Admiral Creasey, newly appointed Commander-in-Chief, Eastern Atlantic Area (CINCEASTLANT), wrote that Air Vice Marshal Thomas Traill, CB, OBE, DFC, Royal Air Force, Air Officer Commanding No. 19 Group RAF, had been appointed as Air Commander North-East Atlantic Sub-Area.[6]
19 Group assets during July 1954:[7]
- 42 Sqn, RAF St Eval, Shackleton MR.1 & MR.2
- 206 Sqn, RAF St Eval, Shackleton MR.1 & MR.2
- 220 Sqn, RAF St Eval, Shackleton MR.1 & MR.2
- 228 Sqn, RAF St Eval, Shackleton MR.1 & MR.2
- 201 Sqn, RAF Pembroke Dock, Sunderland GR.5
- 230 Sqn, RAF Pembroke Dock, Sunderland GR.5
- 36 Sqn, RAF Topcliffe, Neptune MR.1
- 203 Sqn, RAF Topcliffe, Neptune MR.1
- 210 Sqn, RAF Topcliffe, Neptune MR.1
Before it became HQ Southern Maritime Air Region in November 1969,[8] its last commander appears to have been Air Vice-Marshal Cresswell Clementi.
Air Officer Commanding No. 19 Group RAF[]
Air Officers Commanding of No. 19 Group:[9]
- 1941–1942: Air Commodore G. H. Boyce
- 1942–1943: Air Vice-Marshal G. R. Bromet
- 1943��1944: Air Vice-Marshal B. E. Baker
- 1944–1945: Air Vice-Marshal F. H. M. Maynard
- 1945–1947: Air Vice-Marshal C. B. S. Spackman
- 1947–1950: Air Vice-Marshal F. L. Hopps
- 1950–1952: Air Vice-Marshal
- 1952–1954: Air Vice-Marshal T. C. Traill
- 1954–1956: Air Vice-Marshal G. W. Tuttle
- 1956–1959: Air Vice-Marshal G. I. L. Save
- 1959–1962: Air Vice-Marshal L. W. C. Bower
- 1962–1964: Air Vice-Marshal S. W. R. Hughes
- 1964–1967: Air Vice-Marshal J. Barraclough
- 1967–1968: Air Vice-Marshal J. H. Lapsley
- 1968–1969: Air Vice-Marshal C. M. Clementi
References[]
Citations[]
- ^ Ashworth 1992, Appendix IV
- ^ Lake 1999, p. 264.
- ^ Lake 1999, p. 87.
- ^ Lake 1999, pp. 87-88.
- ^ Rawlings 1985, p. 217.
- ^ http://archives.nato.int/uploads/r/null/1/2/123871/SGM-1204-53_ENG_PDP.pdf
- ^ Rawlings 1985, p. 219.
- ^ Barrass, M. B. (2015). "Groups 10-19". Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation. Retrieved 29 April 2015.
- ^ "Group No's 10 - 19". Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation. 28 October 2017. Retrieved 21 December 2017.
Bibliography[]
- Royal Air Force groups
- Military units and formations established in 1918
- Military units and formations disestablished in 1969