RAF India

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RAF India (1920-38)
Air Forces in India (1938-47)
FoundedMay 1918 - December 1947
CountryUnited Kingdom United Kingdom
BranchEnsign of the Royal Air Force.svg Royal Air Force
TypeCommand
RoleControl of RAF Forces in British India
Not to be confused with India Command

RAF India, later called Air Forces in India (1938-47) was a command of the Royal Air Force (RAF) that was active from 1918 until Indian independence and partition in 1947. It was the air force counterpart of the British Army in India.

Origins[]

The command had its origins in units of the Royal Flying Corps in India.[1][2] In November 1915, the War Office despatched No. 31 Squadron to India, the squadron arriving at Nowshera in December.[1][2] The squadron, including a basic aircraft park, was subsequently transferred to Risalpur.[1] A period of intensive training ensued, during which flights were periodically sent on patrols over the North-West Frontier regions. A second squadron (No. 114 Squadron) was added in 1917.[1] When the RAF was formed in May 1918, the total strength of the air force in India was 80 officers and 600 men.[1]

Second World War[]

The air component of the British-American South East Asia Command became Air Command, South East Asia (ACSEA) on 30 December 1943, under Air Chief Marshal Sir Richard Peirse, who had been appointed Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Air Forces in India, in March 1942.[3] It was based almost entirely in India and drew its administrative support from the RAF's Air Forces India.

On 1 July 1944 ACSEA comprised No. 222 Group RAF, , , and , under U.S. Lieutenant General George E. Stratemeyer, itself being made up of the Strategic Air Force (7th Bombardment Group USAAF and , under Brigadier General of the United States Army Air Force);[4] the U.S. Tenth Air Force (80th Fighter Group, 311th Fighter Group, and 443rd Troop Carrier Group); the RAF Third Tactical Air Force ( and 224 Groups, , 3d Combat Cargo Group USAAF, and 12th Bombardment Group USAAF); the Photographic Reconnaissance Force ( and U.S. 8th Photographic Reconnaissance Group); and .[5] By January 1945 ACSEA's subsidiary Base Air Forces South East Asia, under Air Marshal Sir Roderick Carr, comprised on the North West Frontier at , No. 225 Group RAF (responsible for the "air defence of southern India and the whole coastline from Bengal to Karachi," by January 1943 controlling Nos 172 and [6]), , , and , carrying out maintenance, training, and administration.[7]

Thomas and Carr from March 1944 were Air Officers Commanding, Air Headquarters India. When Hugh Walmsley arrived at the headquarters he was initially appointed as Air Officer Administration. But by the time Walmsley was appointed as AOC, the command's title had become RAF India once more.[8]

Postwar[]

Strikes in January 1946[]

A series of demonstrations and strikes occurred at several dozen Royal Air Force stations in the Indian Subcontinent in January 1946. As these incidents involved refusals to obey orders they technically constituted a form of "mutiny". The protests arose from slow demobilization and poor conditions of service following the end of World War II. The "mutiny" began at Karachi (RAF Drigh Road) and later spread to involve nearly 50,000 men over 60 RAF stations in India and Ceylon, including the then-largest RAF base at Kanpur and RAF bases as far as Singapore.[9] At its height, the 1946 strike extended beyond South-East Asia through the Middle East to Egypt and North Africa, and as far west as Gibraltar.[10]

The protests lasted between three and eleven days at different places and were peaceful. The main grievance of the men was slow demobilization and return of British troops to Britain, and use of British shipping facilities for transporting G.I.s. For their part, the British Government argued that the amount of shipping available was insufficient to permit immediately repatriation of the large numbers of personnel eligible. However, later declassified reports have shown that British troops were deliberately retained in India to control possible unrest over the course of the independence movement, and the grievances of the RAF men may have also included significant political views and sympathy with the communist Party of India.[9]

The initial protests in Karachi took the form of a collective refusal to prepare kit for inspection and going to the parade ground at the normal time but in casual khaki drill rather than the "best blue" uniforms required when on morning parade.[11]

The issues causing the RAF unrest were ultimately resolved, and some of the airmen involved faced courts-martial. However, the precedent set by this event was important in instigating subsequent actions by the Royal Indian Air Force and later, the Royal Indian Navy in February 1946 in which 78 of a total of 88 ships mutinied. Lord Wavell, Viceroy of India, commented at the time: "I am afraid that [the] example of the Royal Air Force, who got away with what was really a mutiny, has some responsibility for the present situation."[12]

Drawdown and disbandment[]

The four major RAF formations under HQ Air Command South East Asia in India and Ceylon at the end of the war were HQ Base Air Forces South East Asia (BAFSEA); Air Headquarters Burma; HQ 222 Group at Columbo, controlling all operational squadrons in Ceylon, largely carrying out maritime duties; and 229 Group, a Transport Command group located in New Delhi. 222 Group disbanded by being renamed AHQ Ceylon on 15 October 1945; it inherited six Liberator squadrons (Nos 99, 356, 203, 8, 160, and 321 RNLAF); four Sunderland squadrons (205, 209, 230, and 240); and No. 136 Squadron with Spitfires.

No. 223 Group was disbanded at Peshawar by being redesignated No 1 (Indian) Group on 15 August 1945; No. 225 Group disbanded at Hindustan near Bangalore by being redesignated No 2 (Indian) Group on 1 May 1946; No. 226 Group disbanded at Palam on 31 July 1946, with its units being transferred to No.2 (Indian) Group; No. 227 Group disbanded at Agra on 1 May 1946 by becoming . In May 1945 No. 228 Group had moved to Barrackpore and absorbed No. 230 Group, and then on 1 May 1946 becoming . No. 229 Group disbanded on 31 March 1947 and its responsibilities were taken over by ; and No. 231 Group ceased operations on 1 August 1945, with by that time no units assigned, and disbanded on 30 September.[6]

AHQ India was reformed on 1 April 1946, taking over the role of BAFSEA. A month before, on 1 March 1946, Air Headquarters India Communication Squadron had been established at Safdarjung Airport (RAF Willingdon). Twelve RAF squadrons (225 Group: Nos 5, 30 at Bhopal, 45 at St Thomas Mount; 227 Group: 298 Squadron at Samungli with a detachment at Chaklala; : 176, 658 AOP, 355 at Digri, 159 at Salbani; 229 Group: 353 and 232 at Palam; and 10 and 76 with Dakotas at Poona) remained in India after 1 April 1946, and AHQ India was placed under joint command of the Indian Government and the Air Ministry.[13]

On 15 August 1947, the unified RIAF was separated into the Royal Indian Air Force and the Royal Pakistan Air Force, and AHQ India was disbanded.[14] Its communication squadron disbanded by being redesignated Supreme Commanders Headquarters (Air) Communication Squadron RAF[15] at RAF Palam on the same day.

Commanders[]

Commander, Indian Group (1919 to 1920)[]

No. Portrait Name Took office Left office Time in office
1
Tom Webb-Bowen CB, CMG
Webb-Bowen, TomAir Commodore
Tom Webb-Bowen CB, CMG
(1879–1956)		20 September 191927 January 1920129 days

Air Officer Commanding RAF, India (1920–1938)[]

No. Portrait Name Took office Left office Time in office
1
Tom Webb-Bowen CB, CMG
Webb-Bowen, TomAir Commodore
Tom Webb-Bowen CB, CMG
(1879–1956)		27 January 192031 December 19222 years, 338 days
2
Philip Game CB, DSO
Game, PhilipAir Vice Marshal
Philip Game CB, DSO
(1876–1961)		31 December 19225 November 1923309 days
3
Sir Edward Ellington KCB, CMG, CBE
Ellington, EdwardAir Marshal
Sir Edward Ellington KCB, CMG, CBE
(1877–1967)		5 November 192327 December 19263 years, 52 days
4
Sir Geoffrey Salmond KCB, KCMG, DSO
Salmond, GeoffreyAir Marshal
Sir Geoffrey Salmond KCB, KCMG, DSO
(1878–1933)		27 December 19266 February 19314 years, 41 days
5
Sir John Miles Steel KCB, KBE, CMG
Steel, John MilesAir Marshal
Sir John Miles Steel KCB, KBE, CMG
(1877–1965)		6 February 19312 March 19354 years, 24 days
6
Sir Edgar Ludlow-Hewitt KCB, CMG, DSO, MC
Ludlow-Hewitt, EdgarAir Chief Marshal
Sir Edgar Ludlow-Hewitt KCB, CMG, DSO, MC
(1886–1973)		2 March 193529 September 19372 years, 211 days
7
Sir Philip Joubert de la Ferté KCB, CMG, DSO
Ferte, Philip JoubertAir Marshal
Sir Philip Joubert de la Ferté KCB, CMG, DSO
(1886–1973)		29 September 193727 December 19381 year, 89 days

Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Air Forces in India (1938–1947)[]

No. Portrait Name Took office Left office Time in office Ref.
1
Sir Philip Joubert de la Ferté KCB, CMG, DSO
de la Ferté, PhilipAir Marshal
Sir Philip Joubert de la Ferté KCB, CMG, DSO
(1886–1973)		27 December 19386 October 1939283 days[16]
2
Sir John Higgins KCB, KBE, DSO, AFC
Higgins, JohnAir Marshal
Sir John Higgins KCB, KBE, DSO, AFC
(1875–1948)		6 October 193926 September 1940356 days—
3
Sir Patrick Playfair KCB, CB, CVO, MC
Playfair, PatrickAir Marshal
Sir Patrick Playfair KCB, CB, CVO, MC
(1889–1974)		26 September 19406 March 19421 year, 161 days—
4
Sir Richard Peirse KCB, DSO, AFC
Peirse, RichardAir Chief Marshal
Sir Richard Peirse KCB, DSO, AFC
(1892–1970)		6 March 194227 April 19431 year, 52 days—
5
Sir Guy Garrod KCB, OBE, MC, DFC
Garrod, GuyAir Marshal
Sir Guy Garrod KCB, OBE, MC, DFC
(1891–1965)		27 April 19438 March 1944316 days—
6
Meredith Thomas CSI, CBE, DFC, AFC
Thomas, MeredithAir Vice Marshal
Meredith Thomas CSI, CBE, DFC, AFC
(1892–1984)		8 March 19441 April 19462 years, 24 days—
7
Sir Roderick Carr KBE, CB, DFC, AFC
Carr, RoderickAir Marshal
Sir Roderick Carr KBE, CB, DFC, AFC
(1891–1971)		1 April 194622 November 1946235 days—
8
Sir Hugh Walmsley KCIE, CB, CBE, MC, DFC
Walmsley, HughAir Marshal
Sir Hugh Walmsley KCIE, CB, CBE, MC, DFC
(1898–1985)		22 November 194615 August 1947252 days—

(On 15 August 1947, the unified RIAF was separated into the Royal Indian Air Force and the Royal Pakistan Air Force)

See also[]

Notes[]

  1. ^ a b c d e Government of India 1924, p. 175-176.
  2. ^ a b Walters 2017, p. 214-215.
  3. ^ Overseas Commands - Iraq, India and the Far East
  4. ^ "HyperWar: Royal Air Force 1939-1945: Volume III: The Fight is Won [Chapter 14]".
  5. ^ APPENDIX XII Order of Battle, Air Command, South-East Asia, 1st July 1944
  6. ^ a b Group Nos 200-333 "Group No's 200 - 333". {{cite web}}: Check |url= value (help)
  7. ^ HyperWar, RAF in January 1945
  8. ^ [1]
  9. ^ a b Childs 2000, p. 22
  10. ^ Ben Gliniecki (27 April 2020). "World War II: from war to revolution". Retrieved 27 April 2020.
  11. ^ Mutiny in the RAF: the air force strikes of 1946 - David Duncan
  12. ^ Field Marshal Viscount Wavell to Mr Attlee (via India Office), Telegram, L/PO/4/28: ff 66-7. Sent 24 February 1946, 4.50 pm at New Delhi, appears in The Transfer of Power in India, 1942-47, Volume 6, Page 1055 edited by Nicholas Mansergh, published by Foreign & Commonwealth Office (London, 1976).
  13. ^ Air Marshal Sir David Lee (RAF officer), Eastward: A history of the Royal Air Force in the Far East 1945–1972, HMSO 1984, 65-69, Appendix B, 261.
  14. ^ http://www.rafweb.org/Organsation/Cmd_O3.htm
  15. ^ Lake 1999, p. 18.
  16. ^ Chiefs of the Indian Air Force 1931 to 1947 Archived 2 February 2007 at the Wayback Machine

References[]

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