No. 12 Group RAF

No. 12 Group RAF (12 Gp) of the Royal Air Force was a group, a military formation, that existed over two separate periods, namely the end of the First World War when it had a training function and from just prior to the Second World War until the early 1960s when it was tasked with an air defence role.

No. 12 Group RAF
No. 12 Group badge
Active1 April 1918 - 1 November 1919
1 April 1937 - 1 April 1963
CountryUnited Kingdom United Kingdom
Branch Royal Air Force
TypeRoyal Air Force group
RoleFighter cover for the Midlands and East Anglia
Part ofRAF Fighter Command
Garrison/HQRAF Watnall, Nottinghamshire, England
Motto(s)We fight to defend[1]
Royal Air Force Ensign
EngagementsWorld War II
Commanders
Notable
commanders		Air Chief Marshal Sir Trafford Leigh-Mallory KCB, DSO & Bar

History
RAF and WAAF servicemen and women of B Watch (Operations) at RAF Watnall

No. 12 Group was first formed on 1 April 1918 at RAF Cranwell, Lincolnshire, within No. 3 Area.[2] It succeeded the Royal Navy's Central Depot and Training Establishment which had been training naval aviators at Cranwell since 1916. The first RAF General Officer Commanding was Brigadier-General H D Briggs who received the appointment on promotion from Captain in the Royal Navy. On 8 May 1918 the group transferred to Midland Area, and then to Northern Area on 18 October 1919. On 1 November that year the Group ceased to exist when it became the RAF (Cadet) College.

The group was reformed on 1 April 1937 in Fighter Command at RAF Uxbridge as No. 12 (Fighter) Group.[2] It was the group responsible for aerial defence of the Midlands, Norfolk, Lincolnshire and North Wales. Construction of a purpose built site at RAF Watnall, a non-flying station, was not completed until late 1940, after which operations were relocated from nearby RAF Hucknall. During the Second World War this group was the second most important group of Fighter Command, and as such, it received its share of attacks from the German Luftwaffe throughout the war.

The commander of 12 Group during the Battle of Britain was Air Vice Marshal Trafford Leigh-Mallory, who was a rather ambitious man. Despite his length of service in the RAF, he was passed over for being named the Air Officer Commanding of the more vital 11 Group in favour of Air Vice Marshal Keith Park. Leigh-Mallory felt himself slighted over this and his relations with Park were poisoned thereafter.

As well as regional defence, 12 Group were also supposed to provide fighter cover for 11 Group airfields during the Battle of Britain, but several times, these fields were left undefended. When Park complained about it, Leigh-Mallory responded that in order to test his Big Wing theory (espoused by Squadron Leader Douglas Bader), more time was needed to get the necessary squadrons airborne.

Vj Day Parade and Service at RAF Watnall

The Big Wings met with mixed success, enough for the Air Ministry to use it as an excuse to oust Park and Air Chief Marshal Hugh Dowding from their commands on the grounds that they had mismanaged the Battle of Britain.

A Supermarine Spitfire F.22 of No. 613 (City of Manchester) Squadron RAF, at RAF Ringway in May 1949.

After Park was ousted, Leigh-Mallory took over 11 Group. 12 Group still continued its assignment of defending the Midlands and supporting both 10 Group and 11 Group.

de Havilland Mosquito NF.30 MM790 of 605 (County of Warwick) Squadron RAF at RAF Ringway

Group Headquarters moved to RAF Newton on 12 December 1946 and the operations block at Watnall was closed.[3]

Order of Battle: 3 June 1950[4]
AirfieldSquadronAircraft typeSquadronAircraft typeSquadronAircraft typeSquadronAircraft type
RAF Church Fenton19Gloster Meteor F.423de Havilland Mosquito NF.36141de Havilland Mosquito NF.3641de Havilland Hornet F.3
RAF Horsham St Faith74Gloster Meteor F.4245Gloster Meteor F.4257Gloster Meteor F.4263Gloster Meteor F.4
RAF Linton-on-Ouse64de Havilland Hornet F.365de Havilland Hornet F.366Gloster Meteor F.492Gloster Meteor F.4
RAF Hooton Park610Supermarine Spitfire F.22611Gloster Meteor F.4
RAF Leuchars222Gloster Meteor F.4
RAF Wymeswold504Gloster Meteor F.4
RAF Acklington264de Havilland Mosquito NF.36
RAF Aldergrove502Supermarine Spitfire F.22
RAF Abbotsinch602Supermarine Spitfire F.22
RAF Turnhouse603Supermarine Spitfire F.22
RAF Honiley605de Havilland Vampire FB.5
RAF Ouston607Supermarine Spitfire F.22
RAF Yeadon609Supermarine Spitfire LF.16
RAF Dyce612Supermarine Spitfire LF.16e
RAF Middleton St George608Supermarine Spitfire F.22
RAF Finningley616Gloster Meteor F.4
RAF Ringway613Supermarine Spitfire F.22
RAF Watnall bunker entrance in 2007

Group HQ then moved again on 14 August 1959 to RAF Horsham St Faith.[5]

Order of Battle: April 1962[6]

It was disbanded on 1 April 1963 and replaced by No. 12 (East Anglian) Sector,[2] it moved to RAF Neatishead on 29 May 1963.[7] On 30 April 1968, as the new Strike Command came into existence, 12 Group passed into history when No. 12 Sector began Sector South within No. 11 Group RAF.[7]

Commanders

The following officers had command of No. 12 Group:

1918 to 1919

1937 to 1963

See also

References

Citations
  1. Pine, L.G. (1983). A dictionary of mottoes (1 ed.). London: Routledge & Kegan Paul. p. 263. ISBN 0-7100-9339-X.
  2. Sturtivant, Hamlin & Halley 1997, p. 171.
  3. "RAF Watnall : Fighter Command's 12 Group HQ". Subterranea Britannica. Retrieved 3 January 2021.
  4. Ovens 2011, p. 5.
  5. Rafweb.org, Air of Authority: Groups 10-19, accessed January 2021.
  6. Delve 1994, p. 88.
  7. Sturtivant, Hamlin & Halley 1997, p. 270.
  8. Air of Authority – A History of RAF Organisation – Air Vice-Marshal R E Saul
  9. Air of Authority – A History of RAF Organisation – Air Vice Marshal T C Traill

Bibliography
  • Delve, K. (1994). The Source Book of the RAF. Shrewsbury, UK: Airlife Publishing. ISBN 1-85310-451-5.
  • Ovens, C. (2011). Interceptor Force - Fighter Command 1950 - 1968. UK: Guideline Publications.
  • Sturtivant, R.; Hamlin, J; Halley, J (1997). Royal Air Force flying training and support units. UK: Air-Britain (Historians). ISBN 0-85130-252-1.
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