RAF Home Command

RAF Home Command was the Royal Air Force command that was responsible for the maintenance and training of reserve organisations[2] from formation on 1 February 1939 as RAF Reserve Command with interruptions until it ceased to exist on 1 April 1959.

Home Command
RAF Home Command badge
Active1 February 1939–27 May 1940
1 May 1946–1 April 1959
Country United Kingdom
Branch Royal Air Force
Garrison/HQWantage Hall, University of Reading
Motto(s)Support[1]

History

The Command was formed as RAF Reserve Command on 1 February 1939.[3] It was absorbed into RAF Flying Training Command on 27 May 1940 but reformed again on 1 May 1946.[3] It was then renamed RAF Home Command on 1 August 1950 and absorbed into RAF Flying Training Command again on 1 April 1959.[3]

The command's communications squadron, the Home Command Communication Squadron, was formed on 1 August 1950 at RAF White Waltham and disestablished on 1 April 1959, still at White Waltham, becoming the Flying Training Command Communication Squadron RAF.[3]

The command operated a number of units:[4]

  • Home Command Examining Unit (1950-51 & 1951-59)
  • No. 1 Home Command Gliding Centre (1955-59)
  • No. 2 Home Command Gliding Centre (1958-59)
  • Home Command Gliding Instructors School (1950-55)
  • Home Command Instrument Training Flight (1950-52)
  • Home Command Major Servicing Unit (1950-54)
  • Home Command Modified Officer Cadet Training Unit (1953-56)
  • Home Command Training Flight (1950)

Groups of Home Command
RAF groupdates activenotes
No. 61 Group RAF1940
1946–1959		No. 61 Group was first formed on 1 July 1940 in Northern Ireland, and was raised to command status and renamed RAF in Northern Ireland on 1 August 1940. Reformed as No. 61 (Eastern Reserve) Group on 2 May 1946 within Reserve Command, it was renamed No. 61 (Eastern) Group on 1 August 1950 and transferred to Home Command. It was renamed No. 61 (Southern Reserve) Group on 1 January 1957, and disbanded 31 May 1959.[5]
No. 62 Group RAF1946–1957No. 62 (Southern Reserve) Group was formed on 15 May 1946 within Reserve Command, and renamed No. 62 (Southern) Group on 1 August 1950 when transferred to Home Command. It was absorbed into 61 Group on 1 January 1957.[5]
No. 63 Group RAF1946–1957No. 63 (Western & Welsh Reserve) Group was formed on 2 May 1946 within Reserve Command, and renamed No. 63 (Western & Welsh) Group on 1 August 1950 when transferred to Home Command. It disbanded on 1 February 1957.[5]
No. 64 Group RAF1946–1958/59No. 64 (Northern Reserve) Group was formed on 2 May 1946 within Reserve Command, and was renamed No. 64 (Northern) Group on 1 August 1950 when transferred to Home Command. It disbanded in 1958 or 1959.[5]
No. 65 Group RAF1946–1950/51No. 65 (London Reserve) Group was formed on 2 May 1946 within Reserve Command, and renamed No. 65 (London) Group on 1 August 1950 when transferred to Home Command. It disbanded in 1950 or 1951.[5]
No. 66 Group RAF1946–1956/57No. 66 (Scottish Reserve) Group was formed on 2 May 1946 within Reserve Command and renamed No. 66 (Scottish) Group on 1 August 1950 when transferred to Home Command. It disbanded in 1956 or 1957.[5]
No. 67 Group RAF1950–1957No. 67 (Northern Ireland Reserve) Group was formed on 31 March 1950 from RAF in Northern Ireland. It was renamed No. 67 (Northern Ireland) Group on 1 August 1950 when transferred to Home Command. It disbanded on 28 February 1957.[5]

Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief

Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief included:[3]
RAF Reserve Command

Note: The Command was not in existence from May 1940 to May 1946

RAF Home Command

See also

References
  1. Pine, L.G. (1983). A dictionary of mottoes (1 ed.). London: Routledge & Kegan Paul. p. 226. ISBN 0-7100-9339-X.
  2. John D. Rawlings, 'The History of the Royal Air Force,' Temple Press Aerospace, Feltham, Middlesex, 1984, p.180
  3. Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation - RAF Home Commands formed between 1939 - 1957 Archived 11 January 2011 at the Wayback Machine
  4. Sturtivant & Hamlin 2007, p. 165.
  5. Barrass, M.B. (2015). "Groups 50 – 67". RAFWeb.org. Air of Authority – A History of RAF Organisation. Retrieved 30 April 2015.
  • Sturtivant, R.; Hamlin, J. (2007). Royal Air Force flying training and support units since 1912. UK: Air-Britain (Historians). ISBN 978-0851-3036-59.
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