No. 9 Group RAF explained

No. 9 Group RAF (9 Gp) was a group of the Royal Air Force, which existed over two separate periods, initially at the end of the First World War, and latterly during the Second World War when its role was air defence.

History

The group was first formed on 1 April 1918 in No. 2 Area. The next month it was transferred to South-Western Area and then disbanded on 15 May 1919.

Its next incarnation was as part of RAF Fighter Command. As 1940 wore on, the need for another Group headquarters to control fighter operations became more and more apparent. No. 9 Group was formed in September 1940 to cover North West England and Northern Ireland. It was based at RAF Barton Hall^[1] and initially only controlled No. 308 Polish Fighter Squadron at RAF Speke,

On 1 January 1941 the group was only using the Hawker Hurricane I fighter aircraft:

• No. 96 Squadron RAF at RAF Cranage
• No. 229 Squadron RAF at RAF Speke
• No. 306 Polish Fighter Squadron at RAF Tern Hill
• No. 308 Polish Fighter Squadron at RAF Baginton
• No. 312 (Czechoslovak) Squadron RAF at RAF Speke

No. 275 Squadron RAF was formed at RAF Valley on 15 October 1941^[2] as No. 9 Group's Air Sea Rescue unit, to cover the Irish Sea.

9 Group also supplied the staff that were trained by Robert Watson-Watt, the inventor of radar, to operate the Chain Home early warning system. The staff being RAF females (they were never WAAF members).

On 1 May 1942 it consisted of:

• No. 131 Squadron RAF at RAF Llanbedr with Spitfire
• No. 232 Squadron RAF at RAF Atcham with Spitfire
• No. 255 Squadron RAF at RAF High Ercall with Beaufighter
• No. 257 Squadron RAF at RAF Honiley with Hurricane & Spitfire
• No. 315 Polish Fighter Squadron at RAF Woodvale with Spitfire

On 1 March 1943 it consisted of:

• No. 41 Squadron RAF at RAF High Ercall with Spitfire
• No. 96 Squadron RAF at RAF Honiley with Beaufighter
• No. 195 Squadron RAF at RAF Woodvale with Typhoon
• No. 219 Squadron RAF at RAF Scorton with Beaufighter
• No. 256 Squadron RAF at RAF Woodvale with Beaufighter
• No. 456 Squadron RAAF at RAF Valley with Beaufighter & Mosquito

No. 9 Group itself had a relative short lifespan. By 1944 it was predominantly a training formation.

On 6 June 1944 it comprised:

• two sector stations, RAF Honiley and RAF Woodvale,
• eight Operational Training Units:
  • No. 13 Operational Training Unit at RAF Bicester and RAF Finmere with Mosquito & Boston
  • No. 41 Operational Training Unit at RAF Hawarden and RAF Poulton with Mustang & Hurricane
  • No. 42 Operational Training Unit at RAF Ashbourne and RAF Darley Moor with Whitley, Oxford, Anson & Albemarle
  • No. 51 Operational Training Unit at RAF Cranfield and RAF Twinwood Farm with Mosquito
  • No. 53 Operational Training Unit RAF at RAF Kirton-in-Lindsey, RAF Hibaldstow and RAF Caistor with Spitfire
  • No. 54 Operational Training Unit at RAF Charterhall and RAF Winfield with Beaufighter
  • No. 57 Operational Training Unit at RAF Eshott and RAF Boulmer with Spitfire
  • No. 59 Operational Training Unit at RAF Boulmer with Hurricane & Typhoon
  • No. 60 Operational Training Unit at RAF High Ercall with Mosquito
  • No. 61 Operational Training Unit at RAF Rednal and RAF Montford Bridge with Spitfire
  • No. 62 Operational Training Unit at RAF Ouston with Anson & Wellington
• three Tactical Exercise Units:
  • No. 1 Tactical Exercise Unit at RAF Kinnell with Hurricane & Spitfire
  • No. 2 Tactical Exercise Unit at RAF Grangemouth and RAF Balado Bridge with Spitfire
  • No. 3 Tactical Exercise Unit at RAF Annan with Typhoon & Spitfire
• AI Conversion Unit
• Fighter Leaders School RAF
• No. 2 Aircraft Delivery Flight
• No. 58 Repair and Salvage Unit
• three other support/supply units
• 9 Group Communications Flight flying Hawker Hurricanes and Airspeed Oxfords from Samlesbury Aerodrome.

It was absorbed into No. 12 Group RAF on 15 September 1944.

Commanders

The following officers had command of No. 9 Group:

1918 to 1919

• 1 April 1918 Brigadier-General H D Briggs

1940 to 1944

• 16 September 1940 Air Vice-Marshal W A McClaughry
• April 1942 Air Vice-Marshal L H Slatter
• 26 June 1942 Air Vice-Marshal W F Dickson
• 1942 Air Commodore C R Steele (Temporary appointment)
• 10 November 1942 Air Vice-Marshal J W Jones
• 2 July 1943 Air Vice-Marshal L N Hollinghurst
• 6 November 1943 Air Commodore C A Stevens (Temporary appointment)
• 7 December 1943 Air Vice-Marshal D F Stevenson

See also

• List of Royal Air Force groups

References

Bibliography

• Book: Falconer. J. RAF Airfields of World War 2 . 2012 . Ian Allan Publishing. UK. 978-1-85780-349-5.
• Book: Halley, James J. . The Squadrons of the Royal Air Force & Commonwealth, 1918–1988 . 1988 . Tonbridge, Kent, UK . Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd.. 0-85130-164-9 .
• Smith, David J., Action Stations 3: Wales and the North-West., Cambridge, UK: Patrick Stephens Ltd, 1981. .

External links

• Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation - Group No's 1 - 9

Notes and References

1. Web site: Langley Lane. 1 May 2017.
2. Rawlings 1982, p. 250.