No. 4 Group RAF (4Gp) was a Royal Air Force group, originally formed in the First World War, and reformed in the lead up to the Second World War, mostly part of RAF Bomber Command, but ending its days in RAF Transport Command.

History

Formation in the First World War

No. 4 Group was originally formed in October 1918 at the Seaplane Experimental Station, Felixstowe just before the end of the First World War and disbanded a year later in 1919. In its first incarnation, No. 4 Group was created by augmenting the former Royal Naval Air Service group at RNAS Great Yarmouth which had been responsible for anti-submarine and anti-Zeppelin operations over the North Sea. The former RNAS group was designated as No. 73 Wing within the new No. 4 Group. The commanding officer of No. 4 Group was Colonel C R Samson. With the 1918–1919 postwar demobilization of the RAF, No. 4 Group was disbanded on 24 March 1919.

Reformation in the Second World War

With the buildup of the RAF prior to the outbreak of the Second World War, No. 4 Group was reformed on 1 April 1937 as part of RAF Bomber Command based at RAF Mildenhall, Suffolk under A/Cdre Arthur Harris (later Air Vice-Marshal "Bomber" Harris). On 29 June 1937 the headquarters were relocated at RAF Linton-on-Ouse, Yorkshire when 4 Group took over a number of stations and squadrons from No. 3 Group RAF. 4 Group was primarily based in Yorkshire for the duration of the war. Its airfields became further concentrated south and east of York when 6 Group was formed (1 March 1943) using airfields north of the city. The flying units of those were these, mainly flying with the Handley Page Heyford biplane bomber:

+Order of battle for no. 4 Group RAF, 29 June 1937, data from Base Squadron Aircraft Version RAF Dishforth No. 10 Squadron RAF No. 78 Squadron RAF Handley Page Heyford Armstrong Whitworth Whitley Handley Page Heyford Mks.IA, III Mk.I Mks.II, III RAF Driffield No. 77 Squadron RAF No. 102 Squadron RAF Hawker Audax Handley Page Heyford Mks.II, III RAF Finningley No. 7 Squadron RAF No. 76 Squadron RAF Handley Page HeyfordVickers WellesleyVickers Wellesley Mks.II, III Mk.I Mk.I RAF Leconfield No. 166 Squadron RAF Handley Page Heyford Mk.III RAF Linton-on-Ouse (Previously at RAF Boscombe Down) No. 51 Squadron RAF No. 58 Squadron RAF Vickers Virginia Avro Anson Vickers Virginia Avro Anson Mk.X Mk.I Mk.X Mk.I

The group's first operation was on the night of 3 September 1939 when ten Whitley Mk.IIIs of Nos. 51 and 58 Squadrons took off to drop leaflets in the Ruhr and over Hamburg and Bremen. By this time the group had shrunk to six squadrons and the equipment had been standardised to the Armstrong Whitworth Whitley. RAF Finningley had gone over to No. 5 Group RAF and RAF Leconfield was "Under care and Maintenance" by No. 4 Group.

+Order of battle for no. 4 Group RAF, 26 September 1939, data from Base Squadron Aircraft Version RAF Dishforth No. 10 Squadron RAF No. 78 Squadron RAF Armstrong Whitworth Whitley Armstrong Whitworth Whitley Mks.I, IV Mks.I, IV RAF Driffield No. 77 Squadron RAF No. 102 Squadron RAF Armstrong Whitworth Whitley Armstrong Whitworth Whitley Mks.III, V Mk.III RAF Linton-on-Ouse No. 51 Squadron RAF No. 58 Squadron RAF Armstrong Whitworth Whitley Armstrong Whitworth Whitley Mks.II, III Mks.I, II, III

The first land bombing mission was by 26 out of 30 Whitleys from Nos. 10, 102, 77 and 51 Squadrons detailed to attack the seaplane base at Hornum on 20 March 1940. In April 1940 the group moved its headquarters to Heslington Hall, near York. In August/September 1940 No. 4 Group took part in eight attacks on Berlin, oil targets and ports. On 1 April 1941 104 Squadron was formed at RAF Driffield as part of No. 4 Group, equipped with the Vickers Wellington and carried out night bombing operations from May 1941 until February 1942.

On 24 July 1941, 4 Group dropped 2,000 lb bombs on the Scharnhorst and Gneisenau and helped to keep these battle-cruisers locked in Brest until 12 February 1942. By January 1942 the Group had grown considerably and was made out of the following flying units, which were in full conversion from the Whitley to the Vickers Wellington medium and Handley Page Halifax heavy bomber:

+Order of battle for no. 4 Group RAF, 9 January 1942, data from Base Squadron Aircraft Version RAF Dishforth No. 51 Squadron RAF Armstrong Whitworth Whitley Mk.V RAF Driffield No. 104 Squadron RAF Vickers Wellington Mk.II RAF Leeming No. 10 Squadron RAF No. 77 Squadron RAF Handley Page Halifax Armstrong Whitworth Whitley Mk.II Mk.V RAF Leconfield No. 98 Squadron RAF Armstrong Whitworth Whitley Mk.V (non-operational) RAF Linton-on-Ouse No. 35 Squadron RAF No. 58 Squadron RAF Handley Page Halifax Armstrong Whitworth Whitley Mks.I, II Mk.V RAF Middleton St. George No. 76 Squadron RAF No. 78 Squadron RAF Handley Page Halifax Armstrong Whitworth Whitley Mks.I, II Mk.V RAF Pocklington No. 405 Squadron RCAF Vickers Wellington Mk.II RAF Stradishall No. 138 Squadron RAF Armstrong Whitworth Whitley Mk.V RAF Topcliffe No. 102 Squadron RAF Handley Page Halifax Armstrong Whitworth Whitley Mk.II Mk.V (operational on Whitleys)

On 30/31 May 1942 No. 4 Group played its part in the 1000 bomber raid on Cologne, providing 154 aircraft and the follow-up raid on Essen, providing 142 aircraft. In early 1943 No. 4 Group made a substantial contribution in the Battle of the Ruhr, which lasted until July. Losses were heavy but the results worthwhile. By March 1943 the group was made out of these flying units, conversion to the Halifax and Wellington was almost finished (some squadrons having still one or two Whitleys at hand):

+Order of battle for no. 4 Group RAF, 4 March 1943, data from Base Squadron Aircraft Version RAF Burn No. 431 Squadron RCAF Vickers Wellington Mk.X RAF East Moor No. 429 Squadron RCAF Vickers Wellington Mks.III, X RAF Elvington No. 77 Squadron RAF Handley Page Halifax Mks.II, V RAF Leconfield No. 196 Squadron RAF No. 466 Squadron RAAF Vickers Wellington Vickers Wellington Mk.X Mk.X RAF Linton-on-Ouse No. 76 Squadron RAF No. 78 Squadron RAF Handley Page Halifax Handley Page Halifax Mks.II, V Mk.II RAF Melbourne No. 10 Squadron RAF Handley Page Halifax Mk.II RAF Pocklington No. 102 Squadron RAF Handley Page Halifax Mk.II RAF Rufforth No. 158 Squadron RAF Handley Page Halifax Mk.II RAF Snaith No. 51 Squadron RAF Handley Page Halifax Mk.II

+ No. 4 Group controlled the following bases at various times between March 1943 and September 1945 No. 41 Base No. 42 Base No. 43 Base No. 44 Base RAF Marston Moor (HQ) RAF Pocklington (HQ) RAF Driffield (HQ) RAF Holme-on-Spalding Moor (HQ) RAF Acaster Malbis RAF Elvington RAF Leconfield RAF Breighton RAF Riccall RAF Melbourne RAF Lissett RAF Melbourne RAF Rufforth RAF Pocklington RAF Full Sutton

In May/June 1944, 4 Group welcomed two French heavy-bomber squadrons - Nos. 346 and 347 Squadrons - to RAF Elvington. On that station a gradual changeover from RAF to French Air Force personnel was effected, so that by September 1944, the station was almost exclusively French and commanded by an officer of the French Air Force. In July 1944 the group looked like this, having pretty much standardised on the Halifax B.Mk.III:

+Order of battle for no. 4 Group RAF, July 1944, data from Base Squadron Aircraft Version RAF Breighton No. 78 Squadron RAF Handley Page Halifax Mk.III RAF Burn No. 578 Squadron RAF Handley Page Halifax Mk.III RAF Driffield No. 466 Squadron RAAF Handley Page Halifax Mk.III RAF Elvington No. 346 Squadron RAF No. 347 Squadron RAF Handley Page Halifax Handley Page Halifax Mk.III Mks.III, V RAF Full Sutton No. 77 Squadron RAF Handley Page Halifax Mk.III RAF Holme-on-Spalding Moor No. 76 Squadron RAF Handley Page Halifax Mk.III RAF Leconfield No. 640 Squadron RAF Handley Page Halifax Mk.III RAF Lissett No. 158 Squadron RAF Handley Page Halifax Mk.III RAF Melbourne No. 10 Squadron RAF Handley Page Halifax Mk.III RAF Pocklington No. 102 Squadron RAF Handley Page Halifax Mks.III, IIIa RAF Snaith No. 51 Squadron RAF Handley Page Halifax Mk.III

Prior to the invasion of Normandy in June 1944 intense attacks began on French marshalling yards and gun emplacements on the French coast, troop concentrations and V-weapon sites, reaching a peak in August when 3,629 sorties were flown. In addition No. 4 Group undertook urgent transport work and in little more than one week ferried 432,840 gallons of petrol to the British Second Army during Operation Market Garden.

In 1945, 4 Group attacked targets at Hanover, Magdeburg, Stuttgart, Cologne, Munster and Osnabrück plus the Sterkrade, Wanne-Eickel, Bottrop and many other synthetic-oil centres, bombing by day and night. Its attention later transferred to bombing railway centres in preparation for the crossing of the Rhine.

It is reported that No. 102 Squadron RAF was transferred out of the Group to Transport Command on 8 March 1945.

During the war 61,577 operational sorties were flown, the group trained many Bomber Command crews and helped to create two other bomber groups. On 7 May 1945 No. 4 Group was transferred to Transport Command, and by July 1945 the group consisted of the following flying units:

+Order of battle for no. 4 Group RAF, July 1945, data from Base Squadron Aircraft Version RAF Bramcote No. 105 (Transport) Operational Training Unit Vickers Wellington Douglas Dakota Mks.Ic, X Mks.III, IV RAF Breighton No. 78 Squadron RAF Handley Page Halifax Douglas Dakota Mk.VI Mk.IV RAF Crosby-on-Eden No. 109 Operational Training Unit RAF Douglas Dakota Mks.III, IV RAF Driffield No. 426 Squadron RCAF Consolidated Liberator Mks.VI, VIII RAF Elvington No. 346 Squadron RAF No. 347 Squadron RAF Handley Page Halifax Handley Page Halifax Mk.VI Mk.VI RAF Full Sutton No. 77 Squadron RAF Handley Page Halifax Douglas Dakota Mk.VI Mks.III, IV RAF Holme-on-Spalding Moor No. 76 Squadron RAF Handley Page Halifax Douglas Dakota Mk.VI Mk.IV RAF Leconfield No. 51 Squadron RAF Short Stirling Mk.V RAF Lissett No. 158 Squadron RAF Handley Page Halifax Short Stirling Mk.VI Mk.V RAF Melbourne No. 10 Squadron RAF Handley Page Halifax Mk.III RAF Pocklington No. 102 Squadron RAF Handley Page Halifax Mks.III, IIIa, VI RAF Wymeswold No. 108 OTU Douglas Dakota Mks.I, III, IV

Commanders 1 April 1918 Colonel C R Samson 12 June 1937 Air Commodore Arthur T Harris 25 May 1938 Air Commodore C H B Blount 26 June 1939 Air Vice-Marshal Arthur Coningham 26 July 1941 Air Vice-Marshal C R Carr 12 February 1945 Air Vice-Marshal John R Whitley 7 May 1945 Air Vice-Marshal H S P Walmsley 15 December 1945 Air Vice-Marshal A C Stevens 2 October 1946 Air Commodore A P Revington

See also List of Royal Air Force groups List of Royal Air Force aircraft squadrons

References

Citations

Bibliography

External links RAF History No. 4 Group history