No. 19 Group was a group of the Royal Air Force, active during 1918, and then from 1941–1969.

History

First World War

During the First World War, No. 19 (Equipment) Group was formed in York, at the start of April 1918, in No. 4 Area, it was transferred to North-Eastern Area on 8 May 1918 and disbanded in June.

Second World War

The group was reformed in February 1941 as No. 19 (General Reconnaissance) Group, in RAF Coastal Command, at Mount Wise, Plymouth. By May 1941 the group was flying from three Royal Air Force stations, with seven units.

May 1941 No. 19 (Reconnaissance) Group RAF, Air Officer Commanding: Air Commodore G. H. Boyce Group Headquarters: Mount Wise located in Plymouth RAF Carew Cheriton No. 236 Squadron RAF operated with Bristol Blenheim light bomber Coastal Command Development Unit RAF operated with Bristol Beaufighter multirole aircraft and Lockheed Hudson light bomber and coastal reconnaissance aircraft RAF Roborough No. 19 Group Communication Flight RAF operated with various aircraft RAF St Eval No. 217 Squadron RAF operated with Bristol Beaufort No. 53 Squadron RAF operated with Bristol Blenheim No. 1404 (Meteorological) Flight RAF operated with Bristol Blenheim Photographic Reconnaissance Unit RAF 'B' Flight operated with Supermarine Spitfire and Bristol Blenheim

Its units in February 1942 included: No. 19 Group RAF (GR), under command of Air Commodore G. R. Bromet, CBE, DSOAshworth 1992, Appendix IV Squadron Aircraft Station No. 22 Squadron RAF Bristol Beaufort RAF St Eval No. 86 Squadron RAF Bristol Beaufort RAF St Eval No. 209 Squadron RAF Consolidated Catalina RAF Pembroke Dock No. 217 Squadron RAF Bristol Beaufort RAF St Eval No. 224 Squadron RAF Lockheed Hudson RAF St Eval No. 254 Squadron RAF Bristol Blenheim RAF Carew Cheriton No. 502 (Ulster) Squadron RAF Armstrong Whitworth Whitley RAF St Eval No. 10 Squadron RAAF Short Sunderland RAF Mount Batten No. 1404 (Meteorological) Flight RAF Lockheed Hudson RAF St Eval No. 1417 (Leigh Light Trials) Flight RAF Vickers Wellington RAF Chivenor No. 1 Photographic Reconnaissance Unit RAF Bristol Blenheim RAF St Eval (B Flight)

Among its squadrons during the war was No. 461 Squadron RAAF.

Cold War

No. 19 Group assets during October 1946: No. 19 (Reconnaissance) Group RAF, Air Officer Commanding: Air Vice-Marshal C. B. S. Spackman Group Headquarters: Mount Wise located in Plymouth RAF St Eval No. 210 Squadron RAF with Avro Lancaster GR.3 heavy bomber modified for maritime reconnaissance No. 224 Squadron RAF with Avro Lancaster GR.3 heavy bomber modified for maritime reconnaissance RAF Calshot No. 201 Squadron RAF with Short Sunderland GR.5 flying boat patrol bomber No. 230 Squadron RAF with Short Sunderland GR.5 flying boat patrol bomber RAF Thorney Island No. 36 Squadron RAF with de Havilland Mosquito FB.6 multirole combat aircraft No. 42 Squadron RAF with Bristol Beaufighter TF.10 multi-role aircraft

The group relocated to RAF Mount Batten in 1947.

In 1953, NATO documents instructing Admiral George Creasy, the new Commander-in-Chief, Eastern Atlantic Area (CINCEASTLANT), wrote that Air Vice Marshal Thomas Traill, , Royal Air Force, Air Officer Commanding No. 19 Group RAF, had been appointed as Air Commander North-East Atlantic Sub-Area.

No. 19 Group order of battle (OOB) in July 1954: No. 19 (Reconnaissance) Group RAF, Air Officer Commanding: Air Vice-Marshal T. C. Traill Group Headquarters: RAF Mount Batten located in Plymouth Sound, Devon RAF St Eval No. 42 Squadron RAF with Avro Shackleton MR.1 & MR.2 maritime patrol aircraft No. 206 Squadron RAF with Avro Shackleton MR.1 & MR.2 maritime patrol aircraft No. 220 Squadron RAF with Avro Shackleton MR.1 & MR.2 maritime patrol aircraft No. 228 Squadron RAF with Avro Shackleton MR.1 & MR.2 maritime patrol aircraft RAF Pembroke Dock No. 201 Squadron RAF with Short Sunderland GR.5 flying boat patrol bomber No. 230 Squadron RAF with Short Sunderland GR.5 flying boat patrol bomber RAF Topcliffe No. 36 Squadron RAF with Lockheed Neptune MR.1 maritime patrol and anti-submarine warfare aircraft No. 203 Squadron RAF with Lockheed Neptune MR.1 maritime patrol and anti-submarine warfare aircraft No. 210 Squadron RAF with Lockheed Neptune MR.1 maritime patrol and anti-submarine warfare aircraft

19 Group OOB during April 1962: No. 19 (Reconnaissance) Group RAF, Air Officer Commanding: Air Vice-Marshal S. W. R. Hughes Group Headquarters: RAF Mount Batten located in Plymouth Sound, Devon RAF St Mawgan No. 22 Squadron RAF with Westland Whirlwind No. 42 Squadron RAF with Avro Shackleton No. 201 Squadron RAF with Avro Shackleton No. 206 Squadron RAF with Avro Shackleton

Before it became HQ Southern Maritime Air Region in November 1969, its last commander appears to have been Air Vice-Marshal Cresswell Clementi.

Air Officer Commanding No. 19 Group RAF Air Officers Commanding of No. 19 Group: 1941–1942: Air Commodore G. H. Boyce 1942–1943: Air Vice-Marshal Geoffrey Bromet 1943–1944: Air Vice-Marshal Brian Baker 1944–1945: Air Vice-Marshal F. H. Maynard 1945–1947: Air Vice-Marshal C. B. S. Spackman 1947–1950: Air Vice-Marshal Frank Hopps 1950–1952: Air Vice-Marshal Geoffrey Spencer 1952–1954: Air Vice-Marshal T. C. Traill 1954–1956: Air Vice-Marshal Geoffrey Tuttle 1956–1959: Air Vice-Marshal G. I. L. Save 1959–1962: Air Vice-Marshal L. W. C. Bower 1962–1964: Air Vice-Marshal Rochford Hughes 1964–1967: Air Vice-Marshal John Barraclough 1967–1968: Air Vice-Marshal J. H. Lapsley 1968–1969: Air Vice-Marshal Cresswell Clementi

References Citations

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