No. 24 Group RAF (24 Gp) is a former Royal Air Force group. It formed in June 1918 from No. 46 and 48 Wings, disbanding in June 1919. The group reformed in July 1936 as No. 24 (Training) Group within RAF Training Command, and transferred to RAF Technical Training Command in May 1940, becoming No. 24 (Technical Training) Group. It disbanded in December 1975.
| No. 24 (Technical Training) Group RAF | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Active | 26 June 1918 – 13 June 1919 10 July 1936 – 29 December 1975 |
| Country |  United Kingdom |
| Branch |  Royal Air Force |
| Type | Royal Air Force group |
| Role | Military aviation training |
| Part of | RAF Training Command (July 1936 – May 1940, June 1968 – December 1975) RAF Technical Training Command (May 1940 – June 1968) |
| Motto(s) | Latin: Tuti Volent ("They want to be safe")[1] |
| Commanders | |
| Notable commanders | Air Marshal Sir Bertine Entwisle Sutton KBE, CB, DSO, MC |
History
editFirst World War
editNo. 24 Group was formed on 26 June 1918 at Castle Grove, Leeds, as No. 24 (Northern) (Operations) Group. On 8 August 1918 "(Northern)" was removed from the designation and later on the group HQ moved to Moor House, Leeds. It planned to move the HQ to Bramham Moor Aerodrome on 24 May 1919, but disbanded on 13 June 1919.[2]
Second World War
editThe group reformed as No. 24 (Training) Group on 10 July 1936 at RAF Halton. It was initially within RAF Training Command, but moved to RAF Technical Training Command on 27 May 1940, being redesignated as No. 24 (Technical Training) Group. On 3 November 1940 the group HQ relocated to the Bell Hotel in Gloucester but three months later, on 19 January 1941, it moved to Hindlip Hall, situated near Worcester. Over three and half years later it moved to RAF Credenhill,[3] near Hereford, in October 1944, and four months later, in February 1945, it then moved to RAF Halton.[2]
Cold War
editIn December 1945 the group HQ moved to Green Park, (Aston Clinton), Aylesbury. It remained in Buckinghamshire for eight years and then moved to RAF Spitalgate, on 25 March 1954, before finally settling at Rudloe Manor in Wiltshire, on 1 September 1958. RAF Technical Training Command disbanded in 1968 and the group transferred back into RAF Training Command. No. 24 Group disbanded on 29 December 1975.[2]
Structure
editNovember 1939
No. 24 Group was responsible for various recruit centres, and Schools of Technical Training.[4]
- HQ at RAF Halton
- RAF Boscombe Down
- Aeroplane and Armament Experimental Establishment with various aircraft
- RAF St Athan
- Special Duty Flight, St Athan, Martlesham Heath, and Christchurch, RAF, with various aircraft. Connected with the Telecommunications Research Establishment.
- RAF Boscombe Down
Air Officers Commanding
edit- Note: The ranks shown are the ranks held at the time of holding the appointment of Air Officer Commanding, No. 24 Group Royal Air Force.[2]
| Rank | name | from |
|---|---|---|
| ? | July 1918 | |
| Disbanded | June 1919 | |
| Air Vice-Marshall | John Tremayne Babington | July 1936 |
| Air Vice-Marshall | Paul Maltby | September 1938 |
| Air Vice-Marshall | Bertine Sutton | November 1940 |
| Air Commodore | G B Dacre | 1940 |
| Air Vice-Marshall | H H MacL Fraser | February 1943 |
| Air Vice-Marshall | Kenneth Leask | January 1944 |
| Air Vice-Marshall | Leslie Harvey | January 1948 |
| Air Vice-Marshall | R O Jones | December 1949 |
| Air Vice-Marshall | J G Franks | September 1952 |
| Air Vice-Marshall | G B Beardsworth | February 1955 |
| Air Vice-Marshall | H D Speckley | April 1957 |
| Air Vice-Marshall | J Marson | January 1959 |
| Air Vice-Marshall | T N Coslett | July 1961 |
| Air Vice-Marshall | J K Rotherham | March 1963 |
| Air Vice-Marshall | B Robinson | June 1965 |
| Air Vice-Marshall | J H Hunter-Tod | August 1967 |
| Air Vice-Marshall | R E W Harland | February 1970 |
| Air Vice-Marshall | C S Betts | January 1972 |
References
editCitations
edit- ^ Delve 1994, p. 51.
Bibliography
edit- Delve, Ken (1994). The Source Book of the RAF. Shrewsbury, UK: Airlife Publishing Ltd. ISBN 1-85310-451-5.