No. 21 (Training) Group RAF
No. 21 Group RAF
Royal Air Force Ensign
Active1 April – 1 July 1918
12 April 1926 – 1 February 1934
1 December 1938 – 1 March 1955
Disbanded1 March 1955
Country United Kingdom
Branch Royal Air Force
TypeRoyal Air Force group
RoleMilitary aviation training
Part ofRAF Training Command (December 1938 - May 1940)
RAF Flying Training Command (May 1940 - March 1955)
Motto(s)Latin: Ad Suam Quisque Operam
("To each his own work")[1]
Commanders
Notable
commanders		Air Vice Marshal Hugh Vivian Champion de Crespigny CB, MC, DFC

No. 21 Group RAF (21 Gp) is a former Royal Air Force group that existed from April-July 1918; 1926-1934, a redesignation of No. 1 Group RAF; after which it was merged into Inland Area; and from 1938 to 1955.[2]

History

First World War

No. 21 Group formed on 1 April 1918 at RAF Montrose within No 5 Area, the following month, on 8 May, it transferred into the North-Western Area. Shortly after, on 1 July, the group disbanded into No. 20 Group RAF.[3]

Interwar period

On 12 April 1926, it reformed as No. 21 (Training) Group, within Inland Area. The group HQ was at RAF West Drayton and it had the Aeroplane and Armament Experimental Establishment and Nos 15 and 22 Squadrons at RAF Martlesham Heath under its command. The group also had control over RAF stores, repair depots, and schools, however, it disbanded on 1 February 1934. It reformed at RAF Cranwell, within RAF Training Command, again designated No. 21 (Training) Group, on 1 December 1938.[3]

Second World War

The group was transferred to RAF Flying Training Command on 27 May 1940, responsible for the RAF College and the Service Flying Training Schools from the Midlands northwards. The group HQ relocated to RAF Spitalgate on 28 July 1944.[3]

Cold War

The group's headquarters moved to the former No. 5 Group's HQ, St Vincents Hall, in Grantham, on 7 March 1946 and the following year, on 1 May 1947, the Group absorbed No. 91 Group RAF, from RAF Bomber Command, taking over HQ for No. 91 Group, Morton Hall, Swinderby in Lincolnshire. On 24 June 1953 the Group absorbed No. 54 Group RAF, which had been reformed 22 months earlier within RAF Flying Training Command to control the Initial Training Wings and Grading Schools. No. 21 Group disbanded on 1 March 1955.[2]

Structure

Orders of battle for No. 21 (Training) Group, at a given point in time, throughout its operational existence:

November 1939[4] HQ at RAF Cranwell

May 1941[5] HQ at RAF Cranwell

April 1942[6] HQ at RAF Cranwell

April 1943[7] HQ at RAF Cranwell

July 1944[8] HQ at RAF Cranwell

July 1945[9] HQ at RAF Spitalgate

April 1953[10] HQ at Morton Hall, Swinderby

Headquarters

No. 21 Group had various headquarters across its three active periods: [3]

Air Officer Commanding

Note: The ranks shown are the ranks held at the time of holding the appointment of Air Officer Commanding, No. 21 Group Royal Air Force.[3]
No. 21 Group commanding officers
Rank name from
unknown April 1918
Disbanded July 1918
Group Captain Andrew George Board August 1926
unknown 1927
Group Captain A B Burdett February 1928
Group Captain Lionel Rees VC December 1929
Group Captain Charles Edmonds August 1931
Group Captain G P Grenfell January 1932
Disbanded February 1934
Air Vice-Marshal Jack Baldwin December 1938
Air Vice-Marshal Bertine Sutton July 1939
Air Commodore Hugh Champion de Crespigny August 1939
Air Vice-Marshal Robert Willock June 1940
Air Vice-Marshal Hugh Champion de Crespigny October 1943
Air Commodore John Gosset Hawtrey[11] July 1945
Air Commodore Gordon Herbert Vasse 1946 - 47
Air Vice-Marshal Francis Mellersh 1947 - 48
Air Vice-Marshal Cecil Bouchier 1948 - 49
Air Vice-Marshal G G Banting March 1949
Air Vice-Marshal John Denis Breakey March 1951
Air Vice-Marshal Andrew McKee July 1951
Air Vice-Marshal Gilbert Nicholetts November 1953

See also

References

Citations

  1. ↑ "RAF Badges - Groups". Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation. Retrieved 3 October 2023.
  2. 1 2 Air of Authority, Group nos 21 -29, accessed June 2020.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 "Group No's 20 - 29". Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation. Retrieved 5 October 2023.
  4. ↑ Delve 1994, p. 51.
  5. ↑ Delve 1994, p. 54.
  6. ↑ Delve 1994, p. 59.
  7. ↑ Delve 1994, p. 65.
  8. ↑ Delve 1994, p. 73.
  9. ↑ Delve 1994, p. 80.
  10. ↑ Delve 1994, p. 85.
  11. ↑ "J G Hawtrey_P".

Bibliography

  • Delve, Ken (1994). The Source Book of the RAF. Shrewsbury, UK: Airlife Publishing Ltd. ISBN 1-85310-451-5.
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