No. 19 Group RAF

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, but disbanded in June.[1]

It was reformed in February 1941 as No. 19 (General Reconnaissance) Group, within Coastal Command, at Mount Wise, Plymouth. By May 1941 the group was operating out of three Royal Air Force stations, with seven units.

May 1941

• No. 19 (Reconnaissance) Group RAF, Air Officer Commanding: Air Commodore G. H. Boyce[2][1]
  • 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, DSO[3]

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

No. 19 Group assets during October 1946:[7]

• No. 19 (Reconnaissance) Group RAF, Air Officer Commanding: Air Vice-Marshal C. B. S. Spackman[8][1]
  • Group Headquarters: Mount Wise located in Plymouth[8]
    • 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, initial NATO documents instructing Admiral Creasey, newly appointed Commander-in-Chief, Eastern Atlantic Area (CINCEASTLANT), wrote that Air Vice Marshal Thomas Traill, CB, OBE, DFC, Royal Air Force, Air Officer Commanding No. 19 Group RAF, had been appointed as Air Commander North-East Atlantic Sub-Area.[9]

No. 19 Group assets during July 1954:[10]

• No. 19 (Reconnaissance) Group RAF, Air Officer Commanding: Air Vice-Marshal T. C. Traill CB, OBE, DFC[1]
  • Group Headquarters: RAF Mount Batten located in Plymouth Sound, Devon[11]
    • 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 assets during April 1962:

• No. 19 (Reconnaissance) Group RAF, Air Officer Commanding: Air Vice-Marshal S. W. R. Hughes[1]
  • Group Headquarters: RAF Mount Batten located in Plymouth Sound, Devon[12]
    • 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,[1] its last commander appears to have been Air Vice-Marshal Cresswell Clementi.