No. 9 Group RAF

No. 9 (Fighter) Group RAF No. 9 (Operations) Group RAF
Royal Air Force Ensign
Active	1 April 1918 – 15 May 1919 9 August 1940 – 17 September 1944
Country	United Kingdom
Branch	Royal Air Force
Type	Royal Air Force group
Role	Fighter cover for North West England and Northern Ireland
Part of	RAF Fighter Command
Garrison/HQ	RAF Barton Hall
Engagements	World War II European theatre of World War II Battle of Britain
Commanders
Notable commanders	CB, DSO, MC, DFC

No. 9 Group RAF (9 Gp) was a

The group was first formed on 1 April 1918 in No. 2 Area. The next month it was transferred to South-Western Area and then disbanded on 15 May 1919.

Its next incarnation was as part of

On 1 January 1941 the group was only using the Hawker Hurricane I fighter aircraft:^[3]

• No. 96 Squadron RAF at RAF Cranage
• RAF Speke
• No. 306 Polish Fighter Squadron at RAF Tern Hill
• RAF Baginton
• RAF Speke

9 Group also supplied the staff that were trained by Robert Watson-Watt, the inventor of radar, to operate the Chain Home early warning system. The staff being RAF females (they were never WAAF members).

On 1 May 1942 it consisted of:^[6]

• RAF Llanbedr
  with Spitfire
• No. 232 Squadron RAF at RAF Atcham with Spitfire
• No. 255 Squadron RAF at RAF High Ercall with Beaufighter
• No. 257 Squadron RAF at RAF Honiley with Hurricane & Spitfire
• No. 315 Polish Fighter Squadron at RAF Woodvale with Spitfire

On 1 March 1943 it consisted of:^[7]

• No. 41 Squadron RAF at RAF High Ercall with Spitfire
• No. 96 Squadron RAF at RAF Honiley with Beaufighter
• No. 195 Squadron RAF at RAF Woodvale with Typhoon
• No. 219 Squadron RAF at RAF Scorton with Beaufighter
• No. 256 Squadron RAF at RAF Woodvale with Beaufighter
• No. 456 Squadron RAAF at RAF Valley with Beaufighter & Mosquito

No. 9 Group itself had a relative short lifespan. By 1944 it was predominantly a training formation.

On 6 June 1944 it comprised:

• two sector stations, RAF Honiley and RAF Woodvale,
• eight Operational Training Units:^[8]
  • No. 13 Operational Training Unit at
    RAF Bicester and RAF Finmere
    with Mosquito & Boston
  • No. 41 Operational Training Unit at
    RAF Hawarden and RAF Poulton
    with Mustang & Hurricane
  • No. 42 Operational Training Unit at
    RAF Darley Moor
    with Whitley, Oxford, Anson & Albemarle
  • No. 51 Operational Training Unit at
    RAF Cranfield and RAF Twinwood Farm
    with Mosquito
  • RAF Kirton-in-Lindsey, RAF Hibaldstow and RAF Caistor
    with Spitfire
  • No. 54 Operational Training Unit at RAF Charterhall and RAF Winfield with Beaufighter
  • No. 57 Operational Training Unit at
    RAF Eshott and RAF Boulmer
    with Spitfire
  • No. 59 Operational Training Unit at RAF Boulmer with Hurricane & Typhoon
  • No. 60 Operational Training Unit at RAF High Ercall with Mosquito
  • No. 61 Operational Training Unit at RAF Rednal and RAF Montford Bridge with Spitfire
  • No. 62 Operational Training Unit at RAF Ouston with Anson & Wellington
• three Tactical Exercise Units:^[9]
  • No. 1 Tactical Exercise Unit at RAF Kinnell with Hurricane & Spitfire
  • No. 2 Tactical Exercise Unit at RAF Grangemouth and RAF Balado Bridge with Spitfire
  • No. 3 Tactical Exercise Unit at RAF Annan with Typhoon & Spitfire
• AI Conversion Unit
• Fighter Leaders School RAF
• No. 2 Aircraft Delivery Flight
• No. 58 Repair and Salvage Unit
• three other support/supply units
• 9 Group Communications Flight flying Hawker Hurricanes and Airspeed Oxfords from Samlesbury Aerodrome.

It was absorbed into No. 12 Group RAF on 15 September 1944.

Commanders

The following officers had command of No. 9 Group:

1918 to 1919

• 1 April 1918
  Brigadier-General
  H D Briggs

1940 to 1944

• 16 September 1940
  Air Vice-Marshal W A McClaughry
• April 1942 Air Vice-Marshal L H Slatter
• 26 June 1942 Air Vice-Marshal W F Dickson
• 1942
  C R Steele
  (Temporary appointment)
• 10 November 1942 Air Vice-Marshal J W Jones
• 2 July 1943 Air Vice-Marshal
  L N Hollinghurst
• 6 November 1943 Air Commodore C A Stevens (Temporary appointment)
• 7 December 1943 Air Vice-Marshal D F Stevenson

See also

• List of Royal Air Force groups

References

Citations

Bibliography

• Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation - Group No's 1 - 9