Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation

Overseas Commands - Iraq, India and the Far East

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RAF Iraq

Formed 13 Oct 1921, by raising Mesopotamian Group to Command status. Renamed Iraq Command, 1 Oct 1922.

13 Oct 1921             Gp Capt-A/Cdre A E Borton

Iraq Command

Formed 1 Oct 1922 when RAF Iraq assumed full responsibilities for all British Forces in Iraq. Renamed British Forces in Iraq, xx xxx 1933/4

2 Jun 1923               AVM J M Salmond

13 Mar 1924           AVM J F A Higgins

3 Nov 1926             AVM E L Ellington

1 Nov 1928             AVM H R M Brooke-Popham

2 Oct 1930              AVM E R Ludlow-Hewitt

?                              A/Cdre C L Courtney (Temporary)

23 Nov 1932           AVM C S Burnett

[July 1930 |

British Forces in Iraq

Formed xx xxx 1933-4 by renaming Iraq Command.  Renamed AHQ Iraq, xx xxx 1942.

23 Nov 1932            AVM C S Burnett

31 Dec 1934             AVM W G S Mitchell

12 Feb 1937             AVM C L Courtney

26 Oct 1939             AVM H G Smart

1 Jun 1941                AVM J H D'Albiac

 19 Feb 1942             AVM H V Champion de Crespigny

23 Jul 1945:                AVM S C Strafford

Listings of units controlled by British Forces in Iraq: -

[January 1939 |

AHQ Iraq

Formed 1 Nov 1941 by renaming HQ British Forces in Iraq. Renamed AHQ Iraq and Persia, 1 Jan 1943.  Reformed by renaming AHQ Iraq and Persia, 1 Mar 1946.  Disbanded by being renamed AHQ Levant, 1 May 1955.

 19 Feb 1942             AVM H V Champion de Crespigny

 1 Jan 1943                Disbanded

 1 Mar 1946               AVM S C Strafford

26 Mar 1947              AVM A Gray

[July 1942 |

AHQ Iraq and Persia

Formed 1 Jan 1943 by renaming AHQ Iraq.  Renamed AHQ Iraq, 1 Mar 1946

 1 Jan 1943               AVM H V Champion de Crespigny

xx xxx 1943:              AVM R P Willock

 3 Dec 1944              AVM R A George

23 Jul 1945               AVM S C Strafford

[June1944 |

 RAF India

Formed 20 Sep 1919? with group status within Middle East Area. Renamed Indian Group, 27 Jan 1920?.

20 Sep 1919             A/Cdre T I Webb-Bowen

Reformed 1 Apr 1922 by renaming Indian Group. Renamed Air Forces in India, 27 Dec 1938.

1 Apr 1922               A/Cdre T I Webb-Bowen

31 Dec 1922            AVM P W Game

5 Nov 1923             AVM E L Ellington

27 Dec 1926            AVM W G H Salmond

6 Feb 1931              AVM/AM Sir John Steel

2 Mar 1935             AM Sir Edgar Ludlow-Hewitt

29 Sep 1937            AM Sir Philip Joubert de la Ferte

Listings of units controlled by RAF India: -

[July 1920 | July 1930 |

Formed 27 Dec 1938 by renaming RAF India, absorbed into Air Command South East Asia, 16 Nov 1943..

27 Dec 1938           AM Sir Philip Joubert de la Ferte

5 Aug 1940             AM Sir Patrick Playfair

6 Mar 1942             ACM Sir Richard Pierse

Listings of units controlled by Air Forces in India: -

[January 1939 | July 1942 |

RAF China

Formed xx Apr 1927 . OC RAF Units in Hong Kong was also Fleet Aviation Officer to C in C, China.

27 Jan 1927             Gp Capt E D M Robertson

Formed 11 Apr 1927?. OC RAF Units attached to Shanghai Defence Force was also Air Staff Officer to GOC Shanghai.

11 Apr 1927             Wg Cdr A S Barratt

Far East Command

Formed 1 Jan 1930. OC, Far East Command was also OC RAF Base Singapore. Renamed RAF Far East 1 Dec 1932?.

1 Jan 1930             Gp Capt H M Cave-Browne-Cave

17 Oct 1930          Gp Capt A H Jackson

7 Oct 1933             Gp Capt - A/Cdre S W Smith

[July 1930 |  

Formed 1 Dec 1933 by renaming Far East Command.

1 Dec 1933             Gp Capt - A/Cdre S W Smith

9 Oct 1936             AVM A W Tedder

[January 1939 |  

AHQ Far East formed 9 Jan 1941 by renaming RAF Far East. Disbanded 14 Feb 1942.

12 Aug 1938            AVM J T Babington

6 Mar 1941              AVM C W H Pulford

11 Feb 1942            AVM P C Maltby

American British Dutch Australian Command

Formed 14 Feb 1942 as an Allied Command. RAF units where mainly located in WESGROUP (ex No 221 Group), disbanded 25 Feb 1942 and NORGROUP (ex No's 224 & 225 Groups), disbanded xx Apr 1942.

14 Feb 1942             AM Sir Richard Pierse

Formed 20 Apr1942. Renamed Tactical Air Force (Burma), 19 Dec 1943.

20 Apr 1942             AVM D F Stevenson

1 Jan 1943                AVM T M Williams

15 Dec 1943             ?

AHQ India

Formed 8 Mar 1944 as subordinate formation within ACSEA. Disbanded, xx xxx xxxx.  Reformed 1 Apr 1946, taking over the role of BAFSEA,  Disbanded 15 Aug 1947.

8 Mar 1944               AVM M Thomas (AOC)

22 Nov 1946             AM Sir Hugh Walmsley (AOC-in-C)

[June1944 |

Formed 16 Nov 1943 as South East Asia Air Command to control all Allied air operations in the South East Asia region. Renamed ACSEA, 30 Dec 1943. Renamed Air Command Far East, 30 Sep 1946.

16 Nov 1943            ACM Sir Richard Peirse

27 Nov 1944            AM Sir Guy Garrod (Temporary)

25 May 1945            ACM Sir Keith Park

30 Nov 1945            ACM Sir Keith Park

30 Apr 1946             AM Sir George Pirie

[June1944 |

Formed 15 Dec 1943, absorbing AHQ Bengal to control 3rd TAF and parts of the 10th Strategic Air Force, USAAF. Subordinate to HQ ACSEA. RAF Units reverted to command of AHQ Burma, 1 Jun 1945.

15 Dec 1943             Gen ? Stratmeyer (USAAF)

[June1944 |

Formed 16 Dec 1943, Subordinate to Eastern Air Command. Disbanded, 1 Jun 1945.

16 Dec1943             Maj Gen H C Davidson USAAF

20 Jun 1944             A/Cdre F J W Mellersh

Tactical Air Force (Burma) formed 19 Dec 1943.  Renamed  3rd TAF, 28 Dec 1943.  Subordinate to Eastern Air Command. Reduced to HQ RAF Bengal/Burma, 4 Dec 1944.

19 Dec 1943             AM Sir John Baldwin

25 Aug 1944             AM Sir Alec Coryton

[June1944 |

Formed1 Oct 1944 . Subordinate to HQ ACSEA. Disbanded by being amalgamated with AHQ India, 1 Apr 1946

6 Nov 1944             AM Sir Leslie Hollinghurst

1945 - 46                AM Sir Roderic Carr

Formed 4 Dec 1944 by renaming 3rd Tactical Air Force.  Renamed HQ RAF Burma, 27 Feb 1945 1945.

4 Dec 1944             AM Sir Alec Coryton

Formed 27 Feb 1945 by renaming RAF Bengal and Burma. Renamed AHQ Burma, 1 Jun 1945. Disbanded, 31 Dec 1947.

27 Feb 1945             AM Sir Alec Coryton

Formed 1 Oct 1945 . Disbanded, 31 Mar 1948.

1 Oct 1945             AVM C A Bouchier

AHQ Burma

Formed 1 Jun 1945 by renaming RAF Burma. Disbanded, 31 Dec 1947.

 1 Jun 1945             AM Sir Alec Coryton

Formed 27 Jun 1941 as HQ RAF Ceylon. Reduced to Group status as No 222 Group, 1 Sep 1941.  No 222 Group raised to command status as AHQ Ceylon, 16 Oct 1945. Disbanded, 1 Nov 1957.

 1 Jan 1946             A/Cdre C E Chilton

xx xxx xxxx:            A/Cdre G C Bladon

27 Aug 1949          A/Cdre F L Pearce

 5 Feb 1951?          A/Cdre J B M Wallis

23 May 1952          A/Cdre J Cox

31 May 1955          A/Cdre H W Mermagen

Formed 1 Oct 1945 by raising No 224 Group to Command status.   Reduced to No 224 Group, 31 Aug 1957.

1 Oct 1945                  AVM J D Breakey

8 Nov 1947                 AVM J W Jones

28 May 1948               AVM A C Sanderson

22 Jan 1951                 AVM R S Blucke

14 Feb 1952                AVM G H Mills

 1 Jan 1953                  AVM  ? (RAAF)

14 Jan 1956                 AVM W H Kyle

11 Jun 1957                 AVM  ? (RAAF)

Formed 15 Sep 1945. Renamed AHQ Hong Kong, 15 May 1946.  Disbanded into British Forces, Hong Kong - 24 Mar 1967

AOC's

15 Sep 1945                A/Cdre W A D Brook

30 Jun 1946                 A/Cdre S N Webster

28 Oct 1948                A/Cdre A D Davies

12 Apr 1951                A/Cdre D W F Bonhan-Carter

xx xxx 1953?                A/Cdre R C Field

22 Jun 1955                 A/Cdre A D Messenger

13 Nov 1957               A/Cdre P D Holder

13 Feb 1960                A/Cdre P L Donkin

27 May 1962               A/Cdre J H N Whitworth

 3 Apr 1964                 A/Cdre D Crowley-Milling

15 Dec 1965                A/Cdre H A C Bird-Wilson

18 Dec 1972                A/Cdre M P Stanton

17 Mar 1975                A/Cdre B G Frow

 Commanders

28 Mar 1977                G/C A D A Honley

30 Jan 1979                 G/C T A Burnett

Formed 1 Oct 1945 by renaming No 909 Group. Subordinate to AHQ Burma. Disbanded, xx Apr 1946.

HQ French Indo-China

Formed 1 Oct 1945. Disbanded, 15 Feb 1946.

Formed 1 Oct 1945. Disbanded, 30 Nov 1946.

1 Oct 1945             A/Cdre C A Stevens

Formed 30 Sep 1946 with disbandment of Allied ACSEA. Renamed Far East Air Force, 1 Jun 1949.

30 Sep 1946             AM Sir George Pirie

Far East Air Force

Formed 1 Jun 1949  by renaming  Air Command Far East.  Disbanded 31 Oct 1971.

Commanders in Chief

 1 Jun 1949                  

26 Nov 1949               AM Sir Francis Fogarty

11 Jun 1952                 AM Sir Clifford Sanderson

12 Nov 1954               AM Sir Francis Fressanges

13 Jul 1957                  AM - ACM The Earl of Bandon

30 Jun 1960                 AM Sir Anthony Selway

31 May 1962               AM Sir Hector McGregor

Commanders

10 Jan 1964                 AM Sir Peter Wykeham

 8 Aug 1966                 AM Sir Rochford Hughes

11 Feb 1969                AM Sir Neil Wheeler

 1 Oct 1970                 AVM N M Maynard

Far East Command

Formed xx Nov 1962/1 Jun 1963? as a unified command with the C in C's post alternating between the three services.  Disbanded 13 Oct 1971.

Commanders in Chief

xx xxx 1963                 Adm Sir Varyl Begg

28 May 1965               ACM Sir John Grandy

 1 Feb 1967                 Gen Sir Michael Carver

xx xxx xxxx:                 Adm Sir Peter Hill-Norton

29 May 1970               ACM Sir Brian Burnett  

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