RAF Home Command

RAF Home Command was the Royal Air Force command that was responsible for the maintenance and training of reserve organisations^[2] from formation on 1 February 1939 as RAF Reserve Command with interruptions until it ceased to exist on 1 April 1959.

Home Command
RAF Home Command badge
Active	1 February 1939–27 May 1940 1 May 1946–1 April 1959
Country	United Kingdom
Branch	Royal Air Force
Garrison/HQ	Wantage Hall, University of Reading
Motto(s)	Support[1]

History

The Command was formed as RAF Reserve Command on 1 February 1939.^[3] It was absorbed into RAF Flying Training Command on 27 May 1940 but reformed again on 1 May 1946.^[3] It was then renamed RAF Home Command on 1 August 1950 and absorbed into RAF Flying Training Command again on 1 April 1959.^[3]

The command's communications squadron, the Home Command Communication Squadron, was formed on 1 August 1950 at RAF White Waltham and disestablished on 1 April 1959, still at White Waltham, becoming the Flying Training Command Communication Squadron RAF.^[3]

The command operated a number of units:^[4]

• Home Command Examining Unit (1950–51 & 1951–59)
• No. 1 Home Command Gliding Centre (1955–59)
• No. 2 Home Command Gliding Centre (1958–59)
• Home Command Gliding Instructors School (1950–55)
• Home Command Instrument Training Flight (1950–52)
• Home Command Major Servicing Unit (1950–54)
• Home Command Modified Officer Cadet Training Unit (1953–56)
• Home Command Training Flight (1950)

Groups of Home Command

RAF group	dates active	notes
No. 61 Group RAF	1940 1946–1959	No. 61 Group was first formed on 1 July 1940 in Northern Ireland, and was raised to command status and renamed RAF in Northern Ireland on 1 August 1940. Reformed as No. 61 (Eastern Reserve) Group on 2 May 1946 within Reserve Command, it was renamed No. 61 (Eastern) Group on 1 August 1950 and transferred to Home Command. It was renamed No. 61 (Southern Reserve) Group on 1 January 1957, and disbanded 31 May 1959.[5]
No. 62 Group RAF	1946–1957	No. 62 (Southern Reserve) Group was formed on 15 May 1946 within Reserve Command, and renamed No. 62 (Southern) Group on 1 August 1950 when transferred to Home Command. It was absorbed into 61 Group on 1 January 1957.[5]
No. 63 Group RAF	1946–1957	No. 63 (Western & Welsh Reserve) Group was formed on 2 May 1946 within Reserve Command, and renamed No. 63 (Western & Welsh) Group on 1 August 1950 when transferred to Home Command. It disbanded on 1 February 1957.[5]
No. 64 Group RAF	1946–1958/59	No. 64 (Northern Reserve) Group was formed on 2 May 1946 within Reserve Command, and was renamed No. 64 (Northern) Group on 1 August 1950 when transferred to Home Command. It disbanded in 1958 or 1959.[5]
No. 65 Group RAF	1946–1950/51	No. 65 (London Reserve) Group was formed on 2 May 1946 within Reserve Command, and renamed No. 65 (London) Group on 1 August 1950 when transferred to Home Command. It disbanded in 1950 or 1951.[5]
No. 66 Group RAF	1946–1956/57	No. 66 (Scottish Reserve) Group was formed on 2 May 1946 within Reserve Command and renamed No. 66 (Scottish) Group on 1 August 1950 when transferred to Home Command. It disbanded in 1956 or 1957.[5]
No. 67 Group RAF	1950–1957	No. 67 (Northern Ireland Reserve) Group was formed on 31 March 1950 from RAF in Northern Ireland. It was renamed No. 67 (Northern Ireland) Group on 1 August 1950 when transferred to Home Command. It disbanded on 28 February 1957.[5]

Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief

Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief included:^[3]
RAF Reserve Command

• 1 February 1939 Air Marshal Sir Christopher Courtney
• 28 August 1939 Air Chief Marshal Sir John Steel
• 22 April 1940 Air Vice Marshal Sir William Welsh

Note: The Command was not in existence from May 1940 to May 1946

• 1 May 1946 Air Commodore E D H Davies (Temporary)
• 20 May 1946 Air Marshal Sir Alan Lees
• 1 October 1949 Air Marshal Sir Robert Foster

RAF Home Command

• 1 August 1950 Air Marshal Sir Robert Foster
• 31 Mar 1952 Air Marshal Sir Ronald Ivelaw-Chapman
• 1 October 1952 Air Marshal Sir Harold Lydford
• March 1956 Air Marshal Sir Douglas Macfadyen

See also

• List of Royal Air Force commands