CHAPTER THREE

Operational Groups

The RAF’s command structure is organised into Commands, Groups, Wings and Squadrons. Within Bomber Command the Wing structure was rarely used, the main exception being within No. 1 Group’s Battle squadrons. The main functional command organisation was the Group, each of which was responsible for a number of airfields and squadrons or other units. With the formation of Bomber Command in May 1936 a new series of Groups was created, the first three being Nos. 1, 2 and 3 Groups; as the Command continued to expand so new Groups were formed. During this period of rapid expansion various rationalisation schemes were put in place and eventually the decision was taken to concentrate a particular aircraft type within a single Group. This led to No. 1 Group (Battles), No. 2 Group (Blenheims), No. 3 Group (Wellingtons), No. 4 Group (Whitleys) and No. 5 Group (Hampdens), with No. 6 Group having a training role. It was rarely quite as clear cut as this, as a glance at the Orders of Battle will show.

As the war progressed this basic principle was maintained, although as a particular aircraft type came to dominate, the Wellington in the early years and the Lancaster in the later years, it was usual for more than one Group to operate the same type; indeed by the latter months of the war Bomber Command comprised almost solely Lancaster-equipped Groups. The politics between Groups and between the Groups and Bomber Command is touched on in the chapter on Bomber Command development.

With the decline of operational strength in 1945 the number of Groups was reduced and by the end of that year four Groups (5, 6, 8, and 100) had disbanded. It was a difficult period for the surviving Groups as they came to terms with peacetime routines – and lack of new aircraft. The disbandment of No. 4 Group in February 1945 left the Command with just two operational Groups and over the next 20 years these remained the RAF’s main strategic force, at first with increasingly antiquated types but gradually re-equipping with jets (Canberras and V-bombers), plus a ‘flirtation’ with ballistic missiles, that put them at the forefront of the Cold War.

The end came in the late 1960s with the disbandment of No. 3 Group in 1967 and the decision to amalgamate Bomber Command and Strike Command.

No. 1 GROUP

Badge: A Panther’s head erased sable.

Motto: Swift to Attack.

The Group badge was authorised in June 1941 and the selection of a Black Panther head reflected the fact that the Group used the callsign Panther in the early part of the Second World War.

No. 1 Group formed at Abingdon on 1 May 1936 with an initial establishment of three stations - Abingdon (four squadrons), Bircham Newton (four squadrons) and Upper Heyford (two squadrons). All the squadrons were equipped with Hawker Hinds. By the end of 1938 strength had grown to seventeen squadrons equipped with either the Bristol Blenheim or Fairey Battle.

The ten Battle squadrons of the Advanced Air Striking Force (AASF) deployed to airfields in France on 2 September 1939 to support the British Expeditionary Force (BEF). The Battles were organised in five Wings and the AASF had its HQ at Rheims under the command of AVM Sir P. Playfair. Initial operations consisted of leaflet dropping and daylight reconnaissance as part of the ‘Phoney War’ of late 1939 and early 1940. When the Germans launched their offensive in May 1940 the Battles were committed to attacks on lines of communication, especially bridges. In the absence of fighter escort and facing heavy opposition in the air and on the ground they were literally shot out of the sky.

What was left of the squadrons was withdrawn to the UK in June 1940 and No. 1 Group was re-established with a Headquarters at Hucknall and a clutch of airfields in Lincolnshire and the Midlands. The obsolete light bombers gave way to Vickers Wellingtons and the Group was soon taking part in operations against targets in Germany and Occupied Europe as part of Main Force, Bomber Command. Four Polish bomber squadrons joined the Group (two in September 1940 and two in March 1941) to bring it up to eight operational squadrons, two each at Binbrook, Newton, Swinderby and Syerston. However, the Polish squadrons operated at reduced strength for some time and were amongst the last to convert from Wellingtons.

As part of a general reorganisation of Bomber Command the Group moved to a new HQ at Bawtry Hall on 20 July 1941. By the end of the year changes in the allocation of airfields meant that the Group was using Binbrook, Elsham Wolds, Snaith, Holme, Hemswell and Lindholme. The first Australian unit became operational in mid-1942, 460 Squadron taking up residence at Breighton.

No. 1 Group remained a Wellington-equipped Group into 1942 when a number of squadrons acquired Halifaxes, the first such unit being 103 Squadron in August. This however was short-lived with the decision to re-equip with Lancasters, the first of which had entered service with the Group by the end of the year.

The scale of operations, or at least the weight of bombs, continued to increase and whereas in early 1943 it was considered noteworthy that, The Group reached the record of 1,000 tons of bombs in one month.’ In August it was noted that of the 5,000 tons of bombs that month 460 Squadron ‘made 271 sorties and dropped 1,110 tons.’

Wellington of 12 Squadron at Binbrook.

Lancaster crews of 576 Squadron, Fiskerton, May 1945.

Summer 1943 had brought other changes with Holme and Breighton being handed to No. 4 Group whilst 101 Squadron moved to Ludford Magna. Summer 1943 was an intensive period of operations with the Battle of the Ruhr giving way to the Battle of Hamburg.

Autumn 1943 brought another reorganisation of airfields with the establishment of the Base system, No. 12 Base (Binbrook) being the first within this Group, with its satellite stations at Grimsby and Kelstern. Although Lancasters had formed the backbone of the Group for some while, it was not until March 1944 that 300 Squadron flew its last Wellington operation. The same month saw the heavy losses of the Nuremburg attack on the night of 30/31 March, No. 1 Group alone losing twenty-one aircraft.

In May and June 1944 the Group was part of the heavy effort made against the German V-weapon sites. These Crossbow missions and attacks on targets in connection with the build-up to D-Day, and subsequent support of the ground offensive, occupied much of the Command’s effort during the summer of 1944. On 3 May the military centre at Mailly-le-Camp was attacked and in bright moonlight the bombers were attacked by German fighters, the Group losing twenty-eight aircraft, a disastrous night. However, the following month brought another record bomb tonnage with 15,062 tons dropped – and the lowest loss rate (1.9 per cent) for almost two years.

June was also noteworthy for thirty-six operations being flown in twenty-two days, including daylight missions with fighter escort as part of the D-Day support. It had been a hectic and costly year and in the three months ending 15 December the Group’s aircrew had been awarded 200 DFCs, sixty-two DFMs, five DSOs, thirteen bars to DFCs, and one CGM. A number of aircraft also achieved milestones. In January Lancaster M2 of 103 Squadron was taken off operations having achieved the remarkable total of 140 missions, including ninety-eight to Germany, fifteen of which were to Berlin. The pace of operations continued into 1945 but with an increased number of daylight missions as the German defences crumbled. By the end of the war the total weight of bombs and mines dropped by No. 1 Group was 238,356 tons – and 8,577 aircrew had lost their lives.

Lincoln of 44 Squadron at Wyton.

Post 1945

In the post-war period the Group remained part of Bomber Command and re-equipped with Lincolns, with which it saw operational service in Malaya 1950-1954. Jet bombers entered service in 1951 in the shape of the English Electric Canberra, the first to re-equip being 101 Squadron as part of the Binbrook Wing. Other Wings followed as No. 1 Group became the primary offensive force for the Command. As the Order of Battle for April 1953 shows, the Group’s Canberra strength was increasing, with two main Wings complete, Binbrook and Hemswell but with Lincolns and Washingtons still in service with other Wings – as were the Lancaster and the Mosquito. This situation changed over the next few years as the Canberra replaced most of the other types. The Group maintained its pre-eminent position throughout the rest of Bomber Command’s period of existence, at the forefront of the nuclear capability with Vulcans and, for a short period of time, Thor missiles.

AVM P. H. Dunn takes the salute at an AOC’s parade.

In November 1967 it had become the Command’s sole Group, which spelled the death-knell for Bomber Command as it made no sense having a Command with only one Group. The inevitable happened when on 1 May 1968 Bomber Command was amalgamated with Fighter Command to form RAF Strike Command – taking No. 1 Group with it. The Group continued to operate as the main offensive force for its new Command, but that part of the story falls outside the scope of this book.

Air Officers Commanding No. 1 Group

Command from:

3 Sep 1939	AVM A. C. Wright
27 Jun 1940	A/C J. J. Breen
27 Nov 1940	AVM R. D. Oxland
24 Feb 1943	AVM E. A. B. Rice
5 Feb 1945	AVM R. S. Blucke
15 Jan 1947	AVM C. E. N. Guest CB CBE
24 Jan 1949	AVM G. H. Mills CB DFC
8 Aug 1950	AVM E. C. Huddlestone CB CBE

5 Apr 1951	AVM D. A. Boyle CB CBE AFC
27 Apr 1953	AVM J. R. Whitley CB CBE DSO AFC
3 Oct 1956	AVM G. A. Walker CBE DSO DFC AFC
14 Jun 1959	AVM J. G. Davis CB OBE
1 Dec 1961	AVM P. H. Dunn CB CBE
1 May 1964	AVM D. C. Stapleton CB CBE DFC AFC
1 Jun 1966	AVM M. H. Le Bas CBE DSO

No. 2 GROUP

Badge: Perched on a helmet an eagle wings elevated Sable.

Motto: Vincimus – We Will Conquer.

The helmet represents the army with which the Group, represented by the eagle, was closely connected. The badge was issued in May 1952.

No. 2 Group was formed on 20 March 1936 with a Headquarters at Abingdon but with a diverse collection of airfields, two of the earliest being Abbotsinch and Turnhouse, both in Scotland. The Group’s squadrons were equipped with Hawker Hinds in the light day-bomber role. On 26 January 1937 the HQ moved to Andover, by which time Air Commodore S. J. Goble had become its Air Officer Commanding (AOC). In these early months of Bomber Command’s existence there was much exchanging of airfields and squadrons (see the tables in the various Group entries) as well as a major re-equipment programme. The Hinds were being replaced by Fairey Battles, the first of which went to 63 Squadron at Upwood in May 1937. At the time this seemed an advanced aircraft, as indeed it was against some other service types, but within three years the crucible of war changed this view. Other Group units were receiving Bristol Blenheims (114 Squadron at Wyton being the first operator, March 1937) and one unit, 207 Squadron, was given the Vickers Wellesley although this was short-lived.

As war approached the Group was primarily equipped with Blenheims and as part of the mobilisation plan a number of squadrons were allocated to the 2^nd Echelon of the Advanced Air Striking Force (AASF) to deploy to France ‘when required’. This element comprised No. 79 Wing (Watton – 21 and 82 Squadrons), No. 81 Wing (West Raynham – 90 and 101 Squadrons), No. 82 Wing (Wyton – 114 and 139 Squadrons), No. 83 Wing (Wattisham – 107 and 110 Squadrons) and No. 70 Wing (Upper Heyford – 18 and 57 Squadrons).

On the first day of the war a lone Blenheim of 139 Squadron undertook a photographic reconnaissance of the German Fleet in the Schillig Roads – No. 2 Group’s war had begun. The following day a Blenheim force was tasked to attack the same ships from low-level; of the ten Blenheims that made attacks five failed to return to base, including four out of five from 107 Squadron. News was subsequently received that two crew-members had survived and were prisoners – the RAF’s first PoWs of the war.

Attempts were made to improve the armour plating of the Blenheim, along with its defensive armament, as it was realised just how vulnerable the aircraft were when attacking heavily-defended targets at low level; however, with the Blenheims specialising in low-level attacks the loss rate remained high. With the German attack in the West the Blenheims were thrown into the battle against the rapidly advancing enemy ground forces. Whilst the Battle squadrons of the AASF (from No. 1 Group) are usually remembered for the part they played in the attacks on the advancing German forces the Blenheims of No. 2 Group were also involved. Attacks on columns of troops, bridges and airfields became the routine and losses began to mount – on 12 May ten Blenheims from two squadrons were lost when attacking enemy columns. Operations intensified in support of the Allied evacuation from Dunkirk and the mistaken belief that the RAF played little part in this battle is one of the errors of history.

With France fallen and Britain next in line much of the bomber effort was expended in attacking concentrations of invasion barges and other related targets, the Blenheims daring low-level attacks proving particularly effective. In July, for example, the Blenheims were active on all but one day and flew 304 daylight sorties for the loss of eight aircraft. It is worth noting that the squadrons also participated in the night bombing offensive, the Bomber Command strategy at the time being to attack a wide range of targets each night. Photographic Reconnaissance (PR) sorties flown by Blenheims were equally hazardous but in the absence of other aircraft types this type of tasking remained important into late 1941 when specialist types such as PR Spitfires became available.

During 1941 there was an increasing emphasis on offensive operations. When fighter sweeps over Northern France failed to bring the Luftwaffe to battle it was decided to use the light and medium bombers to attack targets and force the German fighters to engage – at which point the fighter escort would intervene. The theory behind these Circus operations was good but in practice the Luftwaffe tended to ignore the attacks. Nevertheless, this type of operation increased in importance and by 1942 was occupying a good percentage of the Group’s sorties. However, anti-shipping work plus attacks on key installations in Occupied Europe by small formations of Blenheims remained the core activities of the Group and between March and October 1941 2,320 such sorties were flown – for the loss of 126 aircraft. All of these were day low-level missions and most were tasked against known targets rather than being free-ranging sweeps. Fighter escort was sometimes available but often the Blenheims went alone. It is estimated that 51 per cent of losses were to anti-aircraft fire from the ships and 18 per cent to enemy aircraft. Of the 456 ships attacked in this period, seventy-two were estimated as having been sunk and a further sixty-five seriously damaged.

Overall much of the work undertaken by the Group’s aircraft was ‘routine’ but occasionally there was a more dramatic mission. One such was the attack on Bremen on 4 July 1941 when Wing Commander Hughie Edwards won a VC.

With the arrival of 90 Squadron’s B-17 Fortresses the Group possessed a single ‘heavy’ squadron, although this was very much in the way of a trial of the American bomber. Sadly the performance proved disappointing and the RAF never adopted the aircraft as a Main Force bomber, although this decision was also in part due to American reluctance to supply such aircraft. The Group was also detaching squadrons to operate from Malta against shipping in the Mediterranean, as well as detachments to Scotland and Northern Ireland, also on anti-shipping work.

A new type of mission was introduced at the end of the year when six aircraft were tasked on 27/28 December for a night attack on the fighter airfield at Soesterberg in Holland. Intruder raids such as this in support of the night bombers were to become a standard Bomber Command tactic and became an increasing focus for No. 2 Group.

New aircraft

New aircraft types were introduced in 1942, the Blenheims having reached the end of their operational suitability; indeed there had been calls for some months for the Blenheims to be withdrawn as loss rates had remained prohibitive. The last Blenheim op in Bomber Command was flown on 17/18 August by aircraft of 18 Squadron, by which time a number of new aircraft, primarily American types, had joined the Group.

The first few weeks of the year saw little activity but on 12 February this lull was broken by the frenzy of the ‘Channel Dash’ when the RAF attempted to intercept three German capital ships, Gneisenau, Scharnhorst, and Prinz Eugen as they tried to move from Brest to safer points in Germany. Of significance to No. 2 Group was the first outing by ten of 88 Squadron’s Douglas Bostons.

Mosquito IVs had replaced Blenheims with 105 Squadron in November 1941, this unit becoming the first Bomber Command squadron to operate this superlative aircraft. In what was in many ways a confirmation that the type of operation undertaken by the Group was not really part of the main activities of Bomber Command the May/June 1942 thousand-bomber raids saw the aircraft of No. 2 Group flying intruding and harassing raids in support of the main attacks.

The year continued to be busy both with operations and expansion/re-equipment. Two more aircraft types joined the Group; Lockeed Venturas entered service with 487 Squadron at Feltwell (August 1942) and North American B-25 Mitchells with 98 Squadron at West Raynham (September 1942). The first Ventura operation was 3 September 1942 with aircraft of 21 Squadron attacking Hengelo.

Blenheims of 82 Squadron at Watton, May 1940.

Special operations became a regular feature of the Group’s monthly diary. These included small-scale ops such as that by four Mosquitoes of 105 Squadron against the Gestapo HQ in Oslo, to major raids such as the 6 December attack on the Philips works at Eindhoven. This latter was one of the classic missions of the Second World War in the courageous way in which the aircrew attacked this important and heavily-defended location – losing sixteen aircraft in the process but causing heavy damage. Overall loss rates in the Group had decreased by 1943 and at 2–3 per cent was now lower than that of the Main Force but there were exceptions. However, one of the last operations by the Group within Bomber Command ended in disaster and a VC for one of the pilots. On 3 May eleven Venturas of 487 Squadron attacked a power station near Amsterdam. They were bounced by fighters and nine were shot down, one limped home to England and one, piloted by Squadron Leader Trent carried on to the target but was shot down. The Squadron diary recorded, ‘A very black day in the Squadron history … a better set of boys could not be met in 30 years, everybody is feeling dazed by the news.’

With the nature of the Group’s operations now including an increasing emphasis on support of ground forces, and with the Allies looking towards the invasion of Europe in 1944 the decision was taken to transfer the Group from Bomber Command to the new Tactical Air Force. The final sortie within Bomber Command was flown on 31 May when fifty-four aircraft attacked five different targets.

This change became effective at the end of May 1943, when the HQ moved to Dereham, and Bomber Command lost its light bomber force – albeit a new light bomber force was reborn the following year. The Group went on to have a distinguished wartime career as 2nd Tactical Air Force, and indeed into the post-war period but that part of its story is outside of the scope of this book.

Air Officers Commanding No. 2 Group

Command from:

1 Sep 1936	A/Cdr S. J. Goble (RAAF)
15 May 1938	AVM C. T. Maclean
17 Apr 1940	AVM J. M. Robb
12 Feb 1941	AVM D. F. Stevenson
17 Dec 1941	AVM A. Lees
29 Dec 1942	AVM J. H. D’Albiac to May 1943 (No. 2 Group transferred to Tactical Air Force)

No. 3 GROUP

Badge: Three Astral Crowns pierced by three swords.

Motto: Niet Zonder Arbyt (Dutch) – Nothing without Labour.

The badge comprises three ‘astral crowns’ and three swords. The crowns symbolise the first three Royal Abbesses of Ely, the three daughters of King Anna of Exning who gave his life fighting the pagan hordes. As the Group was located near Exning, with airfields around Ely, this seemed appropriate. The three swords denote the warlike activity of the Group. The motto is Old Dutch and was taken from the house of Cornelius Vermuyden, a Dutch engineer who reclaimed 40,000 acres of the fens around Ely. The Dutch motto was adopted to commemorate the fact that most of the Group’s operations took its aircraft over Holland on their way to Germany, and also in gratitude for the help given to British aircrew who landed in that country.

No. 3 Group was formed at Andover on 1 May 1936, by the renaming of the old Western Area, although the following January it moved to Mildenhall to be nearer its clutch of operational airfields in East Anglia. In common with the other Groups of Bomber Command it was equipped with obsolete aircraft such as the Heyford, Overstrand and Virginia, all lumbering biplanes. In October 1938 the first Vickers Wellington entered service with 99 Squadron and by the outbreak of war the Group’s re-equipment with the type was virtually complete. With ten squadrons at five airfields – Feltwell, Harwell, Honington, Marham and Mildenhall – the Group had a paper establishment of around 140 aircraft, although the Bomber Command return of ‘aircraft available with crews’ showed a daily average of seventy-seven aircraft with crews, this being average over the month.

With the decision to concentrate aircraft types within a single Group, No. 3 became the Wellington Group and as such became responsible for developing the tactical employment of the aircraft. The Wellington concept of operations was for daylight formation attacks, in the belief that the mutual firepower of the aircraft’s turrets would be more than a match for enemy fighters. With a political constraint that attacks could only be made on targets at sea, the Wellingtons went in search of German shipping and although few attacks were made in 1939 the bombers suffered heavy losses. However, a series of daylight attacks on shipping in December revealed that the tactical doctrine was unworkable; in the 18 December attack German fighters claimed twelve out of the twenty-two Wellingtons. This led to a radical rethink of tactics and in 1940 the bombers were switched to night operations, the Wellingtons joining the Whitleys of No. 4 Group in dropping leaflets. However, from May 1940 the main task became attacks on German industry as Churchill had agreed to the bombing of land targets.

In the early months of the night war against targets in Germany and Occupied Europe, one of the major threats to the bombers came from the weather as German night defences had yet to develop. Stories of aircraft icing up and falling thousands of feet, or crews listening to ice thrown off the propellers and thumping against the sides of the aircraft, put into some perspective what it was like to fly these aircraft in the winter of 1940–41. For the rear gunner in his cold and isolated position at the back of the aircraft it must have been a strange world.

As part of Bomber Command’s expansion plan the first of the four-engined bombers, the Short Stirling, entered service with No. 3 Group, with 7 Squadron receiving aircraft from August 1940. The Squadron re-formed at Leeming but moved to Oakington to join its operational Group and it was from there that the first operation was flown on 10/11 February 1941, when the target was oil storage tanks at Rotterdam. However, re-equipment with the type was slow and there were great difficulties not only in the production of the aircraft, but also in its operational performance. At one stage in mid-1941 only eight Stirlings were considered ‘operationally fit’, and continued problems with the Hercules II powered aircraft, with a service ceiling of only 10,000 feet, led to them being taken off operations. Whilst this problem lessened with the introduction of the Hercules X, the Stirling remained a cause for concern. In December 1942 the Group AOC wrote that he was, ‘Lucky if the Group was able to raise thirty aircraft for an operation on a single night – even after a week of inactivity. The aircraft had made no worthwhile contribution to the bomber effort for some time’.

Wellington of 101 Squadron at Bourn, 1942.

Throughout 1941 the Group had developed its tactics in the face of increased opposition, having flown thousands of sorties to targets throughout Europe, including Berlin, and lost hundreds of aircraft and crews. The Wellington was, without doubt, the mainstay of Bomber Command’s offensive effort at this time, having re-equipped other Groups. Generally it performed very well – the nature of its construction meant that it was a very robust aircraft and there were numerous instances of aircraft returning with substantial parts of the airframe shot away or with the fabric covering burnt away. In July 1941, the Group’s first VC was awarded to Sergeant Ward, a New Zealander with 75 Squadron. By the end of the war a further two VCs had been won by Group personnel, along with an impressive total of other gallantry awards.

The milestone attack mounted on Cologne on the night of 30/31 May 1942, saw No. 3 Group contribute 134 Wellingtons and 88 Stirlings to the great thousand bomber raid. This total of 222 aircraft was the highest for an operational Group but was exceeded by the 257 sent by No. 91 (OTU) Group.

Tactical developments to improve the accuracy of attacks and to reduce loss rates were introduced on a regular basis, often from suggestions made at Group level. Following trials in early 1942, a target marking concept was introduced whereby selected aircraft of No. 3 Group, equipped with the navigation aid Gee, would be first over the target area and would drop flares to mark the target for the main force of bombers. This Flare Force was the forerunner of the later Pathfinder Force and the Shaker technique was first used against Essen on the night of 8/9 March. However, results were poor as the industrial haze over the Ruhr meant that despite the illumination from flares, the aiming point – the Krupps Works – could not be picked out.

Stirling N6103 of 149 Squadron.

When the specialist Pathfinder Force (PFF) was formed in August 1942 it was initially under the administrative control of No. 3 Group, although its squadrons had been provided by all the operational Groups in Bomber Command. It became an independent Group the following January.

The other major development for Bomber Command in 1942 was the introduction of the Avro Lancaster, though it was not until the following year that Lancasters joined No. 3 Group. With the Stirlings remaining operational despite growing concern over their loss rates, there was debate over the introduction of the Halifax, although the first two such units were both part of the Special Duties element within the Group. However, it was decided that No. 3 Group would become the focus for all Stirling operations and so the Halifaxes went to No. 4 Group instead. The February 1943 Group Order of Battle comprised seven Stirling squadrons and two Halifax squadrons, along with a single Wellington unit.

Main Force attacks during 1943 ranged far and wide over Germany, culminating at the end of the year in the ‘Battle of Berlin’, the first phase of which commenced on 18 November. This campaign, which comprised four phases, ran to March 1944 and by the time it ended, the Command had flown over 9,000 sorties for the loss of 501 aircraft. The Stirlings of No. 3 Group operated on only one night in November – and lost five of the fifty aircraft. With the exception of special duties operations the Stirling was effectively withdrawn from Bomber Command’s Main Force. Until enough Lancasters became available to re-equip the Group it was essentially ‘relegated’ to second-line tasks, although the three existing Lancaster units continued to participate in Main Force attacks. By spring 1944 most squadrons had converted to Lancasters and the Group was back as a fully active part of Bomber Command, just in time to take part in operations connected with D-Day and the anti V-weapon campaign.

Over the winter of 1944/45 all the Command’s Groups were involved in a concerted offensive against industrial cities, especially in the Ruhr, including daylight operations. In March 1945 the Group despatched a record 2,791 sorties. During Operation Manna, the dropping of food supplies to the Dutch population, the Group flew ninety-four sorties on 29 April – with some trepidation on the part of the aircrew as to whether the German truce would be adhered to.

AVM Smallwood, AOC No. 3 Group from 28 November 1965.

Post 1945

In the immediate post-war period the Avro Lincoln replaced the Lancaster and in 1950 the Group was chosen to operate the B-29 Washington, with 115 Squadron at Marham being the first unit to re-equip. By April 1953 two Washington Wings were operational, Coningsby and Marham. The Group was also responsible for strategic reconnaissance, with Wyton becoming the centre of this activity. Offensive power was increased with the arrival Valiants and Victors, along with Thor missiles from 1958 to 1963. The Group was eventually disbanded on 31 October 1967, when it was amalgamated with No. 1 Group.

207 Squadron pose with Valiant and trophy, June 1960.

Air Officers Commanding No. 3 Group

Command from:

29 Aug 1939	AVM J. E. A. Baldwin
14 Sep 1942	AVM R. A. Cochrane
27 Feb 1943	AVM R. Harrison
9 Jul 1946	AVM R. M. Foster
14 Dec 1948	AVM A. Hesketh
15 Sep 1951	AVM W. A. D. Brook
1 Sep 1953	AVM E. C. Hudlestone
2 Feb 1956	AVM K. B. B. Cross
4 May 1959	AVM M. H. Dwyer
9 Oct 1961	AVM B. K. Burnett
5 Aug 1964	AVM D. F. Spotswood
28 Nov 1965	AVM D. G. Smallwood
15 Feb 1967	Air Cdre J. T. Lawrence

No. 4 GROUP

Formed: 1 April 1937.

Disbanded: 7 May 1945 to Transport Command.

Badge: No official badge awarded: the badge shown here is not official.

No. 4 Group was formed on 1 April 1937, with its HQ at Mildenhall, as part of the new Bomber Command organisation. It was designated for night bombing and its equipment types included Wellesleys and Hendons.

At the outbreak of war the Group comprised eight squadrons of Whitleys in pairs at four airfields, the HQ being at Linton-on-Ouse. During the course of the war, and in common with most other Groups, various reorganisations took place, and all but two of its pre-war airfields (Driffield and Leconfield) changed hands.

The Group’s first operational mission was flown on the night of 3 September when ten Whitleys took off to drop leaflets over the Ruhr, Hamburg and Bremen. These nocturnal forays on leaflet dropping, or nickelling as it was known, were the bread-and-butter operations of the Group for the first nine months of the war. During this period the Group also flew anti-shipping sorties and reconnaissance, though leaflet-dropping was what it specialised in. Over this first winter of the war, the experiences of the Whitleys were to prove invaluable for Bomber Command as it struggled to find a new tactical doctrine to replace daylight formation attacks. With low loss rates on night operations, and most of those due to weather or navigation error, the concept of night bombing was developed – along with the need for improved training in night operations and navigation.

On 19 March 1940, the seaplane base at Hornum was bombed by aircraft from four of the Group’s squadrons – the first attack on a land target in Germany, although this was seen as a retaliation attack. With bombing of German targets authorised from May 1940, the experiences gained on the night leaflet missions were now used in anger as the Whitleys were tasked to attack industrial targets in the Ruhr. In August and September Berlin was attacked eight times, although the effort was small compared to what was to come a few years later. For each of these attacks the Group could muster no more than twelve aircraft. Re-equipment with the Halifax began towards the end of 1940, with 35 Squadron being the first such unit. The Squadron flew its first operation, to Le Havre, on the night of 10/11 March 1941. Over the next 12 months more squadrons in the Group exchanged Whitleys for Halifaxes but it was a slow process and there were problems with the Handley Page ‘heavy’. By February 1942 only three squadrons had been fully converted, with two others operating as joint Halifax/Whitley units. The Group also had two squadrons with Wellingtons. A year later, the Whitleys had all but gone but there were four Wellington squadrons. It was not until mid-1943 that the Group was completely equipped with Halifaxes, a type it retained to the end of the war. Nevertheless, the Halifax had provided the major operational contribution since mid-1942.

Whitley of 10 Squadron at Leeming 1941; No. 4 Group pioneered Bomber Command night operations (Peter Green Collection).

The later Halifax variants were on a par with the Lancaster in terms of general performance.

For the first thousand bomber raid (Cologne, 30 May 1942) the Group contributed 147 aircraft, of which 131 were Halifaxes – three of these failed to return. From this point onwards, the offensive grew in scale and effect – as well as losses.

Creation of the Canadian No. 6 Group in Yorkshire meant a loss of airfields as a general reshuffle took place, No. 4 Group concentrating in the southern and eastern parts of North Yorkshire. However, new airfields were becoming available, and by late 1943 the Group was established at the airfields at which it would remain for the last two years of the war.

In April 1944, the Group acquired two French-manned bomber squadrons, 346 and 347 at Elvington. By late summer, the Station was almost entirely French and had a French CO, a unique arrangement within Bomber Command.

Support for the D-Day landings occupied much of the Group’s effort in the weeks either side of 6 June, as it did the rest of the Command. The Halifax was an adaptable aircraft and in one critical week of the Allied advance towards Arnhem, the Group’s aircraft were used to transport 432,840 gallons of much-needed petrol from the UK to Brussels. However, from autumn 1944, Bomber Command was released to what it considered to be its primary task, the destruction of German industry. The primary targets were oil and transportation and over the next few months the destruction of these vital assets played a major part in the final collapse of the German military, especially the Luftwaffe.

During the final months of the war the Lancaster arrived in the Group and squadrons began to re-equip, though it had been the Whitley and Halifax with which No. 4 Group had fought its war. By early 1945 thoughts had turned to the post-war requirements and it was decided that the Group would adopt a transport role. On 7 May the organisation was redesignated as No. 4 (Transport) Group and was transferred to Transport Command.

Air Officers Commanding No. 4 Group

Command from:

3 Jul 1939	AVM A. Coningham
26 Jul 1941	AVM C. R. Carr
12 Feb 1945	AVM J. R. Whitley

No 5 GROUP

Badge: A Lion rampant Azure.

Motto: Undaunted.

The blue Lion facing left in an attacking pose is symbolic of the qualities to which the Group aspired.

‘No. 5 Group not only contributed to the general heavy bomber offensive but was responsible for many of the most dramatic and specialised attacks of the war.’ These words are contained in a summary of the Group’s activities written in May 1945 but even accepting some bias the basic point being made is accurate – in the latter years of the war the Group was to all intents and purposes ‘independent’ within Bomber Command.

The Group was formed on 1 September 1937 out of No. 3 Group and had its first HQ at St Vincents, Grantham and prior to its take-over of its initial clutch of airfields it remained affiliated to this Group. The first four Stations allocated were Hemswell, Waddington, Grantham and Scampton – only one of these was still operational with the Group at the end of the Second World War.

On the outbreak of war the Group comprised ten Hampden squadrons at five stations (Cottesmore, Finningley, Hemswell, Scampton and Waddington). The Group ended the war with eighteen Lancaster squadrons and was able to field a force of around 400 bombers – a massive increase in numbers, bomb lift and capability from September 1939. Later the same month AVM Arthur Harris assumed command of No. 5 Group, a post he held until November 1940. This was the second operational bomber Group he commanded and his time here helped frame a number of his later ideas of bomber employment. For the first six months of the war the Group’s Hampdens were engaged on anti-shipping sweeps over the North Sea, security patrols and leaflet dropping. Most of the latter were over Germany and in a typical ‘raid’ two Hamdpens dropped 324,000 leaflets on Hamburg and Bremen.

The first bombs dropped on an enemy land target fell on the island of Sylt on the night of 19 March 1940, a small force of Hampdens and Whitleys dropped bombs and incendiaries as a ‘reprisal’ for German bombs that had fallen on Orkney. Losses had been light during the first winter of the war but with the German invasion of Denmark and Norway in April 1940 the pace of operations for the bomber units was increased – as were the risks. Anti-shipping remained a major task and one such mission five Hampdens from Waddington were tasked to attack shipping in Kristiansand Harbour; only one aircraft returned to base and that was due to the actions of the WOP, Corporal Wallace who shot down two of the attacking fighters. He removed the forward-firing gun and used it from the beam position, for his initiative and courage he was awarded a DFM for his actions, the first such award to an NCO in No. 5 Group.

The Hampden was the Group’s operational type well into 1942 and flew almost 16,000 sorties; bombing-up Hampden of 49 Squadron.

Hampden crew of 50 Squadron; the Squadron flew 2,300 Hampden sorties for the loss of 57 aircraft.

With the start of the Strategic Bombing Offensive in May 1940 the Hampdens joined the nightly attacks on targets in Germany, as well as taking an increasing part in the naval war by dropping mines in sea lanes and harbour entrances. The variety of target types increased when bombers were sent to attack the ports in which the German invasion barges were gathering. At the same time communications targets, such as canals and railway yards, attracted the attention of the planners.

On the night of 12/13 August Flight Lieutenant Learoyd of 49 Squadron was awarded the Victoria Cross for his attack on the Dortmund-Ems canal, the first VC to this Group.

In November 1940 the first Manchesters entered service with 207 Squadron at Waddington but it was not to be a happy association despite the initial promise of the type. Nevertheless the overall growth of the Group’s offensive power continued and by spring 1941 it was able to launch 100 bombers on each major mission.

On 3 March 1942 the first operational sortie by the Avro Lancasters of 44 Squadron took place, a date of major significance to No. 5 Group and Bomber Command. This first mission was by four aircraft on minelaying in the Heligoland Bight. On the same night other aircraft of the Group undertook one of the Command’s most successful and accurate attacks to date when they caused heavy destruction to the Renault works at Billancourt, Paris.

Pinpoint attacks

However, the most sensational raid took place on 17 April when twelve Lancasters made a daring daylight attack on the MAN diesel engine factory at Augsburg. Only five of the twelve Lancasters returned but in some respects this daring raid set a tone of determination that became a hallmark of the Group on many other occasions.

The charismatic AOC of No. 5 Group during the latter years of the war, Ralph Cochrane.

Main Force attacks were the primary task of all the bomber Groups and the Lincolnshire airfields of No. 5 Group were kept busy with the nightly offensive over Germany. The Group contributed 162 aircraft to the first of the 1,000 bomber raids, comprising seventy-three Lancasters, forty-six Manchesters and thirty-four Hampdens. It was during this raid that Flying Officer Leslie Manser of 50 Squadron won the Victoria Cross.

By September the Group was recording monthly bomb tonnages of 2,000 tons. The following month saw three more dramatic raids. The daylight attack on the Schneider works at Le Creusot on 17 October followed by two attacks on targets in Italy: Genoa on the night of 22/23 October and Milan by day on 24 October. All three missions were flown by Lancaster-only formations. Although the Group continued its role as part of Main Force, Bomber Command it was developing a reputation for skill and determination, and the arrival of Ralph Cochrane as AOC in February 1943 brought a dynamic and effective ‘bomber leader’ to the helm.

In the early hours of 17 May 1943 the Lancasters of 617 Squadron succeeded in breaching two dams and an RAF legend was born: Guy Gibson’s Dambusters squadron. This squadron, later joined by 9 Squadron, flew specialist missions often using very heavy special bombs, culminating in the 22,000 lb Grand Slam.

The potential of the Lancaster meant that the Group could undertake attacks that were impossible for the other ‘heavies’. The ‘shuttle raid’ that attacked the Zeppelin works at Friedrichshafen and then flew on to North Africa is a case in point. Targets such as this had previously been out of range of Allied bombers.

Lancasters of 106 Squadron were based at Metheringham as part of No. 5 Group.

By early 1944 the Group had proven its abilities and from April it was officially recognised that it should be used as a separate force whenever this seemed appropriate. The first significant attack using this new policy took place on 22/23 April when Brunswick was attacked by 235 aircraft of No. 5 Group, although for protection they were accompanied by ten ABC Lancasters from No 1 Group. This decision was in part due to the views of the AOC, who had been unhappy with the employment of the Pathfinder Force. For some time the Group had been developing its own techniques – in large measure prompted and led by distinguished bomber figures such as Guy Gibson and Leonard Cheshire. No. 5 Group had been the first of the all-Lancaster Groups and as such had developed the tactical employment of the type on both special and Main Force operations. Harris later summed up the situation as it stood in mid 1944: ‘No. 5 Group operated largely as an independent unit and developed its own techniques, including the original Master Bomber concept, also offset skymarking continued to be developed e.g. ‘5 Group Newhaven’ using offset techniques 1,000–2,000 yards from the aiming point, any error in the Red TIs being cancelled by yellows from the Master Bomber. Two squadrons, 83 and 97, were allocated for pathfinder work having been transferred from the PFF in April, and these two units also received other modifications, such as the Carpet Jammer, approved for the PFF.

D-Day preparation and support occupied much of the period from April to August 1944 but the naval war was not forgotten and the Group’s Lancasters attacked German warships, such as the Tirpitz, and key points such as ship canals. The Tirpitz was eventually sunk by the two specialist squadrons, 9 and 617. It was not only the Lancasters that undertook daring roles, one of the most dramatic was flown by Mosquitoes to attack, with pinpoint accuracy, the Gestapo HQ in Oslo.

In the remaining months of the war the Lancasters of No. 5 Group attacked a wide range of targets throughout Germany and in support of the advancing ground forces, invariably independent organisation from Main Force.

A number of the Group’s squadrons were earmarked for Tiger Force and training and preparation for a move to the Far East began in late spring 1945, although the deployment was subsequently cancelled. At the end of the war in Europe, and in common with most units of Bomber Command, the Group flew hundreds of sorties bringing back Allied prisoners. However, the Group also undertook a number of interesting weapon trials.

Despite its fine wartime record No. 5 Group was one of those chosen to disband as Bomber Command’s strength was reduced, the axe falling on 15 December 1945.

Air Officers Commanding No. 5 Group

Command from:

11 Sep 1939	AVM A. T. Harris
22 Nov 1940	AVM N. H. Bottomley
12 May 1941	AVM J. C. Slessor
25 Apr 1942	AVM W. A. Coryton
28 Feb 1943	AVM R. A. Cochrane
16 Jan 1945	AVM H. A. Constantine

No. 6 (RCAF) GROUP

Formed: 1 January 1939.

Disbanded: 17 July 1945.

Badge: In front of a York rose a Maple Leaf proper.

Motto: Sollertia et Ingenium (Latin) – Initiative and Skill.

An autumnal Maple leaf, the symbol of Canada, superimposed on the white rose of York, the symbol of Yorkshire, to show the association of the Canadian Group with Yorkshire.

No. 6 (Bomber) Group was not originally a Canadian Group, having formed on 1 January 1939 with its HQ at Norwich. With the outbreak of war the Group took on the administrative control of the Group Pool (training) squadrons within the other operational Groups. This was very much an ad hoc arrangement as the Bomber Command training organisation evolved.

The Group was renumbered on 11 May 1942 becoming No. 91 (Operational Training) Group. However, on 25 October the same year No. 6 Group was reborn as the operational Group for the Royal Canadian Air Force bomber squadrons, with its Headquarters at Linton-on-Ouse. This latter was a temporary arrangement and the HQ had moved to its permanent location at Allerton Park, near Knaresborough by 1 December. This ‘75-room Victorian castle’ had been requisitioned from Lord Mowbray and a collection of Nissen huts soon sprang up in its grounds.

The creation of this Group was part of an agreement with Commonwealth and Dominion governments, especially Canada and Australia, to group their nationals into squadrons rather than divide them up amongst the RAF units. Whilst the Australians were formed into a number of Australian squadrons, in the 400 series of RAF numbering, there were not enough squadrons to form a distinctive Group, whereas in the case of the Canadians the numbers were far larger. Of equal significance was the fact that the costs of No. 6 (RCAF) Group were borne by the Canadian Government. However, they would still fall under the overall operational control of HQ Bomber Command. The Group was given operational status on 1 January 1943 and its squadrons were based at six airfields – Croft, Dalton, Dishforth, Leeming, Middleton St George and Skipton-on-Swale. There were eight operational squadrons at this time, equipped with Wellingtons or Halifaxes. The first mission as part of No 6 Group was flown on the night of 3/4 January 1943 when six Wellingtons of 427 Squadron, from Croft, dropped mines off the Frisian Isles. The first true bombing raid was to Lorient on 14 January.

The airfield situation remained fairly stable as the main period of Bomber Command reorganisation was over; however, new airfields were added as the Group continued to expand. This was in part a reflection of the adoption of the Base system, and amongst the gains made by the Canadians were newly built airfields such as Wombleton, used primarily by No. 1666 HCU, and well-established airfields such as Linton-on-Ouse.

Lancaster DS778 of 408 Squadron.

In addition to the operational bases the Group controlled its own training and four airfields became No. 61 Base, the main training unit being No. 1659 HCU This situation changed in November 1944 when the training element was absorbed by the RAF Training Group and became No. 76 Base, although this was effectively only an admin move and the Canadian connection in terms of personnel was maintained. Three new squadrons were formed in the Group during 1943 and as the Group’s strength stabilised it was reorganised into three operational Bases: No. 62 (Beaver) Base – Linton-on-Ouse, No. 63 Base – Leeming and No. 64 Base – Middleton St George.

Halifax specialists

However, from May to November 1943 three squadrons had been detached from the Group to serve in North Africa as No. 331 Medium Bomber Wing. The Halifax gradually replaced the Wellington but a number of units also received Lancasters. The decision was taken to make No. 6 Group an all-Halifax command and so the Lancasters were transferred out. Throughout 1944 the Canadians participated in Main Force attacks throughout Europe, the later marks of Halifax proving as operationally effective in the hands of their Canadian crews as the much vaunted Lancaster.

The final bombing mission by No. 6 (RCAF) Group was to Wangarooge on 25 April. However, the Group’s war planning did not come to an end with victory in Europe and eight squadrons were earmarked to train as part of Tiger Force, the massive reinforcement planned for the war against Japan. Training and reorganisation for this took place from mid-May and on 17 July 1945 the Group was transferred to the RCAF. In the event Tiger Force did not need to deploy as the atom bomb attacks on Japan brought the Second World War to an end. The Canadian contribution to the RAF’s war effort was enormous and it is fitting that one operational Group carried the RCAF banner for much of the campaign. The connection made between the Canadians and Yorkshire survived into the post war years and it will be a shame if with the passing of generations this is lost.

Air Officers Commanding No. 6 (RCAF) Group

Command from:

25 Oct 1942	AVM G. E. Brookes
29 Feb 1944	AVM C. M. McEwen

No. 8 (Pathfinder) GROUP

Formed: 15 August 1942.

Disbanded: 15 December 1945.

Badge: A Mullet of eight points Azure surmounted by an Arrow Or enflamed proper point downwards in bend sinister.

Motto: We Guide to Strike.

The long and complex heraldic description means a blue eight-pointed star with a gold flaming arrow zooming across it from left to right, with point down to the left. The eight points represent No. 8 Group and the astro-navigation used by its navigators whilst the flaming arrow symbolises the Group’s Pathfinder role.

By the middle of 1941 it had become obvious that Bomber Command’s inability to find its night targets meant that the strategic bombing offensive was having limited effect. Amongst the debates that came from this realisation was the creation of a specialist ‘target finding’ force that could lead the bombers to the targets. Some bomber leaders such as Group Captain S. Bufton, ex bomber squadron and Station CO and latterly Deputy Director of Bomber Operations, were great supporters of such a force – others, including Harris, were less keen. In the latter’s view it was better to have such a specialist force within each Group rather than rob the best crews from each Group. However, in April 1942 the Air Staff decided in favour of creating a target finding force and instructed Harris that this should be done as soon as possible. Despite his opposition to the idea his choice of leader for the new organisation was inspired. Wing Commander Don Bennett was an experienced pilot and aviation pioneer with exceptional navigational skills.

The Pathfinder Force (PFF) was formed on 15 August 1942, under the command of the newly-promoted Group Captain D. C. T. Bennett. At this time it was under the administrative control of No. 3 Group, although its squadrons had been provided from across the operational groups of Bomber Command. The PFF’s HQ was at Wyton, and operational squadrons were based at Graveley, Oakington and Warboys. Founder squadrons of the Pathfinder Force were 7 Squadron (No. 3 Group), 35 Squadron (No. 4 Group), 83 Squadron (No. 5 Group), 109 Squadron (Wireless Intelligence Development Unit) and 156 Squadron (No. 1 Group). The initial problem lay in persuading Group commanders to release their best crews, and in the early days a number of crews were returned as not being up to the required standard.

All applicants for the PFF were volunteers and had to have been assessed as above average in their specific trade, although in practice Captains tended to take their crews with them. Tour length was set at fifty operations and as the PFF aircraft were always first over the target the risks were even greater than for Main Force crews. A PFF badge, an eagle, was awarded to aircrew once they were signed off as proficient and this helped develop the elite nature of the new force. It had been agreed from the start that the aircraft of No. 8 Group would be equipped with the latest navigational aids. However, in the early months no such equipment was available and the PFF concentrated on training and the development of tactics. An important tactical element was the introduction of Target Indicators (TI), the first of which were improvised from 250 lb and 4,000 lb bombs. These were filled with an incendiary charge of benzole, rubber and phosphorous, the idea being for the TI to provide a distinctive and visible aiming point for the main force of bombers. The first successful attack led by the Group, using ‘Red Blob Fires’, was to Nuremberg on 28/29 August and by the end of the month, 175 sorties had been flown for the loss of sixteen aircraft.

AVM Don Bennett.

Tactics continued to develop with the use of flares and sky or ground markers. Different tactical combinations were employed depending on the conditions and type of target. In general terms the basic tactic involved a wave of illuminators dropping flares, followed by a wave of primary visual markers dropping coloured flares or TIs. Next came the ‘backers up’ to drop incendiaries on the coloured TIs in order to start a fire that the Main Force could bomb on. This basic technique, with variations on flare and TI type, remained in use for the rest of the war, with the subsequent addition the following August of the Master Bomber concept. By the end of 1942, the Pathfinders had flown 1,091 sorties for the loss of fifty aircraft.

The PFF became No. 8 (PFF) Group on 13 January 1943 and Don Bennett, now an Air Commodore, remained its commander. With the introduction of Oboe-equipped Mosquitoes, the accuracy of navigation and target-finding increased and as the value of the PFF was recognised by the Group commanders there was less resistance to releasing the ‘best crews’. Three significant developments took place in January. The PFF led a raid to Berlin on 16/17 January using the first purpose-designed TIs, and despite haze cover the glow from the TIs was strong enough to permit bombing. On 27/28 January the first Oboe ground marking took place at Dusseldorf, with 109 Squadron’s Mosquitoes leading the attack. Three nights later H2S radar was used for the first time by the PFF and the route to the target was marked with red and green flares.

In June 1943, the Group gained two Mosquito squadrons, 105 and 139 Squadrons, from No. 2 Group, one of which joined the marker force while the other became part of the Light Night-Strike Force (LNSF).

The vital attack on the research installation at Peenemunde on 17 August 1943, involved two ‘firsts’ – the use of Red Spot Fires and the Master Bomber. The former was one of a number of new markers whilst the latter was a tactical development of great significance. It is worth noting that the German night fighters were also developing, and August saw the introduction of the schrage musik cannon system which subsequently claimed many Allied bombers. The Germans increasingly used decoy flares, TIs and ground fires and it was estimated that in October 1943 up to 30 per cent of the bomb effort was diverted by such decoys. This made the role of the Master Bomber even more crucial as it was his task to direct the bombers to the correct target and aiming point and to adjust either the marking or the bombing effort as required. It was without doubt the single most dangerous role in Bomber Command.

No. 8 Group continued to expand, acquiring new squadrons and airfields throughout 1943 and early 1944. There was a continued revision of techniques and new equipment entered service. Bennett was against letting Main Force squadrons have specialist equipment such as H2S as he feared they would misuse it, but by mid-1944 some Group commanders were pressing for more independence. Tactics continued to develop throughout 1944, including splitting the PFF effort on more than one target or simulating a PFF attack on a spoof target. Lancasters became the main ‘heavy’ with No. 8 Group and more airfields were taken over. The Pathfinders led many raids in support of the D-Day landings and in addition to leading Main Force attacks they also marked and bombed their own targets.

The Mosquito had established an excellent reputation and Bennett decided to build up a Mosquito bombing force within the Group: 139 Squadron commenced operations in this role in August 1943. High-flying Mosquitoes were ideal for small-scale attacks on a wide range of German cities as a way of splitting the defences and affecting the morale of citizens. By early 1944 the LNSF had increased to three squadrons and whilst Main Force marking remained an important role, the aircraft were also carrying 4,000 lb bombs. Losses amongst the LNSF were low – in April only one aircraft was lost in over 550 sorties. By the end of the year the seven-squadron force was flying over 1,000 sorties a month.

The final year of the war saw the Pathfinders still at the forefront of operations, though with the lower threat from German defences and the increase in daylight operations more sorties were flown by individual Groups, No. 5 Group in particular acting as an independent force. No. 8 (PFF) Group disbanded 15 December 1945.

No. 100 (Bomber Support) GROUP

Formed: 25 November 1943

Disbanded: 17 December 1945

Badge: The head of Medusa Azure/Or/Sable.

Motto: Confound and Destroy.

The Group, responsible for electronic countermeasures, considered the head of Medusa suitable as a badge, as the severed head of that Goddess not only confounded her enemies but also turned all who saw her to stone.

The creation towards the end of 1943 of a specialist Group for Radio Counter Measures (RCM) was recognition of the growing importance of the ‘electronic war’ as part of Bomber Command’s offensive and it brought together both offensive and defensive units. Under the command of AVM E. B. Addison, No. 100 (Bomber Support) Group was formed at West Raynham on 25 November 1943. Up until 1941 most British use of RCM had been connected with researching and jamming equipment used by the German bombers operating over England. The capture of a German Freya radar in the daring February 1942 raid on Bruneval gave the scientists more solid evidence on which to work. As bomber losses continued to rise in 1942, with radar-laid searchlights and guns and radar-equipped night fighters taking an increasing toll, Bomber Command needed to redress the balance – and jamming enemy systems seemed one of the best solutions.

Early equipment such as Tinsel and Mandrel was fitted to selected aircraft in Main Force squadrons and most aircraft also received warning receivers that told the crew when an enemy radar was looking in their direction. A refinement of the system was to introduce a transmitter, Monica, at the back of the aircraft that gave an audio or visual indication of any aircraft in its beam (maximum range of 4 miles). The downside of the latter system was that Germans developed a homing device that locked on to the transmission. It was never a popular device and by mid-1944 had been taken out of the Main Force aircraft – but was retained by No. 100 Group as a lure for the enemy.

The basic elements of the radio war were spoofing and jamming using ‘noise’ to blot out a signal or by decoying the enemy through false radio messages. Much of the early jamming and spoofing was undertaken by ground-based units of No. 80 Wing in England, although they were subsequently incorporated into No. 100 Group.

Voice spoofing was one of the most effective methods and involved fluent German speakers, either on the ground or in an aircraft, ‘taking control’ of the enemy night fighter and sending him to the wrong place. Noise jamming was also effective and in its simplest form used a transmitter that picked up engine noise from the bomber and blasted it out on the German frequency.

Perhaps the most surprising omission in the Group’s Order of Battle was the ABC Lancasters operated by 101 Squadron as these remained with No. 1 Group. Extensive use of window, strips of aluminium foil, to blank out radar screens had been a standard tactic for some time and the Group’s roles eventually included the special window force (SWF).

However, as can be seen from a glance at the Group’s Order of Battle, there was also a strong offensive element to its squadrons and the Serrate-equipped Beaufighters of 141 Squadron were amongst the first units to join the new Group. The task for night fighters equipped with this homing system was either to freelance and lurk over German night fighter airfields looking for targets or to fly with the bomber stream. In the latter instance the ability of the German fighter to home on its target would turn to a disadvantage as the ‘bomber prey’ would suddenly manoeuvre and become the hunter. Indeed, this type of operation, with the Mosquito taking over from the Beaufighter, was one of the most effective undertaken by the Group. Intruder operations over night fighter airfields and concentration areas proved remarkably effective.

During its time with the Group the Mosquitoes flew some 8,000 offensive sorties during which they claimed 267 enemy aircraft for the loss of sixty-nine of their own number. The psychological effect on the enemy night fighters and the improved morale amongst Bomber Command crews far outweighed these simple statistics.

The organisation was redesignated as No. 100 (Bomber) Group on 25 March 1944, by which time it was established at Bylaugh Hall, East Dereham. With an Order of Battle that included Mosquito and Halifax squadrons, along with a single Fortress unit, all based in Norfolk, the Group remained a key element of Bomber Command for the rest of the war. New equipment and tactics were introduced as part of the on-going ‘cat and mouse’ game of the electronic war but by late 1944 it was the Mosquito intruders that dominated in terms of aircraft numbers. The Group disbanded on 17 December 1945 – a short period of existence but one that played a major part in the bomber war.