No. 21 Group RAF
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12 April 1926 – 1 February 1934
1 December 1938 – 1 March 1955
United Kingdom
Royal Air Force| No. 21 (Training) Group RAF | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Active | 1 April – 1 July 1918 12 April 1926 – 1 February 1934 1 December 1938 – 1 March 1955 |
| Disbanded | 1 March 1955 |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Branch | Royal Air Force |
| Type | Royal Air Force group |
| Role | Military aviation training |
| Part of | RAF Training Command (December 1938 – May 1940) RAF Flying Training Command (May 1940 – March 1955) |
| Motto(s) | Latin: Ad Suam Quisque Operam ("To each his own work")[1] |
| Commanders | |
| Notable commanders | Air Vice Marshal Hugh Champion de Crespigny CB, MC, DFC |
No. 21 Group RAF (21 Gp) is a former Royal Air Force group that existed from April–July 1918; 1926–1934, a redesignation of No. 1 Group RAF; after which it was merged into Inland Area; and from 1938 to 1955.[2]
Interwar period
First World War
No. 21 Group formed on 1 April 1918 at RAF Montrose within No 5 Area; the following month, on 8 May, it transferred into the North-Western Area. Shortly after, on 1 July, the group disbanded into No. 20 Group RAF.[3]
On 12 April 1926, it reformed as No. 21 (Training) Group, within Inland Area. The group HQ was at RAF West Drayton and it had the Aeroplane and Armament Experimental Establishment and Nos 15 and 22 Squadrons at RAF Martlesham Heath under its command. The group also had control over RAF stores, repair depots, and schools. It disbanded on 1 February 1934 and reformed at RAF Cranwell, within RAF Training Command, again as No. 21 (Training) Group, on 1 December 1938.[3]
Second World War
The group was transferred to RAF Flying Training Command on 27 May 1940, responsible for the RAF College and the Service Flying Training Schools from the Midlands northwards. The group HQ relocated to RAF Spitalgate on 28 July 1944.[3]
Cold War
The group's headquarters moved to the former No. 5 Group's HQ, St Vincents Hall, in Grantham, on 7 March 1946 and the following year, on 1 May 1947, the Group absorbed No. 91 Group RAF, from RAF Bomber Command, taking over HQ for No. 91 Group, Morton Hall, Swinderby in Lincolnshire. On 24 June 1953 the Group absorbed No. 54 Group RAF, which had been reformed 22 months earlier within RAF Flying Training Command to control the Initial Training Wings and Grading Schools. No. 21 Group disbanded on 1 March 1955.[2]
Structure
The orders of battle for No. 21 (Training) Group changed several times
November 1939
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May 1941
HQ at RAF Cranwell[5]
April 1942
HQ at RAF Cranwell[6]
|
|
April 1943
HQ at RAF Cranwell[7]
|
|
July 1944
HQ at RAF Cranwell[8]
|
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July 1945
HQ at RAF Spitalgate[9]
April 1953
HQ at Morton Hall, Swinderby[10]
Headquarters
No. 21 Group had various headquarters across its three active periods
- RAF Montrose - during 1918[3]
- RAF West Drayton - reformed from April 1926 until 1934
- RAF Cranwell - reformed from December 1938
- RAF Spitalgate - from July 1944
- St Vincents Hall, Grantham - from March 1946
- Morton Hall, Swinderby - from May 1947
