No. 20 Group RAF (20 Gp) is a former Royal Air Force group which disbanded on 1 August 1943. It initially existed between 1918 and 1919, and then again between 1939 and 1943.
| No. 20 (Training) Group RAF | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Active | 1 April 1918 – 1 October 1919 30 November 1939 – 1 August 1943 |
| Disbanded | 1 August 1943 |
| Country |  United Kingdom |
| Branch |  Royal Air Force |
| Type | Royal Air Force group |
| Role | Military aviation training |
| Part of | RAF Training Command (November 1939 – May 1940) RAF Technical Training Command (May 1940 – August 1943) |
| Garrison/HQ | Buntingsdale Hall (1939–1943) |
| Commanders | |
| Notable commanders | Air Vice-Marshal Sir Christopher Joseph Quintin Brand KBE, DSO, MC, DFC |
History edit
First World War edit
No. 20 Group formed on 1 April 1918 within No. 5 Area, in Edinburgh on 1 April 1918. On 8 May 1918, No. 5 Area was redesignated North-Western Area. It absorbed No. 21 Group on 1 July, and was then redesignated as No. 20 (Training) Group on 8 August. On 1 October 1919, No. 20 Group was absorbed into No. 17 Group.[1]
Second World War edit
On 30 November 1939 No. 20 (Training) Group reformed at Buntingsdale Hall, Market Drayton, in Shropshire, within RAF Training Command. A number of various Technical Training Schools and Recruits Receiving Centres, were initially within No. 20 (Training) Group. On 27 May 1940, No. 20 Group was transferred into RAF Technical Training Command. On 1 August 1943, the group was absorbed into No. 22 Group RAF.[1]
Structure edit
Schools and Centres edit
At formation, No. 20 Group was initially responsible for various Technical Training Schools and Recruits Receiving Centres:[1][2]
Schools of Technical Training
- No. 3 School of Technical Training RAF
- No. 6 School of Technical Training RAF
- No. 8 School of Technical Training RAF
- No. 9 School of Technical Training RAF
- No. 10 School of Technical Training RAF
Recruits Receiving Centre
Air Officer Commanding edit
- Note: The ranks shown are the ranks held at the time of holding the appointment of Air Officer Commanding, No. 20 Group Royal Air Force.[1]
| Rank | name | from |
|---|---|---|
| Lieutenant colonel | Sir William Gore Sutherland Mitchell | April 1918 |
| Disbanded | September 1919 | |
| Air Vice-Marshal | Sir Lionel McKean | December 1939 |
| Air Vice-Marshal | Arthur John Capel | March 1941 |
| Air Vice-Marshal | Sir Quintin Brand | July 1941 |
References edit
Citations edit
- ^ Delve 1994, p. 55,60,66.
Bibliography edit
- Delve, Ken (1994). The Source Book of the RAF. Shrewsbury, UK: Airlife Publishing Ltd. ISBN 1-85310-451-5.