No. 16 Group RAF

No. 16 Group RAF was a Royal Air Force group that existed in two principal periods and performed two substantially different functions. It was first created on 1 April 1918, at the formation of the Royal Air Force, when the Royal Flying Corps's Northern Training Brigade was redesignated as No. 16 Group at Fossgate in York. In this initial incarnation, the group continued the brigade's training responsibilities. It remained a training organization until it was disbanded in 1920. The formation was recreated on 1 December 1936 at Wykeham Hall, Lee-on-the-Solent, as No. 16 (Reconnaissance) Group RAF within RAF Coastal Command. Its principal task was maritime reconnaissance and anti-submarine warfare in the south-eastern English Channel and North Sea areas. The group operated in a joint-service environment: RAF squadrons and units served alongside Fleet Air Arm naval air squadrons that were placed under RAF operational control. This arrangement reflected the overlapping responsibilities of the Royal Air Force and Royal Navy in coastal defence, shipping protection, reconnaissance and torpedo operations. During the late 1930s the group moved between several headquarters and operating locations. It transferred to RAF Lee-on-Solent in December 1937, moved to Chatham in September 1938, returned briefly to Lee-on-Solent in October, and then moved to Black Lion Field at Gillingham, Kent, in November 1938. An area combined headquarters operated through the Second World War. The group's subordinate units were distributed across a broad network of stations, including RAF Thorney Island, RAF Detling, RAF Bircham Newton, RAF Wattisham, RAF North Coates, RAF Benson, RAF Gosport, RAF Calshot, RAF Langham, RAF Manston, RAF Hawkinge and RAF Strubby. At the beginning of the Second World War, No. 16 Group controlled general-reconnaissance, coastal artillery-cooperation, torpedo-bomber and communications units. Aircraft types included the Avro Anson, Vickers Vildebeest, Bristol Beaufort, Lockheed Hudson and Bristol Blenheim. As the war progressed, the group expanded and its responsibilities became more specialized. It supervised photographic-reconnaissance elements, meteorological flights, beam-approach training, communications units, armament-practice organizations and torpedo-development activities, in addition to operational squadrons equipped with aircraft such as the Bristol Beaufighter, Consolidated Liberator, Handley Page Hampden, Vickers Wellington, Fairey Albacore, Vickers Warwick and de Havilland Mosquito. In 1944, the group exercised operational control through several general-reconnaissance wings created for the Allied invasion of German-occupied Western Europe. These included No. 154 Wing at RAF Strubby, No. 155 Wing at RAF Manston and No. 157 Wing at RAF Hawkinge. Their areas of responsibility included local parts of the North Sea, the English Channel and the Strait of Dover. The arrangement allowed coastal-reconnaissance, torpedo-bomber and naval-air units to be coordinated during the invasion period. No. 16 Group was reduced to headquarters status as HQ (Unit) No. 16 Wing RAF and disbanded on 8 March 1946. Its communications flight, formed in September 1939 and operating from Rochester and RAF Detling, was also disbanded on that date. The formation therefore has historical significance as a wartime RAF command structure rather than as a commercial brand or consumer-facing organization.

No. 16 Group RAF originated in the administrative reorganization that accompanied the creation of the Royal Air Force on 1 April 1918. The Northern Training Brigade of the Royal Flying Corps was redesignated No. 16 Group and based at Fossgate in York. Its role remained training rather than combat operations. This first period ended when the group was disbanded in 1920. The name returned on 1 December 1936, when No. 16 (Reconnaissance) Group was formed at Wykeham Hall, Lee-on-the-Solent, as part of RAF Coastal Command. The recreated group was assigned responsibility for maritime reconnaissance and anti-submarine warfare in the south-eastern English Channel and North Sea. It incorporated RAF formations and attached Fleet Air Arm units operating under RAF control, making it part of the inter-service coastal-defence system that preceded and supported the Second World War. The group headquarters moved several times before the war. It went to RAF Lee-on-Solent in December 1937, Chatham in September 1938, back to Lee-on-Solent in October, and then Black Lion Field at Gillingham, Kent, in November 1938. During the war it operated through an area combined headquarters and controlled units at numerous stations in England. In the early war period, its order of battle included reconnaissance and coastal-cooperation units equipped with Avro Ansons, Vickers Vildebeests, Bristol Beauforts, Bristol Blenheims and Lockheed Hudsons. By 1941 the group controlled multiple flying squadrons and support flights distributed across stations such as Bircham Newton, Thorney Island, Detling, Wattisham and North Coates. The changing order of battle reflected both aircraft modernization and the increasing demands of maritime patrol, convoy protection, torpedo attack and coastal surveillance. By 1942 and 1943, the group had acquired a wider range of responsibilities. It controlled or supported photographic-reconnaissance squadrons, meteorological flights, communications aviation, beam-approach training, armament-practice units and torpedo-development work. The former No. 1 Photographic Reconnaissance Unit at RAF Benson was disbanded in October 1942, with its flights becoming separate reconnaissance squadrons. The Torpedo Development Unit at RAF Gosport was later merged into the Aircraft Torpedo Development Unit after the formation of the Torpedo Experimental Establishment. The group also supervised a communications flight, established at Rochester on 3 September 1939. The flight operated a mixed collection of training, transport, utility and liaison aircraft, including Miles Mentor, Airspeed Envoy, Percival Proctor, Airspeed Oxford, General Aircraft Monospar, de Havilland Hornet Moth, de Havilland Tiger Moth, Avro Anson and de Havilland Dominie aircraft. It moved to RAF Detling in June 1941 and returned to Rochester in January 1945. During the Allied invasion of Western Europe in 1944, No. 16 Group exercised operational control over several general-reconnaissance wings. No. 154 Wing was formed at RAF Strubby in April to supervise North Sea local areas; No. 155 Wing was formed at RAF Manston to oversee the Strait of Dover; and No. 157 Wing was formed at RAF Hawkinge in May for local North Sea and English Channel operations. Their forces included RAF, Royal Australian Air Force, Royal New Zealand Air Force and Fleet Air Arm units operating aircraft such as the Bristol Beaufighter, Fairey Swordfish, Vickers Warwick and Lockheed Hudson. After the war, No. 16 Group was reduced to HQ (Unit) No. 16 Wing RAF and disbanded on 8 March 1946. The communications flight was also disbanded that day. The organization is consequently a defunct RAF formation with a historical role in training, maritime reconnaissance, anti-submarine warfare and wartime coastal command.

• 1946

  Final disbandment

  [1]No. 16 Group RAFen.wikipedia.org

  On 8 March, the group was reduced to HQ (Unit) No. 16 Wing RAF and disbanded; its communications flight was also disbanded.

• 1944

  Invasion-area reconnaissance wings

  [1]No. 16 Group RAFen.wikipedia.org

  No. 154, No. 155 and No. 157 General Reconnaissance Wings were formed or operated under the group's control for North Sea and English Channel operations during the Allied invasion period.

• 1943

  Torpedo development reorganization

  [1]No. 16 Group RAFen.wikipedia.org

  The Torpedo Development Unit was merged with the Torpedo Experimental Establishment to create the Aircraft Torpedo Development Unit.

• 1942

  Photographic reconnaissance reorganization

  [1]No. 16 Group RAFen.wikipedia.org

  The former photographic reconnaissance unit at RAF Benson was dissolved in October and its flights became separate reconnaissance squadrons.

• 1939

  Communications Flight formed

  [1]No. 16 Group RAFen.wikipedia.org

  No. 16 Group Communications Flight was created at Rochester on 3 September to provide communications, liaison and utility aviation.

• 1936

  Re-formation under Coastal Command

  [1]No. 16 Group RAFen.wikipedia.org

  On 1 December, No. 16 (Reconnaissance) Group was re-established at Wykeham Hall, Lee-on-the-Solent, with maritime reconnaissance and anti-submarine responsibilities.

• 1920

  First period ends

  [1]No. 16 Group RAFen.wikipedia.org

  The original training group was disbanded after continuing its training responsibilities during the RAF's early years.

• 1918

  Formation as a training group

  [1]No. 16 Group RAFen.wikipedia.org

  On 1 April, the Royal Flying Corps Northern Training Brigade was redesignated No. 16 Group at Fossgate, York, as part of the creation of the Royal Air Force.

A Royal Air Force operational formation rather than a commercial brand. In its second period, it functioned as a Coastal Command headquarters coordinating maritime reconnaissance, anti-submarine warfare, coastal defence and related support activities in the English Channel and North Sea regions.

• Military operations · 1936

  Maritime reconnaissance

  The group's central operational function after its 1936 re-formation was surveillance of maritime areas in the English Channel and North Sea. Units used aircraft such as the Avro Anson, Lockheed Hudson, Bristol Blenheim and later more heavily armed types to locate shipping, monitor coastal waters and support broader Coastal Command operations.

• Military operations · 1936

  Anti-submarine warfare

  No. 16 Group coordinated air activity directed against submarines and other maritime threats. Its responsibilities were closely connected with coastal defence, reconnaissance and convoy protection, and its order of battle included patrol, torpedo-bomber and maritime strike units.

• Military aviation support · 1939

  Communications and liaison aviation

  The No. 16 Group Communications Flight provided internal communications, transport, training and liaison services. Its mixed fleet included Miles Mentor, Airspeed Envoy, Percival Proctor, Airspeed Oxford, Avro Anson and de Havilland Dominie aircraft, allowing the headquarters to connect dispersed stations and subordinate units.

• Command and control · 1944

  General-reconnaissance wing control

  In 1944 the group coordinated general-reconnaissance wings responsible for defined areas of the North Sea, English Channel and Strait of Dover. These wings brought together RAF, Commonwealth and naval-air assets for operational control during the Allied invasion of Western Europe.

• 1946

  Disbandment after wartime operationsOther

  Background

  The end of the Second World War reduced the requirement for the group's wartime command structure.

  Action taken

  No. 16 Group was reduced to HQ (Unit) No. 16 Wing RAF and disbanded on 8 March, together with its communications flight.

  Aftermath

  No. 16 Group ceased to exist as an RAF formation.

  Source

• 1944

  Create invasion-area reconnaissance wingsStrategy

  Background

  The Allied invasion required localized operational control of maritime air forces across the North Sea, English Channel and Strait of Dover.

  Action taken

  No. 154, No. 155 and No. 157 General Reconnaissance Wings were formed or operated under No. 16 Group for defined coastal sectors.

  Aftermath

  The arrangement supported coordination of RAF, Royal Navy and Commonwealth reconnaissance and strike units during the invasion period.

  Source

• 1936

  Re-form as a maritime reconnaissance groupStrategy

  Background

  The RAF recreated No. 16 Group within Coastal Command as coastal surveillance and anti-submarine requirements increased in the years before the Second World War.

  Action taken

  The group was established at Lee-on-the-Solent and assigned responsibility for maritime reconnaissance and anti-submarine warfare in the south-eastern Channel and North Sea areas, with Fleet Air Arm units attached under RAF control.

  Aftermath

  The formation became a wartime headquarters controlling a changing mixture of reconnaissance, torpedo, coastal-cooperation, meteorological, photographic and support units.

  Source

1. 1No. 16 Group RAFen.wikipedia.org