No. 216 Group RAF

No. 216 Group RAF was a Royal Air Force operational command formed during the Second World War to coordinate aircraft ferrying and air-transport activities. Established on 21 May 1942 as No. 216 (Ferry) Group, it was renamed No. 216 (Air Transport and Ferry) Group on 9 September 1942, reflecting a broader remit that covered both the movement of aircraft and the operation of air-transport services. The group operated within the wider British wartime command structure in the Middle East, North Africa and the Mediterranean. On 10 September 1942, Air Commodore Whitney Straight assumed command. Following the creation of Mediterranean Air Command at the Casablanca Conference in January 1943, No. 216 Group became one of that command's major subordinate formations. On 25 March 1943 it also became a subordinate formation of the newly established Transport Command, which brought British transport units around the world under the overall leadership of Air Chief Marshal Sir Frederick Bowhill. Its work included receiving, preparing and dispatching aircraft reinforcements for the North African and Mediterranean theatres. The group was at times assisted by British Overseas Airways Corporation, whose civilian aviation expertise supported the handling and movement of aircraft. This placed No. 216 Group at the intersection of military logistics, aircraft delivery and strategic air transport during the Allied campaigns in the region, including the preparations associated with the invasion of Sicily, Operation Husky, on 10 July 1943. The formation also provided an administrative framework for subordinate ferry and transport organizations. On 7 May 1944, No. 2 (Middle East) Ferry Control at Wadi Seidna, Sudan, was redesignated No. 115 (Transport) Wing RAF within No. 216 Group. The group continued in its air-transport and ferrying role after the end of the war but was ultimately disbanded on 26 October 1946. It is therefore best understood not as a consumer brand or commercial enterprise, but as a historical RAF command whose identity was tied to wartime transport logistics and aircraft reinforcement operations.

No. 216 Group RAF was created on 21 May 1942 as No. 216 (Ferry) Group, during the period when the Royal Air Force was expanding and reorganizing its logistical commands for global wartime operations. Its initial purpose was to manage aircraft ferrying, an essential function in moving newly built or repaired aircraft from supply points to operational theatres. The group adopted the name No. 216 (Air Transport and Ferry) Group on 9 September 1942. The change indicated that its responsibilities extended beyond the transfer of individual aircraft. The group also coordinated air-transport activity and helped organize the preparation and movement of aircraft reinforcements. Air Commodore Whitney Straight took command on 10 September 1942. After the Casablanca Conference led to the creation of Mediterranean Air Command in January 1943, No. 216 Group became a significant subordinate formation within that command. Its geographical and operational importance increased as Allied forces conducted campaigns in North Africa and prepared for operations in the Mediterranean. On 25 March 1943, the group was additionally placed under the newly formed Transport Command, which served as the RAF's overarching organization for transport units worldwide. Transport Command was commanded by Air Chief Marshal Sir Frederick Bowhill. No. 216 Group worked with other military and civilian aviation organizations. British Overseas Airways Corporation sometimes assisted with receiving, preparing and dispatching aircraft reinforcements destined for the North African and Mediterranean theatres. The group was involved in the transport infrastructure supporting Allied operations, including the period surrounding Operation Husky, the Allied invasion of Sicily, which began on 10 July 1943. The command's subordinate structure continued to evolve. On 7 May 1944, No. 2 (Middle East) Ferry Control, located at Wadi Seidna in Sudan, was redesignated No. 115 (Transport) Wing RAF within No. 216 Group. This reflected the continued integration of ferry-control and transport functions under the group's authority. No. 216 (Air Transport and Ferry) Group survived the war and remained part of the RAF's post-war transport organization for a short period. It was disbanded on 26 October 1946. The available record presents it as a functional wartime command rather than a standalone air force or commercial organization, with its historical significance deriving from the logistics of aircraft reinforcement and air transport in the Mediterranean and Middle Eastern theatres.

• 1946

  Disbandment

  [1]No. 216 Group RAFen.wikipedia.org

  No. 216 (Air Transport and Ferry) Group was disbanded on 26 October 1946.

• 1944

  Creation of No. 115 (Transport) Wing

  [1]No. 216 Group RAFen.wikipedia.org

  No. 2 (Middle East) Ferry Control at Wadi Seidna, Sudan, was redesignated No. 115 (Transport) Wing within No. 216 Group on 7 May 1944.

• 1943

  Placed under Mediterranean Air Command

  [1]No. 216 Group RAFen.wikipedia.org

  Following the establishment of Mediterranean Air Command at the Casablanca Conference, No. 216 Group became one of its major subordinate commands.

• 1943

  Added to Transport Command

  [1]No. 216 Group RAFen.wikipedia.org

  On 25 March 1943, No. 216 Group also became subordinate to the newly created Transport Command, the RAF's worldwide transport organization.

• 1942

  Formation as No. 216 (Ferry) Group

  [1]No. 216 Group RAFen.wikipedia.org

  The Royal Air Force established No. 216 (Ferry) Group on 21 May 1942 to coordinate aircraft ferrying activities.

• 1942

  Renamed No. 216 (Air Transport and Ferry) Group

  [1]No. 216 Group RAFen.wikipedia.org

  On 9 September 1942, the group received a new designation reflecting its combined air-transport and aircraft-ferrying responsibilities.

• 1942

  Whitney Straight assumes command

  [1]No. 216 Group RAFen.wikipedia.org

  Air Commodore Whitney Straight took command of the group on 10 September 1942.

A wartime RAF command specializing in aircraft ferrying, reinforcement delivery and air-transport coordination across the Middle East, North Africa and Mediterranean theatres.

• 1943Mediterranean and North African aircraft reinforcement operations

  North Africa · Mediterranean

  No. 216 Group coordinated the receiving, preparation and dispatch of aircraft reinforcements supporting Allied operations in the North African and Mediterranean theatres, with occasional assistance from British Overseas Airways Corporation.

  Outcome. The group supported the transport and reinforcement system used during the Allied Mediterranean campaign.

  Source
• 1943Operation Husky support

  Sicily · Mediterranean

  The group formed part of the transport and ferry command structure supporting Allied preparations for the invasion of Sicily, which began on 10 July 1943.

  Outcome. Its logistical role contributed to the broader air-transport infrastructure supporting the Sicilian invasion.

  Source

1. 1No. 216 Group RAFen.wikipedia.org