No. 3 Group RAF
No. 3 Group RAF was a Royal Air Force command headquarters that directed bomber, maritime, air-defence and search-and-rescue forces during several periods between 1918 and 2006.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
No. 3 Group RAF was an operational and administrative command of the Royal Air Force rather than a commercial brand. Its history reflects several major reorganisations of British air power. First established on 10 May 1918 within the RAF's South-Eastern Area, the group absorbed No. 13 Group in 1919 and initially coordinated air units during the early post-First World War period. It was disbanded in 1921, recreated in 1923, and dissolved again in 1926 when it was renumbered as No. 23 (Training) Group. The group returned in a more prominent form on 1 May 1936, when it was re-established at Andover as one of RAF Bomber Command's operational groups. Its headquarters soon moved to RAF Mildenhall in Suffolk, and the command became closely associated with bomber stations in East Anglia. It initially operated aircraft such as the Vickers Virginia and Handley Page Heyford, but its principal pre-war transition was the introduction of the twin-engine Vickers Wellington. No. 99 Squadron became the first Bomber Command squadron to receive the Wellington in October 1938, and by the outbreak of the Second World War the group had six operational and two reserve squadrons equipped with the type. During the Second World War, No. 3 Group conducted bombing operations against German naval and industrial targets and supported operations connected with the campaigns in Norway, France and Germany. In April 1940, two of its squadrons were temporarily placed under Coastal Command and deployed to northern Scotland. One of those squadrons, No. 115 Squadron, took part in the RAF's first deliberate bombing of a mainland target during the war when it attacked Stavanger Airport in April 1940. The group also assumed administrative responsibility for special-duties squadrons, including the units descended from the RAF's early special operations organisation. In 1942, several squadrons were transferred to No. 8 Group to support the Pathfinder Force. After the Normandy landings, No. 3 Group participated in Bomber Command's increasingly systematic attacks on German oil and other strategic targets. It used blind-bombing methods, including Gee-H navigation, to improve accuracy in conditions where visual bombing was difficult. The group continued in the post-war bomber role, operating or overseeing units flying Lancasters, Lincolns, Washingtons, Valiants and Victors. During the Suez Crisis in 1956, Valiants from several of its squadrons operated from Malta against Egyptian airfields. From 1958 until 1963, the group also administered Britain's Thor intermediate-range ballistic-missile force, whose squadrons each operated three missiles. No. 3 Group was absorbed into No. 1 (Bomber) Group on 1 November 1967. It was reformed on 1 April 2000 during another RAF restructuring, this time to control Joint Force Harrier and maritime aviation assets transferred from No. 11/18 Group. Its senior command arrangement included a Royal Navy rear admiral serving as Flag Officer Maritime Aviation, alongside RAF air commodores responsible for Harrier and maritime functions. Following further changes in 2003–04, the group was described as the Battle Management Group and controlled airborne early-warning aircraft, ground-based radar, maritime patrol aircraft and search-and-rescue helicopters. It was based at RAF High Wycombe and was finally disbanded on 1 April 2006, when its stations and squadrons were transferred to No. 2 Group RAF.
History
No. 3 Group was first formed on 10 May 1918 as part of the Royal Air Force's South-Eastern Area. It absorbed No. 13 Group in October 1919, but was disbanded in August 1921. A short-lived reformation began in 1923 and ended in April 1926, when the organisation was renumbered as No. 23 (Training) Group. The group was re-established at Andover on 1 May 1936 as a Bomber Command formation. Its headquarters moved to RAF Mildenhall in 1937, and the group became primarily associated with East Anglian bomber stations. It initially operated older heavy bombers, including the Vickers Virginia and Handley Page Heyford, before taking responsibility for introducing the Vickers Wellington into front-line service. No. 99 Squadron received the Wellington in October 1938, and by September 1939 the group had an all-Wellington force comprising six operational and two reserve squadrons. During the Second World War, No. 3 Group conducted operations against German naval and other strategic targets. Two squadrons were temporarily transferred to Coastal Command in April 1940 and deployed to Scotland in response to the German invasion of Denmark and Norway. No. 115 Squadron's attack on Stavanger Airport on 11–12 April was the first deliberate RAF bombing of a mainland target during the war. In September 1940, the group also took administrative responsibility for No. 419 Flight, an early Special Duties Service unit, and subsequently supported the special-duties squadrons through the rest of the conflict. Three squadrons were transferred to No. 8 Group in 1942 to support the Pathfinder Force. After the invasion of Normandy, the group participated in Bomber Command's attacks on German oil targets. It employed blind-bombing systems such as Gee-H for daylight operations when visual identification was impractical. Following the war, its headquarters returned to Mildenhall in 1947. In the late 1940s its squadrons operated Lancasters and Lincolns; in the early 1950s some used Boeing Washingtons pending the arrival of the English Electric Canberra. Vickers Valiant and Handley Page Victor units later formed an important part of the group. During the 1956 Suez Crisis, Valiants from four group squadrons deployed to RAF Luqa in Malta and attacked Egyptian airfields. Between September 1958 and August 1963, No. 3 Group administered ten Thor ballistic-missile squadrons, each equipped with three missiles. The group was absorbed by No. 1 (Bomber) Group on 1 November 1967. It was reformed on 1 April 2000 under RAF Strike Command to control Joint Force Harrier and maritime aircraft transferred from No. 11/18 Group. Its senior leadership included a Royal Navy rear admiral serving as Flag Officer Maritime Aviation, with RAF air commodores overseeing Harrier and maritime responsibilities. After restructuring in 2003–04, the group became known as the Battle Management Group and controlled airborne early-warning aircraft, ground radar installations, maritime reconnaissance aircraft and search-and-rescue helicopters. Based at RAF High Wycombe, it was disbanded on 1 April 2006, when its subordinate stations and squadrons passed to No. 2 Group RAF.
- 2006
Final disbandment
[1]The group was disbanded and its subordinate forces transferred to No. 2 Group on 1 April.
- 2000
Modern reformation
[1]The group returned to service under Strike Command with Harrier and maritime responsibilities.
- 1967
Absorption into No. 1 Group
[1]No. 3 Group ceased as an independent bomber formation on 1 November.
- 1958
Thor missile responsibility
[1]The group began administering Britain's Thor ballistic-missile force.
- 1956
Suez Crisis deployment
[1]Valiant squadrons deployed to Malta and conducted attacks against Egyptian airfields.
- 1942
Pathfinder transfers
[1]Squadrons 7, 156 and 109 were transferred to the newly created No. 8 Group.
- 1938
Wellington conversion
[1]No. 99 Squadron became the first Bomber Command squadron in the group to operate the Vickers Wellington.
- 1936
Bomber Command reformation
[1]The group was re-established at Andover on 1 May and became a Bomber Command formation.
- 1921
First disbandment
[1]The group was dissolved on 31 August.
- 1919
Absorption of No. 13 Group
[1]No. 13 Group was merged into No. 3 Group on 18 October.
Products and positioning
A Royal Air Force command formation whose role changed with British defence policy, moving from bomber-group operations to post-war strategic deterrence and, later, maritime aviation, air surveillance, battle management and search-and-rescue coordination.
Bomber aircraft · 1938
Vickers Wellington
The Wellington was the principal pre-war and early-war aircraft associated with No. 3 Group. The group helped introduce it into Bomber Command front-line service, with No. 99 Squadron receiving the type in October 1938.
Post-war bomber aircraft
Lancaster and Lincoln
After 1945, No. 3 Group controlled squadrons operating Avro Lancaster and Avro Lincoln bombers, forming part of Britain's transition from wartime bomber operations to post-war strategic aviation.
Strategic bomber aircraft
Vickers Valiant and Handley Page Victor
These V-bomber types formed an important part of the group's late-1950s and 1960s strategic aviation responsibilities. Valiant units were also used during the Suez Crisis.
Intermediate-range ballistic missile · 1958
Thor
From 1958 to 1963, No. 3 Group administered Britain's Thor missile force. Ten squadrons were equipped, each with three missiles, under the United Kingdom's contribution to Western strategic deterrence.
Marketing campaigns
- 1956Suez Crisis air operations
Egypt · Malta · United Kingdom
Valiant bombers from four squadrons deployed to RAF Luqa and began attacks on Egyptian airfields on 31 October.
Outcome. The attacks achieved limited results, partly because crews had limited experience operating the Valiant in this role.
- 1944Oil-target bombing campaign
Germany · Occupied Europe
After the Normandy invasion, the group participated in Bomber Command attacks against German oil targets, using blind-bombing techniques including Gee-H.
Outcome. The group continued strategic bombing operations until the end of the European war.
- 1940Norwegian campaign operations
Norway
Two squadrons temporarily assigned to Coastal Command moved to northern Scotland and entered operations after Germany invaded Denmark and Norway. No. 115 Squadron attacked Stavanger Airport in April.
Outcome. The operations marked an early wartime deployment and included the RAF's first deliberate bombing of a mainland target in the Second World War.
Brand decisions
2006
Transfer of forces to No. 2 GroupStrategyBackground
The Royal Air Force reorganised its command structure in 2006.
Action taken
No. 3 Group was disbanded on 1 April and its stations and squadrons were placed under No. 2 Group RAF.
Aftermath
No. 3 Group ceased to exist as an active RAF formation.
2003
Transition to Battle Management GroupStrategyBackground
A further RAF reorganisation changed the group's responsibilities after its 2000 reformation.
Action taken
The group assumed a broader command role covering airborne early warning, ground radar, maritime reconnaissance and search-and-rescue aviation.
Aftermath
The arrangement remained in place until the group's final disbandment in 2006.
Sources1 sources
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