No. 7 Group RAF

No. 7 Group RAF, commonly abbreviated as 7 Gp, was an organizational formation of the Royal Air Force rather than a commercial brand. It existed in several incarnations across the early history of the RAF, with responsibilities that changed according to the service's organizational needs. Its first formation began on 1 April 1918, the date on which the Royal Air Force was established as an independent service. The group was created by renaming the Royal Flying Corps' Southern Training Brigade and was initially placed under No. 2 Area. From 8 August 1918 it was designated No. 7 (Training) Group, reflecting its principal function in the final months of the First World War. The group was disbanded on 16 August 1919 during the post-war reduction of the RAF. No. 7 Group was re-established on 20 September 1919, when the former South-Western Area was reduced in status and reorganized as a group. This second interwar incarnation was transferred to the control of Inland Area on 1 April 1920. It continued as part of the RAF's territorial and administrative structure until it was disbanded again on 12 April 1926. The group therefore formed part of the service's effort to reorganize its command system after the First World War, but the available reference material does not identify a permanent base or a distinct public-facing identity beyond its RAF designation. The group returned during the Second World War. It was re-formed on 15 July 1940 as No. 7 (Operational Training) Group under RAF Bomber Command. Its role was associated with operational training during a period when Bomber Command was expanding and adapting to wartime requirements. On 11 May 1942, the group ceased to exist as No. 7 Group when it was renamed No. 92 Group RAF. This change represented an organizational redesign rather than a commercial acquisition or a change of ownership. A final incarnation operated from 1 November 1944 until 21 December 1945. During this period, No. 7 Group controlled heavy conversion units. Such units were involved in preparing aircrew and personnel for service on heavy aircraft, although the supplied reference material does not enumerate the individual units or aircraft types under its command. The group's final existence ended after the Second World War, and it has not been identified as an active RAF formation since December 1945. Leadership changed between the group's formations. Group Captain T. C. R. Higgins commanded during the later part of the First World War and again after the group's re-creation in 1919. Other recorded commanders included Air Commodores L. E. O. Charlton, E. A. D. Masterman, A. M. Longmore and D. Le G. Pitcher during the interwar period; Air Commodores The Hon. R. A. Cochrane and L. H. Cockey during the 1940–1942 wartime period; and Air Vice-Marshals G. S. Hodson and E. A. B. Rice during the group's final incarnation. No. 7 Group RAF is consequently best understood as a historical RAF command formation whose identity was tied to changing military functions, not as a consumer or corporate brand.

No. 7 Group RAF was created on 1 April 1918, when the Royal Air Force came into existence as an independent service. Its immediate predecessor was the Southern Training Brigade of the Royal Flying Corps, which was redesignated as No. 7 Group. Initially subordinate to No. 2 Area, the formation acquired the fuller designation No. 7 (Training) Group on 8 August 1918. Its early purpose was therefore connected with RAF training administration during the closing phase of the First World War. The post-war contraction of the RAF led to the group's first dissolution on 16 August 1919. It was not permanently abolished, however. On 20 September 1919, South-Western Area was downgraded to group status and re-formed as No. 7 Group. On 1 April 1920, the group came under Inland Area. Its interwar existence lasted until 12 April 1926, when it was disbanded for a second time. The recorded commanders of this period included T. C. R. Higgins, L. E. O. Charlton, E. A. D. Masterman, A. M. Longmore and D. Le G. Pitcher. The outbreak of the Second World War brought a further re-formation. On 15 July 1940, No. 7 Group was established as No. 7 (Operational Training) Group under Bomber Command. It operated within the wartime training structure until 11 May 1942, when it was redesignated No. 92 Group RAF. This ended the group's second-war incarnation under the No. 7 title. The wartime commanders listed for this period are Air Commodore The Hon. R. A. Cochrane and Air Commodore L. H. Cockey. The final incarnation began on 1 November 1944. Unlike the 1940 formation, this group was responsible for controlling heavy conversion units. It continued in that role through the end of the war and was disbanded on 21 December 1945. Air Vice-Marshal G. S. Hodson and Air Vice-Marshal E. A. B. Rice are recorded as its commanders. No subsequent active incarnation is identified in the supplied reference material. Across its several periods, No. 7 Group RAF illustrates the changing command, training and conversion arrangements used by the RAF from its foundation through the Second World War and immediate post-war demobilization.

• 1945

  Final disbandment

  [1]No. 7 Group RAFen.wikipedia.org

  No. 7 Group was disbanded on 21 December 1945.

• 1944

  Final incarnation established

  [1]No. 7 Group RAFen.wikipedia.org

  The group was re-established on 1 November to control heavy conversion units.

• 1942

  Redesignated as No. 92 Group

  [1]No. 7 Group RAFen.wikipedia.org

  On 11 May, No. 7 Group ceased under that designation when it was renamed No. 92 Group RAF.

• 1940

  Re-formed under Bomber Command

  [1]No. 7 Group RAFen.wikipedia.org

  No. 7 (Operational Training) Group was re-established on 15 July under RAF Bomber Command.

• 1926

  Second disbandment

  [1]No. 7 Group RAFen.wikipedia.org

  The interwar group was disbanded on 12 April 1926.

• 1920

  Transferred to Inland Area

  [1]No. 7 Group RAFen.wikipedia.org

  Control of No. 7 Group passed to Inland Area on 1 April.

• 1919

  First disbandment and re-formation

  [1]No. 7 Group RAFen.wikipedia.org

  The group was disbanded on 16 August and re-formed on 20 September when South-Western Area was reduced to group status.

• 1918

  Formation at the creation of the RAF

  [1]No. 7 Group RAFen.wikipedia.org

  No. 7 Group was created on 1 April 1918 by renaming the Royal Flying Corps' Southern Training Brigade.

• 1918

  Training designation adopted

  [1]No. 7 Group RAFen.wikipedia.org

  On 8 August 1918, the group became No. 7 (Training) Group.

A historical Royal Air Force command formation used for training, operational training and the control of heavy conversion units.

• 1942

  Redesignation as No. 92 GroupStrategy

  Background

  No. 7 (Operational Training) Group had operated under Bomber Command since July 1940.

  Action taken

  On 11 May 1942, the formation was renamed No. 92 Group RAF.

  Aftermath

  The No. 7 Group designation was later revived for a separate heavy-conversion-unit command in November 1944.

  Source

• 1918

  Adoption of the training-group designationStrategy

  Background

  The new RAF required an organizational structure for training formations during the final months of the First World War.

  Action taken

  The formation was designated No. 7 (Training) Group on 8 August 1918.

  Aftermath

  The group was later disbanded during post-war reductions.

  Source

1. 1No. 7 Group RAFen.wikipedia.org