RAF Maintenance Command
Encyclopedia
RAF Maintenance Command was the Royal Air Force
command
which was responsible for controlling maintenance for all the United Kingdom-based units from formation on 1 April 1938 until being renamed RAF Support Command
on 31 August 1973.
. In 1940 technical control (but not administrative control) of No. 41 Group and No. 43 Group of Maintenance Command passed to the Ministry of Aircraft Production.
From 7 October 1940 operational control of salvage was administered by a section of No. 43 Group RAF (Maintenance), known as No. 43 Group Salvage, with a headquarters at the Morris Motor Works in Cowley. The administrative headquarters later moved to Magdalen College
, Oxford
. Maintenance units responsible for salvage were responsible for vast areas of the country.
Responsibility for these Groups returned to Maintenance Command after World War II
following the absorption of the Ministry of Aircraft Production into the Ministry of Supply
. The foundation stone for a new Command Headquarters at RAF Andover
was laid in November 1960.
When the RAF took delivery of Blue Danube
(in sections) the HCCL plant in Leeds was one of only four places from where 40 Group organised armed escorted road convoys direct to RAF Wittering. The others were AWRE Aldermaston, ROF Burghfield, ROF Chorley (Lancashire), and Woolwich Arsenal.
No. 40 Group was disbanded on 28 July 1961. Maintenance Command was absorbed into Support Command in August 1973.
Maintenance Units included:
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
command
Command (military formation)
A command in military terminology is an organisational unit that the individual in Military command has responsibility for. A Commander will normally be specifically appointed into the role in order to provide a legal framework for the authority bestowed...
which was responsible for controlling maintenance for all the United Kingdom-based units from formation on 1 April 1938 until being renamed RAF Support Command
RAF Support Command
-History:It was formed on 31 August 1973 by the renaming of Maintenance Command, with No. 90 Group being added to it. Its responsibilities included all logistical and maintenance support requirements of the RAF...
on 31 August 1973.
History
Maintenance Command was formed in 1938. No. 40 Group RAF was formed within the command on 3 January 1939, and responsible for all equipment except bombs and explosives. No. 42 Group RAF was made responsible for fuel and ammunition storage; see RAF munitions storage during Word War II and RAF Fauld explosionRAF Fauld Explosion
The RAF Fauld explosion was a military accident which occurred at 11:11am on Monday, 27 November 1944 at the RAF Fauld underground munitions storage depot...
. In 1940 technical control (but not administrative control) of No. 41 Group and No. 43 Group of Maintenance Command passed to the Ministry of Aircraft Production.
From 7 October 1940 operational control of salvage was administered by a section of No. 43 Group RAF (Maintenance), known as No. 43 Group Salvage, with a headquarters at the Morris Motor Works in Cowley. The administrative headquarters later moved to Magdalen College
Magdalen College
Magdalen College or Magdalene College may refer to:*Magdalen College, Oxford - a constituent college of the University of Oxford*Magdalene College, Cambridge - a constituent college of the University of Cambridge...
, Oxford
Oxford
The city of Oxford is the county town of Oxfordshire, England. The city, made prominent by its medieval university, has a population of just under 165,000, with 153,900 living within the district boundary. It lies about 50 miles north-west of London. The rivers Cherwell and Thames run through...
. Maintenance units responsible for salvage were responsible for vast areas of the country.
Responsibility for these Groups returned to Maintenance Command after World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
following the absorption of the Ministry of Aircraft Production into the Ministry of Supply
Ministry of Supply
The Ministry of Supply was a department of the UK Government formed in 1939 to co-ordinate the supply of equipment to all three British armed forces, headed by the Minister of Supply. There was, however, a separate ministry responsible for aircraft production and the Admiralty retained...
. The foundation stone for a new Command Headquarters at RAF Andover
RAF Andover
Andover Airfield is a former Royal Flying Corps and Royal Air Force station. The ICAO code for the airfield is EGWA and the IATA code is ADV...
was laid in November 1960.
When the RAF took delivery of Blue Danube
Blue Danube
Blue Danube may refer to:* The Blue Danube, a waltz written and composed by Johann Strauss II* The Blue Danube , 1932 British film* Blue Danube , the first British operational nuclear weapon...
(in sections) the HCCL plant in Leeds was one of only four places from where 40 Group organised armed escorted road convoys direct to RAF Wittering. The others were AWRE Aldermaston, ROF Burghfield, ROF Chorley (Lancashire), and Woolwich Arsenal.
No. 40 Group was disbanded on 28 July 1961. Maintenance Command was absorbed into Support Command in August 1973.
Organisation
As of 1940 the Command was organised as a headquarters and four Groups:- Equipment Group
- Aircraft Group
- Armament and Fuel Group
- Repair and Salvage Group
Maintenance Units included:
- No. 16 Maintenance Unit, RAF StaffordRAF StaffordRAF Stafford was a non-flying Royal Air Force station in Stafford Staffordshire, England.Originally home to No 16 Maintenance Unit as an Equipment Supply Depot, this part of the station is now run by the Defence Logistics Organisation. No 2 Mechanical Transport Squadron, part of Stafford based 85...
- No. 18 Maintenance Unit, RAF Tinwald DownsRAF Tinwald DownsRAF Tinwald Downs was a former Royal Air Force station located near Tinwald, Scotland. The airfield opened on 17 June 1940 and was sold in 1960 to a private firm.The disused airfield is now used as the Dumfries Aviation Museum.-History:...
, No. 41 Group - No 19 Maintenance Unit, RAF St Athan (7 Feb 1939 - 1 Nov 1968/7 Apr 1999)
- No. 20 Maintenance Unit, RAF Aston DownAston DownRAF Aston Down is a former Royal Air Force station near Minchinhampton, Gloucestershire, South West England. It was used by the RAF from the First World War until 1967, since when it has been the home of the Cotswold Gliding Club...
, No. 41 Group (see Flightglobal.com) - No. 21 Maintenance Unit, RAF Fauld, No. 42 Group
- No. 22 Maintenance Unit, RAF SillothSillothSilloth is a port town and civil parish in Cumbria, England. It sits on the shoreline of the Solway Firth, west of Carlisle. It has a population of 2,932....
- No 32 Maintenance Unit, RAF St Athan (1 Jul 1939 - 1 Nov 1968/7 Apr 1999)
Commanders
Commanders-in-Chief included:- 31 Mar 1938 - Air Marshal Sir John BradleyJohn Bradley (RAF officer)Air Marshal Sir John Stanley Travers Bradley KCB CBE was a senior Royal Air Force officer who became Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief RAF Maintenance Command.-RAF career:...
- 5 Oct 1942 - Air Marshal Sir Grahame DonaldGrahame DonaldAir Marshal Sir David Grahame Donald KCB DFC AFC RAF , often known as Sir Grahame Donald, was a Royal Naval Air Service pilot during World War I, a senior Royal Air Force officer between the wars and a senior RAF commander during World War II. In February 1939, Donald was appointed Director of...
- 9 Apr 1947 - Air Marshal Sir Cyril CookeCyril CookeAir Marshal Sir Cyril Bertram Cooke KCB CBE was a senior Royal Air Force officer who became Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief RAF Maintenance Command.-RAF career:...
- 15 Oct 1949 - Air Marshal Sir Thomas Warne-BrowneThomas Warne-BrowneAir Marshal Sir Thomas Arthur Warne-Browne KBE CB DSC was a senior Royal Air Force officer who became Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief RAF Maintenance Command.-RAF career:...
- 20 Dec 1952 - Air Marshal Sir Leslie HarveyLeslie Harvey (RAF officer)Air Marshal Sir Leslie Gordon Harvey KBE CB was a senior Royal Air Force officer who became Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief RAF Maintenance Command.-RAF career:...
- 16 Jan 1956 - Air Marshal Sir Richard JordanRichard Jordan (RAF officer)Air Marshal Sir Richard Bowen Jordan KCB DFC ADC RAF was a bomber pilot and squadron commander during the Second World War, a senior Royal Air Force officer during the Second World War and sixth Commandant of the Royal Observer Corps, in the post war period of the early 1950s.-Early Royal Air...
- 5 May 1958 - Air Marshal Sir Douglas JackmanDouglas JackmanAir Marshal Sir Douglas Jackman KBE CB was a senior Royal Air Force officer who became Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief RAF Maintenance Command.-RAF career:...
- 1 Mar 1961 - Air Marshal Sir Leslie Dalton-MorrisLeslie Dalton-MorrisAir Marshal Sir Leslie Dalton-Morris KBE CB RAF was a senior Royal Air Force commander in the middle of the twentieth century. He played a leading role in the use of signals in the Air Force both during and after World War II.-Early years:After joining the RAF as a trainee pilot in 1924,...
- 4 Jun 1963 - Air Marshal Sir Norman CoslettNorman CoslettAir Marshal Sir Norman Coslett KCB OBE was a senior Royal Air Force officer who became Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief RAF Maintenance Command.-RAF career:...
- 2 Jul 1966 - Air Marshal Sir Kenneth PorterKenneth Porter (RAF officer)Air Marshal Sir Kenneth Porter KCB CBE was a senior Royal Air Force officer who became Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief RAF Maintenance Command.-RAF career:Porter joined the Royal Air Force in 1928...
- 13 Apr 1970 - Air Marshal Sir John RowlandsJohn Samuel RowlandsAir Marshal Sir John Rowlands GC, KBE was a Welsh Royal Air Force officer who was awarded the George Cross for his work in bomb disposal and later worked in the development of Britain's nuclear weapons programme....
- 2 Jun 1973 - Air Marshal Sir Reginald HarlandReginald HarlandAir Marshal Sir Reginald Edward Wynyard Harland KBE CB is a former senior Royal Air Force commander.-Military career:Educated at Stowe School and Trinity College, Cambridge, Harland joined the Royal Air Force in 1939 at the start of World War II...