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| No. 10 Group RAF | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Active | 1 April 1918 – 18 January 1932 1 June 1940 – 2 May 1945 |
| Country |  United Kingdom |
| Branch |  Royal Air Force |
| Type | Royal Air Force group |
| Role | Fighter cover forSouth western England andSouthern Wales |
| Part of | RAF Fighter Command |
| Garrison/HQ | RAF Box,Wiltshire,England |
| Motto(s) | Challenge |
| Royal Air Force Ensign |  |
| Engagements | World War II |
| Commanders | |
| Notable commanders | Air Vice-MarshalSir Christopher Joseph Quintin BrandKBE, DSO, MC, DFC |
No. 10 Group RAF (10 Gp) was a former operations group of theRoyal Air Force which participated in theSecond World War.
It was formed on 1 April 1918 inNo. 2 Area. On 8 May of the next year it was transferred toSouth-Western Area. In 1919 it was transferred toCoastal Area where it remained until it was disbanded on 18 January 1932.
The group was re-formed on 1 June 1940 withinFighter Command to enable neighbouringNo. 11 Group to function more efficiently. Its area of operation was the south-western region ofEngland. Commanded byAir Vice Marshal SirQuintin Brand, 10 Group supported 11 Group in theBattle of Britain by rotatingsquadrons, providing additionalfighter support when needed, and supplying additional pilots. TheAir Officer Commanding (AOC) of 11 Group, Air Vice MarshalKeith Park, had a far warmer relationship with Brand than with the AOC of12 Group, Air Vice MarshalTrafford Leigh-Mallory, who regarded Park with jealousy.[1]
As well as providing support for 11 Group, 10 Group also had some squadrons of aircraft that could not be risked in the Battle of Britain (Gloster Gladiator,Boulton Paul Defiant).
Brown's Quarry, a small quarry north of Tunnel Quarry, was converted into an underground operations centre for HQ No. 10 Group,RAF Box.[2]
After the Battle of Britain, 10 Group also provided fighter cover missions for convoys approaching and leaving the British Isles. Pilots rotated into 10 Group from either 12 or 13 Group knew that soon they would go over to 11 Group, so the pilots took advantage of their comparatively safer area of operation to hone their skills.
No. 10 Group was reabsorbed into No. 11 Group on 2 May 1945.
On 1 August 1940 when air attacks began on the UK, the group was organised into several sectors:[3]
The following officers have been in command of 10 Group:[4]
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