No. 19 (General Reconnaissance) Group RAF No. 19 (Equipment) Group RAF
Royal Air Force Ensign
Active	April–June 1918 5 February 1941 – 28 November 1969
Country	United Kingdom
Branch	Royal Air Force
Type	Royal Air Force group
Role	Maritime Reconnaissance (1941–1969)
Part of	RAF Coastal Command
Engagements	First World War Second World War European theatre of World War II

No. 19 Group was agroup of theRoyal Air Force, active during 1918, and then from 1941–1969.

During the First World War,No. 19 (Equipment) Group was formed inYork, at the start of April 1918, in No. 4 Area, it was transferred to North-Eastern Area on 8 May 1918 and disbanded in June.^[1]

The group was reformed in February 1941 asNo. 19 (General Reconnaissance) Group, inRAF Coastal Command, atMount Wise, Plymouth. By May 1941 the group was flying from three Royal Air Force stations, with seven units.

May 1941

• No. 19 (Reconnaissance) Group RAF, Air Officer Commanding:Air Commodore G. H. Boyce^[2][1]
  • Group Headquarters: Mount Wise located inPlymouth
    • RAF Carew Cheriton
      • No. 236 Squadron RAF operated withBristol Blenheim light bomber
      • Coastal Command Development Unit RAF operated withBristol Beaufighter multirole aircraft andLockheed Hudson light bomber and coastal reconnaissance aircraft
    • RAF Roborough
      • No. 19 Group Communication Flight RAF operated with various aircraft
    • RAF St Eval
      • No. 217 Squadron RAF operated with Bristol Beaufort
      • No. 53 Squadron RAF operated with Bristol Blenheim
      • No. 1404 (Meteorological) Flight RAF operated with Bristol Blenheim
      • Photographic Reconnaissance Unit RAF 'B' Flight operated withSupermarine Spitfire and Bristol Blenheim

Its units in February 1942 included:

No. 19 Group RAF (GR), under command of Air Commodore G. R. Bromet, CBE, DSO^[3]

Among its squadrons during the war wasNo. 461 Squadron RAAF.

No. 19 Group assets during October 1946:^[7]

• No. 19 (Reconnaissance) Group RAF, Air Officer Commanding:Air Vice-Marshal C. B. S. Spackman^[8][1]
  • Group Headquarters: Mount Wise located inPlymouth^[8]
    • RAF St Eval
      • No. 210 Squadron RAF withAvro Lancaster GR.3 heavy bomber modified for maritime reconnaissance
      • No. 224 Squadron RAF with Avro Lancaster GR.3 heavy bomber modified for maritime reconnaissance
    • RAF Calshot
      • No. 201 Squadron RAF withShort Sunderland GR.5 flying boat patrol bomber
      • No. 230 Squadron RAF with Short Sunderland GR.5 flying boat patrol bomber
    • RAF Thorney Island
      • No. 36 Squadron RAF withde Havilland Mosquito FB.6 multirole combat aircraft
      • No. 42 Squadron RAF withBristol Beaufighter TF.10 multi-role aircraft

The group relocated toRAF Mount Batten in 1947.

In 1953,NATO documents instructing AdmiralGeorge Creasy, the newCommander-in-Chief, Eastern Atlantic Area (CINCEASTLANT), wrote that Air Vice MarshalThomas Traill,CB, OBE, DFC, Royal Air Force, Air Officer Commanding No. 19 Group RAF, had been appointed as Air Commander North-East Atlantic Sub-Area.^[9]

No. 19 Group order of battle (OOB) in July 1954:^[10]

• No. 19 (Reconnaissance) Group RAF, Air Officer Commanding:Air Vice-MarshalT. C. TraillCB, OBE, DFC^[1]
  • Group Headquarters: RAF Mount Batten located inPlymouth Sound,Devon^[11]
    • RAF St Eval
      • No. 42 Squadron RAF withAvro Shackleton MR.1 & MR.2maritime patrol aircraft
      • No. 206 Squadron RAF with Avro Shackleton MR.1 & MR.2 maritime patrol aircraft
      • No. 220 Squadron RAF with Avro Shackleton MR.1 & MR.2 maritime patrol aircraft
      • No. 228 Squadron RAF with Avro Shackleton MR.1 & MR.2 maritime patrol aircraft
    • RAF Pembroke Dock
      • No. 201 Squadron RAF withShort Sunderland GR.5 flying boat patrol bomber
      • No. 230 Squadron RAF with Short Sunderland GR.5 flying boat patrol bomber
    • RAF Topcliffe
      • No. 36 Squadron RAF withLockheed Neptune MR.1 maritime patrol and anti-submarine warfare aircraft
      • No. 203 Squadron RAF with Lockheed Neptune MR.1 maritime patrol and anti-submarine warfare aircraft
      • No. 210 Squadron RAF with Lockheed Neptune MR.1 maritime patrol and anti-submarine warfare aircraft

19 Group OOB during April 1962:

• No. 19 (Reconnaissance) Group RAF, Air Officer Commanding:Air Vice-MarshalS. W. R. Hughes^[1]
  • Group Headquarters: RAF Mount Batten located inPlymouth Sound,Devon^[12]
    • RAF St Mawgan
      • No. 22 Squadron RAF withWestland Whirlwind
      • No. 42 Squadron RAF with Avro Shackleton
      • No. 201 Squadron RAF with Avro Shackleton
      • No. 206 Squadron RAF with Avro Shackleton

Before it became HQ Southern Maritime Air Region in November 1969, its last commander appears to have been Air Vice-MarshalCresswell Clementi.^[1]

Air Officers Commanding of No. 19 Group:^[1]

• 1941–1942:Air Commodore G. H. Boyce
• 1942–1943:Air Vice-MarshalGeoffrey Bromet
• 1943–1944: Air Vice-MarshalBrian Baker
• 1944–1945: Air Vice-MarshalF. H. Maynard
• 1945–1947: Air Vice-Marshal C. B. S. Spackman
• 1947–1950: Air Vice-MarshalFrank Hopps
• 1950–1952: Air Vice-MarshalGeoffrey Spencer
• 1952–1954: Air Vice-Marshal T. C. Traill
• 1954–1956: Air Vice-MarshalGeoffrey Tuttle
• 1956–1959: Air Vice-Marshal G. I. L. Save
• 1959–1962: Air Vice-Marshal L. W. C. Bower
• 1962–1964: Air Vice-MarshalRochford Hughes
• 1964–1967: Air Vice-MarshalJohn Barraclough
• 1967–1968: Air Vice-Marshal J. H. Lapsley
• 1968–1969: Air Vice-MarshalCresswell Clementi

• Royal Air Force groups
• Military units and formations established in 1918
• Military units and formations disestablished in 1969
• Military units and formations established in 1941

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