| No. 222 Group | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Active | 1 September 1941 – 15 October 1945 |
| Country |  United Kingdom |
| Branch | Royal Air Force |
| Type | Royal Air Force group |
| Part of | Air Forces in India (RAF) |
No. 222 Group was agroup of theRoyal Air Force during theSecond World War. Formed on 1 September 1941, based atCeylon. Squadrons were stationed around theIndian Ocean. The group undertook long-range bombing and mine-laying operations that took them as far afield asSumatra andSingapore.
When it became clear that Japanese forces posed an imminent threat to Ceylon, the airfield atRatmalana was requisitioned to form part of the air defences forColombo.[1] It opened as RAF Ratmalana on March 1, 1942, whenNo. 258 Squadron RAF was reformed. They were followed by the arrival ofNo. 30 Squadron RAF. RAF Station Ratmalana closed in October 1945.
No. 99 Squadron RAF (Liberators) was based atDhubulia in West Bengal from August 1944 - August 1945. It then moved to the Cocos Islands.
The group was disbanded on 15 October 1945 becoming Air Headquarters Ceylon (AHQ Ceylon). It had inherited six Liberator squadrons (Nos 99, 356, 203, 8, 160, and 321 RNLAF); four Sunderland squadrons (No. 205, 209, No. 230 atRAF Koggala on the southern tip of the island, andNo. 240 Squadron RAF); andNo. 136 Squadron RAF with Spitfires (Lee, Eastward).
In turn, AHQ Ceylon was disbanded on 1 November 1957 as RAF installations in Ceylon were handed over to theRoyal Ceylon Air Force.[2] AHQ Ceylon was a sub-formation ofFar East Air Force. (Flight)
The following squadrons formed part of No. 222 Group.[3]
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