NO. 1 GROUP
With the introduction of the group and command organisations in 1936,
No. L (Bomber) Group was formed on May 1 that year in effect the redesignation
of the RAF's Central Area HQ at Abingdon, Berkshire. Initially it
controlled three light bomber airfield stations, Abingdon, Bircham
Newton and Upper Heyford, with a total of ten squadrons all equipped
with Hawker Hinds. Re-equipment with Battles and Blenheims followed
and the group strength was expanded with additional squadrons and
airfields. Shortly before the outbreak of war some of the units were
reassigned to No. 6 (Pool) Group for operational training and No.
1 Group became the Advanced Air Striking Force being deployed in France
with ten Battle squadrons for army support operations. A new No. 1
Group was formed in late September 1939 as a headquarters for a future
deployment in France but this plan was dropped and the new organisation
disbanded three months later. With the return of the decimated battle
squadrons from the continent in June 1940, a second reforming of No.
1 Group took place. The new headquarters was initially at Hucknall
with airfields mostly to the east in south Yorkshire and north Lincolnshire.
The Battles were replaced with Wellingtons and by the summer of 1941
there were eight squadrons so equipped. In July 1941 the headquarters
moved to a more central location, Bawtry Hall near Doncaster, where
it was to remain until No. 1 Group was disbanded in the Cold War years.
From the late summer of 1942 the first of the group's squadrons began
to re-equip with Lancaster's, building up to a maximum strength of
350 aircraft in 14 squadrons on 12 airfields by the end of hostilities.
No. 1 Group's war record was 238,356 tons of bombs and 8,147 sea mines
delivered in nearly 60,000 sorties. Some 9,000 airmen lost their lives
during these operations.
