No. 17 Group RAF

No. 17 Group RAF
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Unit name	No. 17 Group RAF
Dates	1 April 1918–1 October 1919; 1 December 1936–1 February 1969
Country	United Kingdom
Branch	Royal Air Force
Role	Training, Coastal Command support
Command structure	RAF Coastal Command
Garrison	RAF Lee-on-Solent; RAF Mount Batten; RAF Calshot
Notable commanders	Air Commodore Charles Hughes-Hallett; Air Vice-Marshal K. C. Davidson

No. 17 Group RAF was a formation of the Royal Air Force assigned principally to training and coastal aviation roles during both the interwar period and the Second World War. Formed initially upon the creation of the RAF in 1918 and re-established before 1939, the Group provided seaplane, flying boat, navigation, and anti-submarine training and supported operational units of RAF Coastal Command and allied maritime forces. Throughout its existence, the Group linked training establishments, operational conversion units, and stations across southern and western England and Scotland to sustain maritime air operations.

History

No. 17 Group RAF was constituted contemporaneously with early RAF reorganizations following the Royal Naval Air Service and Royal Flying Corps merger, disbanding after the post‑First World War drawdown and reformed in the late 1930s as tensions with Nazi Germany escalated. During the Second World War it expanded to meet the demands of the Battle of the Atlantic and the Norwegian Campaign, integrating with Coastal Command to train crews for anti‑submarine warfare against the Kriegsmarine and to support convoys protecting transatlantic shipping tied to the United States and Canada. Post‑war reductions and the transformation of maritime aviation, including the introduction of landplane maritime patrol types and jet technology influenced Group restructuring, culminating in final disbandment during RAF rationalizations in the 1960s.

Organisation and Structure

Organisationally, the Group reported to RAF Coastal Command headquarters and contained a mixture of Operational Training Units (OTUs), Coastal Command Development Units, Flying Boat Training Units, and Aircrew Training Schools. Units within the Group answered to group headquarters staff responsible for administration, maintenance, standards, and conversion training overseen by senior officers drawn from Royal Navy liaison circles and RAF aviation specialist cadres. The structure adapted with wartime expansion: initial small schools evolved into larger OTUs and Coastal Operational Training Schools, coordinating with research establishments such as the Aeroplane and Armament Experimental Establishment and collaborating with allied training establishments including those in Australia and South Africa.

Bases and Stations

The Group’s principal headquarters moved between notable maritime aviation stations: early interwar headquarters at RAF Lee-on-Solent, wartime operations based at RAF Mount Batten and RAF Calshot, with satellite units at RAF Pembroke Dock, RAF Hemswell, and RAF Lossiemouth. Training detachments operated from RAF St Eval, RAF Millom, and bases on the Isle of Man and Isle of Wight to exploit sheltered sea lanes and proximity to convoy routes. Overseas postings and detachments coordinated with Royal Canadian Air Force facilities in Nova Scotia and with maintenance yards at Portsmouth and Liverpool for hull repair and logistics.

Aircraft and Equipment

Aircraft types employed by the Group included flying boats and seaplanes such as the Short Sunderland, Supermarine Stranraer, and Short Empire; twin‑engined types like the Avro Anson and Handley Page Hampden were used for navigation and multi‑crew training. Anti‑submarine ordnance and radar training incorporated equipment such as the ASV radar, depth charges, and airborne wireless sets manufactured by firms tied to Marconi Company and Vickers‑Armstrongs. As technology progressed, the Group introduced later types for conversion including the Bristol Beaufort and maritime versions of the Consolidated Catalina, while instrument and gunnery trainers were standardized across Coastal Command training schools.

Operations and Training

Training missions covered seaplane handling, flying boat navigation, reconnaissance, torpedo delivery, anti‑submarine tactics, and night operations in support of convoy escort duties during the Battle of the Atlantic. The Group ran Operational Training Units that mirrored front‑line squadron procedures to produce crews proficient in convoy patrols, mine clearance support, and search and rescue coordination with Royal National Lifeboat Institution and naval escort vessels. Joint exercises involved the Royal Navy’s Home Fleet and Fleet Air Arm units to refine shore‑based to shipborne coordination, and training syllabi incorporated lessons from actions such as the Norwegian Campaign and convoy battles off West Africa.

Commanders

Senior officers commanding the Group included experienced coastal aviation leaders drawn from RAF Coastal Command and naval liaison backgrounds. Notable commanders encompassed Air Commodore Charles Hughes‑Hallett, who later held senior naval staff posts, and Air Vice‑Marshal K. C. Davidson, noted for overseeing training expansions. Command appointments typically rotated among officers with prior service in RAF Coastal Command, Bomber Command transfer experience, or staff college credentials from the RAF Staff College and Imperial Defence College.

Legacy and Disbandment

The Group’s legacy lies in sustaining Allied maritime aircrew throughput vital to maintaining Atlantic and home waters security, influencing post‑war maritime patrol doctrine and training pedagogy adopted by successor RAF formations and Commonwealth air forces. Technological shifts to landplane maritime patrol aircraft, consolidation of training into centralized RAF colleges, and Cold War reorganisation precipitated phased reductions and final disbandment by 1969. Memorials and historical records at Imperial War Museum and station museums at RAF Museum London preserve the Group’s contributions to maritime aviation history. Category:Royal Air Force groups