No. 6 Group RCAF

No. 6 Group RCAF was a group of Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) heavy bomber squadrons in Europe during the Second World War, between 1942 and 1945. The group operated out of airfields in Yorkshire, England.

No. 6 Group RCAF
Active25 Oct 1942 – 31 Aug 1945
Country Canada
Branch Royal Canadian Air Force
RoleStrategic and tactical bombing
Size14 squadrons at peak strength
Part ofRAF Bomber Command
Garrison/HQAllerton Park, Yorkshire
Motto(s)Latin: Sollertia et ingenium
(Translation: "Initiative and skill")[1]
Commanders
Notable
commanders		Air Vice-Marshal G.E. Brookes,
Air Vice-Marshal C.M. McEwen
Insignia
Group badge heraldryA maple leaf superimposed on a York rose[1]
Aircraft flown
BomberVickers Wellington
Short Stirling
Handley Page Halifax
Avro Lancaster
TrainerBritish Aircraft Eagle
Foster Wikner Wicko
Airspeed Oxford

History

No. 6 Group was a Royal Canadian Air Force formation, differing from the previous No. 6 Group RAF. In 1936, No. 1 (Air Defence) Group RAF, a group of auxiliary bomber squadrons formed in 1926, was renamed No. 6 (Auxiliary) Group. No. 6 (Auxiliary) Group was renamed No. 6 (Bomber) Group on 1 January 1939. No. 6 (Bomber) Group initially was an operational bomber group. The first bombing attack on the naval base at Wilhelmshaven was by Nos. 107 and 110 Squadrons from No. 6 (Bomber) Group RAF with Bristol Blenheim bombers on 4 September 1939. In the spring of 1940, that group became dedicated to controlling Bomber Command Operational Training Units providing three months training to new bomber crews and occasionally adding bombers to bomber streams. No. 6 (Bomber) Group RAF was renamed No. 91 (Bomber) Group RAF on 11 May 1942 and the 6 Group designation was transferred to the RCAF on 25 October 1942.[2][3]

No. 6 Group RCAF was made up of Article XV squadrons: RCAF units formed under the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan, for service with British operational formations; hence No. 6 Group was part of Royal Air Force (RAF) Bomber Command. However, a significant number of personnel from the RAF, Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF), Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) and other Allied air forces were attached to 6 Group during the war.

Formation

The RCAF began participating in operations by RAF Bomber Command in 1941, but its squadrons were initially attached to RAF groups. In addition, many individual RCAF personnel belonged to RAF aircrews, in RAF squadrons. The Canadian government wanted RCAF bomber squadrons and personnel to be concentrated, as much as possible, in a distinct, identifiably Canadian group. To this end, 6 (RCAF) Group was formed on 25 October 1942[4] with eight squadrons.

At the peak of its strength, 6 Group consisted of 14 squadrons.[5] Fifteen squadrons would eventually serve with the group, which was almost every RCAF heavy bomber squadron.[5][6] Headquarters for 6 Group was at Allerton Park near Knaresborough and Harrogate in North Yorkshire.

Order of battle for No. 6 Group RCAF, April 1943[7][8][9]
StationSquadronAircraftVersion
RAF CroftNo. 420 Squadron RCAF
No. 427 Squadron RCAF
1535 BATF		Vickers Wellington
Vickers Wellington
Airspeed Oxford		Mk.III
Mks.III, X

RAF DishforthNo. 424 Squadron RCAF
No. 425 Squadron RCAF
No. 426 Squadron RCAF
No. 428 Squadron RCAF
No 1659 (Canadian) Heavy Conversion Unit RAF
1512 BATF		Vickers Wellington
Vickers Wellington
Vickers Wellington
Vickers Wellington
Handley Page Halifax
Airspeed Oxford		Mks.III, X
Mks.III, X
Mks.III, X
Mks.III, X
Mks.I, II

RAF LeemingNo. 420 Squadron RCAFHandley Page HalifaxMk.II
RAF Middleton St. GeorgeNo. 419 Squadron RCAFHandley Page HalifaxMk.II
RAF Skipton-on-SwaleNo. 408 Squadron RCAFHandley Page HalifaxMk.II
RAF TopcliffeGroup Communications Flight (GCF)British Aircraft Eagle
Foster Wikner Wicko

Operations
Aircrew and groundcrew of a No. 428 Squadron RCAF Lancaster bomber

Significant operations involving 6 Group included raids on U-boat bases in Lorient and Saint-Nazaire, France and night bombing raids on industrial complexes and urban centres in Germany.

No. 6 Group flew 40,822 operational sorties.[4] A total of 814 aircraft[4] and approximately 5,700 airmen did not return from operations and 4,203 [10] airmen lost their lives.

Memorial to 6 Group RCAF squadrons near RAF Croft. Text says "In memory of and to honour those who served at Croft during World War II. Dedicated by the members of 431 Iroquois and 434 Bluenose R.C.A.F Squadrons. 6 Group Bomber Command. 26 September 1987".

Stations

No. 6 Group was mainly formed from 4 Group, which was based primarily in Yorkshire. Once split, most of 6 Group`s airfields were north of York and most of 4 Group`s were south and east of the city.[11] Like most other groups within RAF Bomber Command, the "base" system was used for station organization.[12]

Four bases comprising 11 stations made up No. 6 Group. A base consisted of a main station, or headquarters, and a number of sub-stations. Late in 1943, Bomber Command bases were designated with a two-number identifier. The first number represented the group number, and the second number represented the base within that group. The first base within the group was the group's training base. No. 61 Base was therefore the training base for No. 6 Group. Each base was commanded by an air commodore, and each station was commanded by a group captain.

No. 61 Base No. 62 (Beaver) Base[13] No. 63 Base No. 64 Base
RAF Topcliffe, Yorkshire (HQ) RAF Linton-on-Ouse, Yorkshire (HQ) RAF Leeming, Yorkshire (HQ) RAF Middleton St. George, County Durham (HQ)
RAF Dishforth, Yorkshire RAF East Moor, Yorkshire RAF Skipton-on-Swale, Yorkshire RAF Croft, North Yorkshire
RAF Dalton, Yorkshire RAF Tholthorpe, Yorkshire
RAF Wombleton, Yorkshire

Operational squadrons

See also

References

Notes
  1. Moyes 1976, p. 344.
  2. "Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation, Group No's 1 - 9" Retrieved 19 February 2010
  3. Dunmore 1991, p. 4.
  4. Moyes 1976, p. 346.
  5. Millberry 1984, p. 166.
  6. Dunmore 1991, p. 375.
  7. Halley 1988, pp. 494–510.
  8. Delve 1994, p. 62.
  9. Sturtivant and Hamlin 2007, pp. 97, 125–126.
  10. Bashow 2005, p. 458.
  11. Otter 1998, p. 15.
  12. Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation. Bomber Command Bases. Retrieved 19 February 2010
  13. Sturtivant and Hamlin 2007, p. 77.

Bibliography
  • Bashow, David L. No Prouder Place: Canadians and the Bomber Command Experience 1939-1945. St. Catharine's, Ontario, Canada: Vanwell Publishing Limited, 2005. ISBN 1-55125-098-5.
  • Delve, Ken. The Sourcebook of the RAF. Shrewsbury, Shropshire, UK: Airlife Publishing Ltd., 1994. ISBN 1-85310-451-5.
  • Dunmore, Spencer and William Carter. Reap the Whirlwind: The Untold Story of 6 Group, Canada's Bomber Force of World War II. Toronto, Ontario, Canada: McLelland and Stewart Inc., 1991. ISBN 0-7710-2924-1.
  • Halley, James J. The Squadrons of the Royal Air Force & Commonwealth, 1918-1988. Tonbridge, Kent, UK: Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd., 1988. ISBN 0-85130-164-9.
  • Milberry, Larry, ed. Sixty Years - The RCAF and CF Air Command 1924 - 1984. Toronto, Ontario, Canada: Canav Books, 1984. ISBN 0-9690703-4-9.
  • Moyes, Philip J.R. Bomber Squadrons of the RAF and their Aircraft. London, UK: Macdonald and Jane's (Publishers) Ltd., 1964 (2nd edition 1976). ISBN 978-0-35401-027-6.
  • Otter, Patrick. Yorkshire Airfields in the Second World War. Toronto:, Ontario, Canada: Hushion House, 1998. ISBN 1853065420.
  • Sturtivant, Ray, ISO and John Hamlin. RAF Flying Training and Support Units since 1912. Tonbridge, Kent, UK: Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd., 2007. ISBN 978-0-85130-365-9.
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