Quick Question - When did 1 Group move out of Benson

[Jackonicko]

When did HQ No.1 Group move out of RAF Benson?

And when did Bentley Priory finally say goodbyee?

[fobotcso]

1 Gp had left Benson by the time I went there in '59 (to Benson, that is, not 1 Gp).

[Mr C Hinecap]

And Bentley Priory still a place of work for a few peeps too.

[Jackonicko]

I had understood that in March 1996 HQ No.1 Group moved from High Wycombe (having hitherto been at Upavon or somewhere) to Benson, where it also took over the functions of No.2 Group, which had looked after RAF Germany units, and which disbanded at Rheindalen on 1 April of that year. But by the time No.s 11 and 18 Group and 38 Group were replaced on 1 April 2000, it was at High Wycombe and probably was at Benson for months rather than years.

I'd understood that when 11 and 18 went West the new Groups were HQd at High Wycombe, so what is still going on at BP?

And do the assets in the Falklands and Cyprus report to a Group, or directly to HQ Strike?

The RAF website still thinks we have Tornados in RAFG, so isn't a great deal of help!

[Jackonicko]

Subsidiary Qs:

Which flights have Sea King 3As, and which still have 3s?

SAOEU and F3 OEU - direct reporting to Strike or under No.1 Group?

BoBMF? (direct reporting to Strike or under No.1 Group?)

78? 84? 1312? 1417? (direct reporting to Strike?)

[Mowgli]

Jacko, I can't answer all of your Qs about the Groups, but I can shed some light on some areas. HQ 1 Gp were at Upavon until 1992 (I was in the flypast so I'm sure about that!). If memory serves me, HQ 38 Gp had been at Upavon, and maybe became HQ 1 Gp? When Upavon was handed to the Army, HQ 1 Gp reformed at Benson, and then moved to High Wycombe - they moved into the old country house style place which had been "Bomber" Harris's HQ in WW11. In 1998, HQSTC reorganised the Groups into what they are now (I was there, making the coffee!), but that's as much as I know.

I hope that helps. Have you tried the MOD web site?

[Jackonicko]

Come on guys! Help me out here!

Are there no bored PPRuNers from 22 and 202 Squadrons (Which flights have Sea King 3As, and which still have 3s? ) or from the SAOEU and F3 OEU - (direct reporting to Strike or under No.1 Group?) or the BoBMF, or from Cyprus or the Falklands......

PS: Thanks Mowgli - nice one!

[opso]

HQBFFI & HQBF Cyprus both report directly to PJHQ. Detached units under the command of those HQ's are supported by their parent Gps under direction from PJHQ through STC.

Hope that's of some help. I don't know the answer to the other questions at the moment I'm afraid and I won't be back in work for a couple of weeks.

[TURNBULL]

Mowgli and Opso have got the basics of the various moves of HQ 1 Gp, the group moved to HW on the weekend that England played Scotland in the 5 nations in 1996 - is that of any help? As far as Cyprus and FI are concerned they are Directly Administered Units, as mentioned before with Gp providing support.

[LXGB]

Jacko,
B Flt 22 Sqn had 3As last time I looked.

More gen here :) :

http://www.raf.mod.uk/airpower/seaking.html

Best Regards,

LXGB

[Jackonicko]

Thank you so much! That just leaves the Battle of Britain Flight and the two big OEUs. Any takers?

[opso]

How soon do you need the answer? Deadline for a current article? I can get a firm answer for you, but not for a couple of weeks as I'm on leave till then. In the meantime, I suspect that SAOEU falls under the Air Warfare Centre as the other OEUs I've dealt with certainly do.

[Jackonicko]

Opso, ASAP please, though I am going to revisit this subject, so I'd like to get the answers right even if not in time for the current article.

[extpwron]

Sea King 3A’s are at A Flt 22 Sqn Chivenor and B Flt 22 Sqn Wattisham ONLY.

NOT as incorrectly listed on the RAF Website as Wattisham and Falklands!

[opso]

I'll dig out the answers when I go back.