No. 22 Group RAF

No. 22 Group
No. 22 Group Badge
Founded	1 April 1918
Country	United Kingdom
Branch	Royal Air Force
Part of	Air Command
Headquarters	RAF High Wycombe
Motto(s)	Semper resurgens Latin language: Always rising again
Commanders
Current commander	Air Vice-Marshal Richard Maddison

No. 22 Group is one of five groups currently active in the Royal Air Force, falling under the responsibility of Deputy Commander-in-Chief (Personnel) in Air Command. Its previous title up until 2018 was No. 22 (Training) Group. It is responsible for RAF training policy and controlling the Royal Air Force College and the RAF's training stations. As such, it is the direct successor to Training Group.

History

Although No. 22 Group was due to be formed on 1 April 1918, the same day as the RAF was established, it was not activated until 1 July 1918 in the RAF's North-Western Area. It was activated at East Fortune but moved its headquarters to the Station Hotel, Stirling. The next month, on 8 August 1918, it received the designation 'Operations', or possibly 'Marine Operational', making its full title No. 22 (Operations) Group or possibly No. 22 (Marine Operational) Group. It controlled No. 78 Wing RAF, and stations at Auldbar, Chathill (airship station), Dundee, East Fortune, Kirkwall/Orkney, Longside (airship station), Luce Bay, RAF Machrihanish, Peterhead & Strathberg. With the post First World War RAF force reductions, No. 22 Group was disbanded on 30 May 1919.

The next creation of No 22 Group came on 12 April 1926 when the group was re-formed from No 7 Group within Inland Area. The group's designation was No. 22 (Army Co-operation) Group and its headquarters was at South Farnborough. On 17 February 1936, No 22 Group was transferred from the control of Inland Area to that of the Air Defence of Great Britain. Later that same year, on 1 May, the group was raised to command status. However, only just over two months later, on 14 July, the newly created command was reduced back to group status, becoming part of Fighter Command on the day of Fighter Command's creation. In 1938 the group comprised 26 Squadron at Catterick; RAF Hawkinge with 2 Squadron; RAF Odiham & No. 50 (Army Cooperation) Wing, with 4, 13, and 53 Squadrons; RAF Old Sarum with the School of Army Co-operation and 16 and No. 59 Squadron RAFs; and group headquarters and No. 1 Anti-Aircraft Cooperation Unit at South Farnborough. On 24 June 1940 No 22 Group was once again raised to command status and later that year, on 1 December, the new command was expanded to become RAF Army Cooperation Command.

On 1 August 1943, the group was re-established as No. 22 (Training) Group in Technical Training Command, responsible for all training in ground trades, from electronics to cooking. The group continued in its training function for nearly 30 years until it was disbanded 31 January 1972.

The current creation of No. 22 Group was established on 30 October 2006, once again as No. 22 (Training) Group. This creation was a renaming of Training Group which ceased to exist as No 22 Group was re-established.

Organisation and responsibilities

The group is responsible for:

• Youth engagement across the UK;
• Recruiting, selection and basic training;
• Defence technical training – communications & engineering;
• UK Military Flying Training System;
• RAF Force Development, Adventurous Training, survival and specialist training;
• RAF-wide training assurance;
• Accreditation and resettlement;
• All RAF sport.

The areas of responsibility are:

• Royal Air Force Air Cadets (RAFAC)
• RAF College Cranwell and Directorate of Recruiting & Individual Training
• The Directorate of Flying Training (DFT)
• The Directorate of Ground Training (DGT)
• The Defence College of Technical Training (DCTT) consisting of:
  • The Defence College of Aeronautical Engineering (DSAE)
  • The Defence College of Communications and Information Systems (DSCIS)
  • The Defence College of Electro-Mechanical Engineering (DSEME) at MoD Lyneham
  • The Defence School of Marine Engineering (DSMarE) at HMS Sultan, Gosport
• The Directorate of RAF Sport (DRS).

Current Composition

• RAF Halton
• RAF Cranwell
• RAF Linton-on-Ouse
• RAF Shawbury
• RAF St Mawgan
• RAF Valley
• RAF Woodvale
• MoD St Athan

• Headquarters, No. 22 Group, at RAF High Wycombe
  • Directorate of Ground Training
    • RAF Central Training School, at RAF Halton
      • Recruit Training Squadron
      • Airmens Command Squadron
      • Specialist Training Squadron
    • International Defence Training (RAF), at RAF Halton
    • Defence Survive, Evade, Resist, Extract Training Organisation
    • Defence College of Air and Space Operations, at RAF Shawbury
      • School of Air Operations Control
      • School of Aerospace Battle Management, at RAF Boulmer
  • Directorate of Flying Training
    • Headquarters Central Flying School, at RAF Cranwell
    • No. 1 Flying Training School RAF (Tri-Service), at RAF Shawbury
      • 705 Naval Air Squadron, at RAF Shawbury, (Airbus Juno HT1)
      • No. 202 Squadron RAF, at RAF Valley, (Airbus Jupiter HT1)
      • No. 60 Squadron RAF, at RAF Shawbury, (Airbus Juno HT1) — reports to 9 Regiment AAC
    • No. 3 Flying Training School RAF (Tri-Service), at RAF Cranwell
      • No. 16 Squadron RAF, at RAF Wittering, (Grob Tutor T1)
      • No. 45 Squadron RAF, at RAF Cranwell, (Embraer Phenom T1)
      • No. 57 Squadron RAF, at RAF Cranwell, (Grob Prefect T1)
      • 703 Naval Air Squadron, at RAF Barkston Heath, (Grob Prefect T1)
    • No. 4 Flying Training School RAF, at RAF Valley
      • No. 4 Squadron RAF, at RAF Valley, (Hawk T2)
      • No. 25 Squadron RAF, at RAF Valley, (Hawk T2)
      • No. 72 Squadron RAF, at RAF Valley, (Texan T1)
      • Central Flying School Advanced Training Unit
    • No. 6 Flying Training School RAF, at RAF Cranwell
      • No. 115 Squadron RAF, at RAF Wittering, (Grob Tutor T1)
      • University Air Squadrons
        • University of Birmingham Air Squadron, at RAF Cosford, (Grob Tutor T1)
        • Bristol University Air Squadron, at Colerne Airfield, (Grob Tutor T1)
        • Cambridge University Air Squadron, at RAF Wittering, (Grob Tutor T1)
        • East Midlands Universities Air Squadron, at RAF Cranwell, (Grob Tutor T1)
        • East of Scotland Universities Air Squadron, at Leuchars Station, (Grob Tutor T1)
        • Universities of Glasgow and Strathclyde Air Squadron, at Glasgow Airport, (Grob Tutor T1)
        • Liverpool University Air Squadron, at RAF Woodvale, (Grob Tutor T1)
        • University of London Air Squadron, at RAF Wittering, (Grob Tutor T1)
        • Manchester and Salford Universities Air Squadron, at RAF Woodvale, (Grob Tutor T1)
        • Northern Ireland Universities Air Squadron, at JHFS Aldergrove, (Grob Tutor T1)
        • Northumbrian Universities Air Squadron, at RAF Leeming, (Grob Tutor T1)
        • Oxford University Air Squadron, at RAF Benson, (Grob Tutor T1)
        • Southampton University Air Squadron, at MoD Boscombe Down, (Grob Tutor T1)
        • University of Wales Air Squadron, at MoD St Athan, (Grob Tutor T1)
        • Yorkshire Universities Air Squadron, at RAF Linton-on-Ouse, (Grob Tutor T1)
      • Air Experience Flights
        • No. 1 Air Experience Flight RAF, at MoD St Athan, (Grob Tutor T1)
        • No. 2 Air Experience Flight RAF, at MoD Boscombe Down, (Grob Tutor T1)
        • No. 3 Air Experience Flight RAF, at Colerne Airfield, (Grob Tutor T1)
        • No. 4 Air Experience Flight RAF, at Glasgow Airport, (Grob Tutor T1)
        • No. 5 Air Experience Flight RAF, at RAF Wittering, (Grob Tutor T1)
        • No. 6 Air Experience Flight RAF, at RAF Benson, (Grob Tutor T1)
        • No. 7 Air Experience Flight RAF, at RAF Cranwell, (Grob Tutor T1)
        • No. 8 Air Experience Flight RAF, at RAF Cosford, (Grob Tutor T1)
        • No. 9 Air Experience Flight RAF, at RAF Linton-on-Ouse, (Grob Tutor T1)
        • No. 10 Air Experience Flight RAF, at RAF Woodvale, (Grob Tutor T1)
        • No. 11 Air Experience Flight RAF, at RAF Leeming, (Grob Tutor T1)
        • No. 12 Air Experience Flight RAF, at RAF Leuchars, (Grob Tutor T1)
        • No. 13 Air Experience Flight RAF, at JHFS Aldergrove, (Grob Tutor T1)
  • Defence College of Technical Training, at MoD Lyneham
    • RAF Cosford
    • Defence School of Aeronautical Engineering, at RAF Cosford
      • RAF Aerosystems Engineer and Management Training School
      • No. 1 School of Technical Training RAF, at RAF Cosford
        • No. 238 Squadron RAF
        • Aerosystems Training Squadron
        • Mechanical Training Squadron
        • Trenchard Squadron
      • Royal Navy Air Engineering and Survival School, at HMS Sultan
        • 764 Initial Training Squadron
        • Advanced Training Group
        • Common Training Group
        • Specialist Training Group
        • Training Support Group
    • Defence School of Communications and Information Systems, at Blandford Camp
      • No. 1 Radio School RAF, at RAF Cosford
        • The Aerial Erector School, at RAF Digby
        • Training Delivery Squadron
        • Training Management Support Squadron
        • Academic Accreditation Group
    • Defence School of Electro-Mechanical Engineering, at MoD Lyneham
      • No. 4 School of Technical Training RAF, at MoD St Athan
    • Defence School of Marine Engineering, at HMS Sultan
      • Marine Engineering Department
      • Craft Skills Group
      • Training Support Organisation
  • Directorate of RAF Sport
    • RAF School of Physical Training, at RAF Cosford
    • RAF Sports Board, at RAF Halton
  • Royal Air Force College Cranwell
    • Officer and Aircrew Cadet Training Unit Cranwell intakes usually take place at ten week intervals throughout the year.
  • Headquarters, Royal Air Force Air Cadets, at RAF Cranwell
    • No. 2 Flying Training School RAF, at RAF Syerston
      • Central Gliding School, at RAF Syerston
      • No. 614 Volunteer Gliding Squadron RAF, at MDP Wethersfield, (Grob Viking T1)
      • No. 615 Volunteer Gliding Squadron RAF, at Kenley Airfield, (Grob Viking T1)
      • No. 621 Volunteer Gliding Squadron RAF, at RAF Little Rissington, (Grob Viking T1)
      • No. 622 Volunteer Gliding Squadron RAF, at Trenchard Lines, (Grob Viking T1)
      • No. 626 Volunteer Gliding Squadron RAF, at Predannack Airfield, (Grob Viking T1)
      • No. 632 Volunteer Gliding Squadron RAF, at Tern Hill Airfield, (Grob Viking T1)
      • No. 637 Volunteer Gliding Squadron RAF, at RAF Little Rissington, (Grob Viking T1)
      • No. 644 Volunteer Gliding Squadron RAF, at RAF Syerston, (Grob Viking T1)
      • No. 645 Volunteer Gliding Squadron RAF, at RAF Topcliffe , (Grob Viking T1)
      • No. 661 Volunteer Gliding Squadron RAF, at RAF Kirknewton, (Grob Viking T1)

Commanders

Currently, No 22 Group is led by Air Vice-Marshal Richard Maddison OBE, who is Chief of Staff Training and Air Officer Commanding No. 22 Group. AVM Maddison is responsible to his superior commander, the Air Member for Personnel, who is also deputy commander-in-chief personnel in Air Command.

1918 to 1919

• 1 July 1918 Colonel, later Brigadier General, E A D Masterman

1926 to 1940

• 12 April 1926 Air Commodore D le G Pitcher
• 9 April 1929 Air Commodore N D K MacEwen
• 14 September 1931 Air Commodore H LeM Brock
• 30 June 1936 Air Commodore, later Air Vice-Marshal B E Sutton
• 3 July 1939 Air Vice-Marshal C H B Blount
• 15 September 1939 Air Vice-Marshal N D K MacEwen
• 30 May 1940 Air Vice-Marshal C H B Blount
• 23 October 1940 Not Known
• 20 November 1940 Air Marshal Sir Arthur Barratt

1943 to 1972

• 1 August 1943 Air Vice-Marshal C E V Porter
• 1946 to 1948 Air Vice-Marshal A C Stevens
• 19 January 1948 Air Vice-Marshal P E Maitland
• 15 June 1950 Air Vice-Marshal B V Reynolds
• 25 August 1952 Air Vice-Marshal W H Merton
• 1 December 1953 Air Vice-Marshal J L F Fuller-Good
• 15 January 1957 Air Vice-Marshal R Faville
• 12 September 1960 Air Vice-Marshal B A Chacksfield
• 12 November 1962 Air Vice-Marshal A A Case
• 15 January 1966 Air Vice-Marshal W V Crawford-Crompton
• 1 July 1968 Air Vice-Marshal G R Magill
• 1 January 1970 Air Vice-Marshal E Plumtree

2006 onwards

• 30 October 2006 Air Vice-Marshal J M M Ponsonby
• July 2007 Air Vice-Marshal R F Garwood CBE DFC
• 17 April 2009 Air Vice-Marshal B M North OBE
• 23 February 2010 Air Vice-Marshal M C Green CBE
• 2011 Air Vice-Marshal M G Lloyd CB
• 18 July 2014 Air Vice-Marshal Andrew Turner CBE
• July 2017 Air Vice-Marshall Warren "Bunny" James
• August 2020 Air Vice-Marshal Richard Maddison

External links

• Official website

Preceded by Training Group

22 (Training) Group 2006–

Succeeded by Group extant