Far East Air Force (Royal Air Force)

The former Royal Air Force Far East Air Force, more simply known as RAF Far East Air Force, was the Command that controlled all Royal Air Force assets in the east of Asia (Far East). It was originally formed as Air Command, South East Asia in 1943 during the Second World War. In 1946, this was renamed RAF Air Command Far East, and finally Far East Air Force in June 1949.

The command was disbanded on 31 October 1971.

Early history

The RAF's Far East Command was formed in January 1930 and its first officer commanding, Group Captain Henry Cave-Browne-Cave, was double-hatted as Officer Commanding RAF Singapore. This was upgraded to Headquarters Air Force Far East Command in 1933. During the Second World War, when Malaya, Singapore, Burma and Hong Kong were overrun by the Japanese, the command retreated to India, there receiving the name Air Headquarters Bengal.

The true ancestor of the postwar Far East Air Force was formed on 16 November 1943, under Lord Louis Mountbatten, Supreme Allied Commander, South East Asia Command (SEAC). It was initially called South East Asia Air Command, but became Air Command, South East Asia (ACSEA) on 30 December 1943. On 1 July 1944 ACSEA comprised No. 222 Group RAF, No. 225 Group, No. 229 Group RAF, and Eastern Air Command, under U.S. Lieutenant General George E. Stratemeyer, itself being made up of the Strategic Air Force (7th Bombardment Group USAAF and No. 231 Group RAF, under Brigadier General Howard C. Davidson of the United States Army Air Force); the U.S. Tenth Air Force (80th Fighter Group, 311th Fighter Group, and 443rd Troop Carrier Group); the RAF Third Tactical Air Force (Nos 221 and 224 Groups, No. 177 Wing RAF, 3d Combat Cargo Group USAAF, and 12th Bombardment Group USAAF); the Photographic Reconnaissance Force (No. 171 Wing RAF and U.S. 8th Photographic Reconnaissance Group); and No. 293 Wing RAF. By January 1945 ACSEA's subsidiary Base Air Forces South East Asia, under Air Marshal Sir Roderick Carr, comprised No. 223 Group RAF on the North West Frontier at RAF Peshawar, No. 225 Group RAF (responsible for the "air defence of southern India and the whole coastline from Bengal to Karachi," by January 1943 controlling Nos 172 and 173 Wings), No. 226 Group RAF, No. 227 Group RAF, and No. 230 Group RAF, carrying out maintenance, training, and administration.

The four major RAF formations under HQ ACSEA in India and Ceylon at the end of the war were HQ BAFSEA; AHQ Burma; HQ 222 Group at Columbo, controlling all operational squadrons in Ceylon, largely carrying out maritime duties; and 229 Group, a Transport Command group located in New Delhi. 222 Group disbanded by being renamed AHQ Ceylon on 15 October 1945; it inherited six Liberator squadrons (Nos 99, 356, 203, 8, 160, and 321 RNLAF); four Sunderland squadrons (205, 209, 230, and 240); and No. 136 Squadron with Spitfires. After HQ BAFSEA was merged with AHQ India, twelve RAF squadrons (225 Group: Nos 5, 30 at Bhopal, 45 at St Thomas Mount; 227 Group: 298 Squadron at Samungli with a detachment at Chaklala; No. 228 Group RAF: 176, 658 AOP, 355 at Digri, 159 at Salbani; 229 Group: 353 and 232 at Palam; and 10 and 76 with Dakotas at Poona) remained in India after 1 April 1946, and AHQ India was placed under joint command of the Indian Government and the Air Ministry (Lee Eastward 65-69, Appendix B, 261).

No. 223 Group was disbanded at Peshawar by being redesignated No 1 (Indian) Group on 15 August 1945; No. 225 Group disbanded at Hindustan near Bangalore by being redesignated No 2 (Indian) Group on 1 May 1946; No. 226 Group disbanded at Palam on 31 July 1946, with its units being transferred to No.2 (Indian) Group; No. 227 Group disbanded at Agra on 1 May 1946 by becoming No. 4 (Indian) Group. In May 1945 No. 228 Group had moved to Barrackpore and absorbed No. 230 Group, and then on 1 May 1946 becoming No. 3 (Indian) Group. No. 229 Group disbanded on 31 March 1947 and its responsibilities were taken over by No. 1 (Indian) Group; and No. 231 Group ceased operations on 1 August 1945, with by that time no units assigned, and disbanded on 30 September. Its stations, including RAF Negombo, 22 miles north Colombo, had been handed over to the Royal Ceylon Air Force in the course of 1955–56.

Subordinate formations

Air Command, South East Asia

No. 222 Group RAF
AHQ Siam formed at Bangkok and was operational between 1 October 1945 and April 1946, it was previously No. 909 Wing RAF
AHQ Singapore was operational between 16 February 1953 and 1 January 1958, it was previously No. 230 Group RAF
No. 81 Squadron RAF
No. 390 Maintenance Unit RAF
No. 224 Group RAF – disbanded 30 September 1945, reformed 31 August 1957, disbanded again 1 October 1968

No. 20 Squadron RAF
No. 34 Squadron RAF

No. 45 Squadron RAF
No. 52 Squadron RAF

No. 60 Squadron RAF
No. 81 Squadron RAF

No. 110 Squadron RAF
No. 209 Squadron RAF

Flying squadrons

Other units

Stations

Commanders

Commanders included:

Far East Command

? (1933–1938)<br />

Air Vice Marshal John Tremayne Babington (1938–1941) later known as Sir John Tremayne.<br />

Air Vice Marshal C. W. H. Pulford (1941– 1942) died of malaria on active service<br />

Air Vice Marshal Paul Maltby (1942) captured; POW

Air Command South East Asia

Air Chief Marshal Sir Richard Peirse (16 November 1943 – 26 November 1944)
Air Marshal Sir Guy Garrod (26 November 1944 – 25 February 1945) – Temporary appointment
Air Chief Marshal Sir Keith Park (25 February 1945 – 30 April 1946)
Air Marshal Sir George Pirie (30 April – 30 September 1946)

Air Command Far East

Air Marshal Sir George Pirie (30 September 1946 – 18 November 1947)
Air Marshal Sir Hugh Lloyd (18 November 1947 – 1 June 1949)