No. 10 Group RAF
From Biocrawler, the free encyclopedia.
No. 10 Group of was formed on 1 April 1918 in No. 2 Area. On 8 May of the next year it was transferred to South-Western Area. 1919 then saw it transferred to Coastal Area where it remained until it was disbanded on 18 January 1932.
The Group was reformed on 1 June 1940 with Fighter Command in order for neighboring No. 11 Group to more efficiently function. It's area of operation was the South-Eastern region of England. Commanded By Air Vice Marshal Sir Christopher Brand, 10 Group supported 11 Group in the Battle of Britain by rotating squadrons, providing additional fighter support when needed, and supplying additional pilots. The AOC of 11 Group, Air Vice Marshall Keith Park, had a far warmer relationship with Brand then with the AOC of 12 Group, Air Vice Marshall Trafford Leigh-Mallory, who regarded Park with jealousy.
As well as providing support for 11 Group, 10 Group also had some squadrons of aircraft that could not be risked in the Battle of Britain (Gloster Gladiator, Boulton Paul Defiant).
After the Battle of Britain, 10 Group also provided fighter cover missions for convoys approaching and leaving the British Isles. Pilots rotated into 10 Group from either 12 or 13 Group knew that soon, they would go over to 11 Group, so the pilots took advantage of their comparatively safer area of operation to hone their skills.
No. 10 Group was reabsorbed into No. 11 Group on 2 May 1945.
