First World War No. 25 (Operations) Group formed on 12 August 1918 at
Luce Bay, within North Western Area. It had
No. 258 Squadron RAF and
No. 273 Squadron RAF under its operational control, along with the Airship Stations at Luce Bay and Larne. The group disbanded on 12 June 1919.
Second World War It reformed, known as
No. 25 (Armament) Group RAF, on 1 December 1937 at
RAF Eastchurch, within
RAF Training Command, by renaming the Armament Group. On 28 June 1939 the
HQ relocated to
RAF Brize Norton. Six months later on 31 January 1940, it moved again, to
Buntingsdale Hall,
Market Drayton in
Shropshire. On 27 May 1940, with the split of
RAF Training Command, the group moved into
RAF Flying Training Command. It had responsibility for all the armament training schools including
No. 1 Air Armament School RAF, at
RAF Manby, and the
Central Gunnery School RAF, at
RAF Sutton Bridge. On 7 July 1942, the Air Gunners Schools and the (Observers) Advanced Flying Units for
Northern England, were moved into
No. 29 Group RAF. The responsibility for the Air Gunners Schools and the (Observers) Advanced Flying Units in the
Midlands and
Wales, along with No. 1 Air Armament School RAF, the Central Gunnery School RAF and the
Central Navigation School RAF remained within No. 25 Group. After the Second World War, on 26 April 1947, the group HQ moved to
St Vincents Hall,
Grantham, in
Lincolnshire, however, it eventually disbanded on 15 April 1948.
Cold War On 20 March 1951 it reformed as
No. 25 (Flying Training) Group RAF at
RAF Manby. It was tasked with administering the Flying Refresher Schools and the Advanced Flying Schools, using Jet aircraft. On 28 January 1961 the Group HQ moved to
RAF White Waltham. The group was operational for a further seven years, before eventually disbanding on 1 June 1968, and was absorbed into
No. 22 Group RAF. == Structure ==