The predecessor of 38 Group was
No. 38 Wing RAF, initially formed on 15 January 1942 from
296 and
297 Squadrons and based at
RAF Netheravon in Wiltshire under Group Captain Sir
Nigel Norman.
295 Squadron was additionally formed at Netheravon on 3 August 1942. To these were added
570,
298,
299,
190,
196,
620 Squadrons to form No. 38 Group on 11 October 1943. At that time four squadrons were equipped with
Armstrong Whitworth Albemarles (295, 296, 297, 570), one with
Handley Page Halifaxes (298) and four with
Short Stirlings (299, 190, 196, 620). A further Halifax unit,
644 Squadron, was added in February 1944. During 1943, changes of all aircraft types and operational bases were made. Nevertheless 295, 296 and 297 Squadrons were heavily involved that year in operations
Beggar,
Ladbroke and
Fustian, during the invasion of
Sicily. From February 1944 many sorties were made over mainland Europe in support of
Special Operations Executive and detachments of the
Special Air Service. But by 5 June 1944 the group’s updated resources had been fully redeployed between
RAF Brize Norton,
RAF Fairford,
RAF Harwell,
RAF Keevil and
RAF Tarrant Rushton in preparation for
Operation Overlord, the invasion of Europe. From then to 16 June the Group was fully involved in operations
Tonga (the delivery of paratroop-filled gliders at the onset of Overlord) and
Mallard (the delivery of the main airborne forces and their equipment by glider). In September 1944 the group was called upon to ferry airborne troops for
Operation Market Garden, the abortive attempt to capture the Rhine bridge at
Arnhem. Following that operation there was further reorganisation; the Group Headquarters moved to
Marks Hall, Essex in October 1944 and the squadrons were redeployed to
RAF Earls Colne (296 and 297),
RAF Rivenhall (295 and 570),
RAF Great Dunmow (190 and 620),
RAF Wethersfield (later to
RAF Shepherds Grove) (196 and 299) and
RAF Woodbridge (298 and 644). 190 Squadron remained temporarily at
RAF Fairford. On 10 March 1945
161 Squadron at
RAF Tempsford also came under 38 Group control. On 24 March 1945 the squadrons were fully employed in delivering airborne troops to the far bank of the Rhine as part of
Operation Varsity, an operation which proved costly in terms of aircrew lives lost. After the war most 38 Group squadrons were either disbanded or relocated to the Far East and the HQ moved to
RAF Upavon. 295 and 297 Squadrons merged and moved to Fairford. 38 Group became part of
RAF Transport Command on 1 June 1945. In 1972, Headquarters 38 Group moved from
RAF Odiham, Hants, where it had been since 1960, to
RAF Benson, Oxon. Also that year, on 1 July 1972, it became part of the new
RAF Strike Command.
No. 46 Group RAF was merged into 38 Group on 1 January 1976. On 17 November 1983, 38 Group was subsumed within Headquarters
No. 1 Group RAF at RAF Upavon in
Wiltshire. 38 Group was again active during the 1990s from 1 November 1992 to 2000. From 2014, the reformed group had units at
RAF Wittering,
RAF Brize Norton,
RAF High Wycombe and
RAF Leeming. The reformed group now includes RAF A4 Force Elements (deployable engineering and logistic units),
Tactical Medical Wing at Brize Norton, and
Tactical Communications Wing RAF at RAF Leeming. On 1 April 2015 38 Group assumed responsibility for the
Royal Air Force Mountain Rescue Service (MRS) with its three teams at
RAF Lossiemouth,
RAF Leeming and
RAF Valley where it is co-located with the MRS Headquarters. 38 Group was disbanded on 31 December 2020, with the units under its command dispersed to other groups and areas of the RAF, including the newly formed integrated Support Force. In 2025 a D-Day memorial sculpture to the 6th Airborne Division, No. 38 Group RAF, and the
Glider Pilot Regiment, inspired by the form of the fuselage of the wooden
Horsa gliders was unveiled on the site of the former
RAF Harwell. ==Orders of battle==