The group was first formed on 1 April 1918 in
No. 2 Area. The next month it was transferred to
South-Western Area and then disbanded on 15 May 1919. Its next incarnation was as part of
RAF Fighter Command. As 1940 wore on, the need for another Group
headquarters to control
fighter operations became more and more apparent. No. 9 Group was formed in September 1940 to cover
North West England and
Northern Ireland. It was based at
RAF Barton Hall and initially only controlled
No. 308 Polish Fighter Squadron at
RAF Speke, On 1 January 1941 the group was only using the
Hawker Hurricane I fighter aircraft: •
No. 96 Squadron RAF at
RAF Cranage •
No. 229 Squadron RAF at
RAF Speke •
No. 306 Polish Fighter Squadron at
RAF Tern Hill •
No. 308 Polish Fighter Squadron at
RAF Baginton •
No. 312 (Czechoslovak) Squadron RAF at
RAF Speke No. 275 Squadron RAF was formed at
RAF Valley on 15 October 1941 as No. 9 Group's
Air Sea Rescue unit, to cover the
Irish Sea. 9 Group also supplied the staff that were trained by
Robert Watson-Watt, the inventor of
radar, to operate the
Chain Home early warning system. The staff being RAF females (they were never
WAAF members). On 1 May 1942 it consisted of: •
No. 131 Squadron RAF at
RAF Llanbedr with Spitfire •
No. 232 Squadron RAF at
RAF Atcham with Spitfire •
No. 255 Squadron RAF at
RAF High Ercall with Beaufighter •
No. 257 Squadron RAF at
RAF Honiley with Hurricane & Spitfire •
No. 315 Polish Fighter Squadron at
RAF Woodvale with Spitfire On 1 March 1943 it consisted of: •
No. 41 Squadron RAF at
RAF High Ercall with Spitfire •
No. 96 Squadron RAF at
RAF Honiley with Beaufighter •
No. 195 Squadron RAF at
RAF Woodvale with Typhoon •
No. 219 Squadron RAF at
RAF Scorton with Beaufighter •
No. 256 Squadron RAF at
RAF Woodvale with Beaufighter •
No. 456 Squadron RAAF at
RAF Valley with Beaufighter & Mosquito No. 9 Group itself had a relative short lifespan. By 1944 it was predominantly a training formation. On 6 June 1944 it comprised: • two sector stations,
RAF Honiley and
RAF Woodvale, • eight Operational Training Units: • No. 13 Operational Training Unit at
RAF Bicester and
RAF Finmere with Mosquito & Boston • No. 41 Operational Training Unit at
RAF Hawarden and
RAF Poulton with Mustang & Hurricane • No. 42 Operational Training Unit at
RAF Ashbourne and
RAF Darley Moor with Whitley, Oxford, Anson & Albemarle • No. 51 Operational Training Unit at
RAF Cranfield and
RAF Twinwood Farm with Mosquito •
No. 53 Operational Training Unit RAF at
RAF Kirton-in-Lindsey,
RAF Hibaldstow and
RAF Caistor with Spitfire • No. 54 Operational Training Unit at
RAF Charterhall and
RAF Winfield with Beaufighter • No. 57 Operational Training Unit at
RAF Eshott and
RAF Boulmer with Spitfire • No. 59 Operational Training Unit at
RAF Boulmer with Hurricane & Typhoon • No. 60 Operational Training Unit at
RAF High Ercall with Mosquito • No. 61 Operational Training Unit at
RAF Rednal and
RAF Montford Bridge with Spitfire • No. 62 Operational Training Unit at
RAF Ouston with Anson & Wellington • three Tactical Exercise Units: • No. 1 Tactical Exercise Unit at
RAF Kinnell with Hurricane & Spitfire • No. 2 Tactical Exercise Unit at
RAF Grangemouth and
RAF Balado Bridge with Spitfire • No. 3 Tactical Exercise Unit at
RAF Annan with Typhoon & Spitfire • AI Conversion Unit •
Fighter Leaders School RAF • No. 2 Aircraft Delivery Flight • No. 58 Repair and Salvage Unit • three other support/supply units • 9 Group Communications Flight flying
Hawker Hurricanes and
Airspeed Oxfords from Samlesbury Aerodrome. It was absorbed into
No. 12 Group RAF on 15 September 1944. ==Commanders==