RAF Balloon Command

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Former command of the Royal Air Force

title: "RAF Balloon Command" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["history-of-ballooning", "royal-air-force-commands", "military-units-and-formations-established-in-1938", "military-units-and-formations-disestablished-in-1945"] description: "Former command of the Royal Air Force" topic_path: "history" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RAF_Balloon_Command" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary Former command of the Royal Air Force ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox military unit"]

FieldValue
unit_nameBalloon Command
imageRAFBallooncommand.png
captionBalloon Command badge
start_date1 November 1938
end_dateFebruary 1965
country
branch
mottoVi Et Ictu
().
battlesWorld War II
::

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Balloon Command was the Royal Air Force command which was responsible for controlling all the United Kingdom-based barrage balloon units during the Second World War.

History

Prior to the establishment of Balloon Command, a balloon group was brought into being in 1937. This smaller formation was known as No. 30 (Balloon Barrage) Group and was commanded by Air Commodore John Hearson. Balloon Command was formed on 1 November 1938 at RAF Stanmore Park in Middlesex. It consisted of a headquarters and several groups. Balloon Command was disbanded on 5th February 1945.

Commanders

The following officers were in command:

Pre-war organization

Before the Second World War the command had one group - No. 30 (Balloon) Group at four stations: ;No. 1 Balloon Centre at Kidbrooke

  • No. 901 (County of London) (Balloon) Squadron Auxiliary Air Force
  • No. 902 (County of London) (Balloon) Squadron Auxiliary Air Force
  • No. 903 (County of London) (Balloon) Squadron Auxiliary Air Force ;No. 2 Balloon Centre at Hook
  • No. 904 (County of Surrey) (Balloon) Squadron Auxiliary Air Force
  • No. 905 (County of Surrey) (Balloon) Squadron Auxiliary Air Force ;No. 3 Balloon Centre at Stanmore
  • No. 906 (County of Middlesex) (Balloon) Squadron Auxiliary Air Force
  • No. 907 (County of Middlesex) (Balloon) Squadron Auxiliary Air Force ;No. 4 Balloon Centre at Chigwell
  • No. 908 (County of Essex) (Balloon) Squadron Auxiliary Air Force
  • No. 909 (County of Essex) (Balloon) Squadron Auxiliary Air Force
  • No. 910 (County of Essex) (Balloon) Squadron Auxiliary Air Force Important: All Balloon Squadrons numbered 901 to 947 were formed within the Auxiliary Air Force (AAF) prior to the outbreak of war in September 1939, thereafter, the remainder numbered 948 to 999 were RAF Squadrons.

Second World War organization

Main article: Barrage Balloon Organisations of the Royal Auxiliary Air Force

During World War II, the command had the following organization:

  • Headquarters at Old Church Lane, Stanmore in Middlesex. This in turn directly controlled:
    • RAF Cardington
    • RAF Chessington The command consisted of five groups which were in turn subdivided into balloon centres (equivalent to wings of heavier-than-air aircraft). The organization was as follows:
  • No. 30 Group headquartered at Chessington, near Surbiton, Surrey (1 November 1938 to 7 January 1945)
    • No. 1 Balloon Centre
    • No. 2 Balloon Centre
    • No. 3 Balloon Centre
    • No. 4 Balloon Centre
    • No. 12 Balloon Centre
  • No. 31 Group (1 April 1939 to 13 November 1941), Birmingham
  • No. 32 Group headquartered at Claverton Manor, Claverton, near Bath, Somerset (1 March 1939 to 15 November 1944)
    • No. 6 Balloon Centre (earlier in 33 Group)
    • No. 11 Balloon Centre
    • No. 13 Balloon Centre
    • No. 14 Balloon Centre
  • No. 33 Group headquartered at Parkhead House, Abbey Lane, Sheffield, Yorkshire (1 March 1939 to 4 September 1944)
    • No. 5 Balloon Centre
    • No. 6 Balloon Centre (later in 32 Group)
    • No. 8 Balloon Centre
    • No. 9 Balloon Centre
    • No. 10 Balloon Centre
    • No. 15 Balloon Centre (earlier in 34 Group)
    • No. 16 Balloon Centre
    • No. 17 Balloon Centre
  • No. 34 Group headquartered at Tor House, Corstorphine Road, Edinburgh (7 April 1940 to 19 July 1943)
    • No. 15 Balloon Centre (later in 33 Group)
    • No. 18 Balloon Centre

The dates indicated give the periods for which each group existed as part of Balloon Command. No. 30 and 31 groups also existed in World War I as part of different formations.

The balloon centres in turn consisted of balloon squadrons which were numbered from 900 to 994.

Image:Barrage ballons.jpg|WAAF Barrage Balloon crews at RAF Cardington. Image:RAF Sussex balloon winch tender.JPG|Restored Fordson Sussex Balloon Winch Tender Image:Fordson Sussex ballon Winch tender rear view.JPG|Rear view of Fordson Sussex on display at the RAF Museum Hendon. Image:Barrage balloons over London during World War II.jpg| Balloons over London. Image:Cardington Shed BW.jpg|RAF Cardington near Bedford was home to a large Balloon Command unit. File:Royal Air Force Balloon Command, 1939-1945. CH8330.jpg|Dodge Type 'H' LHD cradle carrier, loaded with gas bottles.

References

References

  1. (1983). "A Dictionary of mottoes". Routledge & K. Paul.
  2. "No. 4 Group".
  3. [http://www.rafweb.org/Cmd_H3.htm Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation - RAF Home Commands formed between 1956 and 1638] {{webarchive. link. (9 January 2002)
  4. [http://www.rafweb.org/Grp04.htm Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation - Groups 30 - 48] {{webarchive. link. (28 March 2010)

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history-of-ballooningroyal-air-force-commandsmilitary-units-and-formations-established-in-1938military-units-and-formations-disestablished-in-1945