List of Royal Air Force Communication units explained

This is a List of Royal Air Force Communication units. "Communication" in the Royal Air Force sense meant units of light transport/liaison aircraft, very frequently supporting a command headquarters.

To allow rapid transport of air officers, staff and other important people many units and Headquarters operated communication Sections, Flights, Squadrons or wings.

A single wing of this type, the 2nd Tactical Air Force Communication Wing RAF, was established on 31 March 1945, and disbanded only three and a half months later at RAF Buckeburg on 15 July 1945, by being reduced to the British Air Forces of Occupation Communication Squadron.

Squadrons

Unit	Formed on	Formed at	Disbanded on	Disbanded at	Notes
Aden Communication Squadron RAF	1 December 1951		31 August 1955	RAF Khormaksar	Became Aden Protectorate Communication and Support Squadron RAF
Aden Protectorate Communication and Support Squadron RAF	1 September 1955	RAF Khormaksar	31 December 1956	RAF Khormaksar	Became No. 84 Squadron RAF
Air Command Far East and Air Headquarters Malaya Communication Squadron RAF	21 August 1946		15 January 1947	RAF Changi	Disbanded
Air Component Field Force Communication Squadron RAF	25 August 1939		27 November 1939	RAF Mont Jois	Became No. 81 Squadron RAF
Air Defence of Great Britain Communication Squadron RAF	1 May 1944		16 October 1944	RAF Northolt	Became Fighter Command Communication Squadron RAF
Air Division Communication Squadron RAF	18 December 1945		8 August 1946		Disbanded
Air Forces Gulf Communication Squadron RAF	15 September 1967		8 August 1969	RAF Muharraq	Disbanded
Air Headquarters Burma Communication Squadron RAF	20 September 1945		14 November 1945		Became Air Headquarters Burma Communication Flight RAF
Air Headquarters East Africa Communication Squadron RAF	1 November 1940		15 December 1941		Disbanded
Air Headquarters Hong Kong Communication Squadron RAF	12 September 1945		15 January 1947	RAF Kai Tak	Disbanded
Air Headquarters India Communication Squadron RAF	1 March 1946		15 August 1947		Became Supreme Commanders Headquarters (Air) Communication Squadron RAF
Air Headquarters Italy Communication Squadron RAF	10 November 1945		15 August 1946	RAF Marcianise	Became Air Headquarters Italy Communication Flight RAF
Air Headquarters Malaya Communication Squadron RAF	1 November 1945		15 January 1947		Disbanded
Air Headquarters Malta Communication Squadron RAF	31 May 1946		1 July 1954		Became Malta Communication and Target Towing Squadron RAF
Air Headquarters Netherlands East Indies Communication Squadron RAF	1 November 1945		21 August 1946	Kemajoran	Disbanded0
Allied Air Forces Central Europe Communication Squadron RAF	April 1951		1966	RAF Melun-Villaroche	Disbanded
Allied Expeditionary Air Force Communication Squadron RAF	6 April 1944		15 October 1944	RAF Heston	Became Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Force (RAF) Communication Squadron RAF
Base Air Forces, Southeast Asia Communication Squadron RAF	1 October 1944		1 March 1946	RAF Palam	Became Air Headquarters India Communication Squadron RAF National Archives record
Bomber Command Communication Squadron RAF	1 February 1956		30 June 1963		^[1] Became Bomber/Fighter/Coastal Commands Communication Squadron RAF
Bomber/Fighter/Coastal Command Communication Squadron RAF	1 July 1963		1 August 1963	RAF Bovingdon	Became Southern Communication Squadron RAF
British Air Forces of Occupation Communication Squadron RAF	15 July 1945		1 September 1951	RAF Bückeburg	Became 2nd Tactical Air Force Communication Squadron
British Commonwealth Air Communication Squadron RAF	1 January 1946		31 March 1948	RAF Iwakuni	Disbanded
Coastal Command Communication Squadron RAF	7 April 1945		1 May 1946	RAF Leavesden	Became Bomber/Fighter/Coastal Command Communication Squadron RAF
Colerne Communication Squadron RAF	30 July 1952		1 July 1957	RAF Colerne	Absorbed by No. 81 Group Communication Squadron RAF
Communication Squadron, GHQ Royal Air Force, France RAF	1 April 1918		November 1918		Disbanded
Communication Squadron, Hendon RAF	23 July 1918	RAF Hendon	27 July 1918	RAF Hendon	Became No. 1 (Communication) Squadron RAF
Far East Communication Squadron RAF	16 October 1947	RAF Changi	January 1960	RAF Changi	Became part of No. 52 Squadron RAF
Fighter Command Communication Squadron RAF	16 October 1944	RAF Northolt	30 June 1963	RAF Bovingdon	Became Bomber/Fighter/Coastal Command Communication Squadron RAF
Flying Training Command Communication Squadron RAF	1 April 1959	RAF White Waltham	1 April 1964	RAF White Waltham	Disbanded
No. 2 Group Communication Squadron RAF	10 October 1945	B.56 Brussels/Evere	29 May 1946	B.56 Brussels/Evere	Reverted to No. 2 Group Communication Flight RAF
No. 83 Group Communication Squadron RAF	1 March 1944 1 October 1946 7 September 1952	RAF Redhill Unknown RAF Wahn	5 May 1946 Unknown 3 May 1958	B.164 RAF Schleswigland Unknown Wahn	Disbanded
No. 84 Group Communication Squadron RAF	1 March 1944	Cowley Barracks	30 November 1947	B.61 St. Denis Westrem	Disbanded
No. 85 Group Communication Squadron RAF	1 May 1944		29 May 1946	RAF Heston	Became No. 85 Group Communication Flight RAF
No. 88 Group Communication Squadron RAF	10 May 1945		30 September 1945		Disbanded
No. 221 Group Communication Squadron RAF	1 January 1945		1 November 1945	RAF Mingaladon	Became Air Headquarters Netherlands East Indies Communication Squadron RAF
No. 232 Group Communication Squadron RAF	27 February 1945		31 March 1946		Disbanded
No. 238 Group Communication Squadron RAF	20 April 1945		15 October 1945	RAF Bilaspur	Disbanded
Headquarters Air Command Southeast Asia (Communication) Squadron RAF	31 January 1944	RAF Willingdon	30 September 1946	RAF Changi	Air Command Far East and Air Headquarters Malaya Communication Squadron RAF
Headquarters British Forces Aden Communication Squadron RAF	21 March 1943	RAF Khormaksar	1 December 1951	RAF Khormaksar	Became Aden Communication Squadron RAF
Headquarters Middle East Air Force Communication Squadron RAF	1 December 1954	RAF Nicosia	1 February 1946	RAF Nicosia	Became Middle East Command Communication Squadron RAF
Headquarters Middle East Communication Squadron RAF	1 June 1949		30 November 1949	RAF Kabrit	Disbanded
Headquarters Royal Air Force Burma Communication Squadron RAF	21 April 1945		20 September 1945	RAF Baigachi	Became Air Headquarters Burma Communication Squadron RAF
Headquarters Royal Air Force Northern Ireland Communication Squadron RAF	19 November 1942		31 March 1950	RAF Aldergrove	Became No. 67 Group Communication Flight RAF
Home Command Communication Squadron RAF	1 August 1950	RAF White Waltham	1 April 1959	RAF White Waltham	Became Flying Training Command Communication Squadron RAF
Maintenance Command Communication Squadron RAF	1 May 1944 1 August 1949	RAF Andover	Unknown 1 November 1960	RAF Andover	Became Maintenance Command Communication Flight RAF Became Maintenance Command Communication and Ferry Squadron RAF
Maintenance Command Communication and Ferry Squadron RAF	1 November 1960	RAF Andover	1 April 1964	RAF Andover	Disbanded into Western Communication Squadron RAF
Malta Communication and Target Towing Squadron RAF	1 July 1954	RAF Luqa	1 August 1963		Became Malta Communication Flight RAF
Mediterranean and Middle East Communication Squadron RAF	1 February 1944	RAF Maison Blanche	1 June 1949	RAF Kabrit	Became Headquarters Middle East Communication Squadron RAF
	8 April 1944	RAF Hendon	3 February 1969	RAF Northolt	Became No. 32 Squadron RAF
Middle East Communication Squadron RAF	29 February 1944		10 November 1945	RAF Heliopolis	Became Mediterranean and Middle East Communication Squadron RAF
Northern Communication Squadron RAF	1 October 1964		1 January 1967	RAF Topcliffe	Became Training Commands Communication Squadron RAF
Reserve Command Communication Squadron RAF	10 September 1946	RAF White Waltham	1 August 1950	RAF White Waltham	Became Home Command Communication Squadron RAF
Royal Air Force Bengal/Burma Communication Squadron RAF	4 December 1944		21 April 1945		Became Headquarters Royal Air Force Burma Communication Squadron RAF
Royal Air Force Germany Communication Squadron RAF	1 January 1959	RAF Wildenrath	3 February 1969	RAF Wildenrath	Became No. 60 Squadron RAF
Southern Communication Squadron RAF	1 August 1963	RAF Bovingdon	1 January 1969	RAF Bovingdon	Became Strike Command Communication Squadron RAF
Strike Command Communication Squadron RAF	1 January 1969	RAF Bovingdon	3 February 1969	RAF Northolt	Became No. 207 Squadron RAF
Special Communication Squadron RAF	1 January 1951	RAF Kabrit	1 September 1952	RAF Fayid	Became Middle East Air Force Special Communication Flight RAF
No. 1 (Communication) Squadron RAF	27 July 1918	RAF Hendon	8 October 1919		Disbanded
No. 2 (Communication) Squadron RAF	1 March 1919		8 October 1919	RAF Kenley	Disbanded
No. 3 (Communication) Squadron RAF	February 1919		March 1919	RAF Hounslow	Absorbed by No. 86 Wing Headquarters Flight RAF
No. 4 (Communication) Squadron RAF	5 January 1919		31 December 1919	RAF Felixstowe	Absorbed by No. 230 Squadron RAF
	March 1919		15 June 1919	RAF Bircham Newton	Became No. 274 Squadron RAF
No. 6 (Communication) Squadron RAF	March 1919	RAF Bircham Newton	1 October 1919	RAF Bircham Newton	Disbanded
No. 7 (Communication) Squadron RAF	March 1919	RAF Bircham Newton	1 October 1919	RAF Bircham Newton	Disbanded
No. 8 (Communication) Squadron RAF	March 1919	RAF Bircham Newton	September 1919	RAF Bircham Newton	Disbanded
Supreme Commander's Headquarters (Air) Communication Squadron RAF	15 August 1947	RAF Palam	17 December 1947	RAF Palam	Royal Air Force Communication Flight
Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Force (RAF) Communication Squadron RAF	15 October 1944	RAF Heston	31 July 1945	RAF Detmold	Disbanded
Tactical Air Force (Burma) Communication Squadron RAF	1 December 1943		28 December 1943	RAF Comilla	Became 3rd Tactical Air Force Communication Squadron RAF
2nd Tactical Air Force Communication Squadron RAF	1 April 1944 1 September 1951	RAF Hartford Bridge RAF Buckeburg	31 March 1945 1 January 1959	RAF Buckeburg RAF Wildenrath	Became British Air Forces of Occupation Communication Squadron Became Royal Air Force Germany Communication Squadron RAF
3rd Tactical Air Force Communication Squadron RAF	28 December 1943	RAF Comilla	4 December 1944	RAF Comilla	Became Royal Air Force Bengal/Burma Communication Squadron RAF
Training Commands Communication Squadron RAF	1 January 1967	RAF Topcliffe	3 February 1969		Became No. 26 Squadron RAF
Transport Command Communication Squadron RAF	1959/61		1 April 1964	[RAF Upavon || Absorbed by the Western Communication Squadron RAF{{sfn|Lake|1999|p=288}} |- | Turnhouse Communication Squadron RAF || 1 October 1952 || RAF Turnhouse || 28 February 1958 || RAF Turnhouse || Disbanded{{sfn|Lake|1999|p=289}} |- | West Africa Command Communication Squadron RAF || July 1945 || Unknown || 1 November 1945 || RAF Accra || Became West Africa Communication Squadron RAF{{sfn|Lake|1999|p=290}} |- | West Africa Communication Squadron RAF || 31 May 1944<hr>1 October 1946 || [[Waterloo, Sierra Leone|RAF Waterloo]], Sierra Leone RAF Takoradi || July 1945 25 September 1947 || Unknown RAF Takoradi || Became West Africa Command Communication Squadron RAF Disbanded|-| West Africa Transport and Communication Squadron RAF || 1 November 1945 || RAF Accra, Gold Coast || 1 October 1946 || RAF Takoradi, Gold Coast || Became West Africa Communication Squadron|-| Western Communication Squadron RAF || 1 April 1964 || RAF Andover || 3 February 1969 || RAF Andover || Became No. 21 Squadron RAF|-| No. 85 Wing Communication Squadron RAF || 1 July 1946 || RAF Ghent || November 1948 || RAF Utersen || Became No. 85 Wing Communication Flight RAF|-|} Units Unit Formed on Formed at Disbanded on Disbanded at Notes Aden Communication Unit RAF 1 January 1944 Khormaksar January 1946 Khormaksar Became Headquarters British Forces Aden Communication Flight Air Command Southeast Asia Communication Unit RAF 1 November 1943 Willingdon, India 31 January 1944 Willingdon, India Became Headquarters Air Command Southeast Asia Communication Squadron Air Headquarters Bengal Communication Unit RAF 24 March 1943 Barrackpore, Bengal 1 December 1943 Comilla, India Became Tactical Air Force (Burma) Communication Squadron Communication Unit, Desert Air Force RAF 1 July 1943 Sorman, Libya 1 June 1944 Orvieto, Italy Became Desert Air Force Communication Flight Communication Unit, Heliopolis RAF 18 January 1940 Heliopolis 19 August 1940 Heliopolis Became No. 267 Squadron RAF Communication Unit, Western Desert RAF 27 April 1942 Ma'aten Bagush, Egypt 1 July 1943 Sorman, Libya Became Communication Unit, Desert Air Force Mediterranean Air Command Communication Unit RAF 2 August 1943 Maison Blanche, Algeria 1 February 1944 Maison Blanche, Algeria Disbanded Flights Unit Formed on Formed at Disbanded on Disbanded at Notes No. 1 (Communication) Flight (Kenya Auxiliary Air Unit) RAF 6 September 1939 RAF Nairobi, Kenya 1 November 1940 RAF Nairobi Merged and became the Air Headquarters East Africa Communication Squadron No. 1 (Indian) Group Communication Flight RAF 15 August 1945 RAF Peshawar, India 15 August 1947 RAF Peshawar Became Air Headquarters Pakistan Communication Flight No. 2 (Indian) Group Communication Flight RAF 1 May 1946 RAF Yelahanka, India 15 August 1947 RAF Yelahanka Became 2 Group Communication Flight, Indian Air Force No. 3 (Indian) Group Communication Flight RAF 1 May 1946 RAF Barrackpore, India 31 May 1947 RAF Barrackpore Disbanded No. 85 Wing Communication Flight RAF 10 May 1947 Unk 1 October 1947 RAF Utersen Disbanded No. 85 Group Communication Flight RAF November 1948 RAF Utersen 1 March 1950 RAF Utersen Disbanded No. 87 Wing Communication Flight RAF 1 July 1946 RAF Buc 26 August 1946 RAF Buc, France Royal Air Force Delegation (France) Communication Flight No. 87 Group Communication Flight RAF 15 May 1945 RAF Buc, France 1 July 1946 RAF Buc Became No. 87 Wing Communiction Flight 2nd Tactical Air Force Communication Flight RAF 1 June 1943 RAF White Waltham 1 April 1944 RAF Hartford Bridge Became 2nd Tactical Air Force Communication Squadron Air Defence of Great Britain Communication Flight RAF January 1930 1 May 1944 RAF Northolt February 1936 1944 RAF Northolt Absorbed by Northolt Station Flight Reformed as part of the Air Defence of Great Britain Communication Squadron. Disbanded. Air Headquarters Austria Communication Flight RAF 5 October 1945 RAF Klagenfurt, Austria 15 August 1946 RAF Klagenfurt Became Austria Commission Flight Air Headquarters Burma Communication Flight RAF 14 November 1945 RAF Mingaladon 1 December 1947 RAF Mingaladon Disbanded Air Headquarters Ceylon Communication Flight RAF 15 October 1945 RAF Ratmalana, Ceylon 15 January 1947 RAF Negombo, Ceylon Disbanded Air Headquarters Communication Flight Iraq and Persia RAF 1 July 1945 RAF Habbaniya, Iraq 1 March 1946 RAF Habbaniya Became Air Headquarters Iraq Communication Flight Air Headquarters East Africa Communication Flight RAF 16 November 1942 1 August 1944 September 1954 RAF Eastleigh, Kenya February 1944 15 September 1951 Unk RAF Eastleigh Became the Air Transport Flight Became the Eastleigh Communication Flight Disbanded Air Headquarters Eastern Mediterranean Communication Flight RAF 1 February 1944 RAF Mariut, Eqypt 15 March 1946 RAF Mariut Disbanded Air Headquarters Egypt Communication Flight RAF 31 August 1944 RAF Heliopolis, Eqypt 1 April 1946 RAF Heliopolis Absorbed by the Mediterranean and Middle East Communication Squadron Air Headquarters Greece Communication Flight RAF January 1945 RAF Hassani, Greece 11 January 1947 RAF Hassani Became the Royal Air Force Delegation (Greece) Communication Flight Air Headquarters India Communication Flight RAF 16 August 1939 RAF Lahore 21 January 1942 RAF Willingdon Disbanded Air Headquarters Iraq Communication Flight RAF 1 March 1946 RAF Habbaniya, Iraq 5 August 1954 RAF Habbaniya Became the Iraq Communication Flight Air Headquarters Italy Communication Flight RAF 15 August 1946 RAF Udine, Italy 27 September 1947 RAF Udine Disbanded Air Headquarters Malta Communication Flight RAF 1 March 1944 RAF Hal Far, Malta 31 May 1946 RAF Luqa Became the Malta Communications and Target Towing Squadron Air Headquarters Middle East Communication Flight RAF February 1942 Eqypt 1942 Unknown Allied Expeditionary Air Force Communication Flight RAF 13 December 1943 RAF Heston 6 April 1944 RAF Heston Became the Allied Expeditionary Air Force Communication Squadron Andover Communication Flight RAF 28 March 1927 RAF Andover 10 September 1938 RAF Andover Became the Staff College Station Flight Army Co-Operation Command Communication Flight RAF 1 December 1940 RAF White Waltham 31 May 1943 RAF White Waltham Became the 2nd Tactical Air Force Communication Flight Austria Commission Flight RAF 15 August 1946 RAF Klagenfurt 1 November 1947 RAF Klagenfurt Disbanded Balkan Air Force Communication Flight RAF 7 June 1944 RAF Bari 16 July 1945 RAF Bari Disbanded Berlin Air Command (RAF) Communication Flight RAF 24 May 1945 RAF Gatow 1 August 1945 B.58 Melsbroek Became British Air Command Berlin Communication Flight RAF Bomber Command Communication Flight RAF 1942 RAF Halton 1956 RAF Halton ^[2] Became Bomber Command Communication Squadron. British Air Command Berlin Communication Flight RAF 1 August 1945 RAF Gatow 28 February RAF Gatow Disbanded Civil Aircraft Flight, National Air Communications RAF September 1939 RAF Doncaster 1 May 1940 RAF Doncaster Became No. 271 Squadron RAF Coastal Command Communication Flight RAF May 1952 RAF Bovingdon 30 June 1963 RAF Bovingdon Disbanded into Bomber/Fighter/Coastal Communication Squadron RAF Communication Flight, Aden RAF 1 April 1942 RAF Khormaksar 21 March 1943 RAF Khormaksar Became HQ British Forces Aden Communications Flight RAF Communication Flight, Air Headquarters New Delhi RAF November 1930 RAF Willingdon 1 April 1942 RAF Willingdon Became No. 224 Group Communication Flight Communication Flight, Air Headquarters Western Desert RAF 9 October 1941 RAF Ma'aten Bagush 27 April 1942 Ma'aten Bagush Became Communication Unit, Western Desert Communication Flight, Aldermaston RAF Communication Flight, Dar es Salaam (Air Defence Unit, Tanganyika) RAF Communication Flight, Dum Dum RAF Communication Flight, Eastleigh RAF Communication Flight, GHQ Royal Flying Corps, France RAF Communication Flight, Heliopolis RAF Communication Flight, Iraq RAF Communication Flight, Iraq and Persia RAF Communication Flight, Khartoum RAF (see 117 Squadron) Communication Flight, Lydda RAF Communication Flight, Nicosia RAF Communication Flight, Ramleh RAF Communication Flight, Takoradi RAF Desert Air force Communication Flight RAF East Africa Communication Flight RAF Eastleigh Communication Flight RAF Far East Communication Flight RAF Flying Training Command Communication Flight RAF Free French Communication Flight RAF Headquarters British Forces Aden Communication Flight RAF Headquarters Combat Cargo Task Force Communication Flight RAF Headquarters Far East Communication Flight RAF Headquarters Middle East Air Force Communication Flight RAF Headquarters Middle East Air Force Flight RAF Headquarters Rhodesian Air Training Wing Communication Flight RAF Headquarters Rhodesian Air Training Wing Communication Flight RAF Headquarters Royal Air Air Force Northern Ireland Communication Flight RAF Helicopter Communication Flight RAF Home Communication Flight RAF India Communication Flight RAF Inland Area Communication Flight RAF Iraq Communication Flight RAF Kuala Lumpur Communication Flight RAF Light Communication Trial Flight RAF Maintenance Command Communication Flight RAF Malta Air Sea Rescue and Communication Flight RAF Malta Communication, Ferry Unit and Air Sea Rescue Flight RAF Malta Communication Flight RAF Mediterranean Allied Coastal Air Forces Communication Flight RAF Mediterranean Allied Tactical Air Forces Communication Flight RAF Mediterranean Tactical Air Forces Communication Flight RAF Middle East Air Force Communication Flight RAF Middle East Air Force Flight RAF Middle East Air Force Special Communication Flight RAF Middle East Command Communication Flight RAF Middle East Communication Flight RAF Northern Ireland Communication Flight RAF Northwest African Air Forces Communication Flight RAF Northwest African Coastal Air Force Communication Flight RAF Northwest African Tactical Air Force Communication Flight RAF Overseas Staff College Communication Flight RAF Reserve Command Communication Flight RAF Rhodesian Air Group Communication Flight RAF Rhodesian Air Training Wing Communication Flight RAF Royal Air Force Communication Flight 17 December 1947 RAF Palam 30 June 1948 RAF Mauripur Disbanded. Operated Dakota's and York's Royal Air Force Delegation (Belgium) Communication Flight RAF Royal Air Force Delegation (Denmark) Communication Flight RAF Royal Air Force Delegation (France) Communication Flight RAF Royal Air Force Delegation (Greece) Communication Flight RAF Royal Air Force Delegation (Washington) Communication Flight RAF Royal Air Force Staff College Communication Flight RAF Royal Air Force Staff College (Overseas) Communication Flight RAF Royal Hellenic Air Force Communication Flight RAF Southeastern Area Communications Flight RAF Southern Rhodesia Communications Flight RAF Special Communication Flight RAF Technical Training Command Communication Flight RAF Training Command Communication Flight RAF Transport Command Communication Flight RAF Wessex Bombing Area Communication Flight RAF Western Desert Communication Flight RAF References Bibliography Book: Lake . A . Flying units of the RAF . 1999 . Airlife . Shrewsbury, UK . 1-84037-086-6 . Book: Sturtivant. Ray. Hamlin. John. Royal Air Force flying training and support units since 1912 . 2007 . Air-Britain (Historians). Tonbridge, UK. 978-0851-3036-59.

Notes and References

1. Web site: Bovingdon . Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust. 29 April 2020.
2. Web site: Halton . Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust. 29 April 2020.