No. 1 Wing RAF facts for kids
Quick facts for kids No. 1 Wing RAFFirst Wing RFC 1st Corps Wing RFC No. 1 (Yatesbury) Wing RAF No. 1 (Army Co-operation) Wing RAF No. 1 (General Reconnaissance) Wing RAF No. 1 (Bomber) Wing RAF No. 1 Balloon Barrage Wing No. 1 (Signals) Wing RAF  |
|
|---|---|
| Active |
|
| Country |  United Kingdom |
| Branch | Royal Air Force Royal Flying Corps |
| Type | Wing |
The No. 1 Wing was an important part of the Royal Air Force (RAF). It was a group of aircraft squadrons, like a team of flying units. This wing first started as the First Wing of the Royal Flying Corps (RFC). The RFC was the air force of the British Army before the RAF was created.
Contents
No. 1 Wing in World War I
In November 1914, during the First World War, the Flying Corps had grown a lot. They needed a way to organize all their aircraft squadrons. So, they created special units called "wings." The First Wing and the Second Wing were the very first ones. They were formed on November 29, 1914.
The first leader of the 1st Wing was Hugh Trenchard. He became a very famous leader in air force history. The 1st Wing helped the British 1st Army in France. They flew missions on the Western Front. This included helping out during the Battle of Aubers Ridge in May 1915. The wing was stopped on March 5, 1919, after the war ended.
Between the World Wars
After the First World War, No. 1 Wing was brought back and stopped several times. This happened for different reasons.
Just two months after it was first stopped, the wing started again. This was on May 15, 1919, at a place called Yatesbury. It was stopped again later.
The wing started up for a second time on January 1, 1926. This time, it worked with the army. It controlled two squadrons, No. 4 Squadron and No. 13 Squadron. This period was short, and the wing was stopped on April 12, 1926.
No. 1 Wing came back again in 1937. On September 23, it was reformed. It controlled No. 209 Squadron and No. 210 Squadron. These squadrons were used for general reconnaissance, which means they flew to gather information. They helped during the Spanish Civil War. Their job was to stop submarine attacks on ships that were not involved in the war. The wing was stopped again on December 15 of that year.
No. 1 Wing in World War II
No. 1 Wing was briefly brought back just before World War II started. On May 9, 1939, it was a general reconnaissance wing again.
Then, on August 25, 1939, it became a bomber wing in Egypt. It controlled No. 30 and No. 55 Squadrons. But this group was stopped on September 22, 1939.
Between January 24 and June 24, 1940, the wing controlled barrage balloon units in France. These balloons were used to protect areas from enemy aircraft.
After the Wars
The last time No. 1 Wing was formed was between October 1958 and September 1961. During this time, it worked as a signals wing. This means it was involved in communication and electronic operations.
Commanders of No. 1 Wing
Many different officers led No. 1 Wing over the years. Here are some of them:
- November 19, 1914: Lieutenant-Colonel Hugh Trenchard
- August 19, 1915: Lieutenant-Colonel Edward Ashmore
- November 1, 1915: Lieutenant-Colonel John Becke
- Late 1917: Lieutenant-Colonel T. W. C. Carthew
- December 5, 1917: Lieutenant-Colonel Leslie Gossage
- January 1919: Lieutenant-Colonel Charles Portal
See also
- List of Wings of the Royal Air Force
