RAF Home Command was the Royal Air Force command that was responsible for the maintenance and training of reserve organisations from formation on 1 February 1939 as RAF Reserve Command with interruptions until it ceased to exist on 1 April 1959.
History
The Command was formed as RAF Reserve Command on 1 February 1939. It was absorbed into RAF Flying Training Command on 27 May 1940 but reformed again on 1 May 1946. It was then renamed RAF Home Command on 1 August 1950 and absorbed into RAF Flying Training Command again on 1 April 1959.
The command's communications squadron, the Home Command Communication Squadron, was formed on 1 August 1950 at RAF White Waltham and disestablished on 1 April 1959, still at White Waltham, becoming the Flying Training Command Communication Squadron RAF.
The command operated a number of units: Home Command Examining Unit (1950-51 & 1951-59) No. 1 Home Command Gliding Centre (1955-59) No. 2 Home Command Gliding Centre (1958-59) Home Command Gliding Instructors School (1950-55) Home Command Instrument Training Flight (1950-52) Home Command Major Servicing Unit (1950-54) Home Command Modified Officer Cadet Training Unit (1953-56) Home Command Training Flight (1950)
Groups of Home Command
Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief
Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief included: RAF Reserve Command 1 February 1939 Air Marshal Sir Christopher Courtney 28 August 1939 Air Chief Marshal Sir John Steel 22 April 1940 Air Vice Marshal Sir William Welsh Note: The Command was not in existence from May 1940 to May 1946 1 May 1946 Air Commodore E D H Davies (Temporary) 20 May 1946 Air Marshal Sir Alan Lees 1 October 1949 Air Marshal Sir Robert Foster RAF Home Command 1 August 1950 Air Marshal Sir Robert Foster 31 Mar 1952 Air Marshal Sir Ronald Ivelaw-Chapman 1 October 1952 Air Marshal Sir Harold Lydford March 1956 Air Marshal Sir Douglas Macfadyen