No. 9 Group RAF
No. 9 Group RAF was a group of the Royal Air Force. History. 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. 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). 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, three Tactical Exercise Units , the AI Conversion Unit, the Fighter Leaders' School, No. 2 Aircraft Delivery Flight, No. 58 Repair and Salvage Unit, three other support/supply units, and the 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. The following officers had command of No. 9 Group: