Near East Air Force (Royal Air Force)

Near East Air Force
Crest of Near East Air Force
Active	1943-1976
Branch	Royal Air Force
Role	Command
Headquarters	Cyprus

The former Royal Air Force Near East Air Force, more simply known as RAF Near East Air Force, was the Command organisation that controlled all Royal Air Force assets in the Western Mediterranean (the Near East).

History

The Command was originally formed as RAF Mediterranean and Middle East on 10 December 1943 to control RAF elements in the Western Mediterranean under the command of Mediterranean Allied Air Forces.^[1] On 31 July 1945 it was expanded to absorb RAF Middle East Command and on 1 June 1949 it was renamed Middle East Air Force.^[1] On 1 March 1961 the Southern Group of Middle East Air Force became Near East Air Force and was based in Cyprus.^[1] The Command was disbanded and replaced by Air Headquarters Cyprus on 31 March 1976.^[1]

Commanders-in-Chief

Commanders-in-Chief included:^[1]
Commanders-in-Chief RAF Mediterranean and Middle East

• Air Marshal Sir John Slessor (14 January 1944 - 16 March 1945)
• Air Marshal Sir Guy Garrod (16 March 1945 - 1 August 1945)
• Air Marshal Sir Charles Medhurst (1 August 1945 - 1 March 1948)
• Air Marshal Sir William Dickson (1 March 1948 - 23 January 1950)

Commanders-in-Chief Middle East Air Force

• Air Marshal Sir John Baker (23 January 1950 - 7 February 1952)
• Air Marshal Sir Victor Groom (7 February 1952 - 19 May 1952)
• Air Marshal Sir Arthur Sanders (19 May 1952 - 15 October 1953)
• Air Marshal Sir Claude Pelly (15 October 1953 - 24 September 1956)
• Air Marshal Sir Hubert Patch (24 September 1956 - 26 November 1958)
• Air Marshal Sir William MacDonald (26 November 1958 - 16 July 1962)

Commanders-in-Chief Near East Air Force

• Air Marshal Sir Denis Barnett (16 July 1962 - 25 September 1964)
• Air Marshal Sir Thomas Prickett (25 September 1964 - 21 November 1966)
• Air Marshal Sir Edward Gordon Jones (21 November 1966 - 6 May 1969)
• Air Marshal Sir Denis Smallwood (6 May 1969 - 2 February 1970)
• Air Marshal Sir Derek Hodgkinson (2 Feb 1970 - 25 June 1973)
• Air Marshal Sir John Aiken (25 June 1973 - 31 March 1976)

References

1. ^ ^{a b c d e} Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation - Overseas Commands - Middle East & Mediterranean