RAF area commands

The RAF area commands were the major geographical operational and administrative formations of the Royal Air Force between 1918 and 1936 when they were replaced by functional commands.

List of area commands

Numbered area commands

The use of numbered area commands was very short-lived, lasting only from April to May 1918 when all the numbered area commands were renamed according to the geographical area of responsibility.

  • No. 1 Area, headquartered at the Covent Garden Hotel, London. Formed 1 April 1918. Renamed on 8 May 1918 as South-Eastern Area.
  • No. 2 Area, headquartered at Chafyn Grove, Salisbury School, Wiltshire. Formed 1 April 1918. Renamed on 8 May 1918 as South-Western Area.
  • No. 3 Area, headquartered in Birmingham, formed 29 Apr 1918. Renamed on 8 May 1918 as Midland Area.
  • No. 4 Area, headquartered at the Racecourse Buildings, York. Formed 1 April 1918. Renamed on 8 May 1918 as North-Eastern Area.
  • No. 5 Area, headquartered at the Adelphi Hotel, Glasgow. Formed 1 April 1918. Renamed 8 May 1918 as North-Western Area.

Geographically named area commands

  • South-Eastern Area, headquartered at the Covent Garden Hotel until April 1919 and then Hillingdon, House, Uxbridge, London. Formed 8 May 1918 by renaming No. 1 Area. Renamed on 20 September 1919 as Southern Area.
  • South-Western Area, headquartered at Chafyn Grove, Salisbury School, Wiltshire. Formed 8 May 1918 by renaming No. 2 Area. Downgraded on 20 September 1919 to No. 7 Group within Southern Area.
  • Midland Area, headquartered at Somerset House, Clarendon Place, Leamington Spa. Formed 8 May 1918 by renaming No. 3 Area. Absorbed on 18 October 1919 into Northern Area.

Notes