{{Short description|Former Royal Air Force operations group}} {{Infobox military unit |unit_name= No. 60 (Signals) Group RAF |native_name= |image= [[File:Ensign of the Royal Air Force.svg|centre|150px]] |image_size= |alt= |caption= [[Royal Air Force Ensign]] |dates= 23 February 1940 - 25 April 1946 |disbanded= |country={{flag|United Kingdom}} |branch={{air force|United Kingdom}} |type= [[List of Royal Air Force groups|Royal Air Force group]] |role= [[Chain Home]] radar stations |size= |command_structure= [[RAF Fighter Command]] |garrison= Oxenden, Plantation Road, [[Leighton Buzzard]] |garrison_label= |motto= [[Latin language|Latin]]: ''vigilans''<br>("watching")<ref name="authority-Badges">{{cite web|title=RAF Badges - Groups |url=https://rafweb.org/Badges/Groups.htm |work=Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation|access-date=3 October 2023}}</ref> |colors= <!-- or | colours = --> |colors_label= <!-- or | colours_label = --> |anniversaries= |battles= [[World War II|Second World War]] |decorations= |battle_honours= |battle_honours_label= |notable_commanders= [[Air Vice-Marshal]] [[William Theak|William Edward Theak]] {{postnominals|country=GBR|size=75%|sep=,|CB|CBE}} }} '''No. 60 Group RAF''' (60 Gp) was a group of the [[United Kingdom|British]] [[Royal Air Force]]. It was established in 1940 with the [[headquarters]] in [[Leighton Buzzard]], as part of [[RAF Fighter Command]].<ref name="JRR">{{cite web|last1=Robinson|first1=J. R.|title=60 Signals Group, Fighter Command, Royal Air Force|url=http://www.rquirk.com/cdnradar/cor/chapter12.pdf|website=The Canadians on Radar|publisher=Robert Quirk|accessdate=31 August 2017|archive-date=16 November 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171116073229/http://www.rquirk.com/cdnradar/cor/chapter12.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref>
== History ==
It controlled the electronic [[Air defence]] radar network across Britain. It was responsible for all civilian and service personnel involved in the operation, maintenance and calibration of the [[Chain Home]] radar stations.
The group was formally established within the Directorate of Signals on 23 February 1940.<ref name="JRR"/>
Order of Battle: May 1941:{{sfn|Delve|1994|p=53}} * [[No. 70 Wing RAF|70]], [[No. 71 Wing RAF|71]], [[No. 72 Wing RAF|72]], [[No. 73 Wing RAF|73]], [[No. 74 Wing RAF|74]], [[No. 75 Wing RAF|75]], [[No. 76 Wing RAF|76]], [[No. 77 Wing RAF|77]] & [[No. 78 Wing RAF]] April 1942:{{sfn|Delve|1994|p=58}} * [[No. 70 Wing RAF|70]], [[No. 71 Wing RAF|71]], [[No. 72 Wing RAF|72]], [[No. 73 Wing RAF|73]], [[No. 74 Wing RAF|74]], [[No. 75 Wing RAF|75]], [[No. 76 Wing RAF|76]], [[No. 77 Wing RAF|77]], [[No. 78 Wing RAF|78]], & [[No. 79 Wing RAF]] April 1943:{{sfn|Delve|1994|p=64}} * [[No. 70 Wing RAF|70]], [[No. 71 Wing RAF|71]], [[No. 72 Wing RAF|72]], [[No. 73 Wing RAF|73]], [[No. 74 Wing RAF|74]], [[No. 75 Wing RAF|75]], [[No. 76 Wing RAF|76]], [[No. 77 Wing RAF|77]], [[No. 78 Wing RAF|78]] & [[No. 79 Wing RAF]] July 1944:{{sfn|Delve|1994|p=72}} * [[No. 70 Wing RAF|70]], [[No. 73 Wing RAF|73]], [[No. 75 Wing RAF|75]], [[No. 78 Wing RAF|78]] & [[No. 84 Wing RAF]] July 1945:{{sfn|Delve|1994|p=79}} * [[No. 527 Squadron RAF]] at [[RAF Digby]] with the [[de Havilland Dominie]], [[No. 529 Squadron RAF]] at [[RAF Henley-on-Thames]] with the [[Sikorsky R-4|Sikorsky Hoverfly]], [[No. 70 Wing RAF|70]], [[No. 73 Wing RAF|73]], [[No. 75 Wing RAF|75]] & [[No. 78 Wing RAF]]
In June 1944 on the eve of [[D-Day]] the group consisted of [[No. 70 Wing RAF]] (Inverness, northern signals, including [[No. 526 Squadron RAF]] at [[RAF Inverness]] carrying out calibration duties); Nos 73, 75, 78, and 80 Wings, twelve separate radar stations, mostly in [[Ireland]], and three specialist units, including the RAF Section of the [[Telecommunications Research Establishment]] at [[Malvern, Worcestershire|Malvern]].<ref>Leo Niehorster, [http://www.niehorster.org/017_britain/44-06-06_Neptune/Air/z-air_Group-060.htm No. 60 Group RAF on 6 June 1944]</ref>
By January 1945 it was still part of Fighter Command.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://usacac.army.mil/sites/default/files/documents/carl/nafziger/945BARB.pdf|title=British Royal Air Force Command|website=usacac.army.mil}}</ref> It was amalgamated with [[No. 26 Group RAF]] to become together [[No. 90 (Signals) Group RAF]] on 25 April 1946. Its last commander was Air Vice-Marshal W E Theak.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.rafweb.org/Grp05.htm |title=Groups 50-67_P |website=www.rafweb.org |access-date=12 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141219052409/http://www.rafweb.org/Grp05.htm |archive-date=19 December 2014 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
==History of No. 26 Group RAF==
No. 26 Group RAF was formed during August 1918 in the [[World War I|First World War]] controlling units within Egypt, it was disbanded during March 1919. The group was reformed on 1 December 1937 as No. 26 (Training) Group at The Hyde, Hendon, London controlling all the [[List of Reserve flying schools|Elementary and Reserve Flying Training Schools]]. It was redesignated to No. 50 Group RAF on 1 February 1939. It was reformed on 12 February 1940 at [[RAF Cranwell]] within [[RAF Training Command]] as No. 26 (Signals) Group RAF. It initially controlled the Wireless Schools before being expanded to control all grounds, air & marine signals equipment, direction finding and beam approach stations. It was merged with No. 60 Group and disbanded into No. 90 Group RAF on 25 April 1945. {{sfn|Sturtivant|Hamlin|2007|p=150}}
Order of Battle May 1941 - HQ at Langley{{sfn|Delve|1994|p=55}} * [[No. 109 Squadron RAF]] at [[RAF Boscombe Down]], [[No. 1 Radio School RAF]] at [[RAF Cranwell]] and [[No. 3 Radio School RAF]] at [[RAF Prestwick]] April 1942 - HQ at Langley Hall, Slough{{sfn|Delve|1994|p=57}} * Controls 83 stations in [[No. 80 Wing RAF]] and [[No. 81 Wing RAF]]
==References== ===Citations=== {{reflist}}
===Bibliography=== *{{cite book |last1=Delve |first1=Ken |title= The Source Book of the RAF|year=1994 |publisher= Airlife Publishing|location= [[Shrewsbury]], UK |isbn= 1-85310-451-5 }} *{{cite book |last1=Sturtivant|first1=Ray|last2=Hamlin|first2=John|title=Royal Air Force flying training and support units since 1912 |year=2007 |publisher= Air-Britain (Historians)|location=[[Tonbridge]], UK|isbn=978-0851-3036-59}}
{{Royal Air Force}} {{RAF Groups}}
[[Category:Royal Air Force groups|060]] [[Category:Military communications units and formations of the Royal Air Force]] [[Category:Air defence units and formations]] [[Category:History of telecommunications in the United Kingdom]] [[Category:Leighton Buzzard]] [[Category:Military history of Bedfordshire]] [[Category:Military units and formations established in 1940]] [[Category:Military units and formations disestablished in 1946]] [[Category:Science and technology in Bedfordshire]] [[Category:Telecommunications in World War II]]