No. 6 Group RCAF
| No. 6 Group RCAF | |
|---|---|
| Active | Jan. 1, 1943 - May 8, 1945 |
| Country | Canada |
| Allegiance | Great Britain |
| Role | Strategic and tactical bombing |
| Size | 14 Squadrons at peak strength |
| Commanders | |
| Notable commanders | Air Vice-Marshal G.E. Brookes, Air Vice-Marshal C.M. McEwen |
No. 6 Group RCAF was an organization of Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) bomber squadrons which operated from 11 airfields in Yorkshire, England during World War II. Although 6 Group was RCAF, it was controlled by (RAF) Bomber Command.
Canadian bomber squadrons began participating in the war effort in 1941 and were attached to RAF Bomber Command groups. Canada, however, wanted its own identifiable presence in Allied air operations overseas, and it did not want its air force to be merely a source of manpower for the Royal Air Force. To this end, 6 Group was formed January 1, 1943 with eight squadrons. At the peak of its strength, 6 Group consisted of fourteen squadrons. Fifteen squadrons would eventually serve with the group - almost every RCAF heavy bomber squadron. The Canadian squadrons reported directly to Bomber Command headquarters in High Wycombe rather than to an RAF group. Headquarters for 6 Group was at Allerton Park near Knaresborough.
Significant operations involving 6 Group include raids on U-boat bases in Lorient and Saint-Nazaire, France and night bombing raids on industrial complexes and urban centres in Germany.
No. 6 Group flew 40,822 operational sorties. 814 aircrews (approximately 5700 airmen) did not return from operations, and of those, 4,272 airmen lost their lives.
References
Dunmore, Spencer (1991). Reap the Whirlwind: The Untold Story of 6 Group, Canada's Bomber Force of World War II. Toronto: McLelland and Stewart Inc. ISBN 0-7710-2924-1 (bd.) ISBN 0-7710-2926-8 (pa.). {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)