RAF Intelligence
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| Agency overview | |
|---|---|
| Formed | 1939 |
| Dissolved | 1964 (as an independent agency) |
| Superseding agency | |
| Jurisdiction | Government of the United Kingdom |
Intelligence services in the Royal Air Force are delivered by Officers of the Royal Air Force Intelligence Branch and Airmen from the Intelligence Analyst Trade and Intelligence Analyst (Voice) Trade. The specialisation has around 1200 personnel of all ranks posted to operational air stations, HQs and other establishments of the British Armed Forces, both in the United Kingdom and overseas.
The RAF Intelligence Branch dates back to 1939 following the outbreak of the Second World War, however personnel have been employed in intelligence duties since the formation of the RAF in 1918. At the time, officers of the General Duties (GD) Branch (mainly pilots on a ground tour or who for medical reasons could no longer fly) performed the duty of Squadron Intelligence Officer, or aircrew on ground tours in the Air Ministry Intelligence Department. By the late 1939 there was a dedicated Intelligence Branch, called the Administrative and Special Duties Branch (for Intelligence duties). Additionally, in 1939, the Secret Intelligence Service established a dedicated Air Intelligence Section under the command of Group Captain F. W. Winterbotham (Chief of Air Intelligence, MI-6). During the Second World War, the Intelligence Branch became larger to encompass the Signals Intelligence staff at Bletchley Park and the Imagery Intelligence staff at RAF Medmenham.
At the outbreak of war, the Air Ministry recognised the requirement for formalised Intelligence training and established a number of courses to teach Volunteer Reserve Officers the art of Intelligence analysis. Much of this early training was very simplistic and did little more than introduce those to be employed in intelligence duties to the structure of the secretive organisation and where sources came from. The first series of courses were held at Hibbert Road in Harrow starting on 20 Nov 1939. These were short courses of 7 days duration, giving a broad picture of intelligence in Commands, Groups and Stations. After 5 of these courses had run, the training was moved to 14 Ryder Street, St James, London. September 1940 saw another move, back to Harrow to Fisher Road School, Wealdsden. Incorporated into the syllabus was the Advanced Intelligence Course, designed for Senior RAF Intelligence Officers from operational commands, and certain Naval and Army Intelligence Officers. The first of these courses started on 28 October 1940 and was 3 weeks in duration. This series continued without interruption and in 1942 developed into the RAF Intelligence School.
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