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Series

Air Ministry: Allied Expeditionary Air Force, later Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary...

Catalogue reference: AIR 37

What's it about?

AIR 37

This series contains records of the Allied Expeditionary Air Force and of its principal components the Second Tactical Air Force (RAF), the American Ninth Air Force, USAAF and the Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Force (Air). Also...

Full description and record details

Reference

AIR 37

Title
Air Ministry: Allied Expeditionary Air Force, later Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Force (Air), and 2nd Tactical Air Force: Registered Files and Reports
Date

1939-1969

Description

This series contains records of the Allied Expeditionary Air Force and of its principal components the Second Tactical Air Force (RAF), the American Ninth Air Force, USAAF and the Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Force (Air). Also included are files of, or relating to, 2, 38, 46, 83, 84 and 85 Groups and 310 Squadron, which were controlled by the British organizations above; of the Air Commander-in-Chief (Sir Trafford Leigh-Mallory) and his chief of Operations and Plans (Air Vice Marshal Strafford).

There are also files originating at Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Force which relate largely to the organisation and operation of the AEAF and which are arranged under the headings SHAEF (Main and Rear), Chief of Staff (Supreme Allied Command) and Deputy Chief of Staff (Air). A few other files relate to 21 Army Group, Air Vice Marshal Disarmament (Executive), US Strategic Air Forces, Europe and 88 Group, a group especially formed to take part in operation 'Apostle', the return to Norway on the surrender of the Germans.

Held by
The National Archives, Kew
Former department reference

AEAF and other file series

Legal status

Public Record(s)

Language

English

Creator(s)
  • Air Ministry, Allied Expeditionary Air Force, 1943-1944
  • Air Ministry, Second Tactical Air Force, 1943-1945
  • Air Ministry, Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Force (Air), 1944-1945
Physical description

1466 files and volumes

Access conditions

Open

Immediate source of acquisition

From 1971 Ministry of Defence

Accruals

Series is accruing

Administrative / biographical background

AEAF was established on 15 November 1943 and replaced by SHAEF (Air) which in turn disbanded in July 1945. The 2nd Tactical Air Force (originally just the Tactical Air Force) was formed on 1 June 1943 and became the Air Component of the Occupation Forces in Germany on 17 July 1945 as the British Air Forces of Occupation.

Record URL
https://beta.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue/id/C2092/

Catalogue hierarchy

Over 27 million records

This record is held at The National Archives, Kew

724,929 records

Within the department: AIR

Records created or inherited by the Air Ministry, the Royal Air Force, and related...

You are currently looking at the series: AIR 37

Air Ministry: Allied Expeditionary Air Force, later Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Force (Air), and 2nd Tactical Air Force: Registered Files and Reports