Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation
Personnel Strengths 1919 - 1945
The tables below give details of personnel strengths at various times between 1 April 1919 and 1 September 1945
Table 1: RAF (Regular) Personnel Strength - 1 April 1919 to 1 September 1939
Date | Officers | Cadets | Total Officers | Airmen | Apprentices* | Grand Total |
1 Apr 1919 | 17,267 | 2,081 | 19,348 | 83,928 | 103,276 | |
1 Apr 1920 | 3,061 | 3,061 | 25,647 | 28,708 | ||
28 Feb 1921 | 2,764 | 2,764 | 24,827 | 27,951 | ||
1 Apr 1922 | 2,918 | 90 | 3,008 | 26,457 | 29,465 | |
1 Apr 1923 | 2,962 | 85 | 3,047 | 27,036 | 30,083 | |
1 Apr 1924 | 3,166 | 102 | 3,268 | 28,159 | 31,427 | |
1 Apr 1925 | 3,354 | 115 | 3,469 | 29,215 | 32,684 | |
1 Apr 1926 | 3,377 | 104 | 3,481 | 30,528 | 34,009 | |
1 Apr 1927 | 3,215 | 107 | 3,322 | 26,715 | 30,037 | |
1 Apr 1928 | 3,268 | 113 | 3,381 | 24,213 | 2,890 | 30,484 |
1 Apr 1929 | 3,286 | 99 | 3,385 | 24,691 | 2,989 | 31,065 |
1 Apr 1930 | 3,378 | 117 | 3,495 | 25,317 | 3,177 | 31,989 |
1 Apr 1931 | 3,358 | 123 | 3,481 | 25,799 | 3,189 | 32,469 |
1 Apr 1932 | 3,403 | 119 | 3,522 | 26,027 | 2,738 | 32,287 |
1 Apr 1933 | 3,382 | 118 | 3,500 | 25,601 | 2,101 | 31,202 |
1 Apr 1934 | 3,343 | 107 | 3,450 | 25,381 | 1,669 | 30,500 |
1 Apr 1935 | 3,390 | 111 | 3,501 | 26,277 | 2,367 | 32,145 |
1 Apr 1936 | 3,963 | 132 | 4,095 | 37,523 | 4,186 | 45,804 |
1 Apr 1937 | 4,846 | 147 | 4,993 | 45,411 | 5,759 | 56,163 |
1 Apr 1938 | 6,026 | 143 | 6,169 | 56,072 | 7,224 | 69,465 |
1 Apr 1939 | 7,214 | 136 | 7,350 | 85,464 | 8,385 | 101,199 |
1 Sep 1939 | 8,200 | 122 | 8,322 | 101,484 | 7,620 | 117,426 |
*Apprentices are included in the Airman total until 1928. After 1 April 1934 the figures in this column include Apprentices and Boy Entrants.
Table 2: RAF and WAAF Personnel Strength - 3 September 1939 to 1 September 1945
Date | RAF | WAAF | Total | ||||||
Officers | Other Ranks | Total | Officers | Other Ranks | Total | Officers | Other Ranks | Total | |
3 Sep 1939 | 11,519 | 162,439 | 173,958 | 234 | 1,500 | 1,734 | 11,753 | 163,939 | 175,692 |
1 Jan 1940 | 15,561 | 199,171 | 214,732 | 359 | 8,403 | 8,762 | 15,920 | 207,574 | 223,494 |
1 Apr 1940 | 16,332 | 223,449 | 239,781 | 520 | 8,420 | 8,940 | 16,852 | 231,869 | 248,721 |
1 Jul 1940 | 18,431 | 272,992 | 291,423 | 687 | 11,170 | 11,857 | 19,118 | 284,162 | 303,280 |
1 Oct 1940 | 23,636 | 396,473 | 420,109 | 1,170 | 16,194 | 17,364 | 24,806 | 412,667 | 437,473 |
1 Jan 1941 | 26,261 | 464,401 | 490,762 | 1,368 | 19,121 | 20,489 | 27,729 | 484,522 | 511,251 |
1 Apr 1941 | 28,584 | 534,030 | 562,614 | 1,547 | 25,497 | 27,044 | 30,131 | 559,527 | 589,658 |
1 Jul 1941 | 31,760 | 632,866 | 664,626 | 1,891 | 35,493 | 37,384 | 33,651 | 668,359 | 702,010 |
1 Oct 1941 | 37,880 | 734,727 | 772,607 | 3,012 | 61,297 | 64,309 | 40,892 | 796,024 | 836,916 |
1 Jan 1942 | 43,486 | 773,773 | 817,259 | 4,001 | 94,410 | 98,411 | 47,487 | 868,183 | 915,670 |
1 Apr 1942 | 46,134 | 775,246 | 821,380 | 4,041 | 106,787 | 110,828 | 50,175 | 882,033 | 932,208 |
1 Jul 1942 | 49,987 | 789,787 | 839,774 | 4,695 | 120,961 | 125,656 | 54,682 | 910,748 | 965,430 |
1 Oct 1942 | 54,483 | 846,065 | 900,548 | 5,379 | 136,088 | 141,467 | 59,862 | 982,153 | 1,042,015 |
1 Jan 1943 | 59,630 | 880,934 | 940,564 | 5,796 | 160,173 | 165,969 | 65,426 | 1,041,107 | 1,106,533 |
1 Apr 1943 | 64,783 | 889,104 | 953,887 | 5,940 | 174,119 | 180,059 | 70,723 | 1,063,223 | 1,133,946 |
1 Jul 1943 | 69,093 | 903,446 | 972,539 | 5,974 | 175,861 | 181,835 | 75,067 | 1,079,307 | 1,154,374 |
1 Oct 1943 | 74,043 | 914,362 | 988,396 | 5,880 | 174,459 | 180,339 | 79,914 | 1,088,821 | 1,168,735 |
1 Jan 1944 | 80,190 | 924,481 | 1,004,671 | 6,040 | 170,780 | 176,820 | 86,230 | 1,095,261 | 1,181,491 |
1 Apr 1944 | 84,585 | 921,560 | 1,006,145 | 6,090 | 169,578 | 175,668 | 90,675 | 1,091,138 | 1,181,813 |
1 Jul 1944 | 88,615 | 922,812 | 1,011,427 | 6,199 | 168,207 | 174,406 | 94,814 | 1,091,019 | 1,185,833 |
1 Oct 1944 | 92,577 | 907,600 | 1,000,177 | 6,276 | 164,968 | 171,244 | 98,853 | 1,072,568 | 1,171,421 |
1 Jan 1945 | 98,070 | 897,795 | 995,865 | 6,355 | 159,810 | 166,165 | 104,425 | 1,057,605 | 1,162,030 |
1 Apr 1945 | 99,926 | 881,736 | 981,662 | 6,316 | 153,306 | 159,622 | 106,242 | 1,035,042 | 1,141,284 |
1 May 1945 | 101,064 | 874,965 | 976,029 | 6,278 | 151,008 | 157,286 | 107,342 | 1.025,973 | 1,113,315 |
1 Jul 1945 | 103,023 | 859,548 | 929,571 | 6,233 | 146,719 | 152,952 | 109,256 | 1,006,267 | 1,115,523 |
1 Sep 1945 | 100,107 | 840,760 | 940,867 | 5,638 | 130,253 | 135,891 | 105,745 | 971,013 | 1,076,758 |
The figures above do not include personnel from Dominion Air Forces at RAF posting disposal but does include RAF personnel on loan to the Fleet Air Arm.
Table 3: Distribution of RAF and WAAF personnel between Home and Overseas Commands
Date | Home | Overseas | Home/Overseas Ratio | ||||
Men | Women | Total | Men | Women | Total | ||
3 Sep 1939 | 158,718 | 1,734 | 160,452 | 13,857 | - | 13,857 | 10.5:1 |
1 Jan 1940 | 199,194 | 8,762 | 207,956 | 13,871 | - | 13,871 | 13.4:1 |
1 Apr 1940 | 221,923 | 8,940 | 230,863 | 16,121 | - | 16,121 | 12.9:1 |
1 Jul 1940 | 270,420 | 11,857 | 282,277 | 19,200 | - | 19,200 | 13.4:1 |
1 Oct 1940 | 395,341 | 17,361 | 412,702 | 23,011 | 3 | 23,014 | 16.6:1 |
1 Jan 1941 | 453,435 | 20,486 | 473,921 | 35,590 | 3 | 35,593 | 12.6:1 |
1 Apr 1941 | 512,711 | 27,041 | 539,752 | 48,229 | 3 | 48,232 | 10.8:1 |
1 Jul 1941 | 595,381 | 37,381 | 632,884 | 67,507 | 3 | 67,510 | 9.1:1 |
1 Oct 1941 | 667,051 | 64,279 | 731,330 | 103,952 | 30 | 103,982 | 6.9:1 |
1 Jan 1942 | 683,095 | 98,382 | 781,477 | 132,561 | 29 | 132,590 | 5.8:1 |
1 Apr 1942 | 657,057 | 110,766 | 767,823 | 162,390 | 62 | 162,452 | 4.7:1 |
1 Jul 1942 | 627,545 | 125,474 | 753,019 | 209,493 | 182 | 209,675 | 3.5:1 |
1 Oct 1942 | 658,385 | 141,259 | 799,644 | 239,366 | 208 | 239,574 | 3.5:1 |
1 Jan 1943 | 680,325 | 165,760 | 846,085 | 257,478 | 209 | 257,687 | 3.2:1 |
1 Apr 1943 | 663,841 | 179,848 | 843,689 | 287,372 | 211 | 287,583 | 3.0:1 |
1 Jul 1943 | 663,353 | 181,527 | 844,880 | 306,810 | 308 | 307,118 | 2.7:1 |
1 Oct 1943 | 655,786 | 180,000 | 835,786 | 330,607 | 339 | 330,946 | 2.5:1 |
1 Jan 1944 | 659,982 | 175,940 | 835,922 | 342,746 | 880 | 343,626 | 2.4:1 |
1 Apr 1944 | 672,761 | 174,568 | 847,329 | 331,574 | 1,100 | 332,674 | 2.3:1 |
1 Jul 1944 | 696,942 | 171,856 | 868,798 | 312,737 | 2,550 | 315,287 | 2.7:1 |
1 Oct 1944 | 695,993 | 168,151 | 864,144 | 302,485 | 3,093 | 305,578 | 2.8:1 |
1 Jan 1945 | 683,587 | 162,535 | 846,122 | 310,628 | 3,650 | 314,258 | 2.7:1 |
1 Apr 1945 | 669,927 | 155,370 | 825,297 | 310,088 | 4,252 | 314,340 | 2.6:1 |
1 May 1945 | 667,335 | 152,243 | 819,578 | 306,640 | 5,043 | 311,683 | 2.6:1 |
1 Jul 1945 | 662,080 | 147,766 | 809,846 | 298,358 | 5,186 | 303,544 | 2.6:1 |
1 Sep 1945 | 653,243 | 130,396 | 783,639 | 285,953 | 5,495 | 291,448 | 2.6:1 |
Table 4: Officer Strength of Regular RAF, Auxiliary Air Force and Reserve of Air Force Officers on 3 September 1939
Branch | RAF | AuxAF | RAFVR | RAFO |
General Duties | 6,402 | 915 | 375 | 1,142 |
Command Specialisation & PT | 353 | |||
Equipment | 722 | 12 | 277 | 33 |
Accountant | 311 | 32 | 9 | |
Medical | 282 | 46 | 178 | 50 |
Dental | 45 | 25 | 13 | |
Chaplains | 76 | 7 | ||
Legal | 5 | |||
Music | 2 | |||
Assistant Provost Marshal | 2 | |||
Admin & Special Duties | 1,053 | |||
Meteorological | 82 | |||
Miscellaneous | 142 | |||
Total | 8,200 | 1,012 | 1,990 | 1,389 |
Table 5: Summary of Officer entries by Branch 1 September 1939 to 31 August 1945
1 Sep 1939 - 31 Dec 1940 | 1 Jan - 31 Dec 1941 | 1 Jan - 31 Dec 1942 | 1 Jan - 31 Dec 1943 | |||||||||
Ex A = Ex Airmen DE = Direct Entry |
Ex A | DE | Total | Ex A | DE | Total | Ex A | DE | Total | Ex A | DE | Total |
GD Branch | ||||||||||||
Operational pilots | 2,135 | 1,184 | 3,319 | 5,429 | 260 | 5,689 | 5,273 | 395 | 5,668 | 7,073 | 44 | 7,117 |
Non-operational pilots | - | - | - | - | 4 | 4 | - | - | - | 19 | 2 | 22 |
Non-pilots | - | 16 | 16 | - | - | - | - | 1 | 1 | - | - | - |
Navigators | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1,265 | 5 | 1,270 | 3,663 | - | 3,663 |
Navigators (B) | 428 | 5 | 435 | 1,460 | - | 1,460 | 1,688 | 21 | 1,709 | 275 | - | 275 |
Navigators (BW) |
- | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | - | 1 | 15 | - | 15 |
Navigators (W) | - | - | - | 4 | - | 4 | 10 | - | 10 | 116 | - | 116 |
Navigators (Radar) | - | - | - | 74 | - | 74 | 24 | - | 24 | 177 | - | 177 |
Air Bombers | - | - | - | - | - | - | 349 | - | 349 | 1,214 | - | 1,214 |
WOp Air | - | - | - | - | - | 7 | 339 | - | 339 | 1,597 | - | 1,597 |
Air Gunners | 118 | 546 | 664 | 672 | 1 | 673 | 800 | 16 | 816 | 892 | - | 892 |
Flight Engineers | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 430 | - | 430 |
Navigation Instructors | - | 37 | 37 | 1 | 81 | 82 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
Met Air Observers | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 3 | 3 |
TOTAL |
2,681 |
1,788 |
4,369 |
7,647 |
346 |
7,993 |
9,751 |
439 |
10,190 |
15,472 |
51 |
15,523 |
Technical Branch | ||||||||||||
Mechanical Engineer | 386 | 380 | 766 | 806 | 204 | 1,010 | 826 | 36 | 862 | 1,085 | 13 | 1,098 |
Electrician | - | - | - | 63 | 126 | 189 | 140 | 139 | 279 | 233 | 6 | 239 |
Signals | 164 | 320 | 484 | 357 | 496 | 853 | 369 | 67 | 436 | 643 | 2 | 645 |
Signals (Radar) |
- | - | - | 34 | 110 | 144 | 96 | 179 | 275 | 331 | 11 | 342 |
Armament | 62 | 45 | 107 | 121 | 201 | 322 | 218 | 16 | 234 | 280 | 3 | 283 |
Airfield Construction (CE) |
- | - | - | - | - | - | 2 | 85 | 87 | 55 | 12 | 67 |
Airfield Construction (Plant) | - | - | - | - | - | - | 2 | 4 | 6 | 1 | - | 1 |
Airfield Construction (M & E) | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 6 | 6 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
TOTAL |
612 |
745 |
1,357 |
1,381 |
1,137 |
2,518 |
1,653 |
532 |
2,185 |
2,629 |
49 |
2,678 |
Other Branches | ||||||||||||
A & SD | 705 | 6,527 | 7,232 | 2,542 | 6,402 | 8,944 | 1,269 | 810 | 2,979 | 4,909 | 72 | 4,981 |
Balloon | 350 | 7 | 357 | 311 | 2 | 313 | 117 | 1 | 118 | 1 | - | 1 |
Equipment | 148 | 855 | 1,003 | 299 | 970 | 1,269 | 365 | 35 | 400 | 831 | 12 | 843 |
Accountant | 143 | 431 | 574 | 200 | 570 | 770 | 105 | 3 | 108 | 147 | 2 | 149 |
Medical |
12 | 670 | 682 | 6 | 721 | 727 | 9 | 419 | 428 | 5 | 249 | 254 |
Dental | - | 181 | 181 | 2 | 397 | 399 | - | 164 | 164 | 1 | 89 | 90 |
Chaplains | - | 213 | 213 | 2 | 284 | 286 | 1 | 212 | 213 | - | 151 | 151 |
Legal | - | 17 | 17 | - | 1 | 1 | - | - | - | - | 2 | 2 |
Music | - | - | - | 1 | - | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - |
Meteorological |
- | 35 | 35 | - | 2 | 2 | - | 8 | 8 | - | 1.095 | 1,095 |
RAF Regiment | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1,001 | 56 | 1,057 | 265 | 14 | 279 |
GRAND TOTAL - All Branches |
4,651 |
11,469 |
16,120 |
12,391 |
10,832 |
23,223 |
15,171 |
2,679 |
17,850 |
24,260 |
1,786 |
26,046 |
1 Jan - 31 Dec 1944 | 1 Jan - 31 Aug 1945 | Total | |||||||
Ex A = Ex Airmen DE = Direct Entry |
Ex A | DE | Total | Ex A | DE | Total | Ex A | DE | Total |
GD Branch | |||||||||
Operational pilots | 8,633 | - | 8,633 | 3,557 | - | 3,557 | 32,100 | 1,883 | 33,983 |
Non-operational pilots | - | - | - | - | - | - | 19 | 7 | 26 |
Non-pilots | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 17 | 17 |
Navigators | 4,143 | - | 4,143 | 2,399 | - | 2,399 | 11,470 | 5 | 11,475 |
Navigators (B) | 562 | - | 562 | - | - | - | 4,413 | 26 | 4,439 |
Navigators (BW) |
5 | - | 5 | - | - | - | 21 | - | 21 |
Navigators (W) | 525 | - | 525 | - | - | - | 655 | - | 655 |
Navigators (Radar) | 13 | - | 13 | - | - | - | 288 | - | 288 |
Air Bombers | 1,961 | - | 1,961 | 731 | - | 731 | 4,255 | - | 4,255 |
WOp Air | 2,958 | - | 2,958 | 989 | - | 989 | 5,890 | - | 5,890 |
Air Gunners | 1,418 | 5 | 1,423 | 659 | - | 659 | 4559 | 568 | 5,127 |
Flight Engineers | 1,488 | - | 1,488 | 831 | - | 831 | 2,749 | - | 2,749 |
Navigation Instructors | - | - | - | - | - | - | 4 | 120 | 124 |
Met Air Observers | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 3 | 3 |
TOTAL |
21,706 |
5 |
21,711 |
9,166 |
- |
9,166 |
66,423 |
2,629 |
69,052 |
Technical Branch | |||||||||
Mechanical Engineer | 71 | - | 71 | 16 | - | 16 | 3,190 | 633 | 3,823 |
Electrician | 44 | - | 44 | - | - | - | 480 | 271 | 751 |
Signals | 141 | 2 | 143 | 8 | - | 8 | 1,682 | 887 | 2,569 |
Signals (Radar) |
37 | - | 37 | 87 | - | 87 | 585 | 300 | 885 |
Armament | 227 | - | 227 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 909 | 266 | 1,175 |
Airfield Construction (CE) |
45 | 3 | 48 | 1 | 9 | 10 | 103 | 109 | 212 |
Airfield Construction (Plant) | 1 | - | 1 | 2 | 6 | 8 | 6 | 10 | 16 |
Airfield Construction (M & E) | 1 | - | 1 | 1 | - | 1 | 3 | 8 | 11 |
TOTAL |
567 |
5 |
572 |
116 |
16 |
132 |
6,958 |
2,484 |
9,442 |
Other Branches | |||||||||
A & SD | 2,466 | 53 | 2,519 | 880 | 23 | 903 | 13,671 | 13,887 | 27,558 |
Balloon | - | - | - | - | - | - | 779 | 10 | 789 |
Equipment | 358 | 1 | 359 | 159 | 2 | 161 | 2,160 | 1,875 | 4,035 |
Accountant | 78 | 1 | 79 | 237 | - | 237 | 910 | 1,007 | 1,917 |
Medical |
17 | 118 | 135 | 4 | 77 | 81 | 53 | 2,254 | 2,307 |
Dental | - | 42 | 42 | - | 7 | 7 | 3 | 880 | 883 |
Chaplains | 1 | 90 | 91 | - | 20 | 20 | 4 | 970 | 974 |
Legal | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 20 | 20 |
Music | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | - | 1 |
Meteorological |
57 | 148 | 205 | 119 | 28 | 147 | 176 | 1,313 | 1,489 |
RAF Regiment | 229 | 2 | 231 | 108 | - | 108 | 1,603 | 72 | 1,675 |
GRAND TOTAL - All Branches |
25,479 |
465 |
25,944 |
10,789 |
170 |
10,959 |
92,741 |
27,401 |
120,142 |
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