§ Mr. Goodhewasked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will publish figures showing the manned strength of the Royal Air Force and its Reserves each year since 1920.
§ Mr. Merlyn ReesFollowing is the information:
212W
MANNED STRENGTH (AT 1ST APRIL) Year Royal Air Force (including WRAF and PMRAFNS but excluding locally enlisted personnel and members of Commonwealth Air Forces serving with the RAF Royal Air Force Reserves (2) 1920 28,708 1921 27,303(1) 1922 29,465 1923 30,083 465(1) 1924 31,427 6,782 1925 32,684 6,927 1926 34,009 7,361 1927 30,037 10,610 1928 30,484 12,851 1929 31,070 13,634 1930 31,989 13,022 1931 32,469 12,645 1932 32,287 11,478 1933 31,202 10,157 1934 30,500 10,676 1935 32,145 11,594 1936 45,804 11,486 1937 56,163 13,378 1938 69,465 16,909 1939 101,199 38,810
MANNED STRENGTH (AT 1ST APRIL) Year Royal Air Force (including WRAF and PMRAFNS but excluding locally enlisted personnel and members of Commonwealth Air Forces serving with the RAF Royal Air Force Reserves (2) 1940 249,112 1941 590,358 1942 933,155 1943 1,135,040 1944 1,183,092 1945 1,142,698 1946 648,957 1947 331,469 1948 256,827 3,275 1949 224,967 11,765 1950 201,658 25,750(1) 1951 237,800 40,892 1952 270,785 81,729 1953 277,125 126,128 1954 265,113 189,366 1955 258,188 211,233 1956 242,649 229,171 1957 227,936 217,595 (3) 1958 191,019 194,121 1959 173,221 179,177 1960 163,476 154,552 1961 158,152 492,935(4) 1962 148,912 508,631 1963 143,765 538,370 1964 136,061 541,509 1965 131,304 84,707 1966 127,011 84,274 1967 124,104 81,478 1968 120,337 83,555 Notes:
- (1) 1st July figures.
- (2) The figures for the reserves cover:—
- (a) R Aux AF, WR Aux AF and their Reserves;
- (b) RAFVR including University Air Squadrons, WRAFVR;
- (c) Retired officers and pensioners of the RAF, WRAF, PMRAFNS;
- (d) RAF and WRAF Reserves of officers (including National Service Reserve officers);
- (e) RAF Emergency List of Officers and Class 'G' airmen;
- (f) Classes 'E' and 'H' airmen;
- (g) The pre-war Special Reserve and Class ' F' airmen.
- (3) Reflects disbandment of Auxiliary flying squadrons.
- (4) The numbers of Emergency List officers and Class ' G ✶ airmen prior to 1961 are not available.
- (5) Separate figures for reserves are not available for the periods 1920–22 and 1940–47. Reservists were embodied in the RAF.