No. 85 Group was formed on 17 December 1943 within 2nd Tactical Air Force (2nd TAF) from wings of the
85 … See more

The composition of 85 Group from June to August 1944 was as follows (airfields given for 6 June):
• 141 (Fighter) Wing
• 142 (Fighter) Wing Night fighter wing … See more

For D-Day (6 June) itself, all the available day fighters of 2nd TAF and ADGB were given specific tasks. In 85 Group, the three squadrons of 150 Wing at Newchurch were part of the 'Pool of Readiness', a rapid reaction for… See more

In the planning for Operation Overlord, 85 Group was keen to have searchlight (S/L) assistance for its night-fighters in the same way as ADGB had in the UK. Two Anti-Aircraft (AA) brigade headquarters experience… See more

Airfield sites had been chosen in advance on the basis of topography and geology. The intelligence proved very accurate and no important changes to the plans had to be made. Three types were planned and constructed: … See more

At the end of August the Allies broke out of the Normandy beachhead and pursued the retreating Germans quickly across Northern France and Belgium. The Airfield Construction Groups, five under 12th Army Group RE (… See more