Page 29 - Demo

29required to fill the ORBAT. A bomber group was a more realistic proposition, however, and in 1941 it was agreed that a Canadian bomber group would be formed when the RCAF could deploy sufficient squadrons. During 1942, as their numbers increased, the RCAF bomber squadrons were concentrated on the more northern airfields within 4 Group and the advance party of a Canadian8manned Group HQ moved to Allerton Hall near Knaresborough on 25 October 1942. No 6 (RCAF) Gp assumed operational status on 1 January 1943, with six squadrons at four stations, additional units being absorbed over the next few days. In late March 1943 Bomber Command instituted a %u2018base%u2019 system whereby a clutch of airfields was run as an HQ plus (usually) two outlying satellites with heavier engineering and much administration being handled centrally. The groundcrew element were withdrawn from the squadrons, reformed into quasi8independent Servicing Echelons numbered in the 90008series, their duties being confined to essentially first8line servicing %u2013 re8arming, refuelling and rectification of relatively minor faults. Within No 6 Gp there were eventually three operational bases, Nos 62, 63 and 64, based on Linton8on8Ouse, Leeming and Middleton St George respectively; No 61 was a training base operating from Topcliffe.4 By the end of the war in Europe, 6 Group occupied eight stations and controlled fourteen squadrons. The cost to Canada was significant; Kostenuk and Griffin record 17,100 personnel killed or died while serving with the RCAF, including 12,266 on operations and 1,906 in training accidents. Within AOC 6 (RCAF) Gp 1944?45, AVM %u2018Black Mike%u2019 McEwen with %u2018Blackie%u2019 and the last of 300 Canadian?built Lancaster Xs, KB999/VR%u2022M, of No 419 Sqn RCAF that was named for him as %u2018Malton Mike%u2019.