Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation

Air Commodore C D Adams (06173)

 Cyril Douglas        b: 18 Sep 1897                        r: 17 Nov 1949                        d 19 Aug 1988

 CB - 1 Jan 1948, OBE - 13 Mar 1942, MiD - 17 Mar 1941, MiD - 11 Jun 1942, MiD - 2 Jun 1943, MiD - 8 Jun 1944,  MiD – 1 Jan 1946.

 (T) 2 Lt:  21 Jul 1918, Plt Off: 1 Aug 1919, Fg Off: 16 Sep 1919, Flt Lt: 1 Jan 1927, Sqn Ldr: 1 Feb 1936, Wg Cdr: 1 Jan 1939, Act Gp Capt: xx xxx 1940?, (T) Gp Capt: 1 Jun 1941, Act A/Cdre: 25 Sep 1944, Gp Capt (WS): 25 Mar 1945, (T) A/Cdre: 1 Jan 1946, Gp Capt: 1 Jan 1946, A/Cdre: 16 Nov 1949.

 xx xxx 1915:             Soldier, Army.

xx xxx 1918:               Flight Cadet, RFC/RAF

21 Jul 1918:               Pilot (Aeroplane & Seaplane Branch), RAF

16 Sep 1919:             Granted a short Service Commission (Aeroplane Branch) in the rank of Flying Officer

18 Mar 1920:             QFI, No 1 FTS.  

28 Nov 1922:            Granted a Permanent Commission in the rank of Flying Officer. (with seniority from 16 Sep 1919)

22 Sep 1925:              Personnel Staff, HQ Iraq Command

12 Sep 1927:              Air Staff (PT & Games), HQ RAF Halton

 5 Feb 1936:               Officer Commanding, No XV Sqn.

15 Feb - 28 Mar 1938:        Attached to Swedish Air Force

 4 - 12 Apr 1938:                Attached to the Air Ministry

 2 May 1938:              Posted to Bomber Command

15 Aug 1938:              Air Staff, HQ Bomber Command.

 8 Feb 1939:               Officer Commanding, No 38 Sqn.

 1 Dec 1939:               Supernumerary, HQ No 3 (Bomber) Group.

 9 Dec 1939:               SOA, HQ No 3 (Bomber) Group.

28 Sep 1940:              Attached, RAF Stradishall.

26 Oct 1940:              Officer Commanding, RAF Kemble.

xx xxx xxxx:                Administrative Staff, HQ No 3 (Bomber) Group

xx xxx xxxx:                Officer Commanding, RAF Oakington.

 6 Sep 1942:               Officer Commanding, RAF Abingdon.

25 Sep1944:               AOC, No 41 Base. (Marston Moor)

xx xxx xxxx:                AOC, No 73 Base. (North Luffenham)

18 Jul 1945:                AOA, HQ AHQ India.

xx xxx 1946:               Officer Commanding, RAF ?, Bombay.

xx xxx 1946:               AOC, No 2 (Indian) Group.

xx xxx 1948:               AOC, No 85 Group.

During his career, he was mentioned in dispatches six times and was awarded an immediate OBE for gallantry.  He represented the RAF at Rugby, Cricket and Athletics.

Citation for the award of the OBE

"Group Captain Cyril Douglas ADAMS, Royal Air Force. 

One night in November 1941, an aircraft, fully laden with petrol, bombs and several thousand rounds of ammunition, crashed shortly after taking off and came to rest in an orchard, where it burst into flames.  Long grass in the vicinity became ignited from burning petrol and some trees caught fire. Group Captain Adams, who was in his car on the aerodrome at the time, immediately drove to the scene and was the first to arrive there.  With complete disregard of his personal safety he entered the aircraft and searched for survivors.  While so doing, ammunition was exploding in profusion and Group Captain Adams was well aware of the presence of a number of heavy bombs under the floor on which he stood.  Despite the growing intensity of the heat and the imminent danger from the bombs, he extricated and took to a place of safety an airman who was seriously injured and then extinguished the flames on the airman's clothing.  Group Captain Adams then covered the casualty with his own overcoat, returned to the aircraft and, finding no other survivors, successfully removed the body of a dead airman. By his gallant action, this officer undoubtedly saved the life of the injured airman."

(London Gazette – 31 March 1942)

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