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Air Vice Marshal J A Boret (03149)


John Auguste                b: 28 Mar 1898            r: 13 Apr 1948                     d: 26 Apr 1964

CBE - 2 Jun 1943 (OBE - 1 Jan 1941), MC - 18 Oct 1917, AFC - 21 Sep 1918, MiD - 11 Jun 1942, MiD - 14 Jun 1945, LoM (Cdr) - 15 Mar 1946.

For a list of foreign decoration abbreviations, click here

(Army):- Pvt (3586):  6 Apr 1915, 2 Lt: 10 Oct 1915, Lt (RWSR): 1 Jul 1917, (T) Lt (RFC): 1 Sep 1917, Capt: 1 Feb 1918.

(RAF):- (T) Capt [Lt]: 1 Apr 1918, Fg Off: 1 Aug 1919 [1 Apr 1918], Flt Lt: 1 Jan 1924, Sqn Ldr: 1 Apr 1933, Wg Cdr: 1 Oct 1937, Act Gp Capt: 21 Oct 1939, (T) Gp Capt: 1 Sep 1940, Act A/Cdre: 23 Mar 1943, Gp Capt (WS): 23 Sep 1943, Gp Capt: 1 Dec 1943, (T) A/Cdre: 1 Oct 1944, Act AVM: 7 May 1945 - 31 Dec 1945, A/Cdre: 12 Apr 1948, AVM: Retained.

 6 Apr 1915:           Private, 3/28 Btn, London Regimet TF (Artists Rifles)

10 Oct 1915:          Officer, 4th Battalion, Royal West Surrey Regiment.

12 Aug 1916:          Seconded to RFC

 1 Feb 1917:           Flying Officer, RFC

xx Apr 1917:           Pilot, No 100 Sqn, RFC

18 Nov 1917:         Returned to Home Establishment

 1 Feb 1918:           Flight Commander, B' Flt, No 36 Sqn, RFC

 1 Aug 1919:           Relinquished his commission Royal West Surrey Regiment

 1 Aug 1919:           Awarded Permanent Commission as a Lieutenant

xx xxx 1920:           Awaiting disposal, HQ India Group.

16 Mar 1920:          Pilot, No 28 Sqn.

 1 Dec 1922:           Supernumerary - Non Effective (Sick), RAF Depot. -

16 Jan 1923- 18 Apr 1923:    Admitted to Central RAF Hospital with Malaria

20 Aug 1923:          Staff, RAF Depot

14 Jan 1924:           Flight Commander, No 32 Sqn.

 4 Mar 1929:           U/T & Staff, RAF Base, Calshot.

21 Mar 1931:          Exchange posting - RCAF.

 1 May 1933:           Officer Commanding, No 41 Sqn. (Bulldog IIa/Demon)

 4 Mar 1937:           Maintenance Liaison Officer, HQ No 22 (Army Co-operation) Group.

21 Oct 1937:           Senior Personnel Staff Officer, HQ No 5 (Bomber) Group.

25 Sep 1939:           Air Staff, HQ Fighter Command. 

 5 Oct 1939:            Officer Commanding, Special Fighter Wing Cadre

12 Oct 1939:           Officer Commanding, No 61 (Fighter Servicing) Wing, Air Component.

28 Nov 1939:          Officer Commanding, No 60 (Fighter) Wing, Air Component. (evacuated from Merville - 20 May 1940)

 6 Jul 1940:              Officer Commanding, RAF Tangmere

27 Apr 1941:           Possibly suffered a breakdown and undertook recuperation

 2 May 1941:           Officer Commanding, RAF Portreath

23 Mar 1943:           Duty Air Commodore, HQ Fighter Command.

15 Nov 1943:           Duty Air Commodore, HQ ADGB.

26 Jan 1944:            AOC, No 13 (Fighter) Group.

 7 May 1945:           AOC, No 88 (Fighter) Group. (relinquished 31 Dec 1945)

21 Jan 1946:            Director of Air Force Welfare

On 25 August 1917 he was flying FE2c, A3059 when he suffered an engine failure on his return from a night bombing raid and during the forced landing at Calonne sur la Lys, Pas de Calais he hit a tree and was ‘badly shaken’.  He was married to Christine Victoria Newton on 22 August 1918.  He suffered another on 7 May 1921 flying accident whilst flying Bristol F2B, E2448, which failed to flatten out during a bombing practice at Ambala striking his right wing on a goal post and crash landed.   On 4 Sep 1928 he was involved in a collision on the ground with DH.60 Moth whilst in Siskin IIIA, J8959.

Citation for the award of the Military Cross

"2nd Lt. John Augusta Boret, R.W. Surr. R. and R.F.C.

For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty on many occasions. He has taken part in forty-one night bombing raids, many of which were carried out at a very low altitude and in bad weather. He has successfully inflicted considerable damage upon his  objectives."

(London Gazette - 7 March 1918)

This page was last updated on 10/06/23

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