Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation

 

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Air Marshal D Colyer

Douglas                      b: 1 Mar 1893                        r: 14 Jul 1946                        d: 23 Feb 1978

CB - 11 Jun 1942, CMG - 12 Jun 1958, DFC - 3 Jun 1918, MiD - 1 Jan 1941, MA (Cambridge), LoH, O - xx xxx 1938, PR2 - 15 Jul 1941, LoM (Cdr) - 15 Mar 1946, ON(GO)s - 25 Mar 1947.  

For a list of foreign decoration abbreviations, click here

(Army): - 2 Lt:  26 Jan 1915, Lt: 1 Jul 1917.

(RAF): - Lt: 1 Apr 1918, Act Capt: 1 Jul 1918, Capt: 1 Jan 1919, Fg Off: 1 Aug 1919, Flt Lt: 1 Nov 1919, Sqn Ldr: 12 Dec 1928, Act Wg Cdr: 1 Jun 1934, Wg Cdr: 1 Jul 1935, Act Gp Capt (unpd): 21 May 1936, Gp Capt: 1 Jan 1939, Act A/Cdre: xx xxx xxxx, (T) A/Cdre: 1 Dec 1940, Act AVM: 4 Apr 1942, A/Cdre: 14 Apr 1942 [1 Dec 1940], (T) AVM: 1 Dec 1942, Act AM (pd): 21 Dec 1944 - 24 Apr 1946, Act AM (unpd): 24 Apr 1946, AVM: 25 Apr 1946, AM: Retained.

26 Jan 1915:               Officer, Lincolnshire Regiment.

xx xxx 1916:                U/T Pilot (Egypt)

 8 Jul 1917:                  Flying Officer, RFC.  

 1 Jul 1918:                  Flight Commander, No ? Sqn

28 Oct 1919:               Granted a Permanent Commission in the rank of Flight Lieutenant (effective from 1 Aug)

26 Jan 1920:                Staff, No 1 School of Technical Training (Boys).

30 Sep 1920:               Attended Cambridge University

xx xxx xxxx:                 Attended Engineering Course, RAE

xx xxx xxxx:                 Attended Course at Imperial School of Science and Technology.

 1 Aug 1923:                Instructor, No 5 FTS.

15 Dec 1924:               Staff, Stores Depot, Iraq

 1 Feb 1925:                Staff, Aircraft Depot, Iraq.

25 Oct 1925:               Engineering Staff, HQ Iraq Command.

10 Jan 1927:                Engineering Staff, HQ RAF Middle East.

 5 Apr 1928:                QFI, No 4 FTS.

30 Dec 1928:               Attended RAF Staff College.

 1 Jan 1930:                 Air Adviser, Latvian Government.

11 Jan 1932:                ?

22 Mar 1932:               Officer Commanding, No 10 Sqn. (Hinaidi, Virginia – Boscombe Down)

xx xxx xxxx:

28 May 1936:               Air Attaché, Paris (including Madrid & Lisbon until 1938).

xx Jun 1940:                  SASO, HQ No 61 Group

xx Nov 1940:                Director of Personal Services.

 1 Jan 1941:                Gazetted for rendering valuable services in connection with the war

 4 Apr 1942:                AOC, No 15 Group

xx xxx 1942:                Director-General of Personal Services.

xx Aug 1943:                Assistant Chief of the Air Staff (Policy)

20 Jan 1945:                Chief of RAF Mission, Washington. (relinquished 24 Apr 1946)

Whilst serving as Air Attaché in Paris, he found himself involved in the combined Chiefs of Staff discussions between Newall and Slessor, for the British and Gamelin for the French where he acted as interpreter.  Following his retirement from the RAF he took up an appointment, in 1947, as the first Civil Air Attaché in Paris until 1952 when he became Civil Aviation Representative for Western Europe until his final retirement in 1960.  He was one of only two Air Marshals, who served during WW2, not to be knighted.  

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