F P Don

Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation

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Air Vice-Marshal F P Don

Francis Percival b: 27 Feb 1886 r: 2 Feb 1943 d: 18 Sep 1964

OBE - 4 Jun 1934, MiD - 1 Jan 1941, OStJ - 2 Jan 1953, MA, DL (Norfolk) - 1950

(Army): - 2 Lt: 3 Feb 1911, Lt: 1 Jul 1914, (T) Capt: 1 Jun 1916.

(RAF): - Capt: 1 Apr 1918, (T) Maj: 1 Aug 1918, Flt Lt: 1 Aug 1919 [1 Apr 1918], Sqn Ldr: 1 Jan 1923, Wg Cdr: 1 Jul 1929, Gp Capt: 1 Jul 1934, A/Cdre: 1 Jul 1938, Act AVM: 20 Jul 1940, AVM: Retained.

3 Feb 1911: Officer, Scottish Horse Yeomanry. (Gallipoli)

16 Jun 1916: Flying Officer (Observer), RFC

xx xxx 1916: U/T Pilot, RFC?.

8 Nov 1916: Flying Officer, No 22 Sqn RFC.

1 Jan 1917: Flight Commander, No 22 Sqn RFC.

xx xxx 1917: Prisoner of War.

1 Aug 1918: Staff Officer 2nd Class.

31 May 1919: Administrative Officer.

18 Jul 1919: Staff Officer 2nd Class (Stores Staff), HQ Southern Area.

1 Aug 1919: Awarded Permanent Commission as a Captain

1 Aug 1919: Resigned his commission in the Scottish Horse (retaining the rank of Captain)

1 Apr 1920: Stores Staff (Petrol and Fire Services), HQ Inland Area.

xx Jan 1921: Air Staff (Training - Air), HQ Inland Area.

8 Dec 1921: Pilot, No 70 Sqn.

11 Apr 1923: Supernumerary (Admin Staff), HQ Iraq Command.

1 Sep 1925: Supernumerary, RAF Depot.

1 Dec 1925: Staff, Directorate of Operations and Intelligence.

10 Apr 1929: Officer Commanding, No 33 Sqn. (Hart – Netheravon/Eastchurch)

2 Nov 1929: Officer Commanding, No 502 (Ulster) Sqn. (Vimy, Hyderabad – Aldergrove)

27 Feb - 29 Mar 1930: Placed on half pay list, scale B

xx xxx 1931: Officer Commanding/CFI, Cambridge University Air Sqn.

1 May 1934: Supernumerary, RAF Depot.

20 Jun - 9 Jul 1934: Placed on half pay list, scale A

29 Aug - 12 Sep 1934: Placed on half pay list, Scale A.

1 Oct 1934: Air Attaché, Berlin.

1 Nov 1937: Air Staff, HQ Bomber Command.

11 Jul 1938: SASO, HQ No 2 (Bomber) Group.

xx xxx 1939: Head of No 2 RAF Mission to French Air Force in the Field.

xx xxx 1940: AOA, British Air Forces in France.

15 Jul 1940: AOA, HQ Flying Training Command.

xx xxx 1941: SASO, HQ Ferry Command.

xx xxx 1943: Regional Air Liaison Officer – North of England.

20 Jan 1956 - 19 Jan 1961: Honorary Air Commodore, No 3620 (County of Norfolk) Fighter Control Unit, RAuxAF.

A qualified engineer, he set up in business and joined the Scottish Horse Yeomanry. He was awarded RAeC Certificate No 3717 on 5 October 1916. In 1917 he was shot down, and wounded, losing an arm, spending the remainder of the war as a prisoner.

Remaining in the RAF after the war he commanded a number of squadrons before becoming Air Attaché in Berlin. On his return he joined Bomber Command holding various staff officer positions prior to joining Flying Training Command in 1940. In 1941 he was appointed AOA at HQ Ferry Command in Canada. However, in 1942 he was invalided back to the UK and retired the following year. After the war, he became a General Commissioner of Income Tax and later a Fruit Farmer. He was also Honorary Air Commodore to No 3620 (County of Norfolk) Fighter Control Unit, RAuxAF.

Two of his brothers died during World War One, Lt Archie Don of the 10the Battalion, Black Watch died in Salonika in1916 of malaria dysentery and 2 Lt Robin Don, also of the 10th Black Watch was killed in action in Salonika May 1917. His third brother, Alan became Dean of Westminster Abbey holding the position during the period of the Queen's Coronation.

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