Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation


Home Page

Main Menu

Quick Menu

Members' Area

What New?

About this site

Reunions

Help Needed?

Glossary

Bibliography

Sign Guest Book

View Guest Book

Link to Amazon

Online Store

Contact Me


Air Vice-Marshal J G Franks (16152)


John Gerald FranksJohn Gerald      b: 23 May 1905                     r: 4 Apr 1960                                          d: 23 Sep 1995

CB –10 Jun 1954, CBE – 1 Jan 1949, MiD – 1 Jan 1941, LoM (Cdr) – 13 Sep 1949

For a list of foreign decoration abbreviations, click here

(RAF): - Plt Off: 17 Dec 1924, Fg Off: 17 Jun 1926, Flt Lt: 8 Jan 1930, Sqn Ldr: 1 Dec 1936, (T) Wg Cdr: 1 Jan 1940, (T) Gp Capt: 1 Dec 1941, Wg Cdr: 14 Apr 1942 [1 Jan 1940], (T) A/Cdre: 1 Jan 1946, Gp Capt: 1 Jan 1946, A/Cdre: 1 Jul 1947, Act AVM: 8 Sep 1952, AVM: 1 Jan 1954.

John Gerald Franks

by Elliott & Fry
quarter-plate glass negative, 9 September 1952
NPG x100617

© National Portrait Gallery, London

 1 Feb 1923:                Flight Cadet, ‘A’ Sqn, RAF College, Cranwell

17 Dec 1924:               Appointed to a Permanent Commission.

17 Dec 1925:               Pilot, No 56 Fighter Sqn, Biggin Hill

 1 Sep 1926:                Attended Carrier Flying Course, RAF Base Leuchars.

 3 Dec 1926:                Pilot, Fleet Air Arm

1 Sep 1927:                 Armament Officer, No 407 Flt.

24 Sep 1928:               Pilot, RAF Base Malta

xx xxx xxxx:                 Supernumerary?

 2 Sep 1929:               Attended No 5 'A' Armament Course, Armament & Gunnery School

 7 Mar 1930:               Armament Officer, No 2 (Indian Wing) Station, Risalpur.

30 Dec 1930:              Armament Staff Officer and PA to the AOC, HQ RAF India.

xx xxx 1932:                PA to the AOC, HQ RAF India.

xx xxx xxxx:                 Supernumerary?

24 May 1935:              Flight Commander, No 57 Sqn.

xx Sep 1935:               Officer Commanding, 'D' Flight, No 14 Sqn

 8 Jan 1936:                 Officer Commanding, 'D' Flight, No 45 Sqn.

 1 Feb 1937:                Armament Officer, No 5 Armament Training Camp, Penrhos.

 1 Jan 1938:                 Air Staff – Armament, No 25 (Armament) Group.

23 Jan 1939:                RAF Staff College

20 Sep 1939:               Chief Instructor, No 1 Air Armament School.

24 Apr 1940:               Transferred to the Technical Branch.

 1 Nov 1941:               Officer Commanding, No 8 Air Gunners School/RAF Evanton

xx xxx 1944:                Staff, Aeroplane and Armament Experimental Establishment.

xx xxx 1945:               Director of Armament Research and Development

22 Nov 1948:              AOC and Commandant Empire Air Armament School.

19 Apr 1949:              Senior Technical Staff Officer, HQ Flying Training Command

xx xxx 1951:                Attended Imperial Defence College

 5 Jan 1952:                Commandant, RAF Technical College, Henlow

 8 Sep 1952:                AOC, No 24 (Training) Group.

 1 Mar 1955:               Senior Air Staff Officer, HQ Technical Training Command

xx xxx 1959:                President, Ordnance Board

At Cranwell he attained the rank of Flight Cadet Corporal and represnted the college at Rugby.

This page was last updated on 04/01/24

Return to A D Frank A D Frank                                        [Top of Page]                       H H Macl Fraser Forward to H H Macl Fraser