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Air Vice-Marshal W A McClaughry

Wilfred Ashton             b: 26 Nov 1894                                                        d: 4  Jan 1943

CB - 1 Jan 1942, DSO - 8 Feb1919, MC - 18 Jul 1917, DFC - 2 Nov 1918, MiD - 28 Jan 1917, MiD - 16 Mar 1919, MiD - 11 Jul 1919,   1st Prize, "Gordon-Shephard" Essay Comp - 1929

(Army): - 2 Lt: 24 Sep 1913, Lt: 1 Jul 1915, (T) Capt: 1 Oct 1916, Capt: 23 Jun 1917, (T) Maj: 26 Oct 1917

(RAF): - Capt: 1 Apr 1918, Sqn Ldr: 1 Aug 1919, Wg Cdr: 1 Jan 1929, Gp Capt: 1 Jul 1934, Act A/Cdre(unpd): 7 Jul 1936, A/Cdre: 1 Jan 1938, (T) AVM: 1 Jul 1940.

24 Sep 1913:         Officer, 76th Infantry Battalion, Australian Militia Forces

15 Jan 1915:          Officer, 9^th Australian Light Horse Regiment. (Egypt, Gallipoli)

 1 Feb 1916:           Supernumerary, Australian Militia Forces.

25 Mar 1916:           Attended No 1 School of Aeronautics

26 Apr 1916:           U/T Pilot, No 3 Reserve Sqn, Shoreham.

21 Jun 1916:            Appointed Flying Officer, RFC.

21 Jun 1916:            Pilot, No 50 Sqn RFC. (BE2c, BE12 – Dover)

 4 Dec 1918:            Staff, HQ, 1st (AFC) Wing.

 6 Dec 1918:            Officer Commanding,  8th (AFC) Training Sqn

27 Feb 1919:           Officer Commanding, No 2 School of Navigation and Bomb Dropping, Andover

 1 Aug 1919:            Awarded Permanent Commission as a Major (gazetted 22 Aug 1919)

30 Sep 1919:            Resigned his commission in the Australian Imperial Forces.

18 Nov 1921:           Officer Commanding, Air Pilotage School

3 Apr 1922:              Attended RAF Staff College.  

 4 Apr 1923:            Air Staff, HQ No 5 Wing.

23 Apr 1923:           Air Staff, HQ Inland Area.

18 Sep 1924:           Officer Commanding, No 8 Sqn. (DH9A – Hinaidi/Aden)

22 Feb 1928:            Staff Officer, HQ Wessex Bombing Area.

12 Jan 1931:             Supernumerary, RAF Depot.

19 Jan 1931:             Attended Imperial Defence College.

 1 Jan 1932:             Air Staff,. Directorate of Operations and Intelligence.

29 Sep 1934:           Officer Commanding, RAF Heliopolis.

18 Oct 1935:           Officer Commanding, Mersa Matruh.

xx Jun 1936:             Supernumerary, HQ RAF Middle East.

 1 Jul 1936:              AOC, British Forces in Aden.

28 Nov 1938:          Director of Training.

16 Sep 1940:           AOC, No 9 (Fighter) Group.

 8 Jul 1942:              AOC, AHQ Egypt.

An Australian originally named Kingston-McClaughry, he was the elder of two brothers, both destined to become AVM’s, he dropped the "Kingston" from his surname in order to avoid confusion with his brother?.  He was awarded RAeC Certificate No 2368 on 1 February 1916.  However, his career and life was brought to a premature end when he was killed at Cairo in the aircraft accident which also killed Lady Tedder (ACM Sir Arthur Tedder’s first wife).