Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation

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Air Vice-Marshal W A McClaughry

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

CB - xx xxx 1942, DSO - xx xxx 1919, MC - xx xxx 1917, DFC - 2 Nov 1918, MiD - 11 Jul 1919, MiD - xx xxx xxxx, MiD - xx xxx xxxx  1st Prize, "Gordon-Shephard" Essay Comp - 1929

(Army): - 2 Lt: 16 Jan 1913, Lt: xx xxx xxxx, (T) Capt: 1 Oct 1916, (T) Maj: xx xxx xxxx

(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.

xx xxx 1913:          Officer, 9^th Australian Light Horse Regiment. (Egypt, Gallipoli)

xx Jun 1916:            Flying Officer, RFC.

xx xxx 1916:            Pilot, No 50 Sqn RFC. (BE2c, BE12 – Dover)

 1 Oct 1916:            Flight Commander, 

19 Jan 1918:            Officer Commanding, No 4 Sqn AFC.

xx xxx 1918:

27 Feb 1919:           Officer Commanding, Air Pilotage School.

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

 3 Apr 1922:            Attended RAF Staff College.  

 4 Apr 1923:            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.

xx Dec 1931:

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.

xx May 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).