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Air Vice-Marshal W A Opie (16082)


 

William Alfred OpieWilliam Alfred              b:  4 Dec 1901                     r: 1 Jun 1959                           d: 14 Oct 1977

 

CB – 9 Jun 1955, CBE – 1 Jan 1951, MiD – 11 Jul 1940, MiD – 1 Jan 1941, MIMechE, FRAeS

 

(RAF): - Plt Off: 20 Dec 1922, Fg Off: 20 Jun 1924, Flt Lt: 12 Dec 1928, Sqn Ldr: 1 Dec 1936, (T) Wg Cdr: 1 Jan 1940, Wg Cdr: 14 Apr 1942 [1 Jan 1940], (T) Gp Capt: 1 Jun 1942, Act A/Cdre: 8 Sep 1944, Gp Capt (WS): 8 Mar 1945, (T) A/Cdre: 1 Jan 1946, Gp Capt: 1 Jan 1946, A/Cdre: 1 Jul 1947, Act AVM: 16 Jan 1953, AVM: 1 Jul 1955.

William Alfred Opie

by Elliott & Fry
bromide print, 1953
NPG x90796

© National Portrait Gallery, London

 

 2 Feb 1921:                 Flight Cadet, ‘B’ Sqn, RAF College, Cranwell

 

20 Dec 1922:               Appointed to a Permanent Commission.

 

20 Dec 1922:               Pilot, No 2 Sqn.

 

xx xxx xxxx:                  Supernumerary?

 

10 May 1925:              Pilot, No 31 Sqn.

 

xx xxx xxxx:                  Supernumerary?

 

18 Apr 1929:               Attended Officers Engineering Course, Home Aircraft Depot.

 

 4 Aug 1931:                Engineering Officer, No 1 School of Technical Training (Apprentices)

 

19 Mar 1934:               Flight Commander?, No 13 Sqn.

 

xx xxx xxxx:                  Supernumerary?

 

14 Mar 1935:               Flight Commander, No 5 Sqn.

 

31 May 1935:              Admitted to Hospital following the Quetta Earthquake

 

20 Jul 1935:                 Invalided to Home Establishment

 

21 Sep 1935:               Staff Officer, Deputy Directorate of Repair and Maintenance.

 

19 Jan 1937:                Attended RAF Staff College.

 

 1 Jan 1938:                 Officer Commanding (Designate), No 2 Sqn.

21 Jan 1938:                Officer Commanding, No 2 Sqn.

Squadron Leader 'Bill' Opie whilst commanding No 2 Squadron

Squadron Leader 'Bill' Opie whilst commanding No 2 Squadron

 6 May 1939:               Officer Commanding, No 18 Sqn

24 Apr 1940:               Transferred to the Technical Branch

20 May 1940:              Staff Officer, HQ RAF Component, RAF Hawkinge

14 Jun 1940:                Wing Commander - Engineering, HQ No 22 (Army Co-operation) Group.

24 Jun 1940:                Wing Commander - Training, HQ No 22 (Army Co-operation) Group.

 1 Sep 1940:                Engineer Staff Officer, HQ Bomber Command

 1 Jun 1941:                 Officer Commanding, No 3 (Maintenance) Wing, No 10 OTU

22 Jul 1941:                 Staff Officer, Ministry of Aircraft Production

xx xxx 1941:                 Deputy Director of Repair and Maintenance (Aircraft)

8 Sep 1944:                 Director of Servicing and Maintenance.

xx xxx 1947:                 Officer Commanding, RAF St Athan

16 Dec 1948:               Senior Technical Staff Officer, HQ Far East Air Force

xx May 1951:               Officer Commanding, RAF Maintenance Base, Seletar

16 Jan 1953:                Assistant Controller of Aircraft, Ministry of Supply

xx xxx 1956:                Principal Director, Research and Development (Aircraft), Ministry of Supply

10 Sep 1956:               AOC, No 41 Group

He was the last OC of No 2 Squadron as a biplane equipped unit, during his tenure the squadron converted from the Audax to the Hector and then the Lysander. 

This page was last updated on 05/04/22

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