W E Oulton

Wilfred Ewart b: 27 Jul 1911 r: 1 Jan 1961 d: xx Oct 1997

CB – 1 Jan 1958, CBE – 1 Jun 1953, DSO – 12 Nov 1943, DFC - 4 Jun 1943, MiD - 20 Feb 1940, MiD - 8 Jun 1944, FEng, FRIN.

Plt Off: 25 Jul 1931, Fg Off: 25 Jan 1933, Flt Lt: 1 Apr 1936, Sqn Ldr: 1 Dec 1938, (T) Wg Cdr: 1 Mar 1941, Act Gp Capt: xx xxx xxxx, (T) Gp Capt: 1 Jan 1944, Wg Cdr: 1 Oct 1946, Gp Capt: 1 Jan 1949, A/Cdre: 1 Jan 1955, Act AVM: 9 Feb 1956, AVM: 1 Jan 1958.

xx xxx 1929: Flight Cadet, RAF College.

25 Jul 1931: Appointed to a Permanent Commission

25 Jul 1931: U/T Pilot, No 3 FTS

4 Oct 1931: Flying Boat Course, RAF Base Calshot

4 Apr 1932: Pilot, No 204 Sqn.

19 Aug 1932: Pilot, No 202 Sqn

29 Nov 1933: Staff, RAF Hal Far.

17 Mar 1936: Attended School of Air Navigation.

11 Nov 1936: Navigation Instructor?, School of Air Navigation.

1939 - 43 ?

1 Apr 1943: Officer Commanding, No 58 Sqn. (Halifax II)

1 Oct 1943: Officer Commanding, RAF Lagens. (Azores)

3 Mar 1945: Deputy Director of Navigation.

xx xxx 1946: Director, Joint Anti-Submarine School.

xx xxx 1948: Directing Staff, Joint Services Staff College.

3 Dec 1950: Air Attaché, Buenos Aires.

xx Jan 1954: Attended Imperial Defence College.

xx xxx 1954: Director of Operations.

9 Feb 1956: Officer Commanding, Joint Task Force - 'Operation Grapple'

21 Apr 1958: SASO, HQ Coastal Command.

He started at Cranwell the year after Douglas Bader, representing the College at Boxing and being awarded the'Abdy Gerrard Fellows' Memorial Prize on graduation.

Awarded his DSO for sinking three U-boats in one month during May 1943. The first was the U663, which he sunk on the 7th, he then sank the U463 on the 15th, both of these sinking being by his aircraft alone. Then to round off the ''63's'', he shared in the destruction of the U563 with other aircraft on the 31st.

In February 1956, the decision to appoint an Admiral to command the H-bomb trials (Operation 'Grapple') was changed to an RAF Officer. Air Commodore Oulton was selected and promoted to AVM. These trials took place in the Pacific, with the RAF units involved being based on Christmas Island. The main trials involved a number of drops, some of which were inert but three of which were live. The main trials were completed in June 1957, but it was then decided to carry out three further trials, named 'Grapple X', 'Y' and 'Z'. Wilfred Oulton remained in command of 'Grapple X' in October/November 1957, but was succeeded by AVM J Grandy for the other two. Retired at his own request.

Recently, this officer was the captain of an aircraft, which attacked a U-boat. Later in the day another submarine was observed on the surface of the water. In the face of accurate anti-aircraft fire from the vessel, Wing Commander Oulton pressed home a vigorous attack. During a patrol some days later, he executed a destructive attack on yet another U-boat. Wing Commander Oulton has displayed great keenness and efficiency.”