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Air Commodore J Silvester (08110)


J Silvester - 1932James                           b: 5 Apr 1898                     r: 15 Jan 1946                      d: 5 Jan 1956

CBE - 1 Jan 1943, MiD - 11 Jun 1942, MiD – 1 Jan 1946.

(Army): 2Lt: 26 Sep 1917.

(RAF): - (T) 2Lt: 5 Jun 1918, Plt Off: 4 Aug 1919 [5 Jun 1918], Fg Off: 5 Dec 1919 [26 Mar 1919], Flt Lt: 1 Jul 1928, Sqn Ldr: 1 Apr 1936, Wg Cdr: 1 Jan 1939, (T) Gp Capt: 1 Jun 1941, Act A/Cdre: 10 May 1943?, Gp Capt (WS): 10 Nov 1943, A/Cdre: Retained.

xx xxx xxxx:            Officer Cadet.

26 Sep 1917:            Officer, Royal Berkshire Regiment Special Reserve.

 5 Jun 1918:              Flying Officer, Aeroplane and Seaplane Branch.

 5 Dec 1919:             Awarded Short Service Commission in the rank of Flying Officer (Aeroplane).

 1 Feb 1920:             Pilot, No 47 Sqn.

24 Apr 1920:            Pilot, No 55 Sqn.

31 Mar 1922:           Supernumerary, RAF Depot.

13 Nov 1922:           Staff, RAF Depot.

24 Aug 1925:           QFI, Central Flying School.

14 Aug 1927:           QFI, No 1 FTS.

 8 Sep 1928:            Photographic duties, School of Photography.

 7 Jan 1929:             Attended ? Course, School of Photography.

 3 Dec 1929:           Attached for temporary Photographic duties, HQ No 22 (Army Co-operation) Group.

11 Feb 1932:           Staff, HQ Wessex Bombing Area.

 7 Feb 1933:            Chief Test Pilot, Aircraft Depot, India.

20 Apr 1936:           Supernumerary, No 60 Sqn.

14 May 1936:          Officer Commanding, No 60 Sqn.

20 Oct 1936:           Posted to Home Establishment and proceeded on leave

31 Dec 1936:           Instructor, School of Photography.

27 Feb 1939:           Supernumerary, No 51 Sqn.

 6 Mar 1939:           Officer Commanding, No 51 Sqn.

11 Dec 1939:           Supernumerary (Non-effective sick), RAF Cranwell

20 Jan 1940:            Head of FO2, Directorate of Operations (Home)/Bomber Operations.

 1 Apr 1941:            Group Captain - Organisation, HQ Bomber Command.

10 May 1943:          AOC, No 31 Base, Stradishall

James Silvester was one of the earliest volunteers for service in the army during WW1, joining the Royal Warwickshire Regiment (City of Birmingham Battalion) in September 1914 at the age of 16½ .  He was later commissioned into the Royal Berkshire Regiment, before transferring to the RFC.

This page was last updated on 22/06/22

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