Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation


Home Page

Main Menu

Quick Menu

Members' Area

What New?

About this site

Reunions

Help Needed?

Glossary

Bibliography

Sign Guest Book

View Guest Book

Link to Amazon

Online Store

Contact Me


Air Vice Marshal Sir John Whitford (05019)


Sir John WhitfordJohn                             b: 17 Dec 1892                     r: 5 Mar 1949                     d: 12 Aug 1966

KBE - 1 Jan 1949 (CBE - 17 Sep1943, OBE - 3 Jun 1935), CB - 1 Jan 1945, MiD - 1 Jan 1943, MiD - 8 Jun 1944, LoM (Cdr) - 9 Oct 1945.

For a list of foreign decoration abbreviations, click here

(CEF):- Pte: xx xxx xxxx, Cpl: xx xxx xxxx, (T) Lt: 25 May 1917, .

(RAF):- 2 Lt [(H) Lt]: 25 Apr 1918, Fg Off: 16 Aug 1919, Flt Lt: 1 Jan 1923, Sqn Ldr: 30 Jun 1931, Wg Cdr: 1 Jan 1937, (T) Gp Capt: 1 Mar 1940, Gp Capt: 14 Apr 1942 [1 Mar 1940], Act A/Cdre: 23 Aug 1942,  (T) A/Cdre: 1 Nov 1942, Act AVM: 1 Nov 1944, (T) AVM: 1 Jan 1946, A/Cdre: 1 Jan 1946, AVM: 1 Oct 1946.

Sir John Whitford

by Walter Stoneman
bromide print, 6 November 1948
NPG x186127

© National Portrait Gallery, London

xx xxx xxxx:            Soldier, Devon Yeomanry

xx xxx xxxx:            Soldier, 19th A Dragroons

24 Sep 1914:           Enlisted in Canadian Overseas Expeditionary Force

24 Sep 1914:           Soldier (2575), Lord Strascona's Horse

25 May 1917:          Officer, 14th Reserve Battalion, Canadian Expeditionary Force

26 Sep 1917:            Attended School of Military Aeronautics, Reading

12 Nov 1917:           U/T Pilot, No 41 Training Sqn RFC

 9 Feb 1918:            U/T Pilot, No 73 Training Sqn RFC

19 Feb 1918:           Pilot, No 6 Training Sqn RFC, No 30 Wing

25 Apr 1918:            Granted a Temporary Commission in the RAF as 2nd Lieutenant (Honorary Lieutenant)

15 Jul 1918:              Pilot, No 32 Training Depot Station

 7 Nov 1918:            Pilot/Instructor?, No 32 Training Depot Station

12  Feb 1919:           Pilot No 81 Sqn

 7 Jul 1918:               Relinquished Temporary Commission in the RAF

 1 Aug 1919:            Awarded Permanent Commission as a Lieutenant

29 Jan 1920:             Staff, No 3 Group Mobile Disposal Sqn 'B'.

 1 May 1920:            QFI, No 2 FTS.

 8 Feb 1921:             Pilot, No 47 Sqn.

xx xxx xxxx:              Flight Commander, No 47 Sqn.

 1 Nov 1924:            Supernumerary, RAF Depot.

24 Feb 1925:            Flight Commander, No 11 Sqn.

15 Oct 1928:            Adjutant, No 502 (Ulster) Sqn.

31 Jan 1939:            Attached to No 602 (City of Edinburgh) Sqn AuxAF

 4 Feb 1929:             Adjutant, No 602 (City of Edinburgh) Sqn AuxAF.

 3 Oct 1931:             Supernumerary, No 24 Sqn.

 5 Oct 1931:            Officer Commanding, No 24 Sqn.

 1 Dec 1935:            Staff, Superintendent of RAF Reserve.

 7 Nov 1938?:          Inspector of RAFVR Flying Training, HQ No 26 (Training) Group.

1 Feb 1939:             Air Staff, HQ Reserve Command.  

xx xxx xxxx:              SASO, HQ Reserve Command.

27 May 1940:          Group Captain - ?, HQ Flying Training Command.

 4 Feb 1942:            Officer Commanding, No 12 OTU/RAF Chipping Warden

23 Aug 1942:            Pending posting overseas

 9 Dec 1942:            AOA, AHQ Western Desert

10 Jul 1943:             AOA, Desert Air Force.

 1 Nov 1944:           AOC, Mediterranean Allied Coastal Air Force.  

 1 Aug 1945:            AOC, Mediterranean Coastal Air Force.

 1 Oct 1945:            AOC, AHQ Italy?

 4 Dec 1945:            AOA, HQ Maintenance Command.

This page was last updated on 30/10/21

Back to H G White H G White                                        [Top of Page]                                R P M Whitham Forward to R P M Whitham