D W F Bonham Carter

D W F Bonham-Carter - 1921 David William Frederick

b: 22 Feb 1901 r: 27 Feb 1953 d: 17 May 1974

CB – 8 Jun 1950, DFC – 23 Mar 1945, MiD - 8 Jun 1944.

Plt Off: 20 Dec 1921, Fg Off: 20 Jun 1923, Flt Lt: 1 Jan 1928, Sqn Ldr: 1 Oct 1936, Wg Cdr: 1 Jul 1939, (T) Gp Capt: 1 Dec 1941, Gp Capt: 1 Oct 1946, A/Cdre: 1 Jan 1951.

5 Feb 1920: Flight Cadet, 'A' Sqn, RAF College.

20 Dec 1931: Appointed to a Permanent Commission

20 Dec 1921: Supernumerary, RAF Depot.

7 Mar 1922: Pilot, No 6 Sqn.

18 Mar 1925: Pilot, No 14 Sqn.

2 Nov 1926: Pilot, Experimental Section, RAE.

12 Aug 1929: Air Staff, HQ Wessex Bombing Area.

23 Jan 1933: Attended RAF Staff College.

16 Jan 1934: Flight Commander, No 30 Sqn.

2 Mar 1935: Air/Admin Staff, HQ Iraq Command.

20 May 1936: Test Pilot, A. & A.E.E.

Boulton Paul Defiant Prototype, K8310 during testing at the A & AEE in 1938, possibly being flown by D W F Bomham-Carter

This photo is from the collection of Air Commodore (then a Plt Off/Fg Off) D W F Bonham-Carter CB, DFC courtesy of his grandson, Jim Cownie

23 Jul 1939: Officer Commanding, Refresher Sqn, Central Flying School.

2 Oct 1939 - 6 Jan 1940: Officer Commanding (Temporary), Central Flying School.

6 Jan 1940: Supernumerary, Central Flying School.

xx xxx 1940: Seconded to RCAF.

xx xxx xxxx: SASO, No 2 Training Command, RCAF (1942-43)

xx xxx 1943: Staff, HQ No 5 (Bomber) Group.

xx xxx xxxx: Officer Commanding, RAF Wigsley

xx xxx xxxx: Officer Commanding, No 1654 HCU/RAF Wigsley

31 Mar 1944: Officer Commanding, RAF Waddington.

9 Apr 1945: Supernumerary, HQ Transport Command

20 May 1945: Senior Officer i/c Administration, No 45 Group, RAF Dorval.

11 Sep 1946: SASO, HQ, No 46 Group

xx xxx 1947: Seconded to Ministry of Civil Aviation.

xx Jul 1949: Officer Commanding , RAF Brize Norton

12 Apr 1951: AOC, AHQ Hong Kong.

After leaving Winchester, he entered Cranwell but only completed the first term?, but still represented the College at Soccer. Whilst OC of Waddington, he often flew as second pilot to newly arrived captains, particularly those worried about the high casualty rate and usually on the most demanding operations.

In 1947 he joined the Council of the Nightingale Fund and following retirement became Vice-President of the Anglo-Belgium Union in 1967 and President of the Newark Air Museum.

BONHAM-CARTER, David William Frederick, G/C - RAF Waddington - Distinguished Flying Cross - awarded as per London Gazette dated 23 March 1945.

"Group Captain Bonham-Carter has a long record of service in the Royal Air Force. During the present war he has been engaged on instructional and staff duties in the United Kingdom and Canada under the Empire Air Training Scheme. Sine April 1944 he has commanded an operational station with great success. During this period he has taken part in several operational sorties. On one occasion shortly after taking off, the mid-upper turret of his aircraft became unserviceable. Undeterred, this officer proceeded on and completed the mission. Throughout his career, Group Captain Bonham-Carter has set a fine example of courage, skill and devotion to duty."