Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation

Air Vice-Marshal Sir Geoffrey Bromet

Geoffrey Rhodes              b: 28 Aug 1891                 r: 25 Apr 1938                d: 16 Nov 1983

KBE - 14 Jun 1945 (CBE - 17 Mar 1941, OBE - 1 Jan 1919), CB - 1Jan 1943, DSO – 12 May 1917, MiD - 1 Jan 1941, LoH, C - xx xxx 1917, DL (Kent) - 1958, PR2 - 12 Jun 1945, WL2 - 6 Sep 1946, LoM (Cdr) - 17 Aug 1948.

For a list of foreign decoration abbreviations, click here

(RN): - Mid’n: 15 Jan 1909, Sub-Lt:  15 May 1912, Lt: 15 May 1914, Act Flt Lt: 1 Jul 1914, Flt Lt: 1 Aug 1914 [1 Jul 1914], Flt Cdr: 7 May 1915, Act Sqn Cdr: 30 Jun 1916, Sqn Cdr: 31 Dec 1916, Wg Cdr: 31 Dec 1917.

(RAF): - (T) Lt Col [Maj]: 1 Apr 1918, (T) Wg Cdr: 1 Aug 1919, Wg Cdr: 1 Jan 1921, Gp Capt: 1 Jan 1929, A/Cdre: 1 Jan 1933, Act  AVM: 4 Mar 1940 - 12 Sep 1941, (T) AVM: 1  Jun 1943, AVM: Retained.

15 May 1904:              Attended HMS Britannia, Dartmouth

15 Jan 1909:             Midshipman, HMS Inflexible.

15 May 1910:            Midshipman, HMS Cochrane.

15 Nov 1910:            Midshipman, HMS Savage.

12 Jan 1911:             Midshipman, HMS Hibernia.

xx xxx 1912:             Attached Venus for HMS Lapwing

xx Oct 1912:             Officer, HMS Lion

xx May 1913:            Attached Venus for HMS Lapwing

12 May 1914:            Attended No 6 Course, Central Flying School.

 1 Aug 1914:              Intelligence Officer, RNAS Westgate on Sea.

 1 Sep 1914:              Pilot, Calshot Naval Air Station

 8 Feb 1915:              Pilot, HMS Ark Royal.  

16 Aug 1915:             Commended for service in action (at Gallipoli)

28 Feb 1916:              Flight Commander, Dover Naval Air Station

 26 Jun 1916:             Flight Commander, No 5 Wing RNAS.

 30 Jun 1916:             Officer Commanding No 1 Sqn, No 5 Wing RNAS.

13 Aug 1916:             Staff Officer, HQ Dover

25 Oct 1916:             Officer Commanding, No 8 Sqn RNAS. (Sopwith 1½ Strutter, Pup, Triplane, Camel – Western Front)

15 Jan 1918:              Staff Officer, Air Department, Hotel Cecil

21 Jan 1918:              Staff Officer, HQ Training Division

 1 Apr 1918:              Staff  Officer, 1st Class, Deputy Directorate of Training.

18 Jan 1919:              Special Service with Air Department

 4 Feb 1919:              Staff Officer 1st Class, HQ Midland Area.

 3 May 1919:             Staff Officer, HQ No 29 (Fleet) Group.

 1 Aug 1919:              Awarded Permanent Commission as a Major

13 Jul 1920:               Admiralty Liaison Officer, HQ Coastal Area.

27 Jul 1921:                Officer Commanding, School of Naval Co-operation and Aerial Navigation.

15 Feb 1922:

 1 May 1923:               Attended RAF Staff College.

 9 May 1924:               Fleet Aviation Officer to C in C, Mediterranean Fleet.

16 Apr 1928:               Officer Commanding, M.A.E.E./RAF Felixstowe

31 Jan 1931:                SASO, HQ Coastal Area.

18 Jan 1932:                SESO, HQ Coastal Area.

xx xxx xxxx?:                Officer Commanding, M.A.E.E.

 7 Jan 1933:                 SASO, HQ RAF Middle East.

 2 Jun 1936:                 Supernumerary, HQ Coastal Command.

30 Jun 1936:                SASO, HQ Coastal Command.

18 Sep 1939:               Deputy SASO, HQ Coastal Command.

8 Jan 1940:                  SASO, HQ Coastal Command.

12 Sep 1941:               AOC, No 19 Group.

18 Sep 1943:               AOC, No 247 Group.

10 Oct 1945:               Reverted to Retired List, retaining rank of Air Vice-Marshal

On 1 Oct 1943, he boarded the troopship HMT Franconia leading a British force to commence operation 'Alacrity'.  This was in effect an 'invasion' of the Azores, carried out at the invitation of the Portuguese government. The aim of the operation was to take over previously prepared facilities on the island and to set up No 247 Group of Coastal Command.  The purpose of this group was the control of operations by long range Fortresses and Liberators over the central Atlantic area, thereby effectively closing the 'Atlantic Gap' to German U-boats.