Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation


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Air Commodore W E G Bryant


The headstone of Air Commodore Walter Bryant in Cranwell churchyardWalter Edward George     b: 21 Jun 1893                                  d: 22 Aug 1945

MBE - 3 Jun 1919.

(Army): - (T) 2 Lt:   2 Dec 1914, (T) Lt: 1 Dec 1916, (T) Capt: 1 Nov 1917, Lt: 4 Feb 1918.

(RAF): - (T) Capt [Lt]: 1 Apr 1918, Act Maj: 25 Mar - 30 Apr 1919, Flt Lt: 1 Aug 1919, Sqn Ldr: 1 Jul 1928, Wg Cdr: 1 Jan 1935, Act Gp Capt: 17 Dec 1937, Gp Capt: 1 Nov 1938, Act A/Cdre: 9 Feb 1938 - 1941, A/Cdre: xx xxx 1944.

xx xxx xxxx:                 Officer, Royal Fusiliers.

xx Apr 1916:               Observer, No 60 Sqn RFC.

 3 Jul 1916:                 Appointed Flying Officer (Observer), RFC.

30 Jul 1917:               Wounded in chest

 1 Aug 1917:              Admitted to No 8 General Hospital

 4 Aug 1916:              Returned to UK on Hospital Ship 'Marawa'

10 Oct 1916:             Accepted for permanent employment with RFC

 1 Nov 1916:              Embarked for France

 2 Nov 1916:              Observer, No 45 Sqn

 1 Nov 1917:               Recording Officer (Adjutant), No 45 Sqn RFC.

 1 Apr 1918:                Staff Officer 3rd Class, FO.1, Directorate of Flying Operations.

 9 Oct 1918:                Attached, O.1A, Directorate of Air Organisation.

 25 Mar 1919:             Staff Officer 2nd Class, O.1A, Deputy Directorate of Organisation.

 1 Aug 1919:               Awarded Permanent Commission as a Captain (Staff Officer)

15 Jan 1921:                Flight Commander, No 25 Sqn. (Snipe)

 4 Oct 1921:                Attended School of Oriental Studies, London.

30 Jul 1922:                 Special Language Study in Japan (attached to Japanese Air Service, Central Flying School at Tokorozawa.)

20 Oct 1924:               Passed the examination in Japanese on completion of the 2nd year of Course.

13/14 Oct 1925:          Passed the examination in Japanese on completion of the 3rd year of Course (2nd Class Interpreter).

31 Jan 1926:                Flight Commander, No 2 Sqn.

20 Dec 1926:               CFI, School of Army Co-operation.

21 Jan 1929:                Attended RAF Staff College.

15 Jan 1930:                Officer Commanding, No 54 Sqn. (Siskin IIIA/Bulldog IIA))

 8 Feb 1932:                Supernumerary, No 25 Sqn/RAF Hawkinge. (Fury I)

28 Feb 1932:                Officer Commanding, No 25 Sqn/RAF Hawkinge. (Fury I)

27 Feb 1933- 31 Jan 1934:               Attended No 11 Squadron Armament Course, Air Armament School

31 Jan 1934:                 Staff Officer, Air Armament School (pending formation of Armament Group)

 1 Feb 1934:                Armament Staff Officer, HQ Armament Group.

10 May 1936:              Staff, Directorate of Training.

17 Dec 1937:               Air Attaché, Tokyo.

 7 Dec 1941:                Interned in the British Embassy

xx xxx 1942:                Serving in India

28 Dec 1942:              Supernumerary, No 7 Air Gunners School

 5 Jan 1943:                Officer Commanding, No 7 Air Gunners School/RAF Stormy Down.

 8 Jul 1944:                 AOC, RAF Cranwell.

He was educated at Dulwich College.

He was wounded during the Battle of the Somme in July/August 1916.  Following the attack on Pearl Harbour and the invasion of Malaya, he was interned in the British Embassy along with the other Embassy staff but was released in 1942 in an exchange of diplomatic personnel on the island of Lourenco Marques.  Arriving in India, he assisted in the interrogation of captured Japanese generals before retuning to the UK.  He was attending a play in the station cinema when he collapsed, unfortunately he died in Rauceby Hospital later that night.

This page was last updated on 18/10/24

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