Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation


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Air Chief Marshal Sir John Davis (05256)


John Gilbert             b:  24 Mar 1911                     r: 21 Jun 1969                      d:  3 Feb 1989

GCB – 1 Jan 1968 (KCB - 1 Jan 1964; CB – 1 Jun 1953), OBE - 1 Jan 1945, KStJ - 20 Jun 1969, ADC, MiD - 1 Jan 1943, MA (Queen's College, Cambridge) - 1937 (BA - 1933).

(RAFO): - Plt Off (P): 20 Mar1933.

(RAF): Plt Off: 3 Apr 1934 [3 Oct 1932], Fg Off: 3 Oct 1934 [3 Apr 1934], Flt Lt: 1 Oct 1936, Sqn Ldr: 1 Apr 1939, (T) Wg Cdr: 1 Jun 1941,  Act Gp Capt: 27 Jul 1944, Wg Cdr (WS): 27 Jan 1945, Wg Cdr: 1 Oct 1946, Gp Capt: 1 Jul 1950, Act A/Cdre: 15 Aug 1953?, A/Cdre: 1 Jul 1956, Act AVM (unpd): 1 Apr 1958, Act AVM (pd): 14 Jun 1958, AVM:1 Jan 1959, Act AM: 1 Aug 1963, AM: 1 Jan 1964, ACM: 1 Jan 1967.

Photo - ACM Sir John Davis (courtesy J M Davis, his son)

20 Mar 1933:          Appointed to a Commission in the RAFO (Class AA2) 

 3 Apr 1933:            U/T Pilot, No 3 FTS.

 3 Apr 1934:            Appointed to a Permanent Commission in the rank of Pilot Officer.

 3 Apr 1934:            Relinquished his RAFO Commission on appointment to a Permanent Commission.

 3 Sep 1934:            Pilot, No 142 Sqn. (arrived 1 Oct 1934)

14 Feb 1936:           Posted to Home Establishment

xx xxx xxxx:             Pilot, No 57 Sqn.

 4 May 1936:           QFI/Flight Commander, No 10 FTS.

27 Dec 1937           Attended the Specialist Navigation Course, School of Air Navigation.  

18 Jul 1938:             Station Navigation Officer, SHQ, RAF Abbotsinch

20 Apr 1939:           Command Navigation Officer, HQ Training Command

xx xxx 1940:            Squadron Leader Operations, HQ No 201 Group

xx xxx 1940:            Seconded to Turkish Air Force as a specialist navigation instructor.

 7 May 1941:           Chief Instructor, No 9 Air Observer School, Penrhos

xx Mar 1942:           Officer Commanding, No 269 Sqn

xx xxx 1943:            Wing Commander - Navigational Training, Air Ministry

Plt Off J G Davis - 1934 J G Davis in the cockpit of a No 142 Sqn Hart
Plt Off J G Davis - 1934 J G Davis in the cockpit of a No 142 Sqn Hart
J G Davis in Egypt J G Davis (left in civilian clothes) whilst on secondment to Turkish Government
J G Davis in Egypt J G Davis (left in civilian clothes) whilst on secondment to Turkish Government
Wg Cdr J G Davis, Officer Commanding No 269 Sqn Wg Cdr J G Davis, No 19 (Maritime) Group Operations Room, 1944
Wg Cdr J G Davis, Officer Commanding No 269 Sqn Wg Cdr J G Davis, No 19 (Maritime) Group Operations Room, 1944
Gp Capt J G Davis (centre, seated), |Officer Commanding RAF Topcliffe ACM Sir John Davis with Dennis Healey (Secretary of State for Defence)
Gp Capt J G Davis (centre, seated), |Officer Commanding RAF Topcliffe ACM Sir John Davis with Dennis Healey (Secretary of State for Defence)

All photos courtesy - J M Davis (his son)

xx xxx 1944:            Wing Commander Operations, No 19 (Maritime) Group

27 Jul 1944:            Officer Commanding, RAF Lagens, Azores

xx xxx 1945:            Officer Commanding, RAF St Eval 

xx xxx 1946:            Attended RAF Staff College.

xx xxx 1946:            Deputy Director of Navigation and Traffic Control

xx xxx 1948:            Directing Staff, RAF Staff College.

12 Jan 1951:            Group Captain - Air Plans, HQ Middle East Air Force

xx xxx 1953:            Officer Commanding, RAF Topcliffe.

xx xxx 1955:            Attended Imperial Defence College.

15 Aug 1955:           Director of Plans.

 1 Apr 1958:            Preparation for new role?

14 Jun 1958:            SASO, HQ Bomber Command

14 Jun 1959:            AOC, No 1 Group

 3 Dec 1961:            AOC, RAF Malta/Deputy C in C (Air), Allied Forces Mediterranean

 1 Aug 1963:            Air Member for Supply & Organisation

 1 Oct 1966:            AOC in C, Flying Training Command.

 5 Jun 1967 - 21 Jun 1969:             Air ADC to The Queen

 1 Jun 1968:             AOC in C, Training Command

Born and educated in Whitby, Yorkshire, and at Cambridge University, he became a teacher at Richmond Grammar School in September 1933, whilst learning to fly as a member of the Reserve of Air Force Officers (RAFO) but in April 1934 he left teaching to take up a permanent commission in the RAF.  He completed his training in 1934 initially flying Hawker Harts with No 142 Squadron.  He moved to No 57 Squadron in 193? still flying Harts before undertaking a QFI's course at the CFS following which he was posted as an instructor to No 10 FTS.  During this period he was able to study part time through Queen's College Cambridge gaining his MA in 1937.

Between 20 June 1969 and 1974 he was Lieutenant-Governor and Commander-in-Chief of Jersey in the Channel Islands.

This page was last updated on 01/04/21

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