Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation
Alban Spenser b: 9 Oct 1894 r: 14 Jun 1949 d: 15 Dec 1978
CBE - 1 Jan 1944 (OBE - 3 Jun 1919), MiD - 31 Dec 1918, MiD - 11 Jul 1919.
(Army):- Pte: 9 Sep 1914, (T) 2 Lt: 30 Jan 1916, Lt: 1 Dec 1916, (T) Capt: 19 Dec 1916.
(RAF):- Capt: 1 Apr 1918, Act Maj: 25 Apr 1918, Flt Lt: 1 Aug 1919 [1 Apr 1918], Sqn Ldr: 29 May 1929, Wg Cdr: 1 Jan 1936, Gp Capt: 1 Jul 1939, Act A/Cdre: xx xxx xxxx, (T) A/Cdre: xx xxx xxxx, A/Cdre: Retained.
9 Sep 1914:
Private,(11863), Coldstream Guards.
22 Jan 1915: Embarked for France
30 Jan 1916: Officer, Coldstream Guards
30 Nov 1915: Attached to RFC
2 Dec 1915: Attached to No 1 Aircraft Park.
30 Jan 1916: Appointed as Temporary 2nd Lieutenant in RFC
23 Mar 1916: Posted to No 2 AD
1 Jun 1916: Appointed Assistant Equipment Officer, RFC.
1 Dec 1916: Appointed Equipment Officer 2nd Class
13 Dec 1916: Equipment Officer 2nd Class, HQ RFC.
19 Dec 1916: Appointed Equipment Officer 1st Class.
xx Feb 1917: Staff Officer, Section T 6 (New Designs), Air Board (2nd)
4-18 Dec 1917: Admitted to Hospital
25 Apr 1918: Appointed Staff Officer 2nd Class,
24 Apr 1919: Staff Officer 2 Class, HQ Southern Area.
15 Jan 1920: Relinquished his Temporary Honorary Commission on ceasing to be employed?
1 Apr 1920: Technical Staff - Spares, HQ Inland Area.
?
22 Sep 1925: Officer, No 6 Armoured Car Company.
1 Apr 1927: Staff, HQ Armoured Car Wing.
?
28 Jan 1928: Pilot, No 99 Sqn.
24 Jun 1929: Flight Commander, No 58 Sqn.
24 Mar 1930: Severely injured in night flying accident (Virginia, J7709)
5 Aug 1930: Senior Personnel Staff Officer, HQ Wessex Bombing Area
xx xxx 1932: Senior Personnel Staff Officer, HQ Western Area.
1 Feb 1934: Flight Commander, No 10 Sqn.
1 Oct 1935: Staff, Directorate of Personal Services.
24 Oct 1936: Senior Personnel Staff Officer, HQ British Forces in Iraq.
21 Sep 1938: Group Captain - ?, HQ Training Command
xx xxx xxxx:
18 Feb 1941: Group Captain - ?, HQ Flying Training Command.
24 Mar 1942: Officer Commanding, 26 Air School (Pietersburg, South Africa)
4 - 8 Apr 1942 Temporary administrative duties at No 27 Air School
20 Sep 1943: Deputy Director of Personal Services.
xx xxx 1946: Director of Personal Services.
xx xxx xxxx - 1 Jan 1946: Appointed Additional Air ADC to The King.
1 Jan 1946 - xx xxx xxxx: Appointed Air ADC to The King
26 Apr 1949: Title of appointment changed to ADC to The King
Educated privately in Germany, he returned to Britain on the outbreak of WW1 and enlisted in the Coldstream Guards in August 1914, being commissioned in January 1916 and transferring to the RFC later that year. On 24 March 1930 he was seriously injured whilst flying Virginia VI, J7709 of No 58 Sqn when it crashed during a night landing. He was married to Maureen Gilliland Husband at the Chapel Royal, Savoy on 13 September 1919.
This page was last updated on 30/09/21
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