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Air Vice Marshal J G Hawtrey (16041)


John Gosset                  b: 4 Jun 1901                                              d: 26 Oct 1954

CBE - 1 Jan 1946, MiD – 1 Jan 1945.

Plt Off: 20 Dec 1921, Fg Off: 29 Jun 1923, Flt Lt: 1 Jan 1928, Sqn Ldr: 1 Jun 1936, Wg Cdr: 1 Apr 1939, (T) Gp Capt: 1 Sep 1941, Act A/Cdre: xx xxx xxxx, (T) A/Cdre: 1 Jan 1946, Gp Capt: 1 Jan 1946, A/Cdre: 1 Jul 1948, Act AVM: 12 Oct 1951, AVM: 1 Jan 1952.

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

20 Dec 1921:          Supernumerary, RAF Depot.

24 Apr 1922:          Pilot, No 30 Sqn.

18 Oct 1924:          Pilot, No 11 Sqn.

27 Apr 1925:          QFI, No 1 FTS

21 Sep 1925:          QFI, RAF Cadet College.

14 Jan 1929:           Staff, A. & A. E. E.

 2 May 1929:          ADC to High Commissioner, Iraq.

15 Jul 1931:            'C' Flight Commander, No 43 Sqn.

 8 Jul 1933:             Adjutant/Instructor, No 601 Sqn AuxAF.

 1 Jan 1937:            Attended Army Staff College, Quetta.

17 Jan 1939:            Supernumerary, No 1 RAF Depot

14 Apr 1939:           Air Staff, FO3, Deputy Director of Operations (Home).

11 Feb 1940:           Supernumerary, No 105 Sqn (posted to unit wef 29 Jan 1940).

14 Feb 1940:           Officer Commanding, No 105 Sqn

 2 Jun 1940:             Staff Officer, HQ AASF

19 Jun 1940 :           Officer Commanding, No 105 Sqn.

30 Sep 1940:           Inspector of the Royal Iraqi Air Force.

30 Apr 1941            Staff?, No 4 FTS.

xx Jul 1941:             Officer Commanding, RAF Mosul

17 Mar 1943:          Air Staff, HQ Air Forces in India.

xx xxx 1943:            Senior Personnel Staff Officer, HQ Air Forces in India.

24 Nov 1944:          Officer Commanding, No 53 OTU/RAF Kirton Lindsey

22 Jan 1945:            Officer Commanding, RAF Church Fenton.

xx Jun 1945:            Staff, SHAPE.

15 Jul 1945:             AOC, No 21 (Training) Group.

 9 Dec 1946:            Director of Intelligence (Operations).

12 Jan 1949:            AOA, HQ Coastal Command.

27 Nov 1950:            Head of RAF Delegation to Greece/AOC, AHQ Greece.

17 Oct 1951:           SASO, HQ Far East Air Force.

26 Aug 1952:           AOC, AHQ Iraq.

In the competitive selection tests for entry into Cranwell, held in 1919, he achieved a score of 5,086.  He represented the RAF College at Athletics.

He once flew an Avro 504 from below the cockpit coaming after the pilot, Fg Off Beilby, had got out, thereby giving the impression that the aircraft was flying itself.

In 1941, he took part in the 'Battle of Habbaniya', commanding the Audaxes.  After the first day he was the only wing commander left in action.

He died in Italy (San Remo) whilst returning overland by car (with his ADC Fg Off Rupert Holmes) from Iraq at the end of his tour as AOC at the age of 53.

This page was last updated on 02/02/24

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