|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Air Marshal Sir Richard Jordan
Richard Bowen b: 7 Feb 1902 r: 2 Jun 1958 d: 24 Apr 1994
KCB -31 May 1956 (CB - 12 Jun 1947), DFC - 22 Aug 1941, ADC - 26 Apr 1949, MiD - 1 Jan 1941, MiD - 11 Jun 1942, MiD - 1 Jan 1943, MiD - 2 Jun 1943, PR (Cdr) - 24 Sep 1943, ON(C) - 31 Oct 1947.
Plt Off: 20 Dec 1922, Fg Off: 20 Jun 1924, Flt Lt: 12 Dec 1928, Sqn Ldr: 1 Dec 1937, Wg Cdr: 1 Jul 1939, Act Gp Capt: 11 Aug 1941, (T) Gp Capt: 1 Sep 1941, Act A/Cdre: 21 Mar 1943?, Gp Capt (WS): 21 Sep 1943, (T) A/Cdre: 1 Jan 1946, Gp Capt: 1 Jan 1946, A/Cdre: 1 Jul 1947, Act AVM: 20 Mar 1951, AVM: 1 Jul 1951, Act AM: 16 Jan 1956, AM: 1 May 1956.
3 Feb 1921: Flight Cadet, 'A' Sqn, RAF College.
20 Dec 1922: Appointed to Permanent Commission.
20 Dec 1923: Pilot, No 2 Sqn.
12 Feb 1926: Pilot, No 28 Sqn.
xx xxx xxxx: Pilotage (navigation) Officer, No 28 Sqn.
21 Jan 1929: Staff, No 2 (Indian Wing) Station, Risalpur
xx Nov 1930: Flight Commander, No 39 Sqn
18 May 1931: Supernumerary, RAF Depot.
xx xxx 1931: Pilot, Experimental Section, RAE.
24 Oct 1937: Staff, RAF Aldergrove
27 Jan 1938: Flight Commander, No 10 Sqn, RAF Dishforth
21 Aug 1939: Officer Commanding, No 83 Sqn.
3 Oct 1939: Supernumerary, No 144 Sqn
5 Oct 1939: Officer Commanding, No 144 Sqn
xx May 1940: Supernumerary, RAF Manston.
12 Jun 1940: Officer Commanding, RAF Manston.
20 Jun 1940: Officer Commanding, RAF Felixstowe.
4 Jul 1940: Liaison Officer, HQ Scottish Command
xx Aug 1940: Officer Commanding, No 214 Sqn.
1 Dec 1940: Senior Officer Administration, HQ No 71 Group
3 Feb 1941: Attended Operational Training Course, No 15 OTU
18 Feb 1941: Staff Officer, HQ No 3 Group
11 Aug 1941: Officer Commanding No 18 OTU/RAF Bramcote
3 Jul 1942: Officer Commanding, No 22 OTU/RAF Wellesbourne Mountford (Supernumerary from 1 Jul)
17 Jul 1943 Officer Commanding, RAF Snaith
xx Jul 1944: Director of Air Transport Policy and Operations.
29 Nov 1946: AOC, No 3 (Indian) Group
7 Jun 1947: AOC, No 1 (Indian) Group
28 Aug 1947: AOA, Supreme Commander's HQ - Air HQ
1 Mar 1948: AOC, RAF Gibraltar
xx xxx 1949: Commandant, Royal Observer Corps
26 Apr 1949: Appointed ADC to The King
20 Mar 1951: AOC, No 25 Group.
16 Feb 1953: Director-General of Organisation
16 Jan 1956: AOC in C, Maintenance Command.
Sir Richard was one of the earliest entrants to the RAF College at Cranwell entering in 1921 having attended Marlborough College. At Cranwell he represented the College at Cricket and Rugby and attained the rank of Flt Cdt Sgt. On the night of 2/3 June 1941 he took off from Stradishall in Wellington W5450 for an operation against Berlin. Having successfully attacked the target, they returned home but at 06:00, the aircraft stalled and crashed 7 miles south-south west of Bury St Edmunds, and although it collided with trees, there was no fire and the crew were unhurt except for one member. They all returned to the station on the back of a farmer's cart.Recommendation for the award of Companion of the Order of the Bath
"JORDAN, Richard Bowen, Air Commodore - Air Ministry, Directorate of Air Transport Policy and Operations
Air Commodore Jordan has held the post of Directorate of Air Transport Policy and Operations for over two years. Since the war ended in this capacity has been largely responsible in determining and executing Air Ministry policy on such major problems as air trooping, running of large scale services on behalf of Civil Aviation and the handing over of responsibility for these services to Civil Aviation as their resources increase. This officer has shown consistently sound judgement, excellent initiative and efficiency and has displayed a fine courage and forthrightness in handling controversial problems which have arisen on a variety of the issues involved, the difficulties of which have been increased by the continual shrinkage of transport resources. This officer has rendered meritorious service not only to the RAF but to postwar air transport generally."
(Source - unknown)
This page was last updated on 22/12/23
