Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation

Air Marshal Sir Hector McGregor (27031)

Hector Douglas         

b: 15 Feb 1910                        r: 27 Sep 1964                        d: 11 Apr 1973

KCB - 1 Jan 1960 (CB - 1 Jun 1953), CBE - 14 Jun 1945, DSO - 15 Sep 1939, MiD - 15 Sep 1939, MiD - 1 Jan 1942, MiD - 11 Jun 1942, MiD – 14 Jan 1944, MiD – 1 Jan 1945, MiD - xx xxx 194?, MiD - xx xxx 194?, LoM (Off) - 9 Oct 1945

For a list of foreign decoration abbreviations, click here

Plt Off (P)?: 13 Apr 1928, Plt Off: 13 Apr 1928, Fg Off: 13 Oct 1929, Flt Lt: 1 Jun 1934, Sqn Ldr: 1 Feb 1938, (T) Wg Cdr: 1 Sep 1940, (T) Gp Capt: 1 Sep 1942, Act A/Cdre: 1 Jan 1944, Gp Capt (WS): 1 Jul 1944, Wg Cdr: 25 Jan 1945 [1 Jun 1944], Gp Capt: 1 Oct 1946, Act A/Cdre: 18 Jun 1951, A/Cdre: 12 Jul 1951, Act AVM: 1 Sep 1953, AVM: 1 Jul 1954, Act AM: 30 Jul 1959, AM: 1 Jan 1960.  

Photo Courtesy - David Yates (ex Flt Sgt RAF)

13 Apr 1928:               Appointed to a Short Service Commission.

24 Apr 1928:               U/T Pilot, No 3 FTS.

 2 Apr 1929:                 Pilot, No 111 Sqn.

xx xxx 1931:                 Pilot, No 401 (Fleet Fighter) Flt., HMS Courageous.

 5 Aug 1931:                Attended Aircraft Engineering Course, Home Aircraft Depot.

 1 Sep 1932:                Granted a Permanent Commission in the rank of Flying Officer.

24 Jul 1933:                Engineering Officer, School of Naval Co-operation.

xx xxx xxxx:                 Engineering Officer, HQ Coastal Area/Command

xx xxx 1936:                Staff Officer, Air Ministry.

 3 Sep 1938:                Supernumerary, No 33 Sqn. (arrived 15 Sep 1938)

27 Sep 1938:                Officer Commanding, No 33 Sqn. 

 5-11 Oct 1938:            Officer Commanding (Temporary), RAF Ismailia

24 Apr - 10 May 1939:                Officer Commanding (Temporary), RAF Helwan

30 Jan 1940:                Staff, Deputy Directorate of Repair and Servicing (1)

23 - 28 May 1940:              Attended Refresher Course, No 5 OTU.

29 May 1940:              Supernumerary, No 213 Sqn.

 8 Jun 1940:                Officer Commanding, No 213 Sqn.

15 Aug 1940:               Staff, RAF Aldergrove

xx Oct 1940:               Officer Commanding, Fighter Sector HQ, RAF Aldergrove, RAFNI

 1 Dec 1940:               Officer Commanding, Fighter Sector HQ, RAF Aldergrove, No 13 Group

xx Jun 1941:                Officer Commanding, RAF Ballyherbert

xx xxx 1941:                SASO, No 82 (Fighter) Group

xx May 1942:              Special Planning Staff, HQ Fighter Command.

xx xxx 1942:                Officer Commanding, Tangmere Sector

 5 May 1943:               Deputy Director - Operations, Intelligence and Plans, HQ Mediterranean Air Command

10 Dec 1943:               Deputy Director - Operations, Intelligence and Plans, HQ M.A.A.F.

25 Nov 1944:              AOC, AHQ Levant.

xx xxx 1947:                Attended Imperial Defence College.

xx xxx 1948:                Air Staff, Air Ministry.

xx xxx 1949:                Member, NATO Standing Group Staff - Washington DC.

18 Jun 1951:                AOC, No 2 Group.

xx xxx 1953:                Director of Guided Missile Development, Ministry of Supply.

xx xxx 1956:                Assistant Controller - Aircraft, Ministry of Supply.

xx xxx 1957:                Chief of Staff (Air Defence), HQ SHAPE.

30 Jul 1959:                AOC in C, Fighter Command.

 1 May 1962:              Commander, UK Air Defence Region.

31 May 1962:              C in C, Far East Air Force.

Born and educated in New Zealand, he joined the RAF in 1928.  He is reputed to have claimed six enemy aircraft destroyed, but confirmation can only be found for two destroyed and two damaged.  From 1964 he was the Chairman of the New Zealand News Consultative Board.