Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation
Melvin Kenneth Drowley
b: 12 Nov 1912 r: 8 Jun 1970 d: 28 Mar 2003
KCB – 1 Jan 1967 (CB – 1 Jan 1959), CBE – 8 Jun 1944 (OBE – 1 Jan 1943), MiD – 24 Sep 1941, MiD – 11 Jun 1942, MiD –1 Jan 1946, LOM (Off) – 15 Mar 1946, CEng, FRAeS, FIEE.
For a list of foreign decoration abbreviations, click here
(RAF): - Plt Off: 17 Dec 1932, Fg Off: 17 Jun 1934, Flt Lt: 1 Oct 1936, Sqn Ldr: 1 Apr 1939, (T) Wg Cdr: 1 Mar 1941, Act Gp Capt: 19 Mar 1943, Wg Cdr (WS): 19 Sep 1943, (T) Gp Capt: 1 Jan 1944 – 1 Nov 1947, Wg Cdr: 1 Jul 1947, Gp Capt: 1 Jan 1949, Act A/Cdre: 19 Dec 1955 A/Cdre: 1 Jul 1958, Act AVM: 12 Sep 1961, AVM: 1 Jul 1962, Act AM: 2 Jul 1966, AM: 1 Jul 1967.
xx Jan 1928: Aircraft Apprentice, 17th Entry, No 1 School of Technical Training.
15 Jan 1931: Flight Cadet, ‘B’ Sqn, RAF College Cranwell
17 Dec 1932: Appointed to a Permanent Commission.
17 Dec 1932: Pilot, No 2 Sqn (arrived 16 Jan 1933)
23 Jan - 14 Apr 1933: Attended School of Army Co-operation, Old Sarum.
8 Nov 1934: Supernumerary (non-effective, sick), RAF Depot.
29 Apr 1936: Attended Electrical and Wireless School.
30 Jun 1937: Signals Officer, No 2 Sqn.
1 May 1939: Chief Signals Officer, HQ Balloon Command
24 Apr 1940: Transferred to the Technical Branch
1 - 8 May 1940 Temporary Duty, RAF Hornchurch
8 May 1940: Deputy Chief Signals Officer, HQ No 11 Group.
24 Jan 1941: Chief Signals Officer, HQ No 11 Group.
19 Mar 1943: Chief Signals Officer, HQ No 83 Group.
1 Jun 1943: Chief Signals Officer, HQ Tactical Air Force
15 Nov 1943: Chief Signals Officer, HQ 2nd Tactical Air Force
xx xxx 1946: Staff Officer, Deputy Directorate of Allied Air Co-operation and Foreign Liaison.
xx xxx 1947: Directing Staff, RAF Staff College, Andover.
4 Feb 1950: Senior Technical Staff Officer, HQ No 205 Group.
xx xxx 1952: Officer Commanding, No 2 Air Signallers School
xx Feb 1953: Officer Commanding, RAF Swanton Morley (No 1 Air Signallers School)
14 Jun 1954: Command Signals Officer, HQ 2nd Tactical Air Force.
19 Dec 1955: Command Signals Officer, HQ Fighter Command.
xx xxx 1958: Attended Imperial Defence College.
xx Jun 1960: AOC, RAF St Athan/Commandant, No 4 School of Technical Training
12 Sep 1961: ? AVM
6 Apr 1964: Director-General of Signals (Air)
2 Jul 1966: AOC-in-C, Maintenance Command.
xx xxx 1968 - xx xxx 1970: Head of the RAF Engineer Branch
At Cranwell he attained the rank of Flight Cadet Corporal and represented the college at Soccer and Boxing.
Retiring from the RAF in 1970, he took on the post of Director of Technical Education Projects at University College, Cardiff, remaining until 1974.
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