Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation


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Air Marshal Sir Walter Pretty (26163)


Walter Philip George     b: 2 May 1909                        r: 3 Oct 1966                        d: 17 Jan 1975

KBE - 1 Jan 962 (CBE - 2 Jan 1950, OBE - 11 Jun 1942), CB - 13 Jun 1957, MiD - 17 Mar 1941, MiD - 24 Sep 1941.

GD Branch: Plt Off: 26 Jul 1930, Fg Off: 26 Jan 1932, Flt Lt: 26 Jan 1936, Sqn Ldr: 1 Oct 1938, A/Cdre: 6 Oct 1953 [1 Jul 1952], Act AVM: 9 May 1955, AVM: 1 Jan 1956, Act AM: 1 Mar 1964, AM: 1 Jul 1964.

Tech Branch: Wg Cdr (T): 1 Dec 1940, Act Gp Capt: 23 Mar 1942, Wg Cdr (WS): 23 Sep 1942, (T) Gp Capt: 1 Jul 1943, Act A/Cdre: 7 May 1945, Gp Capt (WS): 7 Nov 1945, Gp Capt : 1 Jul 1947, Act A/Cdre: 18 Aug 1950, A/Cdre: 1 Jul 1951.

 6 Sep 1929:                Flight Cadet, 'B' Sqn, RAF College.

26 Jul 1930:                 Pilot, No 100 Sqn.

 9 Oct 1931:                Adjutant, RAF Base Kai Tak.  

23 Apr 1934:               Attended Specialist Signals Course, Electrical and Wireless School

18 Jul 1935:                 Fighter Sector Signals Officer

24 Apr 1937:               Exchange posting to RCAF.

15 May 1939:              Air Staff (RDF), HQ Fighter Command.

1939                            Radar training officer, RAF Manston

1940:                           Officer Commanding, 'Chain Home Low' Station - Clacton.

xx xxx 1940:                 Officer Commanding?, No 2 Signals School, RAF Yatesbury

24 Sep 1940:                Transferred to Technical Branch.

xx xxx 1940:                 Signals 4 (a), Directorate of Signals.

 3 Feb 1941                 Attached to RAF Cranwell for formation of No 1 Radio School

 7 Mar 1941:                Staff, No 1 Signals School - RAF Cranwell

15 Apr 1941:                Signals Staff Officer, HQ Fighter Command. 

23 Mar 1942:               Deputy Director of Radar (2)

 7 May 1945:               Command Signals Officer, HQ Fighter Command

13 Apr 1946:               Chief Signals Officer, Air Command South East Asia

20 Nov 1946:              Chief Signals Officer, Air Command Far East

xx xxx 1948:                Director-General of Navigational Services, Ministry of Civil Aviation.

xx xxx 1953:                Director of Electronics Research and Development, Ministry of Supply.

 6 Oct 1953:                Transferred to General Duties Branch in the rank of Air Commodore.

 9 May 1955:               AOA, HQ 2nd Tactical Air Force.

 7 Oct 1958:                Director-General of Organisation.

 9 Jun 1961:                 AOC, Signals Command.

 1 Mar 1964:                Deputy Chief of the Defence Staff (Personnel & Logistics)

Educated at Alleyn's School Walter Pretty entered the RAF College at Cranwell in 1929, which he represented at Cricket and Fencing.  Having completed the Specialist Signals course before WW2, he was selected to assist Sir Henry Tizard and Dr Watson-Watt in the early development work on 'Radar' at Biggin Hill.  This included the training of pilots and crews of No 600 (City of London) Squadron in the use of Airborne Interception radar at Manston in 1939.  During his career he, appears to have alternated between the General Duties and Technical Branches, although he finally retired on the GD List.  

This page was last updated on 28/11/23

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