Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation

Air Commodore S W Smith

Sydney William             b: 21 Sep 1888            r: 21 Sep 1941                        d: 29 Dec 1971

OBE - 3 Jun 1919, DL (West Riding) - 13 Aug 1944.

(Army): - 2 Lt (TA): 12 Feb 1911, 2 Lt (P) (SR): 19 Apr 1913, 2 Lt: 17 Oct 1914, Lt: 9 Jun 1915, (T) Capt:  7 Dec 1915, (T) Maj: 12 Mar 1917.

(RAF): - (T) Maj [Capt]: 1 Apr 1918, Sqn Ldr: 1 Aug 1919 [1 Apr 1918], Wg Cdr: 1 Jul 1924, Gp Capt: 1 Jul 1931, Act A/Cdre: 1 Dec 1933?, A/Cdre: 1 Jan 1935.  

(RAFO - Class CC): Wg Cdr: 21 Sep 1941

12 Feb 1911:   Officer, 1st Welsh (Howitzer) Brigade, Royal Field Artillery, Territorial Force.

19 Apr 1913:    Officer, Royal Field Artillery Special Reserve

xx Sep 1914:    Attended No 8 Course, CFS.

14 Sep 1914:    Flying Officer, RFC

17 Oct 1914:   Officer, Royal Field Artillery.

 7 Dec 1915:    Flight Commander, No ? Sqn RFC.

19 Sep 1916:   Assistant Commandant, No 2 School of Military Aeronautics.  

31 Mar 1917:   Officer Commanding, No 62 Sqn?

 1 Aug 1919:    Awarded Permanent Commission as a Major

28 Feb 1920:   Officer Commanding, No 70 Sqn. (Vimy – Heliopolis)

13 Oct 1923:   Supernumerary, RAF Depot

21 Jan 1924:    Attended Army Staff College, Camberley.

21 Feb 1926:   Administrative Staff Officer, HQ RAF Cranwell.

 8 Jan 1927:     Staff, Deputy Directorate of Staff Duties.

15 Jan 1929:    Officer Commanding, RAF Cattewater/Mount Batten.

16 Jan 1930:     Officer Commanding, No 204 Sqn.

2 Oct 1931:      Officer Commanding, RAF Manston.

 7 Oct 1933:     Officer Commanding/AOC, RAF Far East.

10 Nov 1933:   Officer Commanding, RAF Base Singapore.

30 Nov 1933:

 1 Jan 1937:     AOC, No 1 (Bomber) Group.

24 Feb 1938:   SASO, HQ Bomber Command.

 7 Nov 1938:    AOC, No 26 (Training) Group.

 1 Feb 1939:    SASO, HQ Reserve Command

xx xxx xxxx:     AOA, HQ Reserve Command.

19 Feb 1940:   AOC, No 33 (Balloon Barrage) Group.

15 Jul 1942    Commandant, ATC HQ for the North East.

Educated at Oundle School, he qualified for his RAeC Certificate, No 606, on 29 August 1913 at Brooklands.  In 1930, beginning 22 June, he led a return flight from Mount Batten to Iceland?   After retiring he joined the travel industry as Chairman of Universal Sky Tours and as an adviser to Thomson Sky Tours.

This page was last updated on 26/05/24^©

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