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Air Vice Marshal G R C Spencer (16012)


Geoffrey Roger Cole             b: 23 Nov 1901               r: 10 Jul 1956               d: 7 Dec 1969

CB - 1 Jan 1952, CBE - 1 Jan 1946 (OBE - 17 Mar 1941), MiD - 1 Jan 1941, MiD - 17 Sep 1943, LeoII (GO) - 27 Jun 1947, CdeG (P) (B) - 27 Jun 1947, ARAeS - 1960.

Plt Off: 21 Dec 1920, Fg Off: 21 Jun 1922, Flt Lt: 1 Jul 1927, Sqn Ldr: 1 Feb 1936, Wg Cdr: 1 Jan 1939, (T) Gp Capt: 1 Jun 1941, Act A/Cdre: 16 Feb 1943, Gp Capt (WS): 16 Feb 1944, (T) A/Cdre: 1 Jan 1946, Gp Capt: 1 Jan 1946, A/Cdre: 1 Jul 1947, AVM: 1 Jan 1950.

xx xxx 1917:          Midshipman, RN.

 5 Feb 1920:            Flight Cadet, Naval Entry, RAF College.

26 Jan 1921:            Attached as Observer?, No 12 Sqn.

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10 Jun 1922:            U/T Pilot?, No 25 Sqn.

 1 Nov 1922:           Pilot, No 56 Sqn.

12 Sep 1924:           Pilot, No 20 Sqn.

xx xxx xxxx:             Flight Commander, No 20 Sqn.

17 Dec 1928:           Staff, HQ No 1 (Indian) Group.

 9 Nov 1929:           Pilot, Night Flying Flight/No 1 Anti-aircraft Co-operation Flight.

22 Apr 1931:           QFI, RAF College.

26 Jul 1932:             Supernumerary - non effective (sick), RAF Depot.

18 Nov 1933:          Administration Staff, HQ RAF Cranwell.

22 Jan 1934:            Attended RAF Staff College.

xx Dec 1934:

16 Mar 1935:           Air Staff, HQ No 23 Group

17 Sep 1935:           Air Staff, HQ RAF Middle East.

16 Aug 1937:           Officer Commanding, No 47 Sqn.

 6 Mar 1939:            Officer Commanding, RAF Worthy Down

 8 Jun 1939:              Officer Commanding, No 114 Sqn

17 Nov 1939:           Admitted to RAF Hospital, Cranwell

xx xxx 1940:             Air Staff, HQ No 2 Group.

 6 Dec 1940:            Supernumerary, RAF Horsham St Faith.

11 Dec 1940:           Officer Commanding, RAF Horsham St Faith.

xx xxx 1943:            Air Staff, Middle East.

16 Feb 1943?:         AOA, HQ No 84 (Composite) Group.

xx xxx 1944:            Air Staff, 2 TAF.

21 Feb 1945:           Assistant AOA, HQ Bomber Command.

xx xxx 1945:            Commandant, Central Bombing Establishment, RAF Marham.

16 Feb 1948:           Director of Air Force Welfare.

 7 Jan 1949:            AOC, RAF Gibraltar.

 8 Feb 1950:           AOC, No 19 Group.

 3 Mar 1952:           SASO, HQ Middle East Air Force.

22 Sep 1954:           AOA, HQ Technical Training Command.

Following a traditional naval education at Osbourne and Dartmouth, he joined the Royal Navy as a Midshipman in 1917.  However, in 1920 he left the Navy and joined the first course, the Naval Entry, at the newly opened RAF College at Cranwell, where he attained the rank of Flt Cdt Cpl.  Following graduation as a Plt Off,  he joined No 12 Squadron, then forming the only air element of the British Army on the Rhine.

This page was last updated on 05/04/22

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