Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation


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Air Vice Marshal S E Toomer


Sydney Edward             b: 10 Jan 1895                   r: 8 Mar 1948                     d: 22 Mar 1954

CB - 13 Jun 1946,  CBE - 1 Jan 1945, DFC - 3 Jun 1919, MiD - 22 Sep 1915, MiD - 17 Mar 1941.

(Army):- 2 Lt (P): 9 Aug 1915, 2 Lt: 16 Oct 1916, Lt: 1 Aug 1917.

(RAF):- Lt: 1 Apr 1918, Act Capt  1 May 1919, Act Maj: 1 May 1919, Fg Off: 1 Aug 1919 [1 Apr 1918], Flt Lt: 1 Jan 1922, Sqn Ldr: 9 Jul 1930, Wg Cdr: 1 Jan 1937, (T) Gp Capt: 1 Jan 1940, (T) A/Cdre: 15 Jul 1941, Gp Capt: 14 Apr 1942 [1 Jan 1940], Act AVM: 2 Sep 1943, A/Cdre (WS): 2  Sep 1944, (T) AVM: 1 Jan 1946, A/Cdre: 1 Jan 1946, AVM: 7 Mar 1948.

xx xxx xxxx:         Gunner, Highland (Mountain) Brigade, Royal Garrison Artillery (4901)

9 Aug 1915:           Officer, Royal Garrison Artillery Special Reserve.

13 Feb 1917:          Observer, No ? Sqn RFC, .

30 May 1917:         Flying Officer (Observer)

28 Dec 1917:          U/T Pilot, RFC

xx xxx 1918:            Flight Commander, No 8 Sqn. (FK8)

xx Nov 1918:          Acting Officer Commanding, No 8 Sqn.

 1 May 1918:          Officer Commanding, No 8 Sqn.

 1 Aug 1919:            Awarded Permanent Commission as a Lieutenant

 9 Sep 1919:            Pilot, No 12 Sqn.

 1 Dec 1920:            Supernumerary (Non-Effective Sick), RAF Depot.

 8 Feb 1921:            Staff, Inspector of Recruiting.

12 Jul 1921:             Staff, Midland Recruiting Area, Birmingham.

19 Apr 1922:           Flight Commander, No 4 Sqn.

 4 May 1925:           Attended RAF Staff College.

12 Apr 1926:           Attended School of Oriental Studies.

20 Oct 1926:            Air Staff - Intelligence, HQ Iraq Command.

15 Dec 1929:           Flight Commander, No 4 Sqn.

23 Sep 1930:           Supernumerary, No 2 Sqn. (Atlas I)

29 Sep 1930:           Officer Commanding, No 2 Sqn. (Atlas I)

29 Oct 1931:            Supernumerary - non effective (sick), RAF Depot.

18 Dec 1931:           Officer Commanding, No 2 Sqn.

21 Jan 1933:            Attended Army Staff College, Camberley.

12 Jan 1935:            Staff, Directorate of Staff Duties.

29 Aug 1936:           Seconded to RAAF.

11 Nov 1938:          Officer Commanding, RAF Boscombe Down.

xx xxx 1939:            Directing Staff, Army Staff College, Camberley.

12 Sep 1939:           Air Staff, HQ No 1 Group.

11 Dec 1939           Officer Commanding, RAF Leconfield

20 Jan 1940:            Group Captain - Operations, HQ No 13 (Fighter) Group.

18 Dec 1940:           Group Captain - ?, HQ Fighter Command.

17 May 1942:          Duty Air Commodore, HQ Fighter Command

xx Nov 1942:           Director of Fighter Operations.

1 Sep 1943:             SASO, HQ Middle East Command.

xx xxx 1944:            AOC, No 205 Group.

 5 May 1945:           AOC, Eastern Mediterranean.

21 Mar 1946:           AOC, No 219 Group.

 1 Dec 1946:            AOC, No 205 Group

 1 Apr 1947:            AOA, HQ Technical Training Command.

Originally a member of the Royal Garrison Artillery, he served at Gallipoli and in France before transferring to the RFC in 1917 as an observer.  No 8 Squadron became something of a specialist unit in co-operating with tanks and as such he found himself involved in these operations against enemy anti-tank guns.

This page was last updated on 08/12/23

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