Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation
Sydney Richard b: 5 Mar 1903 r: 26 Nov 1958 d: 7 Jul 1998
CB – 1 Jan 1952, AFC – 2 Jan 1939.
Plt Off (P): 9 Dec 1927, Plt Off: 9 Dec 1928, Fg Off: 9 Jun 1929, Flt Lt: 1 Apr 1933, Sqn Ldr: 1 Oct 1937, (T) Wg Cdr: 1 Jun 1940, (T) Gp Capt: 29 Apr 1942?, (T) Gp Capt: 1 Sep 1942, Wg Cdr (WS): 29 Oct 1942, Wg Cdr: 1 Dec 1943, Gp Capt: 1 Oct 1946, A/Cdre: 1 Jul 1951, Act AVM: 1 Mar 1954, AVM: 1 Jul 1954.
9 Dec 1927: Granted a Short Service Commission
6 Jan 1928: U/T Pilot, No 4 FTS.
3 Jan 1929: Pilot, No 70 Sqn.
1 May 1931: Air Staff - Operations, HQ Iraq Command.
27 Jun 1932: Pilot, No 70 Sqn.
10 Aug 1932: Granted a Permanent Commission in the rank of Flying Officer.
7 Feb 1933: Supernumerary, RAF Depot.
4 Apr 1933: Pilot, Experimental Section, RAE.
12 Mar 1937: Officer Commanding 'B' Flight, No 60 Sqn.
22 Oct 1937: Officer Commanding, Bomber Transport Flight, India.
25 Apr 1938: Air Staff, HQ No 1 (Indian) Group.
7 Mar 1939: Officer Commanding, No 60 Sqn.
6 Aug 1939: Admitted to Walker Hospital, Simla
16 Aug 1939: Supernumerary (sick), HQ No 1 (Indian) Group.
22 Aug 1939: Discharged from Hospital
19 Sep 1939: Officer Commanding, No 60 Sqn.
1 Jun 1941: Officer Commanding, No 31 Sqn. (Valentia/DC2)
xx Oct 1941:
xx May 1942: Officer Commanding, RAF China Bay
xx xxx 1943: Staff, Airborne Forces Experimental Establishment.
xx xxx 1946: Officer Commanding, Experimental Flying Wing, RAE.
xx xxx 1947: Commandant, Empire Test Pilots School.
1 Dec 1948: Deputy Director of Operational Requirements.
xx xxx 1951: Commandant, RAF Flying College.
1 Mar 1954: Director-General of Personnel (II).
1 Jul 1955: AOC, No 2 Group.
Born in London, he travelled to Canada and worked on the Canadian Pacific Railway. On returning to England, he found he could not afford the return fare to Canada and so joined the RAF on a short service commission. He was awarded a permanent commission in 1932. In 1953, he flew Hastings WD499 in the Royal Review Fly-past at Odiham at the end of a trans-polar flight.
This page was last updated on 28/03/24©
J H S Tyssen