Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation


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Air Commodore M Watson (28061)


Michael                             b: 12 Aug 1909                     r: 1 Jun 1954                d: 22 Mar 1991

CB - 5 Jun 1952, CBE - 1 Jan 1946 (OBE - 11 Jun 1942), MiD - 1 Jan 1941, MiD – 1 Jan 1946, LoM (Off) - 9 Oct 1945.

For a list of foreign decoration abbreviations, click here 

GD Branch: Plt Off (P): 13 Apr 1929, Plt Off: 13 Apr 1929, Fg Off: 13 Oct 1930, Flt Lt: 13 Oct 1934, Sqn Ldr: 1 Aug 1938, Act Wg Cdr: 15 Nov 1939 [31 Oct 1939], (T) Wg Cdr: 1 Dec 1940, A/Cdre:  6 Oct 1953 [1 Jul 1952].

Tech Branch: Wg Cdr: 24 Apr 1942, Act Gp Capt: xx xxx xxxx, Act A/Cdre: 3 Mar 1943?, (T) Gp Capt: 1 Jul 1943, Gp Capt (WS): 3 Sep 1943, Gp Capt: 1 Jul 1947, Act A/Cdre: 18 Dec 1950,

13 Apr 1929:            Initial Officer Training, RAF Depot?.

27 Apr 1929:            U/T Pilot, No 3 FTS.

 1 Apr 1930:             Pilot, No 23 Sqn.

2 Aug 1932 - 6 Apr 1933:        Adjutant, No 23 Sqn

23 Apr 1933:           Attended Electrical and Wireless School.

15 Jul 1935:             Signals Officer, No 25 Sqn.

29 Jul 1935:             RAF Signals Officer, HMS Glorious.

 6 Jul 1939:              Group Signals Officer, HQ No 5 (Bomber) Group.

24 Apr 1942:           Transferred to the Technical Branch (Signals) in the rank of Wing Commander

21 Jun 1942:            Staff, Combined Operations - Signals Plans.

22 Nov 1943           Signals Officer (RDF), HQ Air Defence of Great Britain.

1944                        Signals Officer, SHAEF.

14 Jul 1945:              Group Signals Officer, HQ No 216 Group.

15 Jun 1946:             Signals Officer, HQ RAF Mediterranean & Middle East.

xx xxx 1947:             Deputy Director of Signals.

xx xxx 1949:             Officer Commanding, RAF Welford.

11 Apr 1950 :           Signals Staff Officer, HQ Fighter Command.

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

xx Nov 1953:           Director of Signals.

Joining the RAF on a short service commission, he served in No 23 Sqn at the same time as D R S Bader.  On 8/9 November 1932, he sat the exam taken by Short Service Commission holders to undertake specialisation training, successful completion of which would lead to the award of a Permanent Commission, in his case he trained as an Signals specialist and thereafter spent almost the rest of his career as such.

Retiring from the RAF at his own request, he moved to the USA where from 1956 he was the Rolls Royce representative to North American Aviation Inc.  In 1961 he became Assistant General Manager - Sale and Service of Rolls Royce until 1964 when he rejoined North American, now renamed North American Rockwell, in their Space Division.  He finally retired to live in California in 1971.

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