Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation

Air Marshal Sir Philip Wigglesworth

Horace Ernest Philip                b: 11 Jul 1896                   r: 7 May 1948                d: 31 May 1975

KBE - 1 Jan 1946 (CBE - 11 Jun 1942), CB - 2 Jun 1943, DSC - 21 Apr 1917, MiD - 11 Jun 1942, MiD – 1 Jan 1945, MiD – 19 Sep 1946, C de G (F) - 21 Apr 1917, LoH, Cdr - xx xxx 194?, LoM (Cdr) - 9 Oct 1945 (LoM (O) - 27 Aug 1943), GI-Cdr - 3 May 1946, OMM (K) - xx xxx xxxx.  

For a list of foreign decoration abbreviations, click here

(RNAS):- (T)(P) Flt Sub-Lt: 6 Nov 1915, (T) Flt Sub-Lt: 25 Jul 1916 [6 Nov 1915], (T) Flt Lt: 1 Apr 1917.

(RAF):- (H) Capt [Lt]: 1 Apr 1918, Flt Lt: 1 Aug 1919 [1 Apr 1918], Sqn Ldr: 20 Mar 1929, Act Wg Cdr: 1 Jun 1934, Wg Cdr: 1 Jan 1936, Gp Capt: 1 Apr 1939, (T) A/Cdre: 1 Mar 1941, Act AVM: 1 Jun 1941, A/Cdre: 20 Jul 1942, (T) AVM: 1 Dec 1942, Act AM: 15 Oct 1944, AVM: 21 May 1945, AM: 6 May 1948.

xx xxx 1915:            U/T Pilot, RNAS.  

1915                        Attended Engineering Course

xx xxx 1916:            Pilot, No 3 (Naval) Wing RNAS.

xx Jan 1917:            Pilot, No 3 Squadron RNAS.

xx xxx 1917:            Instructor, Eastbourne Air Station

xx xxx 1919:             Attached, E.1A, Directorate of Equipment.

24 Oct 1919:           Granted a Permanent Commission in the rank of Flight Lieutenant (Aeroplane).  

11 Feb 1920:           Staff Officer 3rd Class, Directorate of Equipment.

19 Jan 1922:            Supernumerary, RAF Depot.

 1 Jul 1922:              Officer Commanding, Irish Flight

23 Oct 1922:           Flight Commander, Detached Flight, No 2 Sqn.

 5 Dec 1922:           Flight Commander, No 2 Sqn.

23 Feb 1923:           Adjutant, No 84 Sqn.

14 Jan 1926:            Flight Commander, No 14 Sqn.

 5 May 1928:           Supernumerary, RAF Depot.

28 Dec 1928:           Flight Commander, No 503 (County of Lincoln) Sqn.

 7 Mar - 20 May 1930:           Officer Commanding (Temporary), No 503 (County of Lincoln) Sqn.

19 Jan 1931:            Attended RAF Staff College.

 1 Feb 1932:            Personnel Staff, HQ ADGB.

19 Apr 1933:           Directing Staff, RAF Staff College.

 6 Apr 1936:           Air Staff,  Deputy Directorate of Intelligence

22 Dec 1938:          Deputy Directorate of Intelligence (2).

22 May 1939:         Member/Head, Combined Planning Staff, HQ Middle East Command

 1 Jun 1941:            SASO, HQ RAF Middle East.

29 Dec 1941:          SASO, Middle East Command

xx xxx 1942:            AOC, AHQ East Africa.

xx xxx 1942:            SASO, HQ Middle East Command.

17 Feb 1943:           Deputy Air C-in-C, Mediterranean Air Command.

15 Nov 1943:          SASO, Allied Expeditionary Air Force.

xx xxx 1944:            Deputy Chief of Staff (Air), SHAEF.

Photo - Imperial War Museum

xx xxx 1945:            Deputy Air C in C, Germany/Deputy Chief of Air Division, British Control Commission

 1 Feb 1946:            Commander, British Air Forces of Occupation/ Chief of Air Division, British  Control Commission.

Educated at Chesterfield, he gained his RAeC Certificate, No 2598 on 20 March 1916.   He joined No 3 Wing RNAS in 1916, flying both fighters and bombers.  In one operation he fought five separate engagements with  three to five enemy aircraft resulting in one victory and a serious bout of frostbite.  In January 1917, he was one of eight pilots transferred to No 3 Squadron RNAS shortly prior to the disbandment of No 3 Wing.

Whilst operating with No 14 Squadron, he force landed in the desert but for two days nobody flew out to him.  In the end it was Stanley Vincent, then serving with No 2 Armoured Car Company, who borrowed an aircraft and went out to locate and take him supplies.

As a flight commander with 503 Squadron, he commanded the operational flight, 'A' Flight.   As DDI (2), he sphere of interest was 'The Rest of the World'.

He acted as the link officer between Tedder and Eisenhower prior to the former setting up his HQ with that of the Supreme Commander.  Retired at his own request.  Became President of Renault Ltd (in Britain).

Citation for the award of the Croix de Guerre (France)

AWIGGLESWORTH, H.E.P., Flight Sub-Lieutenant (Royal Naval Air Service) - No.3 Wing.

A fait preuve dans la conduite de son Escadrille, au cours de bombardements a grande distance, au cours desquelle il donne la mesure de son courage."

Translated as:

"Demonstrated his leadership of his squadron during long-distance bombings, during which he showed the measure of his courage."

(Source - Air 1/113/15/39/36 has a copy of Order 171 (Headquarters, French Air Service)

Citation for the award of the Distinguished Service Cross

“Flt. Sub-Lieut. Horace Ernest Philip Wiggleworth, R.N.A.S.

For conspicuous gallantry and enterprise on the 23rd January, 1917, during a bomb attack by aircraft when considerable damage was done to enemy blast furnaces at  Burbach.  During this flight he fought five engagements with enemy aircraft in formations of three, four and five at a time.”

(London Gazette – 21 April 1917)

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