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.
(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.
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)
This page was last updated on 16/09/23©
C G Wigglesworth