Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation

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RAF Dishforth Personnel

[Jul 1937 | Jul 1938 | Jan 1939 | Apr 1939 | May 1939]

Personnel Movements: Jul 1936 - Jul 1937

Rank Name Date Notes
Flt Lt N E Sharpe  3 Dec 1936 Reported for duty at RAF Catterick and arrived at Dishforth as Officer i/c Opening Up Party
Fg Off V Mercer-Smith 14 Dec 1936 Reported for duty as Civilian Assistant
Fg Off G P Jones 22 Dec 1936 Arrived on posting for duty as Medical Officer
Gp Capt

Rey G Parry

  7 Jan 1937 Assumed command of the Station
Fg Off E E Copper 23 Feb 1937 Reported for duty as Station Equipment Officer, wef 19 Feb 1937
Flt Lt G Nelson 22 Apr 1937 Arrived on posting for duty as Station Signals Officer
Flt Lt C K Turner  3 May 1937 Arrived on posting for duty as Assistant Adjutant

Source - RAF Dishforth ORB

Unit Movements: Jul 1936 - Jul 1937

Unit Date Notes
Landing ground 31 Jul 1936 Completed
Buildings (Hutted Camp) 18 Dec 1936 Taken over by Board of Officers
No 78 Sqn  1 Feb 1937 Arrived from Boscombe Down
No 10 Sqn  8 Feb 1937 Arrived from Boscombe Down
No 78 Sqn  2 Jun 1937 Proceeded to RAF Aldergrove for Armament Practice Camp
No 78 Sqn 25 Jun 1937 Returned from RAF Aldergrove on completion of Armament Practice Camp

Source - RAF Dishforth ORB

July 1937

 

County Command/Group Units
near Thirsk, North Yorkshire Bomber Command/No 4 (Bomber) Group

  • SHQ

  • No 10 (Bomber) Squadron

  • No 78 (Bomber) Squadron

 

Rank Name Date Notes

Station HQ
Gp Capt

Rey G Parry

  7 Jan 1937 Officer Commanding, DSO; later AVM
Flt Lt G Nelson 22 Apr 1937  
Flt Lt V Mercer-Smith   Adjutant, RAFO
Flt Lt C K Turner   Assistant Adjutant, RAFO

Equipment Branch
Flt Lt E E Copper 19 Feb 1937  

Accountant Branch
Fg Off P Griffiths  3 Dec 1936  
Capt (Ret) J D Cameron   OBE

Medical Branch
Flt Lt G P Jones 22 Dec 1936 MB, BCh

Education Officer
Mr R T R Thornhill  4 Jan 1937 BA

Warrant Officers
WO I G W Hepple 13 Jan 1937  
WO I M Kelly  7 Jan 1937  

 

Source - July 1937 Air Force List

Personnel Movements: Jul 1937 - Jul 1938

Rank Name Date Notes
Flt Lt G L Best 30 Aug 1937 Arrived on posting for duty as Station Engineer Officer

Source - RAF Dishforth ORB

July 1938

County Command/Group Units
near Thirsk, North Yorkshire Bomber Command/No 4 (Bomber) Group

  • SHQ

  • No 10 (Bomber) Squadron

  • No 78 (Bomber) Squadron

 

Rank Name Date Notes

Station HQ
Gp Capt

Rey G Parry

  7 Jan 1937 Officer Commanding, DSO; later AVM
Flt Lt H J Forster   Adjutant, RAFO
Flt Lt C K Turner   Assistant Adjutant, RAFO

Equipment Branch
Flt Lt E E Copper 19 Feb 1937  
Capt (Ret) E N Ryder   MBE, DCM

Accountant Branch
Fg Off P Griffiths  3 Dec 1936  
Capt (Ret) J D Cameron   OBE
Lt (late RN) F W Richings    

Medical Branch
Flt Lt G P Jones 22 Dec 1936 MB, BCh

Commissioned Engineer Officer
Fg Off G G Meager 16 Nov 1937 MBE

Commissioned Signals Officer
Fg Off J Farmer 30 Aug 1937  

Education Officer
Mr R T R Thornhill  4 Jan 1937 BA

Warrant Officers
WO G W Hepple 13 Jan 1937  
WO M Kelly  7 Jan 1937  
WO A B Knowles  6 Nov 1937

Source - July 1938 Air Force List

Personnel Movements: Jul 1938 - Jan 1939

Rank Name Date Notes
Gp Capt

Rey G Parry

   1 Jul 1938 Promoted to A/Cdre
Gp Capt E G Hopcraft 11 Jul 1938 Arrived on posting as supernumerary pending assuming command
Gp Capt

Rey G Parry

 18 Jul 1938 Relinquished command of the Station on posting to HQ Coastal Command
Gp Capt E G Hopcraft 18 Jul 1938 Assumed Command of the Station
Lt R C T Speir 18 Jul 1938 Reported for duty as Station Intelligence Officer
Fg Off J F O'Brien 19 Aug 1938 Reported for duty as Station Dental Officer
Sqn Ldr W T F Wightman 18 Sep 1938 Reported for duty as Officer Commanding, Recruits Sub-Depot
Flt Lt J Collier 19 Sep 1938 RAFO, reported for duty as Regional Control Officer
Fg Off (Ret) G G Dixon 19 Sep 1938 Reported for duty as Regional Control Officer

Source - RAF Dishforth ORB

Unit Movements: Jul 1938 - Jan 1939

Unit Date Notes
Recruits Sub-Depot 19 Sep 1938 Opened

Source - RAF Dishforth ORB

January 1939

County Command/Group Units
near Thirsk, North Yorkshire Bomber Command/No 4 (Bomber) Group

  • SHQ

  • No 10 (Bomber) Squadron

  • No 78 (Bomber) Squadron

 

Rank Name Date Notes

Station HQ
Gp Capt E G Hopcraft 11 Jul 1938 Officer Commanding, DSC
Sqn Ldr F S Wakeham  5 Dec 1938  
Flt Lt H J Forster   Adjutant, RAFO
Lt (Ret) R C T Speir    
Maj (Ret) J P Huffam   VC
Flt Lt J Collier   RAFO

Equipment Branch
Plt Off T G Robertson 17 Oct 1938  
Capt (Ret) E N Ryder   MBE, DCM

Accountant Branch
Fg Off P Griffiths  3 Dec 1936  
Lt (late RN) F W Richings    

Medical Branch
Flt Lt G P Jones 22 Dec 1936 MB, BCh

Dental Branch
Fg Off J F O'Brien 19 Aug 1938 LDS

Commissioned Engineer Officer
Fg Off G G Meager 16 Nov 1937 MBE

Commissioned Signals Officer
Fg Off J Farmer 30 Aug 1937  

Education Officer
Mr R T R Thornhill  4 Jan 1937 BA

Warrant Officers
WO G W Hepple 13 Jan 1937  
WO M Kelly  7 Jan 1937  
WO A B Knowles  6 Nov 1937  

Source - January 1939 Air Force List

April 1939

County Command/Group Units
near Thirsk, North Yorkshire Bomber Command/No 4 (Bomber) Group

  • SHQ

  • No 10 (Bomber) Squadron

  • No 78 (Bomber) Squadron

 

Rank Name Date Notes

Station HQ
Gp Capt E G Hopcraft 11 Jul 1938 Officer Commanding, DSC
Sqn Ldr F S Wakeham  5 Dec 1938  
Flt Lt H J Forster   Adjutant, RAFO
Lt (Ret) R C T Speir    
Maj (Ret) J P Huffam   VC
Flt Lt J Collier   RAFO
Fg Off G G Dixon   RAFO

Equipment Branch
Plt Off T G Robertson 17 Oct 1938  
Capt (Ret) E N Ryder   MBE, DCM

Accountant Branch
Fg Off P Griffiths  3 Dec 1936  
Lt (late RN) F W Richings    

Medical Branch
Flt Lt G P Jones 22 Dec 1936 MB, BCh

Dental Branch
Fg Off J F O'Brien 19 Aug 1938 LDS

Commissioned Engineer Officer
Fg Off G G Meager 16 Nov 1937 MBE

Commissioned Signals Officer
Fg Off J Farmer 30 Aug 1937  

Temporary Education Officer
Mr H J Cramp 29 Jan 1939 MSc

Warrant Officers
WO G W Hepple 13 Jan 1937  
WO M Kelly  7 Jan 1937  
WO A B Knowles  6 Nov 1937  

Source - April 1939 Confidential Air Force List

May 1939

County Command/Group Units
near Thirsk, North Yorkshire Bomber Command/No 4 (Bomber) Group

  • SHQ

  • No 10 (Bomber) Squadron

  • No 78 (Bomber) Squadron

 

Rank Name Date Notes

Station HQ
Gp Capt E G Hopcraft 11 Jul 1938 Officer Commanding, DSC
Sqn Ldr F S Wakeham  5 Dec 1938  
Flt Lt H J Forster   Adjutant, RAFO
Lt (Ret) R C T Speir    
Maj (Ret) J P Huffam   VC
Flt Lt J Collier   RAFO
Fg Off G G Dixon   RAFO

Equipment Branch
Plt Off T G Robertson 17 Oct 1938  
Capt (Ret) E N Ryder   MBE, DCM

Accountant Branch
Fg Off P Griffiths  3 Dec 1936  
Lt (late RN) F W Richings    

Medical Branch
Flt Lt G P Jones 22 Dec 1936 MB, BCh

Dental Branch
Fg Off J F O'Brien 19 Aug 1938 LDS

Commissioned Engineer Officer
Fg Off G G Meager 16 Nov 1937 MBE

Commissioned Signals Officer
Fg Off J Farmer 30 Aug 1937  

Temporary Education Officer
Mr H J Cramp 29 Jan 1939 MSc

Warrant Officers
WO G W Hepple 13 Jan 1937  
WO M Kelly  7 Jan 1937  
WO A B Knowles  6 Nov 1937  
WO A W Byrne 28 Feb 1939  

Source - May 1939 Confidential Air Force List

Nominal Roll of Officer - 3 Sep 1939

Rank Name Notes
Gp Capt E G Hopcraft Officer Commanding
Sqn Ldr F S Wakeham Sqn Ldr - Administration
Flt Lt H J Forster Station Adjutant, RAFO
Maj (Ret) J P Huffam VC, Assistant Adjutant
Sqn Ldr R C T Speir Station Intelligence Officer, RAFO
Flt Lt H J Cramp Assistant Intelligence Officer, RAFVR
Fg Off C T Burridge Station Signals Officer
Fg Off W C P Dale Operations Officer, RAFVR
Flt Lt P Griffiths Accountant Officer
Lt (late RN) F W Richings Assistant Accountant Officer
Fg Off A G Evenden Station Engineer Officer
Plt Off T G Robertson Equipment Officer
APO J McCartney Equipment Officer
Capt (Ret) E N Ryder Equipment Officer
Fg Off H S Lillie Medical Officer
Fg Off T S B Kelly Medical Officer
WO A B Knowles Station Armament Officer

Personnel Movements: Sep - Dec 1939

Rank Name Date Notes
Flt Lt H J Cramp 20 Sep 1939 Assistant Intelligence Officer, posted to RAF Halton
Flt Lt L Wanless-O'Gowan 20 Sep 1939 Reported for duty as Assistant Intelligence Officer
Plt Off L E Crawley 23 Oct 1939 Arrived on posting for Intelligence duties

Source - RAF Dishforth ORB

Unit Movements: Sep - Dec 1939

Unit Date Notes
No 10 Sqn  3 Sep 1939 Brought up to operational basis
No 78 Sqn  3 Sep 1939 Training Sqn, moved to RAF Ternhill under 'scatter scheme'
No 78 Sqn 15 Sep 1939 Began to return from RAF Ternhill under 'scatter scheme'
No 78 Sqn 16 Sep 1939 Completed return from RAF Ternhill under 'scatter scheme'
No 78 Sqn 15 Oct 1939 Dispersed to RAF Linton-on-Ouse
No 51 Sqn  5 Dec 1939 Arrived from RAF York

Source - RAF Dishforth ORB

Personnel Movements: Jan - Dec 1940

Rank Name Date Notes
Sqn Ldr G E R Shepard 15 Jan 1940 Reported for duty as Sqn Ldr - Operations

The F540 for 1940 does not give any personnel details, which are probably containing in Appendices, not currently available.

Source - RAF Dishforth ORB

[Jul 1937 | Jul 1938 | Jan 1939 | Apr 1939 | May 1939]

This page was last updated on 18/03/25©

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