Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation

Air Commodore E D Barnes (08218)

Eric Delano                b: 4  Feb 1900                        r: 20 Dec 1949                        d: 4 Dec 1957

CB - 1 Jan 1949, AFC - 2 Jan 1933, MiD - 18 Feb 1938, MiD - 1 Jan 1941, MiD - 2 Jun 1943.

3AM: 20 Mar 1918, Pte 2: 1 Apr 1918, 2 Lt: 23 Aug 1918, Plt Off: 1 Aug 1919 [23 Aug 1918], Obs Off: 5 Dec 1919, Fg Off: 4 Dec 1920, Flt Lt: 1 Jul 1927, Sqn Ldr: 1 Feb 1936, Wg Cdr: 1 Jan 1939, (T) Gp Capt: 1 Mar 1941, Act A/Cdre: 22 Sep 1943 - 23 Nov 1945, Gp Capt (WS): 22 Mar 1944, (T) A/Cdre: 1 Jan 1946, Gp Capt: 1 Jan 1946, A/Cdre: 1 Jul 1947.

 6 Aug 1918:              Deemed to have enlisted for General Service for the Duration of the War

20 Mar 1918:            Pilot (Learner) (128980), Recruit Depot, Blandford

 1 Apr 1918:              Transferred to the RAF as a Private 2nd Class

 8 Apr 1918:              Pilot (Learner), No 2 Officer Cadet Wing

27 Apr 1918:             Pilot (Learner), No 7 School of Aeronautics

29 Jun 1918:              Pilot (Learner), No 204 Training Depot Station

13 Jul 1918:               Graded as a Flight Cadet

15 Jul 1918:               Flight Cadet, No 1 School of Air Gunnery

22 Aug 1918:            Discharged from the RAF on appointment to a Temporary Commission

23 Aug 1918:            Appointed to a Temporary Commission

25 Aug 1918:             Observer, No 104 Sqn

24 Jan 1919:              Observer, No 205 Sqn

19 Mar 1919:             Observer, No 18 Sqn

 8 May 1919:              Observer, No 206 Sqn

19 Jun 1919:              Embarked at Marseilles (with No 206 Sqn)

24 Jun 1919:              Disembarked at Alexandria

 5 Dec 1919:             Awarded Short Service Commission in the rank of Observer Officer.

18 Dec 1919:            Posted to 'Z' Force

15 Apr 1920:            Embarked at Berbara

20 Apr 1920:            Disembarked at Suez

24 Apr 1920:            Observer, No 216 Sqn.

28 Apr - 1 Jun 1920:            Attached, No 47 Sqn

19 Jul 1920:               Attended Flying Instruction Course, Special Instruction Flight, Almaza

 4 Dec 1920:             Authorised to wear Flying Badge, 'Wings'

15 Jan 1921:             Pilot, No 216 Sqn

22 Jan 1921:             Supernumerary, RAF Depot

15 Mar 1921:           Attended Instructor's course, Central Flying School.

16 Jun 1921:            Flying Instructor, Flying Wing, RAF Cadet College. (Awarded Category 'A2')

 6 Apr 1922:            Short Service Commission extended to seven years on the Active List

25 Nov - 16 Dec 1922:        Attended Hygiene Course at Army School of Hygiene, Aldershot (attained 62%)

26 Mar 1923:          Flying Instructor, RAF College.

16 Nov 1923:          Recategorised as a Flying Instructor from 'A2' to 'A1'

 1 Jan 1926:            Appointed to Permanent Commission in the RAF in the rank of Flight Lieutenant.

21 Sep 1926:          Officer, No 5 Armoured Car Company

22 Oct 1926:          Adjutant, No 5 Armoured Car Company

 1 Apr 1927:           Staff, HQ Armoured Car Wing.

18 May 1927:         Attached, for temporary duty as Flight Commander, No 30 Sqn.

 5 Jul 1927:             Posted to Aircraft Depot but remained attached to No 30 Sqn

22 Oct 1927:          Flight Commander, No 30 Sqn.

 9 Mar 1929:          Attended course in Experimental and Test Flying, No 22 Sqn.

 4 Sep 1929:          Experimental and Test Pilot, No 22 Sqn.

 7 Jul 1933:             Flying Instructor, Central Flying School.

11 Aug - 5 Oct 1933:        Attended Instrument Flying Course, CFS

21 Jan 1935:           Attended RAF Staff College

21 Dec 1935:          Supernumerary, RAF Depot

28 Jan 1936:           Air Staff, HQ No 1 (Indian) Group.

25 Apr 1938:          Officer Commanding, No 3 (Indian) Wing. (attached to No 1 (Indian) Group)

 4 Feb 1939:           Supernumerary, No 1 RAF Depot

25 Apr 1939:          Officer Commanding, No 185 Sqn. (absorbed into 14 OTU)

25 Apr - 20 May 1939:        Attended Senior Officers' Short Navigation Course, School of Air Navigation

 3 Oct 1939 - 23 Oct 1939:           Attached, No 106 Sqn, RAF Finningley

 4 Apr 1940:           Chief Flying Instructor, Training Wing, RAF Cottesmore/No 14 OTU.

28 Oct 1940:          Officer Commanding, No 2 Flying Instructors' School (on leave until 4 Nov 1940)

14 Nov 1940:         Officer Commanding, No 2 Central Flying School

15 Jun 1941:          Officer Commanding, No 2 Central Flying School/RAF Church Lawford

 2 Dec 1941:          Supernumerary, RAF Honeybourne

 3 Dec 1941:          Officer Commanding, RAF Honeybourne

15 Mar 1942:         Officer Commanding, No 24 OTU/RAF Honeybourne

20 Apr 1943:          Officer Commanding, RAF Downham Market

22 Sep 1943:          Special Duties List (for service in Australia)

 1 Oct 1943:           Deplaned at Amberley, Australia

27 Oct 1943:          Supernumerary, No 1 (Training) Group, RAAF 

10 Nov 1943:          AOC, No 1 (Training) Group, RAAF 

13 Oct 1945:           Supernumerary, No 1 PDC (Leave until 18 Nov 1945)

23 Nov 1945:          Supernumerary, No 1 PDC, pending posting

21 Jan 1946:           Supernumerary, No 50 (Training) Group.

 1 Feb 1946:           AOC, No 50 (Training) Group.

 8 Mar 1947:           Supernumerary, Empire Flying School.

15 Mar 1947:          Commandant. Empire Flying School.

31 May - 5 Jun 1946:        Attended No 5 Special Senior Course, School of Land/Air Warfare

 1 Apr 1948:            AOC, RAF Hullavington (on change of title)

28 May 1948:          Supernumerary N/E sick, RAF Hullavington (Coronary Thrombosis)

31 Jul 1948:             Supernumerary N/E sick, HQ Flying Training Command

19 Dec 1949:           Last day of service

Prior to joining the RFC he had attended Hartfield School, Eastbourne (until 1913) and Highgate College, London (until 1916) and then joined the Austin Motor Company as an Apprentice from February 1917 until January 1918.

He retired on account of medical unfitness for Air Force Service

This entry was last updated on 27/12/25^©

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