J A Boret

Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation

Air Vice Marshal J A Boret (03149)

John Auguste b: 28 Mar 1898 r: 13 Apr 1948 d: 26 Apr 1964

CBE - 2 Jun 1943 (OBE - 1 Jan 1941), MC - 18 Oct 1917, AFC - 21 Sep 1918, MiD - 11 Jun 1942, MiD - 14 Jun 1945, SO (2S) - 1 Jan 1946, LoM (Cdr) - 15 Mar 1946.

For a list of foreign decoration abbreviations, click here

(Army):- Pte (3586): 6 Apr 1915, 2 Lt: 10 Oct 1915, Lt (RWSR): 1 Jul 1917, (T) Lt (RFC): 1 Sep 1917, Capt: 1 Feb 1918.

(RAF):- (T) Capt [Lt]: 1 Apr 1918 - 1 May 1919, Fg Off: 1 Aug 1919 [1 Apr 1918], Flt Lt: 1 Jan 1924, Sqn Ldr: 1 Apr 1933, Wg Cdr: 1 Oct 1937, Act Gp Capt: 21 Oct 1939, (T) Gp Capt: 1 Sep 1940, Act A/Cdre: 23 Mar 1943, Gp Capt (WS): 23 Sep 1943, Gp Capt: 1 Dec 1943, (T) A/Cdre: 1 Oct 1944 - 1 Nov 1947, Act AVM: 7 May 1945 - 31 Dec 1945, Act A/Cdre: 1 Nov 1947, A/Cdre: 12 Apr 1948, AVM: Retained.

6 Apr 1915: Private, 3/28 Btn, London Regimet TF (Artists Rifles)

10 Oct 1915: Officer, 4^th Battalion, Royal West Surrey Regiment.

12 Aug 1916: Seconded to RFC

14 Aug 1916: Attended No 1 School of Military Aeronautics, Reading

29 Sep 1916: Attended Central Flying School

29 Sep 1916: u/t Pilot, No 7 Reserve Sqn

15 Nov 1916: u/t Pilot, No 11 Reserve Sqn

1 Feb 1917: Appointed Flying Officer, RFC

5 Feb 1917: Pilot, No 51 (Home Defence) Sqn

16 Mar 1917: Pilot, No 100 Sqn, RFC

18 Nov 1917: Returned to Home Establishment

26 Dec 1917: Allocated to 6th Brigade

26 Dec 1917: Pilot, No 51 (Home Defence) Sqn

25 Jan 1918: Pilot, No 33 Sqn, RFC

1 Feb 1918: Flight Commander, B' Flt, No 36 Sqn, RFC

27 Aug 1918: Attached No 12 Group for Disposal

7 Nov 1918: Instructor, No 33 Training Depot Station

5 Apr - Jun 1919: Attended Technical Course, School of Technical Training, Halton

7 Jul 1919: Duty at Storage Station, No 5 (Eastern) Aircraft Repair Depot

1 Aug 1919: Relinquished his commission Royal West Surrey Regiment

1 Aug 1919: Awarded Permanent Commission as a Lieutenant

29 Aug 1919: No 2 Group Concentration Camp, awaiting draft for India.

2 Feb 1920: RAF Depot, Halton, in transit to India.

16 Mar 1920: Awaiting disposal, HQ India Group.

15 Apr 1920: Pilot, No 28 Sqn.

1 Dec 1922: Supernumerary - Non Effective (Sick), RAF Depot.

15 Dec 1922: Supernumerary, RAF Depot (in transit to UK)

16 Jan 1923- 18 Apr 1923: Admitted to Central RAF Hospital with Malaria

20 Aug 1923: Admin Duties, RAF Depot

14 Jan 1924: Adjutant/Flight Commander, No 32 Sqn.

4 Mar - Jul 1929: Attended Coastal Reconnaissance Course, RAF Base, Calshot.

27 Jul 1929: Pilot, Air Pilotage Flight, Navigation School, RAF Base Calshot

21 Mar 1931: Exchange posting - RCAF.

1 - 28 Apr 1933: Attended Refresher Course, Central Flying School

1 May 1933: Officer Commanding, No 41 Sqn. (Bulldog IIa/Demon)

19 Oct - 15 Nov 1933: Attended Anti Gas Course, RAF Depot

4 Mar 1937: Maintenance Liaison Officer, HQ No 22 (Army Co-operation) Group.

30 Sep - Oct 1937: Attended Course at Office of Judge Advocate General

21 Oct 1937: Senior Personnel Staff Officer, HQ No 5 (Bomber) Group.

25 Sep 1939: Air Staff, HQ Fighter Command.

5 Oct 1939: Officer Commanding, Special Fighter Wing Cadre

18 Oct 1939: Officer Commanding, No 61 (Fighter Servicing) Wing, Air Component.

29 Nov 1939: Officer Commanding, No 60 (Fighter) Wing, Air Component. (evacuated from Merville - 20 May 1940)

20 May 1940: Supernumerary, HQ British Air Forces in France (pending posting)

8 Jun 1940: Air Staff Officer, HQ No 11 Group

8 Jul 1940: Supernumerary, RAF Tangmere

22 Jul 1940: Officer Commanding, RAF Tangmere

22 Apr 1941: Officer Commanding, RAF Portreath

23 Mar 1943: Duty Air Commodore, HQ Fighter Command.

15 Nov 1943: Duty Air Commodore, HQ ADGB.

26 Jan 1944: AOC, No 13 (Fighter) Group.

7 May 1945: AOC, No 88 (Fighter) Group. (relinquished 31 Dec 1945)

31 Dec 1945: Supernumerary, pending disposal

21 Jan 1946: Supernumerary, Air Ministry Unit (pending posting)

1 Feb 1946: Director of Air Force Welfare

3 Feb 1948: Supernumerary, Air Ministry Unit (pending retirement)

On 25 August 1917 he was flying FE2c, A3059 when he suffered an engine failure on his return from a night bombing raid and during the forced landing at Calonne sur la Lys, Pas de Calais he hit a tree and was ‘badly shaken’. He was married to Christine Victoria Newton on 22 August 1918. He suffered another on 7 May 1921 flying accident whilst flying Bristol F2B, E2448, which failed to flatten out during a bombing practice at Ambala striking his right wing on a goal post and crash landed. On 4 Sep 1928 he was involved in a collision on the ground with DH.60 Moth whilst in Siskin IIIA, J8959.

Citation for the award of the Military Cross

"2nd Lt. John Augusta Boret, R.W. Surr. R. and R.F.C.

For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty on many occasions. He has taken part in forty-one night bombing raids, many of which were carried out at a very low altitude and in bad weather. He has successfully inflicted considerable damage upon his objectives."

(London Gazette - 7 March 1918)

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