Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation
Air Commodore A R Churchman (03182)
Allan Robert b: 2 Jan 1896 r: 2 Nov 1946 d: 13 Jan 1970
CB - 1 Jan 1959, DFC - 2 Jul 1918, DL (Belfast) - 1955.
(RN):- PO Mech E: 2 Jan 1915, AM1: 26 Oct 1915.
(Army):- Cdt: 15 Jun 1916, 2 Lt (P): 19 Dec 1916, (T) Capt: 7 Feb 1918.
(RAF):- (T) Capt [Lt]: 1 Apr 1918, Fg Off: 1 Aug 1919, Flt Lt: 1 Jan 1922, Sqn Ldr: 6 May 1931, Wg Cdr: 1 Jan 1937, (T) Gp Capt: 1 Mar 1940, Gp Capt: 14 Apr 1942 [1 Mar 1940], Act A/Cdre: 1 Nov 1942?, (T) A/Cdre: 1 Jun 1943 [1 Nov 1942], A/Cdre: Retained.
2 Jan 1915: Supernumerary,
HMS Pembroke III.
1 Apr 1915: Supernumerary,
HMS President II.
16 May 1915: Supernumerary,
HMS President II
for
service in France..
26 Oct 1915: Supernumerary, HMS President I for service in UK
15 Jun 1916: Officer Cadet,
19
Dec 1916:
Officer, Royal North Devon Hussars.
xx xxx 1917: U/T Pilot
19 Jun 1917: Appointed Flying Officer, RFC.
26 Jul 1917: Attached, No 1 AD
27 Jul 1917: Pilot, No 10 Sqn RFC
9-11 Aug 1917: Attended 1st Army Artillery School for course of instruction.
3-9 Jan 1918: Admitted to No 50 Casualty Clearing Station (Conjunctivitis)
7 Feb 1918: Flight Commander, No 10 Sqn RFC.
xx xxx 1919: QFI, ? FTS.
1 Aug 1919: Awarded Permanent Commission as a Lieutenant
15 Oct 1919: Staff, RAF Depot.
13 Feb 1922: Personnel Staff- Officers, HQ Inland Area.
23 Nov 1923: Officer, No 3 Armoured Car Company.
1 Apr 1925: Personnel Staff - Supernumerary, HQ Iraq Command.
12 Dec 1925: Personnel Staff, HQ Palestine Command.
1 Oct 1926: Personnel Staff, HQ RAF Transjordan and Palestine
6 Mar 1927: Personnel Staff, HQ ADGB.
16 Aug 1929: 'A' Flight Commander, No 2 Sqn. (Bristol F2B/Atlas I)
11 May 1931: Attended Senior Officer's (Army) School, Sheerness.
17 Aug 1931: Supernumerary, No 16 Sqn. (Atlas I)
28 Aug 1931: Officer Commanding, No 16 Sqn. (Atlas I)
10 Oct 1933: Squadron Commander, No 4 FTS.
24 Aug 1935: Officer Commanding (designate?), No 45 Sqn.
14 Sep 1935: Officer Commanding, No 45 Sqn. (Hart/Vincent)
16 May 1937: Supernumerary, RAF Depot.
12 Jul 1937: Officer Commanding , RAF Station Cranwell/Air Staff, HQ RAF Cranwell.
1 Dec 1938: Air Staff, HQ No 21 (Training) Group.
1 Jan 1939: Personnel Staff Officer, HQ No 21 (Training) Group.
12 Oct 1939: Senior Personnel Staff Officer, HQ Bomber Command
xx xxx 1940: Officer Commanding, No 50 (Army Co-operation) Wing.
30 Nov 1940: SASO, No 70 (Army Co-operation Training) Group.
1 Nov 1942: In transit to India
31 Dec 1942: Supernumerary, AHQ Bengal
xx xxx 1943: SASO, AHQ Bengal.
8 Mar1943: SASO, HQ No 222 Group.
20 Aug 1944: AOC, RAF in Northern Ireland
He received one of the first DFC's to be awarded after introduction in June 1918. He married Doris Greville at All Saint's, Putney Common on 17 July 1918.
Retiring from the RAF he took up the post of General Inspector within the Ministry of Health and Local Government in Northern Ireland remaining in that post until 1961.
Citation for the award of the Distinguished Flying Cross
“Lt. (temp. Capt.) Allan Robert Churchman.*
Within the past month this officer has been successful in rendering very valuable services in directing our artillery fire on enemy positions. Owing to his skill and judgment on many occasions concentration of our fire was brought on enemy batteries with such precision that great damage was effected.”
*Award already gazetted in London Gazette of 2 July 1918.
(London Gazette – 3 August 1918)
This page was last updated on 05/04/20