T N McEvoy

Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation

Air Chief Marshal Sir Theodore McEvoy (16181)

Sir Theodore Neuman McEvoy Theodore Neuman b: 21 Nov 1904 r: 19 Nov 1962 d: 19 Sep 1991

KCB - 31 May 1956 (CB - 1 Jan 1951), CBE - 14 Jun 1945 (OBE - 1 Jul 1941), Commendation – 1 Jan 1941, MiD – 1 Jan 1945, AFReS, PR (Cdr) - 24 Sep 1943.

For a list of foreign decoration abbreviations, click here

Plt Off: 30 Jul 1925, Fg Off: 30 Jan 1927, Flt Lt: 5 Nov 1930, Sqn Ldr: 1 Apr 1937, (T) Wg Cdr: 1 Mar 1940, Act Gp Capt: 17 Mar - 12 Sep 1941, 5 Dec 1941, Wg Cdr (WS) : 10 Dec 1941, (T) Gp Capt: 1 Mar 1942, Wg Cdr: 20 Nov 1942 [1 Jul 1941], Act A/Cdre: 3 May 1943, Gp Capt (WS): 3 Nov 1943, (T) A/Cdre: 1 Jan 1946, Gp Capt: 1 Jan 1946, A/Cdre: 1 Jul 1947, Act AVM: 7 Nov 1950, AVM: 1 Jan 1951, AM: 1 May 1956, ACM: 1 Nov 1958.

Sir Theodore Neuman McEvoy

by Godfrey Argent
bromide print, 8 April 1970
NPG x165679

xx Mar 1922: Sgt, 3rd Cadet Battalion, Royal Fusilers

12 Sep 1923: Flight Cadet, ' B' Sqn, RAF College.

30 Jul 1925: Appointed to a Permanent Commission

30 Jul 1925: Pilot, No 41 Sqn.

19 Oct - 21 Dec 1925: Attended Gunnery and Bombing Course, Armament and Gunnery School (Passed - 83%)

1 Mar 1927: Adjutant, No 41 Sqn.

7 Aug 1928: Attended Specialist Engineering Course, Home Aircraft Depot

30 Jun 1930: Successfully completed the Specialist Engineering Course and awarded the symbol 'E' (Passed - 78%)

1 Jul 1930: Supernumerary, Home Aircraft Depot

1 Jul 1930: Attached, No 41 Sqn

18 - 22 Aug 1930: Attended Short course in Care, Packing and Maintenance of Parachutes

7 Oct 1930: Engineering Staff, Aircraft Depot - Iraq.

8 Apr - 24 Jul 1933: 'C' Flight Commander (Temporary), No 55 Sqn

24 Jul 1933: Staff, Aircraft Depot - Iraq.

12 Nov 1933: Supernumerary, RAF Depot (leave until 14 Mar 1934)

15 Jan 1935: Pilot, No 43 Sqn

24 Apr 1934: Flight Commander, No 1 Sqn

xx Sep 1935: Acting Officer Commanding, No 1 Sqn

xx Oct 1936: Flight Commander, No 1 Sqn

19 Jan 1937: Attended Course No 15, RAF Staff College. (awarded symbol 'psa')

18 Dec 1937: Supernumerary, RAF Staff College (Leave)

1 Jan 1938: Air Staff, FO1, Deputy Directorate of Operations (Home).

16 Mar 1940: Head of FO1, Directorate of Operations (Home).

1 Jan 1941: Gazetted for rendering valuable services in connection with the war

17 Feb 1941: Fighter Ops 1, Directorate of Fighter Operations,

17 Mar 1941: Officer Commanding, RAF Northolt.

12 Sep 1941: Supernumerary, RAF Northolt (Non-effective, sick)

5 Dec 1941: Group Captain - Operations, HQ Fighter Command.

28 Apr 1943: Supernumerary, No 11 Group

3 May 1943: SASO, No 11 Group

14 Jun 1943: SASO, No 84 Group.

24 Sep 1943: Commander, Polish OPR

26 Nov 1943: Specialist Symbol 'E' withdrawn

20 Feb 1945: Director of Policy (General)

1 Oct 1945: Director of Staff Duties.

1 Sep 1946: Directorate of Staff Duties transferred from ACAS (G) to Directorate of Training

1 Feb 1947: Director of Command Staff Training

5 Jan 1948: Temporary duty, Air Ministry/Supernumerary, Air Ministry Unit

13 Jan 1948: Attended Imperial Defence College (Awarded symbol 'idc').

30 Mar - 17 Apr 1948: Attended Refresher Flying Course, Empire Central Flying School

1 Jan 1949: Supernumerary, No 61 Group.

3 Jan 1949: AOC, No 61 Group.

30 May - 4 Jun 1949: Attended No 7 Special Senior Course, School of Land/Air Warfare.

6 Nov 1950: Attached to Air Ministry for Temporary Duty with CAS

7 Nov 1950: Assistant Chief of the Air Staff (Training).

21 Sep 1953: Senior RAF Instructor, Imperial Defence College.

13 - 18 Dec 1954: Attended Flying Refresher Course, RAF Flying College, RAF Manby

4 - 7 Apr 1955: Attended Jet Conversion Course, RAF Flying College, RAF Manby

12 - 16 Dec 1955: Attended Flying Refresher Course, RAF Flying College, RAF Manby

24 Feb 1956: Supernumerary, Air Ministry Unit

5 - 10 Mar 1956: Attended Flying Refresher Course, RAF Chivenor

15 Apr 1956: Supernumerary, HQ Allied Air Forces Central Europe.

2 May 1956: Chief of Staff, HQ Allied Air Forces Central Europe.

2 Feb 1959: Supernumerary, Air Ministry Unit

17 - 26 Mar 1959: Attended Flying Refresher Course, RAF Manby

1 - 8 Apr 1959: Attended Flying Refresher Course, RAF Bassingbourn

1 May 1959: Air Secretary.

13 Nov 1959 - 19 Nov 1962: ADC to HM The Queen

22 Oct 1962: Air Ministry Unit (Terminal Leave)

His elder brother having served in the RFC in WW1 as a fighter pilot destroying nine enemy machines it was probably no surprise when Theodore McEvoy when entered the RAF through Cranwell in 1923. Allocated to 'B' Sqn he graduated in 1927, attaining the rank of U/Off and being awarded the Sword of Honour, an early recognition of what was to be a distinguished career.

In 1934 he was a member of the 43 Squadron aerobatic display team of six (in two groups of three) Hawker Furies. On 16 April 1941 he was shot down whilst flying Hurricane II, Z2492, by a Bf 109 of JG51 and crash landed at Lydd, Kent,

During his period of office as ACAS (Training), he oversaw a major change in RAF pilot training, namely the introduction of the Provost/Vampire sequence. The major innovation in this sequence was that following Basic training on the piston engined Provost, students moved directly to the jet Vampire for the Advanced phase without undergoing advanced piston training.

He was also a keen glider pilot, being Vice-President of the British Gliding Association. All of his achievements are made more outstanding owing to the fact that he suffered from spondylitis (curvature of the spine)

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