Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation

Air Commodore H V Rowley (04200)

Herbert Victor              b: 24 Oct 1897               r: 26 Oct 1944                     d: 9 Apr 1966

MiD - xx xxx xxxx.

(RN):- PFO: xx xxx xxxx, (T) Flt Sub-Lt: 30 Apr 1916, Act Flt Cdr: xx xxx 1917, (T) Flt Lt: 1 Oct 1917.

(RAF):- (H) Capt [Lt]: 1 Apr 1918, Fg Off: 1 Aug 1919, Flt Lt: 30 Jun 1922, Sqn Ldr: 5 Nov 1930, Wg Cdr: 1 Jan 1937, Act Gp Capt: 28 Dec 1939?, (T) Gp Capt: 1 Mar 1940, Gp Capt: 14 Apr 1942 [1 Mar 1940], (T) A/Cdre: 1 Nov 1942, A/Cdre: Retained?. 

xx xxx xxxx:         Cadet, University of London OTC (University College)

xx xxx 1916:            U/T Pilot, Chingford Air Station

xx Feb 1917:           Pilot. No 1 Sqn RNAS.

xx xxx 1917:            Pilot, Dunkirk Seaplane Station

xx xxx 1917:            Flight Commander, No 1 Sqn RNAS/No 201 Sqn RAF.

 6 Apr 1918:           Admitted to hospital

12 Apr 1918:          Returned to England on AT 'Stad Antwerpen'

11 Dec 1918:          Re-embarked for France

15 Dec 1918:         Flight Commander, No 203 Sqn.

16 Mar 1919:         Attended Course of Instruction, RAF Halton

 1 Aug 1919:          Awarded Permanent Commission as a Lieutenant

 1 Apr 1920:            Staff/Supernumerary?, RAF Depot.

1920                        Air Staff, HQ No 3 Group.

 1 Mar 1921:            Attached to No 4 Sqn. whilst undertaking ? Course at R.A.E.

15 Aug 1921:           Pilot, No 25 Sqn.

22 Dec 1921 - 21 Feb 1922:    Placed on half pay list, scale B

21 Apr 1922:           Awaiting disposal, HQ RAF Iraq.

 3 Nov 1922:           Officer, No 5 Armoured Car Company.

19 Jan 1924:            Flight Commander, No 84 Sqn.

17 Jan 1925:            Flight Commander, No 47 Sqn.

 1 Jun 1926:             Staff, M.A.E.E.

 1 May 1927:           Supernumerary, non effective (sick), RAF Depot.

18 Jul 1927:             Engineering Officer, RAF College.

15 Dec 1930:           Supernumerary, No 56 Sqn. (Siskin III)

 1 Jan 1931:             Officer Commanding, No 56 Sqn. (Siskin III)

18 Jan 1932:            Attended RAF Staff College.

17 Jan 1933:            Air Staff, HQ Iraq Command.

 8 Mar 1935:            Supernumerary, RAF Depot.

20 Jun 1935:             Staff, A. & A.E.E.

22 Feb 1937:            Air Staff, Deputy Directorate of Operational Requirements. 

28 Dec 1939:            Deputy Director of Operational Requirements.

xx xxx 1940:             Deputy Director of Operational Requirements 2.

 1 Feb 1941:             Group Captain - ?, HQ No 12 (Fighter) Group.

 3 Dec 1941:            SASO, HQ, No 10 (Fighter) Group.

 1 May 1943:            AOC, No 221 (Tactical) Group.

Joining the RNAS in mid 1916, he gained his RAeC Certificate, No 3569 on 24 August 1916 and was posted to No 1 Squadron RNAS in February 1917.  Flying Sopwith Triplanes, he claimed his first victory on 29 April 1917 and by the end of the year was a flight commander, by which time the unit had re-equipped with Camels.  Renumbered 201 on the formation of the RAF on 1 April 1918, he marked the occasion by claiming what turned out to be his last  victory on the same day bringing his total to nine.

This page was last updated on 14/10/22^©

J S Rowlands                               [Top of Page]                                F Rump