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Air Vice-Marshal H G White (05017)


AVM White whilst AOC, No 41 Group.Hugh Granville             b: 1 Mar 1898                     r: 1 Mar 1955                      d: 23 Sep 1983

CB – 1 Jan 1952, CBE – 8 Jun 1944,

(Army): - 2 Lt: 7 Apr 1916, (T) Capt: 27 Mar 1917, Lt: 7 Oct 1917,

(RAF): - Capt: 1 Apr 1918, Act Maj: 17 Jul 1918 - 1 May 1919; 1 May 1919 - 1 Aug 1919, Fg Off: 1 Aug 1919, Flt Lt: 1 Jan 1921, Sqn Ldr: 23 Apr 1930, Wg Cdr: 1 Jan 1936, Act Gp Capt: 16 Oct 1939, (T) Gp Capt: 1 Jan 1940, Gp Capt: 14 Apr 1942 [1 Jan 1940], Act A/Cdre: 3 Oct 1942, (T) A/Cdre: 1 Nov 1942, A/Cdre: 1 Oct 1946, Act AVM: 1 Nov 1948, AVM: 1 Jul 1949.

AVM H G White whilst AOC, No 41 Group, RAF Andover.

Photo courtesy Gerald Rickwood©

xx xxx 1911:                HMS Conway, naval school training ship

xx xxx 1914:               Attended Eastbourne College

15 Aug 1915:               Officer Cadet, RMC Sandhurst.

 7 Apr 1916:               Officer, East Kent Regiment.

 7 Apr 1916:                U/T Pilot, No 5 Reserve Sqn RFC. (Castle Bromwich - Maurice Farman Longhorn & Maurice Farman Shorthorn)

27 May 1916:              U/T Pilot, No 34 Sqn RFC (BE2c - Tadcaster)

13 Jun 1916:                U/T Pilot, No 33 Sqn RFC (BE2c - Tadcaster

27 Jun 1916:                U/T Pilot, No 9 Reserve Sqn (FE2b - Norwich)

22 Jun 1916:                Appointed Flying Officer, RFC

2nd Lt H G White June 1916 on the eve of his departure  for 20 Sqn RFC

Photo courtesy - Chris Granville-White

5 Jul 1916:                   Pilot No 20 Sqn (FE2b, FE2d & RE7).

11 Apr 1917:               Flight Commander, No 20 Sqn

15 Jun 1917:                Flying Instructor, No 59 Training Sqn (Yatesbury)

12 Nov 1917:              No 38 Training Squadron (Rencomb)

25 Feb 1918:               Flight Commander, No 29 Sqn (Nieuport Scout/SE5a)

22 May 1918:              Posted to Home Establishment.

3 Jul 1918                    Flying Instructor No 9 Training Depot (Shawbury - RE8, DH6, BE2e)

17 Jul 1918                  Officer i/c Flying Training, No 30 Training Depot (Northolt - SE5, Avro 504K)

 6 Jan 1919:                 Officer Commanding, No 64 Sqn (Froidment, France - SE5)

8 Feb 1919:                 Officer Commanding, No 29 Sqn (Bickendorf, Germany - SE5),

1 Aug 1919:                Appointed to a Permanent Commission in the rank of Lieutenant (Flying Officer).

13 Aug 1919:              Attached, RAF Manston

9 Oct 1919                 Attached to Midland Area Depot for Special Engineering Course, Jesus College Cambridge

1 Oct 1920                 No 1 School of Technical Training Halton for Administration duties

1 Oct 1921                 Attended School of Army Co-operation Old Sarum (first course - Bristol Fighter)

15 Mar 1922              Pilot No 4 Sqn, (Farnborough - Bristol Fighter)

17 May 1922:             Instructor, School of Army Co-operation, (Old Sarum - Bristol Fighter)

1 Jan 1924:                 Flight Commander, No 28 (AC) Sqn, (Peshawar - Bristol Fighter)

6 Jan 1925                  Flight Commander, No 28 (AC) Sqn, (Quetta - Bristol Fighter)

xx Dec 1926 -             Flight Commander, No 28 (AC) Sqn (Ambala - Bristol Fighter)

28 Mar 1927:              Detached as Adjutant, Hill Depot Lower Topa

15 Jul 1927:                en-route to UK

8 Aug 1928:                Attended Officers Engineering Course, Home Aircraft Depot, Henlow.

 1 Jul 1930:                 Officer i/c Workshops & Unit Test Pilot, RAF College, Cranwell.

26 Jun 1933:               Equipment Staff Officer, HQ Air Defence of Great Britain, RAF Uxbridge.

 9 Jan 1935:                Supernumerary, No 501 (Bomber) (City of Bristol) Sqn (Westland Wallace).

21 Jan 1935:                Officer Commanding, No 501 (Bomber) (City of Bristol) Sqn (Westland Wallace).

Sqn Ldr H G White - May 1936 prior to taking up his appointment in Singapore

Photo courtesy - Chris Granville-White

13 Jun 1936:               Senior Equipment Staff Officer and Command Eng Officer, HQ RAF Far East, Singapore.

21 Jul 1939                  Officer Commanding, General Engineering Sqn, No 13 MU

16 Oct 1939:                SASO, HQ No 24 (Technical Training) Group (Quedgeley)

24 Apr 1940:               Transferred to the Technical Branch.

3 Oct 1942:                 AOC, RAF Halton

Air Commodore H G White

Photo courtesy - Chris Granville-White

11 Mar 1946:               Senior Technical Staff Officer, AHQ, British Air Forces of Occupation, Bad Eilsen, Germany.

 1 Nov 1948:                AOC, No 43 (Technical) Group, Hucknall

 6 Nov 1950:                AOC, No 41 (Technical) Group, Andover.

AVM White's De Havilland Devon

Photo courtesy Gerald Rickwood©

 5 Feb 1953:                AOA, HQ Maintenance Command

Born in Maidstone Kent, he had originally planned to join the Royal Navy but instead he entered Sandhurst at 17.  On 19 May 1918 he was involved in a fierce combat in which a Pfalz collided with him, yet he managed to keep his aircraft in the air, shoot down the Pfalz and return to his own side of the lines, where he crash landed.  He was recommended for a decoration for this action, but it was never awarded.

My thanks to his son, Chris Granville-White for providing additional details of his career and new photographs.

Citation for the award of Companion of the Order of the Bath

"WHITE, Hugh Granville, A/Cdre (05017, Royal Air Force) - Station Halton, Technical Training Command.

This officer held the post of Senior Air Staff Officer at 24 Group from October 1939 until October 1942.  The arrangements necessary for the expansion of Technical Training Command up to May 1940 largely devolved upon his shoulders and the subsequent expansion within 24 Group has also been considerable.  He has displayed determination and energy and his personal ability enabled three successive Group Commanders to rely largely upon him for the successful supervision of training.  He has rendered fine service as the Commanding Officer of RAF Station Halton."

(Source - Air 2/9003)

 This page was last updated on 16/09/23

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