R P Willock

Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation

Air Vice-Marshal R P Willock

R P Willock - 1915 Robert Peel b: 17 Dec 1893 r: 2 Aug 1946 d: 22 Mar 1973

CB - 1 Jan 1943, PR2 - 12 Jun 1945, LoM (Cdr) - 24 Jan 1947.

For a list of foreign decoration abbreviations, click here

(Army): - (T) 2 Lt: 11 Nov 1914, (T) Lt: 1 Sep 1916, (T) Capt: 26 Jan 1917, (T) Maj: 30 Dec 1917.

(RAF): - (T) Major [Capt]: 1 Apr 1918, Sqn Ldr: 1 Aug 1919 [1 Apr 1918], Wg Cdr: 1 Jan 1928, Gp Capt: 1 Jan 1934, A/Cdre: 1 Jan 1938, Act AVM: 3 Jun 1940, (T) AVM: 1 Jul 1940, AVM: 1 Feb 1944,

11 Nov 1914: Officer, 9th (Reserve) Battalion, Oxford and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry.

2 Sep 1915: U/T Pilot, No 5 Reserve Aeroplane Sqn RFC

xx Dec 1915: U/T Pilot, No 24 Sqn RFC.

18 Jan 1916: Medical Board found him unfit for General Service/Home Service for one month but fit for light duty.

xx Dec 1915: U/T Pilot, No 19 Reserve Sqn RFC.

16 Mar 1916: Medical Board found him unfit for General Service for one month, but fit for Home Service

30 Apr 1916: Appointed Flying Officer, RFC

30 Apr 1916: Pilot, No 14 Sqn RFC.

26 Jan 1917: Flight Commander, No ? Sqn RFC.

30 Dec 1917: Officer Commanding, No 57 Training Sqn RFC.

xx xxx xxxx: Officer Commanding (Temporary), 32nd (Reserve) Wing (Egypt)

12 Sep 1919: Awarded Short Service Commission in the rank of Squadron Leader.

1 May 1920: Adjutant, School of Technical Training (Men).

17 Dec 1920: Awarded Permanent Commission in the rank of Squadron Leader (wef 12 Sep 1919)

1 Jun 1922: Officer, Armoured Car Details, School of Technical Training (Men)

14 Sep 1922: Supernumerary, HQ Iraq Command

3 Nov 1922: Officer Commanding, No 4 Armoured Car Company.

2 Nov 1924: Flight Commander, No 216 Sqn. (Vimy, Victoria – Egypt)

4 Nov 1926: Supernumerary, RAF Depot.

25 Jan 1927: Attended Senior Officers School, Sheerness

1 Jul 1927: Staff Officer, Deputy Directorate of Organisation.

25 Jan 1928: Officer Commanding, RAF Kenley.

26 Sep 1930: Attached, HQ No 22 (Army Co-operation) Group whilst acting as Chief Air Umpire for 4th Division Exercise, Eastern Command.

22 Jan 1930: Attended Army Staff College, Camberley.

20 Dec 1931: Staff, HQ Fighting Area.

8 Dec 1933: Air Attaché, Shanghai.

12 Jan 1937: Attended Imperial Defence College.

20 Dec 1937: Supernumerary, RAF Depot.

17 Feb 1938: Director of Staff Duties

xx xxx xxxx : Director of War Training and Tactics. ?

3 Jun 1940: AOC, No 21 Group.

xx xxx 1943: AOC, AHQ Iraq and Persia.

xx xxx 1944: Head of RAF Delegation, Washington.

Seems to have been known as Robin rather than Robert, he gained his RAeC Certificate, No 1819 on 4 October 1915. Following his retirement, he stayed in Washington as Civil Air Attaché. In 1947 he became the Overseas Representative of the Minister of Civil Aviation and then from 1949 he held the post of Civil Aviation Adviser to the UK High Commissioner to Australia for ten years.

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