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| AVM R S Aitken by Walter Stoneman |
R S Aitken as a Group Captain in Full Dress |
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Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation
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Robert Stanley b: 4 Apr 1896 r: 20 Jul 1946 d: 21 Jan 1982
CB – 5 Jul 1945, CBE – 51 Jan 1942 (OBE – 11 May 1937), MC – 26 Jul 1917, AFC – 2 Nov 1918, LoM (Off) – 1 Jan 1946.
(Army): - Pte (3170): 2 Dec 1914, 2 Lt: 14 Dec 1915, (T) Lt: 1 Jan 1917, Lt: 1 Jul 1917, Capt: 9 Jul 1917.
(RAF): - (T) Capt [Lt]: 1 Apr 1918, Flt Lt: 1 Aug 1919 [1 Apr 1918], Sqn Ldr: 1 Jul 1928, Wg Cdr: 1 Jan 1935, Gp Capt: 1 Nov 1938, (T) A/Cdre: 1 Dec 1940, Act AVM: 24 Oct 1942, (T) AVM: 1 Jun 1943, A/Cdre (WS): 24 Oct 1943, A/Cdre: 1 Dec 1943, AVM: Retained,
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| AVM R S Aitken by Walter Stoneman |
R S Aitken as a Group Captain in Full Dress |
2 Dec 1914: Private, 'A' Company, 2/15 London Regiment (PWO Civil Service Rifles), Bishop’s Stortford
14 Dec 1915: Officer, 1/1 East Anglian (Essex) Royal Garrison Artillery, Cavenham, Mildenhall, Suffolk
26 Jun 1916: Attended No 1 School of Aeronautics
27 Jul 1916: u/t Pilot, No 27 (Reserve) Sqn, RFC
xx Aug 1916: u/t Pilot, No 13 (Reserve) Sqn, RFC
28 Aug 1916: Seconded to RFC
29 Aug 1916: Flying Officer, RFC
15 Oct 1916: Pilot, No 41 Sqn, RFC
11 Dec 1916: Pilot, No 42 Sqn, RFC
9 Jul 1917: Flight Commander, No 7 Sqn, RFC.
7 Sep 1917: Flying Instructor, No 66 Training Sqn, RFC.
xx Feb 1918: Instructor, No 1 School of Navigation and Bomb Dropping
26 Apr 1918: Flight Commander, No 116 Sqn
10 May 1918: Instructor, No 8 Training Depot Station
23 Nov - 16 Dec 1918: Attended Flying Instructors' Course, South West Area Flying Instructors' School
20 Dec 1918: Pilot, No 86 Communications Wing
24 Dec 1918 - 16 Jan 1919: Attached, HQ RAF Paris
25 Jan 1919: Staff, South West Area
10 Feb 1919: Posted to No 7 (Training) Group
10 Feb 1919: Instructor, No No 8 Training Depot Station
1 Aug 1919: Relinquished his Commission in the East Anglian (Essex) Royal Garrison Artillery.
28 Oct 1919: Appointed to a Permanent Commission in the rank of Flight Lieutenant (wef 1 Aug 1919)
30 Oct 1919: NA for Cranwell [sic]
25 Nov 1919: Instructor, No 2 School of Technical Training (Boys), Cranwell
1 - 19 Dec 1919: Attended Drill Course, Wellington Barracks
6 Jan 1921: Instructor, Flying Wing, RAF (Cadet) College.
30 Jun 1921: Attended Electrical and Wireless School.
xx xxx xxxx: Supernumerary?
14 Sep 1922: Signals Officer, HQ Iraq Command.
22 Nov 1924: Signals Officer, HQ RAF Mediterranean.
5 Sep 1927: Supernumerary, RAF Depot
22 Sep 1927: Staff Officer, Signals Branch.
1 Sep 1928: Supernumerary, No 41 Sqn.
15 Sep 1928: Officer Commanding, No 41 Sqn.
2 Apr - 22 May 1929: Officer Commanding, RAF Northolt
6 Feb 1930: Supernumerary, No 25 Sqn/RAF Hawkinge
19 Feb 1930: Officer Commanding, No 25 Sqn/RAF Hawkinge
16 Mar - 24 Apr 1930: Admitted to Shorncliffe Military Hospital
6 Oct 1930: Air Staff (Signals), HQ Air Defence of Great Britain.
14 Dec 1931: Supernumerary, No 1 Air Defence Group
14 Dec 1931: Temporary duty, Dept of CAS, Directorate of Staff Duties
4 Jan 1932: Signals Staff duties, Directorate of Staff Duties
12 Dec 1932: Chief Signals Officer, HQ Air Defence of Great Britain.
14 Jul 1936: Chief Signals Officer, HQ Bomber Command
5 Apr 1937: Supernumerary, No 6 (Auxiliary) Group.
5 Apr 1937: Temporary duty, Directorate of Signals (pending posting)
12 Apr 1937: Assistant Director, Directorate of Signals.
26 Nov 1938: Transferred to Special Duties List
26 Jan 1939: Air Attaché, Shanghai/Chunking
15 Apr 1940: Supernumerary, No 1 RAF Depot
8 May 1940: Chief Signals Officer, HQ Fighter Command.
24 Apr 1940: Transferred to the Technical Branch
23 Mar 1942: Supernumerary, No 60 (Signals) Group
27 Mar 1942: AOC, No 60 (Signals) Group
19 Dec 1943: Supernumerary, HQ Mediterranean Allied Air Forces.
25 Feb 1944: Chief Signals Officer, HQ Mediterranean Allied Air Forces.
1 Nov 1945: Air Signals Officer, HQ RAF Mediterranean and Middle East.
18 Apr 1946: Supernumerary, HQ RAF Mediterranean and Middle East.
23 Apr 1946: Supernumerary, No 1 Personnel Holding Unit (deplaned 24 Apr 1946)
25 Apr 1946: No 1 Personnel Holding Unit (pending retirement)
He was educated at Highgate and in Wiesbaden in Germany. Whilst in Malta, he was married at St Paul’s Cathedral on the island on 6 April 1925.
Citation for the award of the Military Cross
“2nd Lt. (temp. Lt.) Robert Stanley Aitken, R.G.A. and R.F.C.
For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. On several occasions he made most valuable reconnaissances of the enemy's line, and on two successive days he engaged and severely damaged hostile batteries, working under most adverse weather conditions.”
(London Gazette – 26 July 1917)
Citation for the award of the Legion of Merit, Degree of Officer (United States)
Legion of Merit, Degree of Officer (United States) - awarded as per London Gazette dated 1 January 1946.
"Air Vice-Marshal R. Stanley Aitken, Royal Air Force, served in the Mediterranean Theatre of Operations from December 19, 1943 to May 2, 1945. Upon his assignment to Headquarters, Mediterranean Allied Air Forces, it became the responsibility of Air Vice-Marshal Aitken to organize, coordinate and supervise the extensive joint British-American communications program vital to the success of the combined air effort of the Allied Forces in the Mediterranean Theatre. Through his comprehensive knowledge, personal ability, and efficiency he was able to fully unit the efforts of the Allied signal and communication services of the two Air Forces in producing a maximum of service and reliability in the furtherance of the air effort. This objective was obtained speedily and without confusion to produce an efficiency of signal operations which was a great credit to the Armed Forces."
(Source - National Archives of Canada, file HQ-C-54-27-94-32, Record Group 24, Volume 2236
This page was last updated on 16/03/25
J A C Aiken
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W J M Akerman