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Air Vice-Marshal D G Bailey (168169)


Dudley Graham (Bill)                   b: 12 Sep 1924                r: 28 Jul 1980                  d: 1 Nov 2006

CB – 16 Jun 1979, CBE -1 Jan 1970.

Plt Off: xx Mar 1945, Fg Off (WS): 3 May 1946, Fg Off: 26 Jan 1948 [3 May 1946], Flt Lt: 30 Jun 1949, Sqn Ldr: 1 Jan 1956, Act Wg Cdr: 9 May 1960, Wg Cdr: 1 Jul 1961, Gp Capt: 1 Jan 1966, A/Cdre: 1 Jul 1972, Act AVM: 27 Sep 1975, AVM: 1 Jul 1976.

xx xxx 1943:     U/T Pilot, Canada.

xx xxx 1945:     Intelligence Officer, AHQ Italy/Egypt/Iraq.

26 Jan 1948:    Appointed to Short Service Commission (six years on active list) in the rank of Flying Officer.

xx xxx 1948:     Intelligence Officer, HQ No 23 Group.

xx xxx 1948:     Pilot, No 47 Sqn

xx xxx 1950:     Adjutant/Pilot, No 50 Sqn. (Lincoln)

xx xxx xxxx:      Flight Commander, No 61 Sqn. (Lincoln)

xx xxx 1952:     Exchange posting, Travis AFB, USAF. (RB36)

xx xxx 1955:     Attended No 232 OCU?

xx xxx 1955:     Flight Commander, No 58 Sqn (Canberra)

xx Jan 1956:     Officer Commanding, No 82 Sqn. (Canberra)

 7 May 1956:    Air Staff, Operational Requirements (A), Air Ministry.

xx Jan 1959:     Attended Army Staff College, Camberley.

 9 May 1960:   Officer Commanding, No 57 Sqn. (Victor)

xx xxx 1962:     Attended Air Warfare Course, RAF Manby.

10 Jan 1963:    Wing Commander - Operations, HQ Air Forces Middle East.

xx xxx 1964:   Air Commander, Radfan operations

 5 Jul 1965:      Briefing Officer, Department of the Chief of the Defence Staff.

 7 Apr 1966:    Deputy Director, Air Staff  Plans and Programmes.

xx xxx 1968:    Officer Commanding, RAF Wildenrath.

24 Jul 1970:     Senior Personnel Officer, HQ Strike Command.

xx Jan 1972:     Attended Royal College of Defence Studies.

18 Dec 1972:   Director of Personnel (Air).

19 Oct 1974:    SASO, HQ RAF Germany

 4 Oct 1975:     Deputy C in C, RAF Germany.

 3 Jun 1976:     Director-General of RAF Personal Services

Born in London, he was evacuated to Teignmouth in Devon on the outbreak of war.  It was here that he became an original member of the Air Training Corps on its formation in 1941, he eventually began his pilot training in 1943.  By the time he graduated as a pilot, there was a surplus of aircrew and he found himself on intelligence duties in Italy.  He finally returned to flying duties with No 47 Squadron, taking part in the Berlin Airlift.

In 1950, he transferred to bombers in the form of Lincolns, when he joined No 50 Squadron, later becoming a flight commander with No 61 Squadron.  In 1952 he was awarded an exchange posting to Strategic Air Command, where he flew the giant RB-36.  On his return to the UK he was appointed commanding officer of No 82 Squadron.

Staff duties followed until his promotion to Wing Commander, when he was appointed to command No 57 Squadron, equipped with Victors.  Following the Air Warfare Course at the College of Air Warfare at Manby, he moved to the Middle East as Wing Commander – Operations and in 1964 acted as the Air Commander during the Radfan operations in Aden.

He returned to staff duties at the Ministry of Defence in 1965, remaining there until taking command of RAF Wildenrath in 1968, where his main task was to prepare the station for its change of role and the arrival of the Harrier V/STOL fighter .  Another staff post at the newly formed HQ Strike Command was followed by attendance at the Royal College of Defence Studies, after which he returned to the MoD as Director of Personnel.  In 1974 he returned to RAF Germany, initially as the Senior Air Staff Officer, two years later becoming Deputy C-in-C.

 From 1980 to 1993, he was Deputy Managing Director and Company Secretary of SSVC.  He supported RAFA whilst a serving officer and in retirement he became a member of its executive committee and in 1984 he was elected as its chairman.  He was elected national chairman in 1990, retaining the position until 1999.  He was also a governor of the Pipers Corner Independent Girls’ School.

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