Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation

Air Commodore A G Bishop

Alan George b: 14 Jan 1897 r: 22 Dec 1949 d: xx Mar 1969

CBE - 1 Oct 1946 (OBE - 3 Jun 1930), AFC - 2 Nov 1918, MiD - 3 Jun 1918.

(RM/RNAS):-- 2 Lt (P): 22 Aug 1914, (T) Lt: 27 Mar 1915, (T) Flt Sub-Lt: 7 Jul 1916 [28 Sep 1915], Flt Lt: 31 Dec 1917, Capt: 7 May 1918,

(RAF):- (H) Capt [Lt]: 1 Apr 1918, (T) Capt: 8 Aug 1918, Capt: 1 Dec 1918, Flt Lt: 1 Aug 1919, Sqn Ldr: 10 Oct 1928, Wg Cdr: 1 Jul 1935, Act Gp Capt: 30 Aug 1938, Gp Capt: 1 Jan 1939, Act A/Cdre: xx xxx xxxx, A/Cdre: 1 Jul 1947:

22 Aug 1914: Officer, Royal Marine Depot, Deal

11 Oct 1914: Officer, Portsmouth Division RM

26 Apr 1915: Officer, HMS Hyacinth (Cape Station, East Africa Patrol)

15 Jul 1915: Officer, HMS Laconia (attached RNAS)

14 Aug 1915: Officer, HMS Elephanta (During first attack on SMS Konigsberg)

30 Aug 1915: Officer, HMS Clio, Alert, Espiegle, Dalhousie (During first and second attack on SMS Konigsberg, the capture of Kut and the Battle of Ctesiphon)

3 Jun 1916: En-route to UK

5 Jul 1916: Officer, Plymouth Division

7 Jul 1916: HMS President for service with RNAS

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

xx xxx 1917: Pilot, Calshot Air Station

1918: Pilot, No's 420/421/422/423 Flts?, RAF Cattewater.

8 Aug 1918: Flight Commander, No 239 Sqn.

xx xxx xxxx: Flight Commander, Fecamp Patrol, RAF Calshot

29 Apr 1919: Staff, School of Naval Co-operation.

1 Aug 1919: Commission in the RMLI terminated

1 Aug 1919: Awarded Permanent Commission as a Captain

22 Jan 1920: Removed from the Navy Lists on being awarded Permanent Commission in RAF

18 Aug 1920: Air Staff, HQ Coastal Area.

1 May 1923: Attended RAF Staff College.

23 Apr 1924: Refresher Flying Course?, No 24 Sqn.

12 Sep 1924: Air Staff. HQ No 1 (Indian) Wing.

1 Nov 1928: Staff, HQ No 1 (Indian) Group.

7 Jan 1930: Staff, Electrical and Wireless School.

30 Jun 1930: Staff, RAF College.

21 Jan 1932: Attended Army Staff College, Camberley.

22 Jan 1934: Air Staff, Directorate of Operations and Intelligence

21 May 1935: Supernumerary, RAF Depot.

15 Jun 1935: RAF Liaison Officer to GOC, British Troops in China.

30 Aug 1938: Air Attaché, Bangkok.

15 May 1941: Personal Staff Officer to C-in-C, Far East.

1 Jun 1941: Group Captain - Operations, AHQ Far East.

30 Jan 1942: SASO, No 225 Group.

10 Mar 1942: Prisoner of War.

xx xxx 1945:

17 Nov 1947: AOC, AHQ East Africa.

Following the withdrawal of British forces from Sumatra, a number of new groups were formed to control the remnants, one of these being No 225 Group, to control what bombers were available. When the Dutch C-in-C in Java ordered the capitulation of all allied forces on the island, he was one of those taken prisoner, spending the remainder of the war in captivity. Although promised protection under the terms of the Geneva Convention, Bishop along with Air Commodore Staton was imprisoned for a month shortly after capture for simply refusing to answer questions under interrogation.

Citation for the award of Commander of the Order of the British Empire

BISHOP, Alan George, G.C, OBE, AFC - awarded as per London Gazette dated 1 October 1946.

"For excellent work as Group Captain, Operations at Far East Headquarters from December 1941 to February 1942, and for exceptional service in directing air operations in Palembang and subsequently in Java."

(Source - Air Ministry Bulletin 22994)

Recommendation for the award of Officer of the Order of the British Empire

BISHOP, Alan George, S/L, AFC - awarded as per London Gazette dated 3 June 1930

"The evacuations from Kabul in 1928-29 imposed on No.1 (Indian) Group a heavy burden of staff work which was borne by Squadron Leader Bishop single-handed. He carried out this detailed and intricate work with the utmost zeal and accuracy with the result that on no single occasion was there a flaw in the orders and instructions issued."

(Source - Air 30/84)

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