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Air Vice Marshal C D C Boyce (26007)


Clayton Descou Clement   b: 19 Sep 1907            r: 12 Sep 1959            d: 19 Dec 1987

CB - 1 Jan 1946, CBE - 8 Jun 1944, MiD - 11 Jun 1942, MiD - 2 Jun 1943, MiD - 14 Jan 1944.

Plt Off:   30 Jul 1927, Fg Off: 30 Jan 1929, Flt Lt: 1 Apr 1934, Sqn Ldr:: 1 Jun 1938, (T) Wg Cdr: 1 Dec 1940, Act Gp Capt: 6 Apr 1942, (T) Gp Capt: 1 Sep 1942, Wg Cdr (WS): 6 Oct 1942, Act A/Cdre: 8 Feb 1944, Gp Capt (WS): 8 Aug 1944, Wg Cdr: 1 Dec 1944, Gp Capt: 1 Jul 1947, A/Cdre: 1 Jan 1953, Act AVM (pd): 15 Jan 1956, Act AVM (unpd): 7 Aug 1956 - 29 Sep 1956, Act AVM: 17 Dec 1956, AVM: Retained.

 3 Sep 1925:            Flight Cadet, 'B' Sqn, RAF College.

30 Jul 1927:             ?

 9 Mar 1928:            Pilot, No 480 (Flying Boat) Flight/ No 201 Sqn?. (Southampton)

 1 Jan 1929:             Pilot, Far East Flight. (arrived 9 Feb 1929)

26 Feb 1929:           Pilot, No 205 Sqn. (Southampton) (wef 8 Jan 1929)

 1 Dec 1931:            Embarked on HT Neuralia on posting to Home Establishment

27 Feb 1932:           Pilot, No 210 Sqn. (Southampton)

 1 Feb 1934:            Pilot, No 201 Sqn. (Southampton)

28 Mar 1935:           QFI, No 1 FTS.

 1 Nov 1936:            Officer Commanding, No 166 Sqn. (Heyford)

 2 Jan 1937:              Flight Commander, No 166 Sqn. (Heyford)

25 Oct 1938:            Personnel Staff Officer, HQ British Forces in Iraq.

 6 Feb 1939:             Flight Commander, No 203 Sqn

15 May 1939:           Officer Commanding (Temporary), RAF Basrah

xx xxx 1940:            Senior Personnel Staff Officer, HQ British Forces in Iraq.

xx Aug 1941:           Senior Personnel Staff Officer, AHQ Iraq.  

31 Aug 1941:           Officer Commanding, No 84 Sqn.

31 Dec 1941:           Posted to Home Establishment

 4 Apr 1942:            Supernumerary, RAF Binbrook

 6 Apr 1942:            Officer Commanding, RAF Binbrook

18 Feb 1943:           SASO, HQ No 8 (Pathfinder Force) Group.

1945 - 46                OC, various RAF Stations

xx xxx 1946:            Deputy Director of Operations.

xx xxx xxxx:             Attended School of Land - Air Warfare

xx xxx xxxx:             Attended Joint Services Staff College.

27 Sep 1948:           Group Captain - Organisation, HQ British Air Forces of Occupation.

xx xxx 1951:            Directing Staff, Royal Naval College, Greenwich.

xx Jan 1952:            Attended Imperial Defence College.

 1 Jan 1953:             Secretary-General, HQ Allied Air Forces Central Europe.

 9 Jan 1954:             AOC, AHQ Cyprus.

 1 May 1955:           AOC AHQ Levant

 7 Aug 1956:            ?

17 Dec 1956:            Assistant Controller of Aircraft, Ministry of Supply.

Award of a Mention in Despatches: -

BOYCE, Clayton Descou Clement. A/C (26007, Royal Air Force) - No.8 Group Headquarters - Mention in Despatches - awarded as per London Gazette dated 14 January 1944.  details from website of Dix-Noonan-Webb (medal dealers), which says: -

"Clayton Descou Clement Boyce, in his capacity as SASO to Air Vice-Marshal Don Bennett, No. 8 (Pathfinder) Group, was involved in the decision making for a number of important Bomber Command missions. Unlike other senior commanders, however, ‘Bruin’ Boyce liked to hitch the odd lift to further his research, his close interest in selecting a Master Bomber for the famous Peenemunde raid leading to just one such outing with Wing Commander J.H. Searby, DFC., on a raid to Turin on the night of 12-13 July 1943. Searby got the job. Indeed such was Boyce’s enthusiasm for the Peenemunde operation that he went one step further, without informing Bennett: ‘On the spur of the moment I decided to go on the raid itself; I suppose because it was something special. I told the Squadron Commander that I would like to go along and could he find me a nice reliable pilot to fly with. I had my flying suit in my car and I drew the rest of the equipment there. I didn’t tell the A.O.C., Bennett, but he probably wouldn’t have minded.’ The pilot selected to embark Boyce was Squadron Leader E. E. Rodley of No. 97 Squadron, although his senior passenger does not appear in the crew listing of the relevant entry in the Squadron’s Operations Record Book, this no doubt being a deliberate oversight because of the unofficial nature of his participation.".

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

BOYCE, Clayton Descou Clement. A/C (number ?, Royal Air Force) - No.8 Group Headquarters - Commander, Order of the British Empire - awarded as per London Gazette dated 8 June 1944.

"This officer was appointed to Headquarters, Pathfinder Force, as Senior Air Staff Officer in February 1943.  He has filled this responsible post most conscientiously and efficiently, and in doing so has been largely responsible for the major operations of this command.  The part he has played in the day to day planning of operations has been a most important one.  Air Commodore Boyce's willingness and meticulous attention to detail have been of the utmost value, and he has contributed much to the success of the Pathfinder Force."

(Source - Air 2/9003)

This page was last updated on 21/04/23©

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