Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation


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Air Commodore A J B Clements (56996)


Arthur John Baskett

b:   2 Dec 1921                                              r:   2 Dec 1976                           d: 23 Oct 1921

CEng, FCMI, MBIM, Dip El,

A/A: xx xxx 1937, LAC  xx xxx xxxx, Cpl:  xx xxx xxxx, Sgt:  xx xxx xxxx, Flt:  xx xxx xxxx, Plt Off (P):  9 Aug 1945, Fg Off (WS):  9 Feb 1946, Fg Off:  29 Nov 1946 [9 Aug 1946], Flt Lt: 9 Feb 1949, Sqn Ldr:  1 Oct 1955, Wg Cdr:  1 Jan 1962, Gp Capt:  1 Jun 1969, A/Cdre: 1 Jul 1974

xx Aug 1937:               Aircraft Apprentice, 36th Entry, Electrical and Wireless School, RAF Cranwell

xx Jan 1940:                Wireless Operator Mechanic, No 32 MU, RAF St Athan (571943)

xx Feb 1945:               Attended Pre-commissioning course. No 8 Radio School, RAF Cranwell

xx Jul 1945:                  U/T, Officer Cadet Training Unit, RAF Cosford

 9 Aug 1945:               Appointed to a Commission in the Technical (Signals) Branch in the rank of Plt Off on Probation (Emergency)

xx Sep 1945:               Staff (Signals?), HQ No 229 Group

xx May 1946:              Officer Commanding RAF Gannavaram (No 34 Staging Post Detachment)

xx Sep 1936:                Adjutant, RAF Dum Dum

28 Nov 1946:             Appointed to an Extended Service Commission in the Technical Branch in the rank of Plt Off

xx Feb 1947:               Staff (Staff?), No 305 MU, Bombay

xx Aug - xx Sep 1947:               Attended Permanent Commissioning Board in UK

xx Oct 1947:               In transit to UK

xx Nov 1947:             Officer Commanding, Radio Servicing Flt, RAF Lyneham

12 Oct 1948:              Appointed to a Permanent Commission in the Technical Branch in the rank of Fg Off

xx Sep 1949:              Signals Staff, HQ No 38 Group

xx Jan 1951:               Attended No 10 Senior Officers' Signals Specialists' Course, RAF Debden

xx Aug 1952:              Attended Pre-University Maths Course, RAF Technical College, RAF Henlow

xx Sep 1952:              Attended Southampton University for Postgraduate Electronics Course

xx xxx 1954:               Staff, Radio Introduction Unit, Radar Research Establishment, Malvern

xx Jan 1958:                Attended RAF Staff College, Bracknell

  5 Jan 1959:               Engineering Construction Signals Staff Officer, HQ Allied Air Forces, Northern Europe, Kolsas

22 Jan 1962:               Assistant Director of Radio, MoD

 7 Dec 1964:               Staff Officer, Electronics Division, HQ Fighter Command, Stanmore

 5 Dec 1966:               Electrical Engineering Staff Officer, HQ Far East Air Force, Changi

xx Nov 1969:              Officer Commanding, Radio Engineering Unit, RAF Henlow

xx Dec 1971:               Assistant Commandant, Defence Communication Network, HQ No 90 Group, RAF Medmenham

 1 Sep 2973:               Assistant Commandant, Defence Communication Network, Support Command, RAF Medmenham

 3 Jan 1974:                Air Officer Signals, HQ, Support Command, RAF Medmenham

During the war, he made some 300 flights, testing all manner of radio and radar equipment.  In the coursed of one on 8 April 1942, he was flying in a Botha when both engines failed and it plunged into the Bristol Channel.  Unfortunately the pilot drowned but Clements and two other survivors were rescued by a cargo ship after 30 minutes in the water.

After commissioning, he continued to be very 'hands-on' and by the time he retired he had logged about 800 hours of trials flying, including time in Meteors and Canberras.

After retiring from the RAF he joined Marconi Defence Systems in 1976 and remained with them until 1987 after which he became a consultant for the next six years.

This page was last updated on 10/12/21©

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