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Air Vice-Marshal Sir John Cordingley

Sir John Walter CordingleyJohn Walter                     b: 10 Dec 1890                  r: 1 Mar 1947                        d: 5 Jan 1977

KCB - 1 Jan 1946 (CB - 1 Jan 1943), KCVO - 2 Jun 1962, CBE - 11 May 1937 (OBE - 3 Jun 1919), MiD - 12 Dec 1919.

(RNVR): - Wrt: 22 Feb 1905, Act CPO: 7 Aug 1914, Act Ch Wrt: 28 Aug 1914, (T) Ass PayM: 12 Oct 1914, (T) PayM: 28 Feb 1915, Act St-PayM: 28 Feb 1915, PayM: 4 May 1915

(RAF): - Maj: 1 Apr 1918, Sqn Ldr: 1 Aug 1919 [1 Apr 1918], Wg Cdr: 1 Jan 1924, Gp Capt: 1 Jan 1931, Act A/Cdre: 17 Jul 1939, (T) A/Cdre: 10 Jan 1941, A/Cdre: 14 Apr 1942 [10 Jan 1941], Act AVM: 30 Nov 1943, (T) AVM: 1 Jan 1946, AVM: 28 Feb 1947.

Sir John Walter Cordingley

by Walter Stoneman
bromide print, November 1945
NPG x166743

© National Portrait Gallery, London

 

22 Feb 1905:             Ordinary Seaman, RNVR.

xx xxx 1913:             Discharged from RNVR

 7 Aug 1914:             Acting Chief Petty Officer, Royal Navy Department

28 Aug 1914:             Acting Chief Writer, Royal Navy Department

12 Oct 1914:             Acting Quartermaster, RN Division Depot

13 Oct 1914:             Assistant Paymaster, RN Division Depot

 8 Jan 1915:              Assistant Paymaster, Drake Battalion, RN Division

22 Jan 1915:            Assistant Paymaster, Staff Pay Unit, Blandford

28 Feb 1915:            Assistant Paymaster, 1st Brigade, RN Division

14 Aug 1917:           Proceeded to France

15 Aug 1917:           Temporary Field Cashier, HQ RN Division

 1 Sep 1917:             Paymaster, 1st Brigade, RN Division

19 Feb 1918:             Staff Officer, Air Ministry Pay and Records Section

 4 Mar 1918:              Served on the Air Board.

 1 Apr 1918:              Staff Officer 2nd Class, M.4A, Directorate of Manning

 1 May 1919:             Staff Officer 2nd Class, Head of M.1, Directorate of Personnel.  

28 Nov 1919:            Appointed to Short Service Commission in rank of Squadron Leader (Staff Officer).

17 Dec 1920:             Awarded Permanent Commission in the rank of Squadron Leader (wef 28 Nov 1919)

1 Oct 1922:                Officer Commanding, Record Office.

17 Jul 1939:                Director of Manning.

30 Nov 1943:             Director-General of Manning.

Educated at St John's School, Brixton he was probably the longest serving officer in a single post in the history of the RAF, he took over the Record Office in 1922 in the rank of Squadron Leader and remained in post for 16 years eventually reaching Group Captain.  In 1925, he introduced the Apprentice Clerk scheme, which brought the training of administrative airmen into line with that of the technical trades.  He was also, probably the only officer to entered in the General Duties List of the RAF, who never qualified as a pilot.  

Following his retirement, he became Controller of the RAF Benevolent Fund until 1962 as well as a member and/or official of a number of bodies and organisations.

This page was last updated on 16/10/22

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