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Air Commodore L G LeB Croke (06045)


Lewis George LeBlount            b: 28 Jul 1894              r: 9 Oct 1945                d: 16 Feb 1971

CBE - 1 Jan 1941, MiD - 11 Jul 1940, GI-Cdr - 29 Sep 1944, CFM - 22 Jan 1960.

For a list of foreign decoration abbreviations, click here

(RNR/RNAS):- ?: xx xxx 1914, (T) Sub-Lt: 13 Mar 1917, (T) Obs Sub-Lt (P): 10 Apr 1917, (T) Obs Sub-Lt: 30 Aug 1917 [10 Apr 1917], (T) Obs Lt: 31 Dec 1917.

(RAF):- Hon Capt [Lt]: 1 Apr 1918, Capt (G): 1 May 1919, Obs Off: 1 Aug 1919, Flt Lt: 1 Jan 1922, Sqn Ldr: 11 Sep 1929, Wg Cdr: 1 Jan 1936, Gp Capt: 1 Jul 1939, (T) A/Cdre: 1 Mar 1941, Act A/Cdre: 6 Oct 1942?. A/Cdre: Retained.

(RAFVR(T)): Fg Off: 22 Jan 1948, Act Flt Lt: xx xxx xxxx, Act Sqn Ldr: xx xxx xxxx, Act Wg Cdr: xx xxx xxxx,

xx xxx 1910:          Sailor/Officer, Merchant Navy.

xx xxx 1914:          Sailor, RNR.

13 Mar 1917:          Attached HMS President for service with RNAS.

23 Mar 1917:          U/T Observer, Observer School, Eastchurch.

xx Jul 1917:             Observer, RNAS Cattewater.

xx xxx xxxx:             Observer, Experimental Flight

 1 May 1919:           Observer Instructor, Torpedo Training School? (East Fortune)

xx Oct 1919:            Observer Instructor, Torpedo Training Squadron? (Gosport) 

24 Oct 1919:           Awarded Short Service Commission in the rank of Flight Lieutenant (Observer). 

 1 Feb 1920:            Flight Commander (Observer), No 210 Sqn.

 1 Oct 1921:            Officer Commanding?, Composite Flight, RAF Base, Gosport.

 6 Apr 1922:            Short Service Commission extended to seven years on the Active List

 1 Jun 1922:             Flight Commander (Observer), No 3 Sqn.

 1 Apr 1923:            Staff, RAF Base, Gosport.

15 Sep 1923:           U/T Pilot, No 5 FTS.

28 Jan 1924:            Attended ? Course, RAF Base, Gosport.

13 May 1925:          Appointed to a Permanent Commission in the rank of Flight Lieutenant

?

17 Sep 1928:           Attended Flying Boat Pilot's Course, RAF Base, Calshot.

 6 Mar 1929:            Flight Commander, No 201 Sqn.

 3 May 1930:           Staff, RAF Training Base, Leuchars.

10 Jan 1931:            Supernumerary, No 100 Sqn.

13 Jan 1931:            Officer Commanding, No 100 Sqn.

30 Dec 1935:           Attached, Joint Directorate of Scientific Research and Technical Development.

 8 Nov 1937:            Officer Commanding, No 233 Sqn. (Anson I)

 5 Jul 1939:              Officer Commanding, RAF Calshot

 2 Dec 1939:            Officer Commanding, No 100 Wing, Shetlands

 6 Dec 1939:            Officer Commanding, RAF Station Shetlands

25 Sep 1940:           Officer Commanding, RAF St Eval

22 Jan 1941:            Director of Air/Sea Rescue.

 6 Oct 1942:            AOC, 25 Group SAAF

20 Jul 1943              Relinquished command of No 25 Group

 2 Oct 1943:             AOC, No 29 (Training) Group.

xx Jul 1945:               Relinquished command of No 29 Group

22 Jan 1948:              Appointed to a Commission in RAF Volunteer Reserve (Training Branch) in the rank of Fg Off

23 Jan 1954:              RAFVR (T) Commission extended for four years

23 Jan 1958:              RAFVR (T) Commission extended for two years

22 Jan 1960:              Relinquished his commission in the RAFVR (T)

On 23 Sep 1921 he was flying as the observer in Walrus, N9511 and was severely injured when the machine landed and after running a short distance was thrown back into the air by a slight ridge. On striking the ground the port wheel collapsed and and he was thrown out when the machine turned on to its back.

He died following a car accident in Dorset.   

This entry was last updated on 18/03/26©

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