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Air Commodore W I C Inness (33260)


William Innes Cosmo b: 25 Mar 1916                     r: 22 Oct 1968                     d: 13 Apr 1986

CB - 1 Jan 1962, OBE – 10 Jun 1954, MiD - 14 Jan 1944, ADC.

Plt Off: 1 Aug 1936, Fg Off: 1 Feb 1938, Flt Lt: 1 Feb 1940, (T) Sqn Ldr: 1 Mar 1941, (T) Wg Cdr: 1 Jun 1942, Act Gp Capt: 24 Jan 1944?, Wg Cdr (WS): 24 Jul 1944, Wg Cdr: 1 Jul 1947, Gp Capt: 1 Jan 1955, A/Cdre: 1 Jan 1960.

 6 Sep 1934:            Flight Cadet, ? Sqn, RAF College.

 1 Aug 1936:            Appointed to a Permanent Commission

 1 Aug 1936:            ?

15 Dec 1936:           Pilot, No 5 Sqn. (Wapiti II) (India)

22 Jan 1939:            Personnel Staff Officer, AHQ British Forces in Iraq.

12 Sep 1939:           Attached, 'S' Sqn for duty as Adjutant

xx Feb 1941:            Flight Commander, No 9 Sqn.

10 Jan 1942:            Officer Commanding, No 9 Sqn.

27 May 1942:          ?

19 Oct 1942:           Air Staff, HQ Bomber Command

24 Jan 1944:            Group Captain - Plans, HQ Bomber Command.

xx xxx 1946:            Staff, Directorate-General of Personnel (II).

xx xxx xxxx:             Member, British Bombing Survey.

20 Aug 1946:           Staff, Directorate of Personal Services.

25 May 1948:          Air Attaché, Teheran.

19 Nov 1951:          Senior Personnel Staff Officer, HQ No 23 Group.

xx xxx 1954:            Attended/Staff?, RAF Flying College.

xx xxx 1955:            Officer Commanding, RAF St Eval.

24 May 1957:          Assistant Deputy Chief of Staff (Operations), HQ Allied Forces Mediterranean.

19 Oct 1959:           SOA/AOA, HQ Coastal Command.

14 Nov 1962:          AOC, RAF Gibraltar.

27 Nov 1965:          Director of Personal Services (Provost Marshal).

18 Nov 1968:          Regional Commandant, London and South East Region, ATC. (Ret'd)

He attained the rank of Flight Cadet Cpl at Cranwell and on 21 October he was forced to abandon Bulldog, K2166 when it entered an uncontrollable spin.  On 29 August 1941 he was flying Wellington IC, R1279 during a raid on Mannheim which went out of control due to icing but when he eventually recovered the aircraft he found that the navigator and wireless operator had abandoned the aircraft.  Whilst flying Wellington X3289 on 6 December 1941, the starboard engine caught fire during a training flight, eventually falling off the wing.   He managed to force land the aircraft near Brandon in Suffolk, the only injuries being sustained by Sgt D S S Welch who was manning the rear turret.  In 1981 he became President of London Wing ATC.

This page was last updated on 07/03/24

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