Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation

Home Page

Main Menu

Quick Menu

Members' Area

What New?

About this site

Reunions

Help Needed?

Glossary

Bibliography

Sign Guest Book

View Guest Book

Link to Amazon

Online Store

Contact Me

  Air Marshal Sir Francis Linnell

Sir Francis John LinnellFrancis John                 b: 16 Mar 1892                                                         d: 3 Nov 1944

KBE - 2 Jun 1943 (OBE - 2 Jun 1923), CB - 17 Mar 1941, MiD - 3 Jun 1918, MiD - 3 Jun 1919, MiD - 11 Jul 1940, LoM (Cdr) - 30 Jan 1945.

For a list of foreign decoration abbreviations, click here

Winner, 'Dunning' Memorial Cup – 1920, 2nd Prize, 'Gordon-Shephard' Competition - 1925

(RNR/RN): - Wt-Tel:  xx xxx xxxx, (P) Flt Sub-Lt:  12 May 1915, Flt Sub-Lt: 30 Aug 1915 [12 May 1915], Flt Lt: 1 Apr 1916, Flt Cdr: 30 Jun 1917.

(RAF): (T) Capt [Lt]: 1 Apr 1918, (T) Maj: 1 Aug 1918, Act Maj: 1 May 1919, Flt Lt: 1 Aug 1919 [1 Apr 1918], Sqn Ldr: 1 Jul 1924, Wg Cdr: 1 Jul 1931, Gp Capt: 1 Jan 1937, A/Cdre: 1 Jul 1939, Act AVM: 3 Sep 1939, (T) AVM: 10 Jan 1941, Act AM: 5 Jun 1941, AVM: 14 Apr 1942 [10 Jan 1941].

Sir Francis John Linnell

by Bassano Ltd
bromide print, 31 March 1941
NPG x85358

© National Portrait Gallery, London

22 Sep 1914:            Warrant-Telegraphist, RNAS (RNR).

24 Sep 1914:            Warrant-Telegraphist, RNAS Armoured Cars

12 May 1915:          W/T Officer, Wormwood Scrubbs Central Store Depot

xx Mar 1916:           Pilot, HMS Campania

xx xxx 1917:            Pilot, HMS Campania/Houton Bay Seaplane Station

xx xxx xxxx:              Pilot, HMS Repulse

 6 Nov 1919:           Air Staff - Communications, HQ Coastal Area. (Staff Officer, 2nd Class) 

  1 Aug 1919:           Awarded Permanent Commission as a Captain

xx Nov/Dec 1920:   RAF Communications Officer, Controllerate of Communications, Department of Civil Aviation

xx Jun/Jul 1920:       Staff Officer, Signals Branch. (Controllerate of Communications transferred to RAF from Dept of Civil Aviation)

xx xxx 1921:            Attached to Controllerate of Communications for RAF Communications, Department of Civil Aviation

xx xxx xxxx:             Staff Officer, Signals Branch

22 Jan 1925:            Supernumerary - Non effective (Sick), RAF Depot.

 9 Nov 1925:           Command Signals Officer, HQ ADGB.

20 Oct 1930:           'A' Flight Commander, No 9 Sqn. (Virginia – Boscombe Down)

28 Sep 1931:           Officer Commanding, RAF Base Malta.

21 Sep 1932:           Supernumerary, RAF Depot.

 8 - 15 Jan 1933:      Placed on half pay list, scale A

16 Jan 1933:            Attended RN Staff College, Greenwich.

23 Dec 1933:           Supernumerary, No 99 Sqn.

13 Jan 1934:            Officer Commanding, No 99 Sqn.

16 Oct- 15 Nov 1934:           Officer Commanding, RAF Mildenhall.

15 Nov 1934:            Officer Commanding, No 99 Sqn/RAF Mildenhall

15 Jul 1935:             Deputy Director of Organisation.

17 Jan 1939:            Attended Imperial Defence College.

25 Aug 1939:           AOA, HQ Bomber Command.

 4 Feb 1941:            Assistant Chief of the Air Staff (Operational Requirement and Tactics)

 5 Jun 1941:             Controller of Research and Development, MAP.

 6 May 1943:           Deputy AOC in C, RAF Mediterranean and Middle East

xx Jul 1944:             Special Duties, Air Ministry (Member, Post War Planning Executive)

He gained RAeC Certificate 1338 on 19 June 1915 and was involved in W/T experiments and carried out trials in a specially built BE2c (No 3999).  

He was killed in a road accident.  

Citation for the award of Officer of the Order of the British Empire

"LINNELL, Francis John, F/L

This officer has done exceptionally good work in connection with Signals. His liaison with the Navy and the Army has been excellent."

(Source - Air 30/54)

This page was last updated on 30/01/23

Back to P L Lincoln P L Lincoln                               [Top of Page]                                 G Livingstone Forward to G Livingstone