Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation

Air Commodore H V Rowley (04200)

Herbert Victor              b: 24 Oct 1897               r: 26 Oct 1944                     d: 9 Apr 1966

MiD - xx xxx xxxx.

(RN):- PFO: xx xxx xxxx, (T) Flt Sub-Lt: 30 Apr 1916, Act Flt Cdr: xx xxx 1917, (T) Flt Lt: 1 Oct 1917.

(RAF):- (H) Capt [Lt]: 1 Apr 1918, Fg Off: 1 Aug 1919, Flt Lt: 30 Jun 1922, Sqn Ldr: 5 Nov 1930, Wg Cdr: 1 Jan 1937, Act Gp Capt: 28 Dec 1939?, (T) Gp Capt: 1 Mar 1940, Gp Capt: 14 Apr 1942 [1 Mar 1940], (T) A/Cdre: 1 Nov 1942, A/Cdre: Retained?. 

xx xxx xxxx:         Cadet, University of London OTC (University College)

xx xxx 1916:            U/T Pilot, Chingford Air Station

xx Feb 1917:           Pilot. No 1 Sqn RNAS.

xx xxx 1917:            Pilot, Dunkirk Seaplane Station

xx xxx 1917:            Flight Commander, No 1 Sqn RNAS/No 201 Sqn RAF.

 6 Apr 1918:           Admitted to hospital

12 Apr 1918:          Returned to England on AT 'Stad Antwerpen'

11 Dec 1918:          Re-embarked for France

15 Dec 1918:         Flight Commander, No 203 Sqn.

16 Mar 1919:         Attended Course of Instruction, RAF Halton

 1 Aug 1919:          Awarded Permanent Commission as a Lieutenant

 1 Apr 1920:            Staff/Supernumerary?, RAF Depot.

1920                        Air Staff, HQ No 3 Group.

 1 Mar 1921:            Attached to No 4 Sqn. whilst undertaking ? Course at R.A.E.

15 Aug 1921:           Pilot, No 25 Sqn.

22 Dec 1921 - 21 Feb 1922:    Placed on half pay list, scale B

21 Apr 1922:           Awaiting disposal, HQ RAF Iraq.

 3 Nov 1922:           Officer, No 5 Armoured Car Company.

19 Jan 1924:            Flight Commander, No 84 Sqn.

17 Jan 1925:            Flight Commander, No 47 Sqn.

 1 Jun 1926:             Staff, M.A.E.E.

 1 May 1927:           Supernumerary, non effective (sick), RAF Depot.

18 Jul 1927:             Engineering Officer, RAF College.

15 Dec 1930:           Supernumerary, No 56 Sqn. (Siskin III)

 1 Jan 1931:             Officer Commanding, No 56 Sqn. (Siskin III)

18 Jan 1932:            Attended RAF Staff College.

17 Jan 1933:            Air Staff, HQ Iraq Command.

 8 Mar 1935:            Supernumerary, RAF Depot.

20 Jun 1935:             Staff, A. & A.E.E.

22 Feb 1937:            Air Staff, Deputy Directorate of Operational Requirements. 

28 Dec 1939:            Deputy Director of Operational Requirements.

xx xxx 1940:             Deputy Director of Operational Requirements 2.

 1 Feb 1941:             Group Captain - ?, HQ No 12 (Fighter) Group.

 3 Dec 1941:            SASO, HQ, No 10 (Fighter) Group.

 1 May 1943:            AOC, No 221 (Tactical) Group.

Joining the RNAS in mid 1916, he gained his RAeC Certificate, No 3569 on 24 August 1916 and was posted to No 1 Squadron RNAS in February 1917.  Flying Sopwith Triplanes, he claimed his first victory on 29 April 1917 and by the end of the year was a flight commander, by which time the unit had re-equipped with Camels.  Renumbered 201 on the formation of the RAF on 1 April 1918, he marked the occasion by claiming what turned out to be his last  victory on the same day bringing his total to nine.

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