Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation

Air Vice Marshal Sir John Whitford (05019)

John                             b: 17 Dec 1892                     r: 5 Mar 1949                     d: 12 Aug 1966

KBE - 1 Jan 1949 (CBE - 17 Sep1943, OBE - 3 Jun 1935), CB - 1 Jan 1945, MiD - 1 Jan 1943, MiD - 8 Jun 1944, LoM (Cdr) - 9 Oct 1945.

For a list of foreign decoration abbreviations, click here

(CEF):- Pte: xx xxx xxxx, Cpl: xx xxx xxxx, (T) Lt: 25 May 1917, .

(RAF):- 2 Lt [(H) Lt]: 25 Apr 1918, Fg Off: 16 Aug 1919, Flt Lt: 1 Jan 1923, Sqn Ldr: 30 Jun 1931, Wg Cdr: 1 Jan 1937, (T) Gp Capt: 1 Mar 1940, Gp Capt: 14 Apr 1942 [1 Mar 1940], Act A/Cdre: 23 Aug 1942,  (T) A/Cdre: 1 Nov 1942, Act AVM: 1 Nov 1944, (T) AVM: 1 Jan 1946, A/Cdre: 1 Jan 1946, AVM: 1 Oct 1946.

xx xxx xxxx:            Soldier, Devon Yeomanry

xx xxx xxxx:            Soldier, 19th A Dragroons

24 Sep 1914:           Enlisted in Canadian Overseas Expeditionary Force

24 Sep 1914:           Soldier (2575), Lord Strascona's Horse

25 May 1917:          Officer, 14th Reserve Battalion, Canadian Expeditionary Force

26 Sep 1917:            Attended School of Military Aeronautics, Reading

12 Nov 1917:           U/T Pilot, No 41 Training Sqn RFC

 9 Feb 1918:            U/T Pilot, No 73 Training Sqn RFC

19 Feb 1918:           Pilot, No 6 Training Sqn RFC, No 30 Wing

25 Apr 1918:            Granted a Temporary Commission in the RAF as 2nd Lieutenant (Honorary Lieutenant)

15 Jul 1918:              Pilot, No 32 Training Depot Station

 7 Nov 1918:            Pilot/Instructor?, No 32 Training Depot Station

12  Feb 1919:           Pilot No 81 Sqn

 7 Jul 1918:               Relinquished Temporary Commission in the RAF

 1 Aug 1919:            Awarded Permanent Commission as a Lieutenant

29 Jan 1920:             Staff, No 3 Group Mobile Disposal Sqn 'B'.

 1 May 1920:            QFI, No 2 FTS.

 8 Feb 1921:             Pilot, No 47 Sqn.

xx xxx xxxx:              Flight Commander, No 47 Sqn.

 1 Nov 1924:            Supernumerary, RAF Depot.

24 Feb 1925:            Flight Commander, No 11 Sqn.

15 Oct 1928:            Adjutant, No 502 (Ulster) Sqn.

31 Jan 1939:            Attached to No 602 (City of Edinburgh) Sqn AuxAF

 4 Feb 1929:             Adjutant, No 602 (City of Edinburgh) Sqn AuxAF.

 3 Oct 1931:             Supernumerary, No 24 Sqn.

 5 Oct 1931:            Officer Commanding, No 24 Sqn.

 1 Dec 1935:            Staff, Superintendent of RAF Reserve.

 7 Nov 1938?:          Inspector of RAFVR Flying Training, HQ No 26 (Training) Group.

1 Feb 1939:             Air Staff, HQ Reserve Command.