Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation
[Jul 1937 | Jul 1938 | Jan 1939 | Apr 1939 | May 1939]
Personnel Movements: Jul 1936 - Jul 1937
Rank | Name | Date | Notes |
Flt Lt | N E Sharpe | 3 Dec 1936 | Reported for duty at RAF Catterick and arrived at Dishforth as Officer i/c Opening Up Party |
Fg Off | V Mercer-Smith | 14 Dec 1936 | Reported for duty as Civilian Assistant |
Fg Off | G P Jones | 22 Dec 1936 | Arrived on posting for duty as Medical Officer |
Gp Capt | 7 Jan 1937 | Assumed command of the Station | |
Fg Off | E E Copper | 23 Feb 1937 | Reported for duty as Station Equipment Officer, wef 19 Feb 1937 |
Flt Lt | G Nelson | 22 Apr 1937 | Arrived on posting for duty as Station Signals Officer |
Flt Lt | C K Turner | 3 May 1937 | Arrived on posting for duty as Assistant Adjutant |
Source - RAF Dishforth ORB
Unit Movements: Jul 1936 - Jul 1937
Unit | Date | Notes |
Landing ground | 31 Jul 1936 | Completed |
Buildings (Hutted Camp) | 18 Dec 1936 | Taken over by Board of Officers |
No 78 Sqn | 1 Feb 1937 | Arrived from Boscombe Down |
No 10 Sqn | 8 Feb 1937 | Arrived from Boscombe Down |
No 78 Sqn | 2 Jun 1937 | Proceeded to RAF Aldergrove for Armament Practice Camp |
No 78 Sqn | 25 Jun 1937 | Returned from RAF Aldergrove on completion of Armament Practice Camp |
Source - RAF Dishforth ORB
County | Command/Group | Units |
near Thirsk, North Yorkshire | Bomber Command/No 4 (Bomber) Group |
|
Rank | Name | Date | Notes |
Station HQ |
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Gp Capt | 7 Jan 1937 | Officer Commanding, DSO; later AVM | |
Flt Lt | G Nelson | 22 Apr 1937 | |
Flt Lt | V Mercer-Smith | Adjutant, RAFO | |
Flt Lt | C K Turner | Assistant Adjutant, RAFO | |
Equipment Branch |
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Flt Lt | E E Copper | 19 Feb 1937 | |
Accountant Branch |
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Fg Off | P Griffiths | 3 Dec 1936 | |
Capt (Ret) | J D Cameron | OBE | |
Medical Branch |
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Flt Lt | G P Jones | 22 Dec 1936 | MB, BCh |
Education Officer |
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Mr | R T R Thornhill | 4 Jan 1937 | BA |
Warrant Officers |
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WO I | G W Hepple | 13 Jan 1937 | |
WO I | M Kelly | 7 Jan 1937 |
Source - July 1937 Air Force List
Personnel Movements: Jul 1937 - Jul 1938
Rank | Name | Date | Notes |
Flt Lt | G L Best | 30 Aug 1937 | Arrived on posting for duty as Station Engineer Officer |
Source - RAF Dishforth ORB
County | Command/Group | Units |
near Thirsk, North Yorkshire | Bomber Command/No 4 (Bomber) Group |
|
Rank | Name | Date | Notes |
Station HQ |
|||
Gp Capt | 7 Jan 1937 | Officer Commanding, DSO; later AVM | |
Flt Lt | H J Forster | Adjutant, RAFO | |
Flt Lt | C K Turner | Assistant Adjutant, RAFO | |
Equipment Branch |
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Flt Lt | E E Copper | 19 Feb 1937 | |
Capt (Ret) | E N Ryder | MBE, DCM | |
Accountant Branch |
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Fg Off | P Griffiths | 3 Dec 1936 | |
Capt (Ret) | J D Cameron | OBE | |
Lt (late RN) | F W Richings | ||
Medical Branch |
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Flt Lt | G P Jones | 22 Dec 1936 | MB, BCh |
Commissioned Engineer Officer |
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Fg Off | G G Meager | 16 Nov 1937 | MBE |
Commissioned Signals Officer |
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Fg Off | J Farmer | 30 Aug 1937 | |
Education Officer |
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Mr | R T R Thornhill | 4 Jan 1937 | BA |
Warrant Officers |
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WO | G W Hepple | 13 Jan 1937 | |
WO | M Kelly | 7 Jan 1937 | |
WO | A B Knowles | 6 Nov 1937 |
Source - July 1938 Air Force List
Personnel Movements: Jul 1938 - Jan 1939
Rank | Name | Date | Notes |
Gp Capt | 1 Jul 1938 | Promoted to A/Cdre | |
Gp Capt | E G Hopcraft | 11 Jul 1938 | Arrived on posting as supernumerary pending assuming command |
Gp Capt | 18 Jul 1938 | Relinquished command of the Station on posting to HQ Coastal Command | |
Gp Capt | E G Hopcraft | 18 Jul 1938 | Assumed Command of the Station |
Lt | R C T Speir | 18 Jul 1938 | Reported for duty as Station Intelligence Officer |
Fg Off | J F O'Brien | 19 Aug 1938 | Reported for duty as Station Dental Officer |
Sqn Ldr | W T F Wightman | 18 Sep 1938 | Reported for duty as Officer Commanding, Recruits Sub-Depot |
Flt Lt | J Collier | 19 Sep 1938 | RAFO, reported for duty as Regional Control Officer |
Fg Off (Ret) | G G Dixon | 19 Sep 1938 | Reported for duty as Regional Control Officer |
Source - RAF Dishforth ORB
Unit Movements: Jul 1938 - Jan 1939
Unit | Date | Notes |
Recruits Sub-Depot | 19 Sep 1938 | Opened |
Source - RAF Dishforth ORB
County | Command/Group | Units |
near Thirsk, North Yorkshire | Bomber Command/No 4 (Bomber) Group |
|
Rank | Name | Date | Notes |
Station HQ |
|||
Gp Capt | E G Hopcraft | 11 Jul 1938 | Officer Commanding, DSC |
Sqn Ldr | F S Wakeham | 5 Dec 1938 | |
Flt Lt | H J Forster | Adjutant, RAFO | |
Lt (Ret) | R C T Speir | ||
Maj (Ret) | J P Huffam | VC | |
Flt Lt | J Collier | RAFO | |
Equipment Branch |
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Plt Off | T G Robertson | 17 Oct 1938 | |
Capt (Ret) | E N Ryder | MBE, DCM | |
Accountant Branch |
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Fg Off | P Griffiths | 3 Dec 1936 | |
Lt (late RN) | F W Richings | ||
Medical Branch |
|||
Flt Lt | G P Jones | 22 Dec 1936 | MB, BCh |
Dental Branch |
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Fg Off | J F O'Brien | 19 Aug 1938 | LDS |
Commissioned Engineer Officer |
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Fg Off | G G Meager | 16 Nov 1937 | MBE |
Commissioned Signals Officer |
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Fg Off | J Farmer | 30 Aug 1937 | |
Education Officer |
|||
Mr | R T R Thornhill | 4 Jan 1937 | BA |
Warrant Officers |
|||
WO | G W Hepple | 13 Jan 1937 | |
WO | M Kelly | 7 Jan 1937 | |
WO | A B Knowles | 6 Nov 1937 |
Source - January 1939 Air Force List
County | Command/Group | Units |
near Thirsk, North Yorkshire | Bomber Command/No 4 (Bomber) Group |
|
Rank | Name | Date | Notes |
Station HQ |
|||
Gp Capt | E G Hopcraft | 11 Jul 1938 | Officer Commanding, DSC |
Sqn Ldr | F S Wakeham | 5 Dec 1938 | |
Flt Lt | H J Forster | Adjutant, RAFO | |
Lt (Ret) | R C T Speir | ||
Maj (Ret) | J P Huffam | VC | |
Flt Lt | J Collier | RAFO | |
Fg Off | G G Dixon | RAFO | |
Equipment Branch |
|||
Plt Off | T G Robertson | 17 Oct 1938 | |
Capt (Ret) | E N Ryder | MBE, DCM | |
Accountant Branch |
|||
Fg Off | P Griffiths | 3 Dec 1936 | |
Lt (late RN) | F W Richings | ||
Medical Branch |
|||
Flt Lt | G P Jones | 22 Dec 1936 | MB, BCh |
Dental Branch |
|||
Fg Off | J F O'Brien | 19 Aug 1938 | LDS |
Commissioned Engineer Officer |
|||
Fg Off | G G Meager | 16 Nov 1937 | MBE |
Commissioned Signals Officer |
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Fg Off | J Farmer | 30 Aug 1937 | |
Temporary Education Officer |
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Mr | H J Cramp | 29 Jan 1939 | MSc |
Warrant Officers |
|||
WO | G W Hepple | 13 Jan 1937 | |
WO | M Kelly | 7 Jan 1937 | |
WO | A B Knowles | 6 Nov 1937 |
Source - April 1939 Confidential Air Force List
County | Command/Group | Units |
near Thirsk, North Yorkshire | Bomber Command/No 4 (Bomber) Group |
|
Rank | Name | Date | Notes |
Station HQ |
|||
Gp Capt | E G Hopcraft | 11 Jul 1938 | Officer Commanding, DSC |
Sqn Ldr | F S Wakeham | 5 Dec 1938 | |
Flt Lt | H J Forster | Adjutant, RAFO | |
Lt (Ret) | R C T Speir | ||
Maj (Ret) | J P Huffam | VC | |
Flt Lt | J Collier | RAFO | |
Fg Off | G G Dixon | RAFO | |
Equipment Branch |
|||
Plt Off | T G Robertson | 17 Oct 1938 | |
Capt (Ret) | E N Ryder | MBE, DCM | |
Accountant Branch |
|||
Fg Off | P Griffiths | 3 Dec 1936 | |
Lt (late RN) | F W Richings | ||
Medical Branch |
|||
Flt Lt | G P Jones | 22 Dec 1936 | MB, BCh |
Dental Branch |
|||
Fg Off | J F O'Brien | 19 Aug 1938 | LDS |
Commissioned Engineer Officer |
|||
Fg Off | G G Meager | 16 Nov 1937 | MBE |
Commissioned Signals Officer |
|||
Fg Off | J Farmer | 30 Aug 1937 | |
Temporary Education Officer |
|||
Mr | H J Cramp | 29 Jan 1939 | MSc |
Warrant Officers |
|||
WO | G W Hepple | 13 Jan 1937 | |
WO | M Kelly | 7 Jan 1937 | |
WO | A B Knowles | 6 Nov 1937 | |
WO | A W Byrne | 28 Feb 1939 |
Source - May 1939 Confidential Air Force List
Nominal Roll of Officer - 3 Sep 1939
Rank | Name | Notes |
Gp Capt | E G Hopcraft | Officer Commanding |
Sqn Ldr | F S Wakeham | Sqn Ldr - Administration |
Flt Lt | H J Forster | Station Adjutant, RAFO |
Maj (Ret) | J P Huffam | VC, Assistant Adjutant |
Sqn Ldr | R C T Speir | Station Intelligence Officer, RAFO |
Flt Lt | H J Cramp | Assistant Intelligence Officer, RAFVR |
Fg Off | C T Burridge | Station Signals Officer |
Fg Off | W C P Dale | Operations Officer, RAFVR |
Flt Lt | P Griffiths | Accountant Officer |
Lt (late RN) | F W Richings | Assistant Accountant Officer |
Fg Off | A G Evenden | Station Engineer Officer |
Plt Off | T G Robertson | Equipment Officer |
APO | J McCartney | Equipment Officer |
Capt (Ret) | E N Ryder | Equipment Officer |
Fg Off | H S Lillie | Medical Officer |
Fg Off | T S B Kelly | Medical Officer |
WO | A B Knowles | Station Armament Officer |
Personnel Movements: Sep - Dec 1939
Rank | Name | Date | Notes |
Flt Lt | H J Cramp | 20 Sep 1939 | Assistant Intelligence Officer, posted to RAF Halton |
Flt Lt | L Wanless-O'Gowan | 20 Sep 1939 | Reported for duty as Assistant Intelligence Officer |
Plt Off | L E Crawley | 23 Oct 1939 | Arrived on posting for Intelligence duties |
Source - RAF Dishforth ORB
Unit Movements: Sep - Dec 1939
Unit | Date | Notes |
No 10 Sqn | 3 Sep 1939 | Brought up to operational basis |
No 78 Sqn | 3 Sep 1939 | Training Sqn, moved to RAF Ternhill under 'scatter scheme' |
No 78 Sqn | 15 Sep 1939 | Began to return from RAF Ternhill under 'scatter scheme' |
No 78 Sqn | 16 Sep 1939 | Completed return from RAF Ternhill under 'scatter scheme' |
No 78 Sqn | 15 Oct 1939 | Dispersed to RAF Linton-on-Ouse |
No 51 Sqn | 5 Dec 1939 | Arrived from RAF York |
Source - RAF Dishforth ORB
Personnel Movements: Jan - Dec 1940
Rank | Name | Date | Notes |
Sqn Ldr | G E R Shepard | 15 Jan 1940 | Reported for duty as Sqn Ldr - Operations |
The F540 for 1940 does not give any personnel details, which are probably containing in Appendices, not currently available.
Source - RAF Dishforth ORB
[Jul 1937 | Jul 1938 | Jan 1939 | Apr 1939 | May 1939]
This page was last updated on 15/07/20©