Air Marshal Sir John Rene Whitley, KBE, CB, DSO, AFC & Bar (7 September 1905 – 26 December 1997) was a senior commander in the Royal Air Force during the Second World War and also in the post-war years.
RAF career
Whitley joined the Royal Air Force in 1926.[1] While serving in India, he was awarded the Air Force Cross for relief flights after the 1935 Quetta earthquake.[1] He served in the Second World War as Officer Commanding No. 149 Squadron and then as Station Commander at RAF Linton-on-Ouse.[1] In April 1943, he was shot down in a Halifax bomber over Belgium. Landing by parachute in Northern France, with the help of the French Resistance he escaped through the Basque country to Spain.[2][3] Returning to England, he continued his war service as Station Commander at RAF Lissett and then as Air Officer Commanding No. 43 Base.[1] He went on to be Air Officer Commanding No. 4 Group and then Air Officer Commanding No. 8 Group.[1]
After the war he served as Assistant Air Officer Administration at Headquarters Air Command South East Asia and then as Station Commander at RAF Karachi.[1] He was appointed Director of Organisation (Establishments) at the Air Ministry in 1947 and Air Officer Administration at Headquarters Second Tactical Air Force in 1951.[1] He went on to be Air Officer Commanding No. 1 Group in 1953, Air Member for Personnel in 1957 and Inspector-General of the RAF in 1959 before retiring in 1962.[1]
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h Air of Authority – A History of RAF Organisation – Air Marshal Sir John Whitley
- ^ Brickhill, P. (1962) Escape - or Die Pan London, pp. 137-155
- ^ Royal Air Force Bomber Command 60th Anniversary: Bomber Command Archived 2011-05-14 at the Wayback Machine
Recent Comments