John Whitley (RAF officer)

For persons of a similar name, see John Whitley (disambiguation).
Sir John Whitley
Born(1905-09-07)7 September 1905
Died26 December 1997(1997-12-26) (aged 92)
AllegianceUnited Kingdom
Service / branchRoyal Air Force
Years of service1926–62
RankAir Marshal
CommandsInspector-General of the RAF (1959–62)
Air Member for Personnel (1957–59)
No. 1 Group (1953–56)
RAF Karachi (1946–47)
No. 8 Group (1945–46)
No. 4 Group (1945)
No. 43 Base (1944–45)
RAF Lissett (1943–44)
RAF Linton-on-Ouse (1941–43)
No. 149 Squadron (1940)
Battles / warsSecond World War
AwardsKnight Commander of the Order of the British Empire
Companion of the Order of the Bath
Distinguished Service Order
Air Force Cross & Bar
Mentioned in Despatches (3)

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

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h Air of Authority – A History of RAF Organisation – Air Marshal Sir John Whitley
  2. ^ Brickhill, P. (1962) Escape - or Die Pan London, pp. 137-155
  3. ^ Royal Air Force Bomber Command 60th Anniversary: Bomber Command Archived 2011-05-14 at the Wayback Machine
Military offices
Preceded by Air Member for Personnel
1957–1959 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Inspector-General of the RAF
1959–1962 		Succeeded by