Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation

Links Page

Text links are shown below

- Home Page -

- About this site -

- Quick Menu -

- Main Menu -

- Members' Area -

- What's New -

- Help Needed -

- Jobs -

- Online Store -

- Dating -

- Reunions -

- Contact Me -

- Sign Guest Book -

- View Guest Book -

- Glossary -

- Bibliography -

Other Establishments - Schools and Staff Colleges

This section lists those establishments which have existed in roughly the same form throughout their history and have had Commandants of Air Rank. It includes pure RAF units and Joint Service units, having established posts for RAF Air Officers. For continuity periods when the Commandant's post was lower than Air Commodore, the post holder was non GD or a Naval/Army officer held the post, have also been included. Naval, Army and non-GD RAF officers or officers who did not ultimately attain Air Rank are shown in italics.

RAF College

*

RAF Cranwell, Sleaford, Lincolnshire.

Formed 1 Nov 1919 as RAF (Cadet) College. Raised to Command status 5 Feb 1920.  The title (Cadet) was dropped on 1 Feb 1929. Reduced to Group status within Training Command, 9 Jul 1936. Control transferred to No 28 Group, 1 Dec 1928. Absorbed into RAF College SFTS, Sep 1939.  Transferred to Flying Training Command, 27 May 1940?.  Transferred to Training Command, 1 Jun 1968.  Transferred to RAF Support Command, 13 Jun 1913.  Transferred to PTC, 1 Apr 1994.

1920 - 1936 Commandant was the same as AOC, RAF Cranwell (See Command section)

3 Dec 1934:               A/Cdre-AVM H M Cave-Browne-Cave

21 Dec 1936:             AVM J E A Baldwin

15 Aug 1939:             A/Cdre D Harries?

xx xxx xxxx:                A/Cdre R Halley  ??

xx xxx 1945               A/Cdre W E G Bryant

12 Oct 1946              A/Cdre R L R Atcherley

 1 Jan 1949                A/Cdre G R Beamish

31 Jul 1950                A/Cdre L F Sinclair

25 Aug 1952              A/Cdre H Eeles

16 Apr 1956              A/Cdre T A B Parselle

26 Aug 1958              A/Cdre D F Spotswood

16 Apr 1961              A/Cdre E D McK Nelson

21 Aug 1963              A/Cdre M D Lyne

28 Dec 1964              A/Cdre-AVM I D N Lawson

 1 Feb 1967               AVM T N Stack

 9 Mar 1970               AVM F D Hughes

23 Sep 1972               AVM R D Austen-Smith

 9 Jul 1975                  AVM W E Colahan

28 Jan 1978                AVM D Harcourt-Smith

 9 Jan 1980                 AVM  B Brownlow

31 Jan 1982                AVM R C F Peirse

18 Jan 1985                AVM E H Macey

17 Jul 1987                 AVM R H Wood

 8 Dec 1989                AVM R M Austin

21 Feb 1992               AVM D Cousins

 7 Oct 1994                AVM A J Stables

22 Jan 1997                AVM J H Thompson

30 Jul 1998                 AVM T W Rimmer

21 Jul 2000                 AVM H G Mackay

27 Jun 2002                AVM A J Smith

 3 Dec 2003                A/Cdre M C Barter

 5 Dec 2005                A/Cdre R B Cunningham

xx xxx xxxx                  A/Cdre A D Stevenson

The Officers Advanced Training School

Formed 14 February 1944 at Cranwell as The Officers Advanced Training School, it was re-named No 1 OATS on 1 November 1944.  Its role was to provide training to officers destined for flight and squadron commander posts.  It moved to Digby on 27 August 1945 reverting to its original title on 1 December 1946.  Further moves took place to Hornchurch from 25 July 1947 and Bircham Newton on 25 October 1948, it disbanded in 1962.

xx Feb 1944                A/Cdre S H Hardy*?

23 Jun 1945                A/Cdre T G Pike*

xx xxx 1947                A/Cdre A McKee* 

No 1 School of Technical Training

Formed Sep 1918 as School of Technical Training. Renamed School of Technical Training (Boys), 23 Dec 1919. Renamed No 1 SoTT (Boys), 16 Mar 1920. Renamed No 1 SoTT (Apprentices), xx xxx 1925-9. Reduced to Group status within Training Command, 9 Jul 1936. Transferred to Technical Training Command, 27 May 1940?.  Transferred to Training Command, 1 Jun 1968.  Transferred to RAF Support Command, 13 Jun 1977.  Transferred to PTC, 1 Apr 1994.  Moved  to RAF Cosford, xx xxx 1997/8.  Absorbed into the Defence College of Aeronautical Engineering on 1 April 2004.

1920 - 1936 Commandant was the same as AOC, RAF Halton (See Command section)

.

.

4 Sep 1936:                A/Cdre G R M Reid

17 Aug 1938:              A/Cdre G B Dacre

xx xxx 1939:               AVM Sir Oliver Swann (Ret'd)

xx xxx 1940:               A/Cdre G B Dacre

xx xxx 1942                A/Cdre H G White

xx xxx 1946                A/Cdre J F Titmus

xx xxx 1949                A/Cdre N Carter

xx xxx 1951                A/Cdre J G Elton

xx xxx 1952                A/Cdre J G W Weston

xx xxx 1954                A/Cdre G N E Tindal-Carill-Worsley

xx xxx 1956                A/Cdre E D McK Nelson

xx xxx 1958                A/Cdre T N Coslett

xx xxx 1961                A/Cdre B Robinson

xx xxx 1963                A/Cdre D M Strong

xx xxx 1966                A/Cdre A C Deere

xx xxx 1967                A/Cdre H P Connelly

xx xxx 1968                A/Cdre R H G Weighill

28 Apr 1973               A/Cdre B Hamilton

 5 Jun 1975                 A/Cdre M P Stanton

xx xxx 1977                Gp Capt JP Downes

xx xxx 1979                Gp Capt O J Truelove

xx xxx 1981                Gp Capt M J Evans

xx xxx 1983                Gp Capt S P Rarsons

xx xxx 1984                Gp Capt R H Kyle

xx xxx 1986                Gp Capt S M Williamson-Noble

xx xxx 1988                Gp Capt I R Blunt

xx xxx 1991                Gp Capt R Brumpton

xx xxx 1993                Gp Capt G O Burton

Formed 1 April 1922 within Inland Area, to provide staff training to selected officers, usually of Flight Lieutenant or Squadron Leader rank to enable them to undertake staff officer duties at the Air ministry or Command/Group HQs.  It was closed the day war was declared, 3 September 1939 but in November, shortened courses were started again, however the College was placed under Care and Maintenance on 28 May 1940.  The Staff College re-opened at Bulstrode Park in December 1941.  In 1945 the Staff College relocated to Bracknell but a smaller Staff College was retained at Bulstode Park for the training of allied and foreign staff officers, this unit returning to Andover in 1948.  It was raised to Group status within Training Command on 1 June 1968 and eventually absorbed into RAF Staff College, Bracknell in 1970.

1 Apr 1922:             AVM H R M Brooke-Popham

28 Mar 1926:           A/Cdre E R Ludlow Hewitt

7 Sep 1930:              A/Cdre P B Joubert de la Ferte

12 Dec 1933:            AVM W R Freeman

1 Jan 1936:               AM Sir Arthur Barratt

xx xxx 1939:

28 May 1940            Placed on Care and Maintenance

26 Jul 1948               A/Cdre L W Cannon

xx xxx 1949              A/Cdre J N T Stephenson

31 Mar 1952            A/Cdre W G Cheshire

25 Apr 1953             A/Cdre G P Chamberlain

 1 May 1954             A/Cdre D W Lane

21 Apr 1958             A/Cdre E D McK Nelson

 3 Oct 1960              A/Cdre N C Hyde

24 Sep 1962             A/Cdre C V D Willis

 3 Mar 1965              A/Cdre W D Hodgkinson

 7 Mar 1966              A/Cdre P O V Green

 7 Oct 1968               A/Cdre J A G Jackson  

Formed on 12 December 1941, In July 1945 the main part of the Staff College moved to the old 2 TAF HQ building in Bracknell, but Bulstrode was retained to provide staff training to members of allied and foreign air forces.  In 1948 it moved back to the original Staff College location at Andover.

12 Dec 1941              AVM B E Sutton

xx Sep 1942               AVM R M Hill

xx Jul 1943                 A/Cdre A H Cobby RAAF

xx xxx 1943                AVM C E H Medhurst

xx Dec 1944               AVM R Graham

xx Jul 1945                 A/Cdre F J W Mellersh 

2 Jan 1947                  A/Cdre D A Boyle

xx xxx 1947                A/Cdre A W B McDonald

*

The major part of the Staff College at Bulstrode Park was re-located to Bracknell in July 1945 to continue the training of staff officers for the RAF.  It was transferred to Reserve Command on 1 May 1946 and to Home Command on  1 August 1950.  Training Command took control of the College on 1 June 1968 and RAF Support Command on 13 June 1973.  On 1 April 1994 control was transferred to Personnel and Training Command but it was disbanded by being absorbed into the Joint Services Command and Staff College on 1 January 1997.

Motto:    Visu et Nisu (by vision and effort)

xx Jul 1945                 AVM R Graham

xx Dec 1945:              AVM A P M Sanders

xx xxx 1947                AVM T M Williams

 1 Jan 1949                 AVM J D I Hardman

18 Jun 1951                AVM A D Gillmore

xx xxx 1953                AVM D Macfadyen

xx Apr 1956                AVM D F Barnett

  1 Aug 1956               AVM R Faville

 1 Jan 1957                 AVM S C Elworthy

 1 Dec 1959                AVM M L Heath

 1 Jan 1962                 AVM D J P Lee

 1 Jan 1965                 AVM T W Piper

 1 Jun 1966                 AVM D C Stapleton*

22 Apr 1968               AVM N M Maynard*

27 Sep 1970               AVM M J Beetham*

 2Oct 1972                 AVM A McK S Steedman*

16 Aug 1975               AVM K A Williamson*

23 Feb 1977               AVM J B Curtiss*

27 Feb 1980               AVM M Beavis*

21 Apr 1981               AVM D Parry-Evans*

29 Jan 1983                AVM A G Skingsley*

29 Sep 1984               AVM G A White*

 9 Feb 1987                AVM D T Bryant*

 6 Jan 1989                 AVM A F C Hunter*

 8 Aug 1990                AVM R G Peters**

 5 May 1993               AVM M P Donaldson

15 Jan 1996                AVM M Van Der Veen

*Also held post of AOC, Command and Staff Training.

**Continued as AOC, Command and Staff Training.

RAF Wing, Middle East Staff School

The Middle East Staff School was formed by the British Army at Haifa on 15 Feb 1940.  By January 1942 there had been 5 course held and three of these each included a single RAF officer.  For Course No 6 a separate Wing was established for RAF students, although they and the Army colleagues still carried out joint lectures and syndicates at times.  The school changed its name to Middle East Staff College between April and June 1943. (Dates shown are the start dates for courses, officers may have been in post earlier then this)

31 Jan 1942                           Wg Cdr B C Yarde

13 Jun 1942                           Gp Capt E R E Black

28 Dec 1942                          Gp Capt S B Harris

RAF Wing, Middle East Staff College

Formed between April and June 1943 by renaming the Middle East Staff School, the RAF Wing remaining under Army control. (Dates shown are the start dates for courses, officers may have been in post earlier then this)

xx xxx 1943                          Gp Capt S B Harris

26 Jun 1943                           Gp Capt S H C Gray

RAF Staff College (Overseas)

Formed on 1 September 1944 from the RAF Wing of the Middle East Staff College, administered by AHQ Levant and under the operational control of HQ Middle East Command.  The College closed on 5 October 1946 at the end of Course No 16. (Dates shown are the start dates for courses, officers may have been in post earlier then this)

 1 Sep 1944                           A/Cdre S H C Gray

 9 Aug 1945                           A/Cdre A G Adnams

The three entries above have been prepared using materials supplied by Gp Capt D J Read MA AMIBM RAF (Rtd)

Joint Services Staff College

 Formed 15 Jan 1947.  Its role was to train officers already qualified as staff officers in their own service for staff work in joint or combined HQs.  Its students would usually be of Commander, Lieutenant Colonel and Wing Commander rank.  It was renamed National Defence College, xx xxx 1971.

15 Jan 1947                R-Adm C E Douglas-Pennant

xx xxx xxxx                 Maj-Gen W H Stratton

26 Oct 1951                AVM L Darvall

xx Nov 1953               Rear -Adm W K Edden RN

 1 Mar 1956                Maj-Gen P N White

xx xxx 1958                 AVM Sir Laurence Sinclair

xx xxx 1960                 A/Cdre W Carter

 1 Oct 1962                 Maj-Gen C M F Deakin               

 5 Jul 1965                   AVM S W B Menaul

2 Sep 1970                  Maj-Gen T D H McMeekin

National Defence College

Formed 6 Aug 1971 by renaming the JSSC.  Renamed Joint Services Defence College, xx xxx 1983

 6 Aug 1971                Maj-Gen T D H McMeekin

 3 Nov 1972                AVM F B Sowrey

21 Jul 1975                  R-Adm D A Loram

21 Jul 1977:                  Maj-Gen A C Bate.

31 Dec 1979                AVM F D G Clark

xx Sep 1981                 R-Adm D C Jenkin

Joint Services Defence College

Formed xx xxx 1983 by renaming the National Defence College.  Absorbed into Joint Services Command and Staff College, 1 Jan 1997.

xx xxx xxxx

 4 Apr 1986                AVM B H Newton

14 Apr 1988

21 Apr 1992                AVM R P O'Brien

31 Mar 1994                Rear-Adm N J Wilkinson  

Joint Services Command and Staff College  

Formed 1 Jan 1997 to replace individual Staff Colleges for each service.

 .

.

.

*

1 Jan 1997                Rear-Adm N J Wilkinson RN?

1 Sep 1997               Maj-Gen T J Granville-Chapman

4 Jan 2000                AVM B K Burridge

28 Jan 2002              Rear-Adm R Lippett

3 Mar 2003               Maj-Gen John McColl

 1 Mar 2004              Maj-Gen N R Parker

xx Jul 2005                AVM N D A Maddox

xx Jul 2007                Rear-Adm N Morisetti

xx xxx xxxx                Maj-Gen G J Binns

xx Jul 2010                AVM R Lock

 Assistant Commandants (Air)

 1 Apr 1997                A/Cdre M G F White

12 Jan 1999                A/Cdre A D Sweetman

 3 Sep 2001                A/Cdre A P N Lambert

12 May 2003              A/Cdre I A Milne

31 May 2005              A/Cdre M J Harwood

Imperial Defence College

Formed 1 Sep 1926 to run advanced staff courses for senior officers from all Imperial forces. The first course began in January 1927.  Disbanded into RCDS?, 1 Dec 1970

1 Sep 1926:          V-Adm Sir Herbert Richmond

xx Jan 1929:          Maj-Gen W H Bartholomew     

19 Jan 1931:         AM Sir Robert Brooke-Popham

19 Jan 1933:         V-Adm/Adm Sir Lionel Preston

15 Jan 1935:         Maj-Gen R H Haining

1 Sep 1936:          AM Sir Arthur Longmore

 1 Jan 1939           V-Adm T H Binney

xx Dec 1945:        Gen Sir William Slim

 1 Jan 1948:          ACM Sir John Slessor

19 Sep 1949:        V-Adm Sir Charles Daniel

 1 Jan 1952:          Gen Sir Frank Simpson

 1 Jan 1954:          ACM Sir Arthur Sanders

 1 Jan1956:           Adm Sir Guy Russell

 1 Jan 1958:          Gen Sir William Oliver

 6 Jan 1958:          Gen Sir Geoffrey Bourne

xx xxx 1961:         Sir Robert Scott

25 Sep 1961:        ACM Sir Hugh Constantine

28 Jun 1964:         Adm Sir Deric Holland-Martin

 4 Jan 1966:          Gen Sir John Anderson

 8 Jan 1968:         ACM Sir Donald Evans

xx xxx 1970:          Mr Alastair Buchan

Senior RAF Directing Staff

27 Jul 1932:                Gp Capt W S Douglas

14 Jan 1936:               A/Cdre C F A Portal

3 Aug 1937:                A/Cdre D G Donald

xx xxx 1946                AVM H P Lloyd

xx xxx 1948                AVM R Ivelaw-Chapman

xx xxx 1950                AVM W Dawson

xx xxx 1952                AVM C B R Pelly

xx xxx 1954                AVM T N McEvoy

24 Feb 1956               AVM E C Hudleston

xx xxx 1957                AVM W G Cheshire 

 1 Mar 1959              AVM J G W Weston

xx xxx 1961                AVM P T Philpott

31 Jul 1963                AVM E G Jones

23 Jul 1965                AVM S B Grant

 8 Jan 1968                AVM M D Lyne

1 Jan 1970                  AVM C M Clementi

Royal College of Defence Studies

  Formed xx xxx 1970 by renaming the Imperial Defence College.

 .

.

.

*

xx xxx xxxx:              Mr Alastair Buchan

14 Jan 1972              Gen Sir Mervyn Butler  

19 Jan 1973              Gen Sir Antony Read

 7 Jan 1974               ACM Sir John Barraclough

13 Jan 1976               V-Adm Sir Ian Easton

 9 Jan 1978               Gen Sir David Fraser

 7 Jan 1980               ACM Sir Robert Freer

 6 Jan 1982               V-Adm Sir William Pillar

xx Jan 1984              Gen Sir Michael Gow

 6 Jan 1986               V-Adm Sir David Halifax

 4 Jan 1988               ACM Sir Michael Armitage  

 3 Jan 1990               Lt-Gen Sir Antony Walker

xx xxx 1992              ?

1 Apr 1994               AM Sir Timothy Garden

20 Dec 1995             Lt-Gen S C Grant

15 Aug 1998             V-Adm J H S McAnally RN