Hugh Walmsley
Encyclopedia
Air Marshal
Sir Hugh Sidney Porter Walmsley KCB
KCIE
CBE
MC
DFC
(6 June 1898 – 2 September 1985) was a senior commander in the Royal Air Force
during and after World War II
.
, Walmsley was commissioned into the Loyal North Lancashire Regiment in January 1916 during World War I
. He was seconded to the Royal Flying Corps
later that year and received a permanent commission in the Royal Air Force in 1919. He was appointed Officer Commanding
No. 33 Squadron
in 1933 and Officer Commanding No. 8 Squadron in 1935 before becoming Station Commander at RAF Abingdon
in 1937.
He served in World War II
as Officer Commanding No. 71 Wing and Officer Commanding RAF Scampton
before transferring to Headquarters RAF Bomber Command
. He continued his war service as Air Officer Commanding No. 6 (Bomber) Group, Air Officer Commanding No. 91 Group and as Senior Air Staff Officer at Headquarters Bomber Command. Finally he was made Air Officer Commanding No. 4 Group
in May 1945.
After the War he served with Transport Command in South East Asia before being appointed Air Officer Administration at AHQ India in June 1946. He went on to be Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief at RAF India in November 1946, Deputy Chief of the Air Staff
in February 1948 and Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief at Flying Training Command
in 1950 before retiring in 1952.
In retirement he became Managing Director of Air Service Training Limited
at Hamble
.
Air Marshal
Air marshal is a three-star air-officer rank which originated in and continues to be used by the Royal Air Force...
Sir Hugh Sidney Porter Walmsley KCB
Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
KCIE
Order of the Indian Empire
The Most Eminent Order of the Indian Empire is an order of chivalry founded by Queen Victoria in 1878. The Order includes members of three classes:#Knight Grand Commander #Knight Commander #Companion...
CBE
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
MC
Military Cross
The Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
DFC
Distinguished Flying Cross (United Kingdom)
The Distinguished Flying Cross is a military decoration awarded to personnel of the United Kingdom's Royal Air Force and other services, and formerly to officers of other Commonwealth countries, for "an act or acts of valour, courage or devotion to duty whilst flying in active operations against...
(6 June 1898 – 2 September 1985) was a senior commander in the Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
during and after World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
RAF career
Educated at Dover CollegeDover College
Dover College is a co-educational independent school in Dover in southeast England. It was founded in 1871, and takes both day pupils and boarders....
, Walmsley was commissioned into the Loyal North Lancashire Regiment in January 1916 during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. He was seconded to the Royal Flying Corps
Royal Flying Corps
The Royal Flying Corps was the over-land air arm of the British military during most of the First World War. During the early part of the war, the RFC's responsibilities were centred on support of the British Army, via artillery co-operation and photographic reconnaissance...
later that year and received a permanent commission in the Royal Air Force in 1919. He was appointed Officer Commanding
Officer Commanding
The Officer Commanding is the commander of a sub-unit or minor unit , principally used in the United Kingdom and Commonwealth. In other countries, the term Commanding Officer is applied to commanders of minor as well as major units.Normally an Officer Commanding is a company, squadron or battery...
No. 33 Squadron
No. 33 Squadron RAF
No. 33 Squadron of the Royal Air Force operates the Puma HC.1 from RAF Benson, Oxfordshire.-Current role:The squadron is part of the RAF Support Helicopter force, which reports into the Joint Helicopter Command....
in 1933 and Officer Commanding No. 8 Squadron in 1935 before becoming Station Commander at RAF Abingdon
RAF Abingdon
RAF Abingdon was a Royal Air Force station near Abingdon, Oxfordshire. It is now known as Dalton Barracks and is used by the Royal Logistic Corps....
in 1937.
He served in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
as Officer Commanding No. 71 Wing and Officer Commanding RAF Scampton
RAF Scampton
Royal Air Force Station Scampton is a Royal Air Force station situated north of Lincoln in England, near the village of Scampton, on the site of an old First World War landing field.-First World War:...
before transferring to Headquarters RAF Bomber Command
RAF Bomber Command
RAF Bomber Command controlled the RAF's bomber forces from 1936 to 1968. During World War II the command destroyed a significant proportion of Nazi Germany's industries and many German cities, and in the 1960s stood at the peak of its postwar military power with the V bombers and a supplemental...
. He continued his war service as Air Officer Commanding No. 6 (Bomber) Group, Air Officer Commanding No. 91 Group and as Senior Air Staff Officer at Headquarters Bomber Command. Finally he was made Air Officer Commanding No. 4 Group
No. 4 Group RAF
No. 4 Group was a Royal Air Force group, originally formed in World War I, and reformed in the wake of the Second World War, mostly part of RAF Bomber Command, but ending its days in RAF Transport Command.-Formation in World War I:...
in May 1945.
After the War he served with Transport Command in South East Asia before being appointed Air Officer Administration at AHQ India in June 1946. He went on to be Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief at RAF India in November 1946, Deputy Chief of the Air Staff
Deputy Chief of the Air Staff
The Deputy Chief of the Air Staff was a senior appointment in the Royal Air Force. The incumbent was the deputy to the Chief of the Air Staff. The post existed from 1918 to 1968 or 1969...
in February 1948 and Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief at Flying Training Command
RAF Flying Training Command
Flying Training Command was an organization within the Royal Air Force which controlled units responsible for delivering flying training. The command's headquarters were at Shinfield Park, Reading in Berkshire.-History:...
in 1950 before retiring in 1952.
In retirement he became Managing Director of Air Service Training Limited
Air Service Training
Air Service Training is an organisation in Perth, Scotland, that has been training engineers and pilots for airlines, maintenance organisations and the military since 1931...
at Hamble
Hamble-le-Rice
Hamble-le-Rice is a village in the Borough of Eastleigh in Hampshire, UK. It is best known for being an aircraft training centre during the Second World War and is a popular yachting location...
.