Royal Air Force (Volunteer Reserve) Officers 1939-1945 -- A

Royal Air Force (Volunteer Reserve) (RAF(VR)) Officers
1939-1945

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For detailed biographies of key RAF personnel (Air Commodore and higher) there is already an excellent website: www.rafweb.org
Only RAF officers of ranks below Air Commodore will be shown here.

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

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Adkins,
Hubert John
H.J. Adkins 27.05.1883
Bromsgrove district, Hereford and Worcester / Shropshire / Staffordshire / Worcestershire
-
17.10.1958
[Saint Andrew Churchyard
Cranwell, Lincolnshire]

P/O RAF
01.04.1918 [13054]

...
...

F/Lt. RAF
01.07.1927 (retd 27.05.1933) (reactivated 01.09.1939) (retd 28.03.1945; retaining rank of W/Cdr.)

(T) W/Cdr.
?

01.04.1918

first commission RAF (General Duties Branch)

01.09.1939
-
28.03.1945
served RAFVR (Administrative and Special Duties Branch) (for Special Duties)

Aiken,
Harold Patrick
H.P. Aiken
Married Joan Rosamond D'Esterre (died 15.04.2008); one daughter, three sons.
?
-
?

P/O (prob)
29.10.1939 [75680]

P/O
28.10.1940

(WS) F/O
28.10.1940
27.02.1941, seniority 27.02.1941 (reduction)

(WS) F/Lt.
27.05.1942 (reld 30.03.1946; medical unfitness for air force service)

28.10.1939

first commission RAFVR (General Duties Branch)

Ames,
Leslie Ethelbert George
"Les"
L.E.G. Ames

03.12.1905
Elham, Kent
-
27.02.1990
Canterbury, Kent

P/O (prob)
26.01.1940 [77316]

P/O
26.01.1941

F/O
26.01.1941

(T) F/Lt.
01.06.1942

(WS) F/Lt.
03.08.1943

(A) Sq.Ldr.
?

26.01.1940

first commission, RAF (Administrative and Special Duties Branch) (for Physical Training Duties)

(1944)

Commanding Officer, RAF Harrogate (for flying training?)

Famous cricket player. After his final playing season in 1951, Ames became a successful manager and administrator. He managed MCC tours to the West Indies in 1967–8 and Sri Lanka and Pakistan in 1968–9. He was also the first professional to be appointed as a selector in 1950, continuing until 1956 and serving again in 1958. He was the secretary and manager of Kent County Cricket Club, taking Kent to win the County Championship in 1970.

Andrews,
Leonard Stanley
L.S. Andrews

?
-

Sgt.
? [1309009]

P/O (prob)
14.02.1942 [116961]

(WS) F/O (prob)
01.10.1942

(WS) F/Lt.
14.02.1944

DFC
17.08.1945
?

14.02.1942

first commission, RAFVR (General Duties Branch) [emergency commission]

(1945)

45 Squadron RAF

Armitage,
Dennis Lockhart
D.L. Armitage 28.03.1912
-
03.2004
Winchester, Hampshire

Airman
12.1937 [741076]

P/O
10.12.1939 [76573]

F/O
?

(A) F/Lt.
?

(WS) F/Lt.
19.09.1941

(A) Sq.Ldr.
1941? (reld late 1945)

DFC
18.07.1941
destroyed a Junkers Ju 88 12.08.40

12.1937

joined the RAFVR at Hythe as "Airman under training to be Pilot"

01.09.1939

called up for full-time service, RAF, General Duties Branch

01.09.1939
-
(12?).1939
flying training at No. 2 Flying Training School, Brize Norton

10.12.1939

03.08.1940
-

05.1941

266 Squadron RAF (Sutton Bridge, from 03.1940 Martlesham Heath, from 05.1940 Wittering)
'A' Flight Commander

20.06.1941
-
21.09.1941
CO 129 Squadron RAF (Leconfield)
[on a Wing-escort for bombers attacking targets in France, he was hit and baled out and taken PoW, No. 3800]

28.03.1957

relinquished commission on the RAFVR Emergency List as Flight Lieutenant, retaining the rank of Squadron Leader

Arnold,
Philip Sydney
P.S. Arnold (Photo courtesy of Mr Tony Arnold)
Son of Robert William and Jennie Evelyn Arnold, of Ilford, Essex.
Married Marie Eileen Arnold; two sons.

02.02.1905
Ilford, Essex
-
07.06.1944
(KIA) [age 39]
[Runnymede Memorial, panel 204]

Cpl.
? [846159]

(A) P/O (prob)
22.07.1942, seniority 13.06.1942 [125382]

P/O (prob)
22.09.1942, seniority 13.08.1942

(WS) F/O (prob)
22.03.1943

P/O
29.08.1943

(WS) F/O
29.02.1944

Education: Cranbrook College, Ilford, Essex.

served in the ranks, RAFVR (possibly served some time in Air Sea Rescue duty)

22.07.1942

first commission, RAFVR (Balloon Branch) [emergency commission]

29.08.1943

transferred (at own request) to General Duties Branch with rank of Pilot Officer

?
-
07.06.1944
mid upper gunner, 106 Squadron RAF
[his Lancaster III [ND680 ZN-P] took off from Metheringham at 0030 hrs to bomb communications in the area around Coutances when it became a casualty; F/O P.S. Arnold & Sgt. E.E.J. Wiggins lost their lives; five others survived]

Arnott,
Philip Lintott
P.L. Arnott
15.07.1917
-
07.1994
Bridport, Dorset

Ldg. Aircraftman
? [1259148]

P/O (prob)
23.03.1941 [63090]

...
...

W/Cdr.
? (retd 01.06.1963; own request)

DFC
19.02.1943
*

* This officer has completed a very large number of operational missions, including sorties over Holland, Northern France and Brittany. He is a skilful leader whose zeal and fine fighting qualities have set a praiseworthy example.

23.03.1941

first commission, RAFVR (General Duties Branch)

(1943)

130 Squadron RAF

(06.1944)

234 Squadron RAF (escorted glider tugs for the Normandy landings)

Ashton,
Thomas Reginald
T.R. Ashton
?
-
22.07.1942
(KIA)
[Bergen op Zoom War Cemetery, The Netherlands, 31.A.4]

Ldg. Aircraftman
? [1282891]

P/O (prob)
15.08.1941 [104333]

P/O
?

15.08.1941

first commission, RAFVR (General Duties Branch)

?
-
22.07.1942
Wireless Operator/Air Gunner, 408 (RCAF) Squadron
[the Hampden I (AT139 EQ-A Bar) took off at Balderton 23.41 hrs 21.07.1944 for an operation against Duisburg; the plane crashed in the Waddenzee, off Den Burg, Texel]

Austin,
Guy Paul Wentworth
G.P.W. Austin
Son of Mr. and Mrs. R.G.L. Austin, of Roundebosche, Cape Province, South Africa.
1914 ?
-
15.10.1940
(KIA) [age 26]
[Berlin 1939 - 1945 War Cemetery, Germany, 9.E.15]

(A) P/O (prob)
15.01.1940 [77130]

P/O (prob)
13.07.1940

15.01.1940

joined RAF (General Duties Branch)

?
-
15.10.1940
9 Squadron RAF [his Wellington bomber IC T2464 WS-K crashed while on an operation against Magdeburg at Salzwedel (74 km NNW of Magdeburg); all 6 crew members were killed]

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