Royal Air Force Officers 1939-1945 -- O

Royal Air Force (RAF) Officers
1939-1945

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Only RAF officers of ranks below Air Commodore will be shown here in detail. Abbreviations and explanations can be found at the help page.

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

J.S. O'Brien to M.N. Oxford

O'Brien,
Joseph Somerton
"Joe"

Son (with one brother) of Wulstan Hubert O'Brien (1883-1917), and Edith Somerton (1885-1971).
Married (09.07.1938, Church of English Martyrs, Streatham, Wandsworth) Marguerite Josephine O'Reilly (04.01.1918 - 15.12.1996), daughter of Gerald O'Reilly, and Phyllis Morse; one daughter.

09.04.1912
Calcutta, India
-
07.09.1940
(KIA) [age 28]
[Orpington (St Mary Gray) Cemetery]

(A) P/O (prob) 16.03.1934 [34171]

P/O 16.03.1935

F/O 16.10.1936

(A) F/Lt. 16.10.1937

F/Lt. 16.10.1938

(T) Sq.Ldr. 01.06.1940

DFC 30.07.1940 ?

MID 11.07.1940 ?

16.03.1934 commissioned, RAF (General Duties Branch)

(06.1940) - 01.07.1940 23 Squadron RAF
[his Bristol Blenheim Mk. IF [YP-X] crashed near Newmarket while on nihgt patrol; baled out into safety, two others died]

01.07.1940 - 17.08.1940 attached, 92 Squadron RAF

17.08.1940 - 07.09.1940 Commanding Officer, 234 Squadron RAF (Middle Wallop)
[his Spitfire Mk.1 P9466 was shot down at 18.25 hrs over Kent by enemy aircraft and crashed near Biggin Hill]

5 victories, of which 4 official: 1 Ju 88 21.08.1940, 1 Bf 109 24.08.1940, 2 Bf 109 06.09.1940

O'Connor,
Charles Patrick

Son of Charles William Patrick O'Connor, journalist, and Constance Wharton Price.
Married ((09?).1943, Brighton district, Sussex) Mary Loveday P. Bingham, of Burrington, Devon; ... children (one son?).
13.08.1919
St Marylebone district, London
-
13.11.1944
(MPK) [age 25]
[Runnymede Memorial, panel 203]

Sgt.
581059

P/O (prob)
09.08.1941 [46516]

P/O
09.08.1942, seniority 09.08.1941

(WS) F/O
09.08.1942

(WS) F/Lt.
09.08.1943

MID
?
?

09.08.1941

commissioned, RAF (General Duties Branch) [emergency commission]

?
-
13.11.1944
407 Squadron RAF (Coastal Command)
[seconded to the RCAF to do special duties (with a new type radar when missing over the Irish sea & NW approaches)]

O'Driscoll,
Finan
F. O'Driscoll (Photo courtesy of Mr James O'Driscoll)
Son of Florence O'Driscoll, and of Eily O'Driscoll; husband of Elizabeth Marion Herdman O'Driscoll, of Kensington, London.
18.07.1916
Liverpool
-
16.01.1942
(KIA) [age 25]
[Singapore Memorial, column 411]

(A) P/O (prob)
24.08.1936 [39109]

P/O
03.07.1937

F/O
03.07.1939

F/Lt.
03.09.1940

(T) Sq.Ldr.
01.12.1941

39|45 St
?
?

Pac St
?
?

Def Med
?
?

BWM
?
?

Education: King's College School, Wimbledon

28.06.1936

joined RAF

24.08.1936

first commission RAF - General Duties Branch

started flying Tiger Moths at Filton Flying Training School

03.07.1940

transferred, Reserve of Air Force Officers (and called up for air force service)

?
-
16.01.1942
34 Squadron RAF (flying Hawker Hart, then Hawker Audax, then Bristol Blenheim Mk1's, until the squadron was re-equipped with Mk1V Blenheim's)

Ogden,
Cecil Victor
"Micky"
C.V. Ogden (Photo courtesy of Mr Michael Ogden)
Married (02.1945, Algiers) Agnes Elizabeth "Betty" Mansell (23.01.1908 - 06.2001); one son, one daughter.

10.07.1903
Kasauli, India
-
21.10.2002
Glamorgan

P/O (prob) 15.03.1929 [28003]

P/O 15.03.1930

F/O 15.09.1930

F/Lt. 01.04.1937, seniority 01.04.1936

(WS) Sq.Ldr. 17.01.1943 (Emgcy List 1947) (retd 10.02.1954; retaining rank of W/Cdr.)

(T?) W/Cdr. ?

Education: Bishop's High School, Poona; King Edward V Grammar School, Lichfield; Gosport Secondary School, Gosport, Hampshire.

1922 enlisted RAF

15.03.1929 commissioned, RAF (General Duties Branch) [short service commission]

04.03.1930 26 Squadron RAF (Catterick)

1931 qualified as instructor, Central Flying School

16.12.1931 No. 5 Flying Training School RAF (Sealand)

19.07.1933 - 1934 16 (AC) Squadron RAF (Old Sarum)

15.03.1934 transferred, Reserve of Air Force Officers (General Duties Branch) (Class A)

Joined the Bristol Aeroplane Company as a test pilot, and the Wessex Aero Club as a flying instructor.

01.11.1941 activated

23.11.1941 2 Operational Training Unit (Catfoss)

18.01.1942 236 Squadron RAF 9Carew Cheriton, South Wales)

02.1942 272 Squadron RAF (from ... as Commanding Officer)

09.1942

posted to defend Teheran with a wing of Hawker Hurricanes

02.03.1943 wing commander in Malta and Algeria in preparation for the Allied landings in the south of France

10.1943 posted to Takali

18.02.1944 - 01.07.1944 Station Commander, RAF Halfar (Malta)

07.1944 Senior Air Staff Officer, Maison Blanche, Algiers

Ogilvie,
Donald Gordon
D.G. Ogilvie (Photo courtesy of Mr Mark Ogilvie)

Married Iris "Fluff" Jones (12.04.1915 - 18.12.12006) (who was renowned for being one of only two nursing sisters present at the Normandy landings; she remarried 1949 Maj. William Bower).
03.11.1916
-
13.06.1943
(KIA) [age 26]
[burial 15.06.1943 Flushing (Vlissingen) Northern Cemetery, the Netherlands, E.20]

(A) P/O (prob)
09.08.1937 [40010]

P/O
24.05.1938

F/O
24.12.1939

(A) F/Lt.
1940?

F/Lt.
24.12.1940

(T) Sq.Ldr.
01.03.1942

DFC
11.02.1941
?

09.08.1937

commissioned, RAF (General Duties Branch) [short service commission]

(1941)

44 Squadron RAF

?
-
13.06.1943
180 Squadron RAF
[took off about 08.45 hrs in his Mitchell II [FL677] for an attack on the Schelde Shipyard & Dornier aircraft wing factory at Flushing, the Netherlands; was shot down over sea by Marineflakabteilung 810 at 09.16 hrs some 2½ km WNW of Flushing, 800 m from the dunes]

Oliver,
George Robert
G.R. Oliver 01.10.1895
-

Sq.Ldr.
01.07.1936

W/Cdr.
?

(T) Gp.Capt.
01.01.1943 (retd 01.10.1945)

01.04.1918

first commission RAF

Oliver,
John Oliver William
"Doggie"
J.O.W. Oliver
Eldest son of William Oliver, and Cicely Young, of Horsham, Sussex.
Married 1st ((09?).1935, Watford district, Hertfordshire; divorced 1951) Irene Yvonne Oxberry (09.12.1916 - 01.1996); one son, two daughters.
Married 2nd (19.02.1954, Kensington district, London; divorced 1960) Christina Gordon Guthrie ((09?).1925 - ), of Farningham, Kent.
Married 3rd ((12?).1962, Harrow district, Middlesex) Anne Fraser Porteous (17.02.1928 - 01.2001); one son, two daughters (including twin son and daughter). 11.10.1911
Chelsea district, London
-
04.02.1997
Portsmouth district, Hampshire

P/O 25.07.1931 [26208]

F/O 25.01.1933

F/Lt. 01.04.1936

Sq.Ldr. 01.12.1938

(A) W/Cdr. 1940?

(T) W/Cdr. 01.03.1941

(WS) W/Cdr. 04.03.1943

W/Cdr. 01.10.1946

(A) Gp.Capt. 1942?

(T) Gp.Capt. 01.01.1944-01.11.1947

Gp.Capt. 01.01.1949 (retd 15.10.1961)

CB 02.01.1950 ?

DSO 31.05.1940 *

DFC 31.05.1940 **

MID 01.01.1941 ?

MID 14.01.1944 ?

* This officer commanded a squadron in France until he was invalided to England on 19th May, 1940. The small losses in his squadron were directly due to his leadership and instruction. Over 50 enemy aircraft have been brought down by the squadron, of which Squadron Leader Oliver himself accounted for at least eight. Although ill from the effects of Glycol when his engine was damaged, he did not allow his condition to handicap his flying or his administration. He was an incomparable fighter commander and his personal example in the air and on the ground was a very great inspiration to his pilots. It was, in fact, necessary to restrain him from flying again after his aircraft had been shot down and he had landed by parachute.
** This officer commanded his squadron extremely well and has led two escort formations of 24 aircraft each to a distance of 140 miles from their base. During these escorts the formations accounted for more than a dozen enemy aircraft. In addition, in May, 1940, he shot down an enemy aircraft which crashed at Hazebrouck and he has led his section magnificently on many occasions. His sangfroid and calm outlook have encouraged his squadron to a remarkable degree and the excellent spirit of the squadron and his gallant leadership is reflected in the successes attained Education: Christ's Hospital; RAF College, Cranwell (01.1929-1931).

25.07.1931 commissioned, RAF (General Duties Branch)

09.1931 43 (Fighter) Squadron RAF (Tangmere & Iraq)

28.02.1933 55 (Bomber) Squadron RAF (Iraq)

16.09.1935 - 14.12.1935 Flying Instructor's Course, Central Flying School RAF (Category B Instructor, recategorized to A2 05.1937)

16.12.1935 No. 3 Flying Training School RAF (Grantham)

07.07.1936 Adjutant, RAF Station Amman (Transjordan)

28.12.1936 No. 4 Flying Training School RAF (Abu Sueir, Egypt)

19.12.1937 Air Staff, HQ RAF, Mediterranean (Malta)

18.01.1940 - 19.05.1940 Commanding Officer, 85 (Fighter) Squadron RAF (BEF, France)

Fighter Command & Tactical Air Force (training for Operation Overlord, Normandy 06.06.1944)

Staff Colleges, Camberley & Bracknell (qs)

1948 - 1950 Assistant Commandant, RAF College, Cranwell

1951 - ? Senior Air Staff Officer (SASO) 2 Group RAF (Germany);

? - ? Commanding Officer, RAF Station Kabrit (Egypt)

11.1955 HQ 18 Group RAF (for administrative staff duties)

? - ? Group Captain Operations, Egypt

? - 1958 Senior Air Staff Officer (SASO), Iraq

1958 - 1960 Assistant Chief of Staff (ACOS) Operations, Allied Forces Northern Europe

Personnel Officer, ENV (Engineering) Ltd, 1961; Staff Institute Personnel Management, 1962; Personnel Manager, Humber Ltd, 1963; Manager, Training and Administrative Service, Rootes, Coventry, 1965; Senior Training Officer, Engineering lndustry Training Board, 1968; Personnel and Training Manager, Thorn Group, 1970-76, retired.
Published: The Qualifications of a Fighter Pilot, in: Royal United Services Institution Journal, (1942) 87:547, 222-226

Ommanney,
Montagu Douglas
M.D. Ommanney ?
-

Sq.Ldr.
01.12.1936

Education: psa

O'Neill,
John Anthony
"Tony"
J.A. O'Neill
Married Phyl (predeceased him); one daughter.
07.10.1915
-
15.05.2008
Surrey

P/O
15.03.1935 [37117]

...
...

W/Cdr.
01.07.1947 (retd 29.11.1957; retaining rank of Gp.Capt.)

DFC
30.07.1940
?

15.03.1935

commissioned, RAF (General Duties Branch)

...
-
...
...

Opie,
William Alfred
W.A. Opie ?
-

Sq.Ldr.
01.12.1936

Education: psa

qualified at specialist engineering course

Over,
James Henry
J.H. Over (Photo courtesy of Mr Jonathan H. Over)
Son (with two(?) brothers and one(?) sister) of James Henry Over (1881-19141), and Nellie Boyer (1885-1950).
Married (Leuchars, Fife) Jean Alice Tait Gow (17.11.1909 - 07.1987), daughter (with three brothers and two sisters) of John Boyd Jock Gow (1882-), and Margaret Raich Gow (1881-1956), of Blairgowrie, Perthshire; one daughter, two sons. 05.06.1905
Byfield, Daventry district, Northamptonshire
-
08.09.1985
Scone, Perthshire, Scotland

(T) Wt.Offr. ? [356596]

F/O (prob) 31.05.1940, seniority 02.05.1940 [43672]

(WS) F/Lt. (prob) 01.03.1941

(WS) F/Lt. 31.05.1941

(WS) Sq.Ldr. 01.09.1942 (reld 08.07.1945; medical unfitness for Air Force service; retaining rank of W/Cdr.)

(A) W/Cdr. (1942)

MID 01.01.1942 ?

MID 11.06.1942 ?

MID 08.06.1944 ?

Education: Magdalene College School, Brackley, Northamptonshire.

31.05.1940 commissioned, RAF (Administrative and Special Duties Branch)

served with 11 Group RAF

His son writes: "Served in India, Peshawar, on North West Frontier, 1928. later, 1930’s for period on the aircraft carrier HMS Furious. Wartime as ATC, service at a number of stations, including Rudlow Manor, under AVM Leigh-Mallory. Mentioned in despatches three times, unfortunately have no details."

Owen,
Norman Tudor
N.T. Owen (Photo courtesy of Mr Peter Owen)
Son (with one brother) of Edward Tudor Owen (1887-1951), and Margaret Tees Trench (1895-1966).
Married (10.03.1945, St John's Churh, Stafford, Staffordshire) Pte. Ruby Margery Scruton, ATS (04.08.1925 - 17.06.2008), daughter (with one brother and two sisters) of Ralph Redvers Scruton (1900-1984), and Gladys Mary Mould (1903-1996); four sons. 08.07.1920
Toxteth Park district, Lancashire
-
13.11.2006
Stafford district, Staffordshire

Sgt. ? [551950]

P/O (prob) 29.03.1944 [54653]

(WS) F/O 29.09.1944
13.04.1948, seniority 20.03.1945

F/O 16.10.1946
03.03.1947, seniority 26.05.1945
13.04.1948, seniority 17.09.1945

F/Lt. 17.03.1949 (retd 26.12.1953)

29.03.1944 commissioned, RAF (General Duties Branch) [emergency commission]

? - 08.07.1944 57 Squadron RAF
[Taken off at 22:21 hrs 07.07.1944 from East Kirkby in Lancaster JB370 (DX-O) for an operation to destroy a flying-bomb storage depot at St-Leu-d'Esserent. Crashed at about 01:45 hrs in open country some 9 km SE from Montdiddier. Three members of the crew were captured, four others, including F/O Owen, evaded capture.]

17.07.1945 transferred, RAF (Administrative and Special Duties Branch)

16.10.1946 extended service commission

01.01.1947 transferred, RAF (Aircraft Control Branch)

Oxford,
Maxwell Norman
"Max"

Married (01.1944) Audrey Mary Horsfall.

03.05.1905
Parkstone, Poole district, Dorset
-
01.08.1980
Topsham, Exeter, Devon

P/O (prob)
20.04.1928 [27040]

P/O
13.04.1929

F/O
20.10.1929, seniority 13.10.1929

F/Lt.
16.08.1937

(T) Sq.Ldr.
03.09.1941

(WS) Sq.Ldr.
21.12.1944

OBE
01.01.1959
New Year 59

20.04.1928

commissioned, RAF (General Duties Branch) [short service commission]

08.10.1932

transferred, Reserve of Air Force Officers

(1932)

ADC to the Governor of Nyasaland [gained pilot's licence # 10829 at 12.10.1932]

11.08.1936

transferred from Class C to Class A

28.08.1939

mobilized

12.1941

escaped from Hong Kong

air attaché at the Chungking Embassy

Civil servant. Director of Civil Aviation, Federation of Malaya, late 1950s.

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