J H W Becke_P

Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation

John Harold Whitworth             b: 17 Sep 1879            r: 29 Feb 1920                     d: 7 Feb 1949

CMG - 3 Jun 1918, DSO - 1 Jan 1917, AFC - 3 Jun 1919, MiD - 17 Feb 1915, MiD - 20 May 1918, LoH, O - 24 Feb 1916, CdeG (F) - 18 Apr 1918.

For a list of foreign decoration abbreviations, click here

(Militia): - 2 Lt: 20 Dec 1899,

(Army): - 2 Lt: 4 May 1901, Lt: 1 Apr 1905, Capt: 28 Sep 1909, (T) Maj:  1 Feb 1914, (B) Maj: 24 Jun 1914, (T) Lt Col: 1 Nov 1915, Brig-Gen: 20 Dec 1916, (B) Lt Col: 1 Jan 1918,

(RAF):- (T) Brig-Gen [Lt Col]: 1 Apr 1918, Act Brig-Gen: 1 May 1919 - 1 Aug 1919, (H) Brig-Gen: 1 Aug 1919 - 29 Feb 1920, Gp Capt: 4 Aug 1919, A/Cdre: Retained

20 Dec 1899:              Officer, 4th Battalion The Sherwood Foresters (Derbyshire Regiment)

11 Jan 1900:             Served in South Africa 

4 May 1901:             Officer, Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Regiment

18 Sep 1902:              Served in UK

24 Jan 1903:              Served in China

 1 Jan 1904:               Assistant Adjutant, North China Wing

 7 Dec 1904:               Served in Straits Settlement (Singapore)

12 Dec 1906:              Served in Bangalore, India

19 Dec 1909:              Served in Secunderabad, India

28 Aug 1912:              Attended Central Flying School.

28 Oct 1912:               Flight Commander, No 2 Sqn RFC.

 1 Feb 1914:                Officer Commanding, No 6 Sqn RFC. (Various types – UK and Western Front)

 7 Oct 1914:                Officer Commanding, No 2 Sqn RFC

13 Feb 1915:               Repatriated to UK by Hospital Ship

18 Feb 1915:               Admitted to Hospital (Nocton Hall)

 2 Mar 1915:               Sick Leave 

  9 Apr 1915:              Officer Commanding, No 2 Reserve Sqn RFC

2 Jun 1915:                 Officer Commanding, No 2 Sqn RFC.

5 Nov 1915:               Officer Commanding, 7th (Corps) Wing.

30 Jan 1916:               Officer Commanding, 1st (Corps) Wing.

16 Dec 1916:              Brigadier-General Commanding, IV Brigade

15 Nov 1917:             Brigadier-General Commanding, II Brigade.

 1 Apr 1918:               Posted to Northern Training Brigade, No 4 Area, pending posting

 3 Apr 1918:               Returned to Home Establishment

 4 Apr 1918:               GOC, No 16 Group.

11 Mar 1919:             Air Ministry, pending posting

12 Mar 1919:             GOC, 9th Brigade

 1 Aug 1919:              Awarded Permanent Commission as a Colonel

 5 Aug 1919:              GOC, 2nd Brigade

16 Sep 1919:             Returned to Home Establishment

30 Sep 1919:             Posted to Southern Area, awaiting disposal

 8 Jan 1920:               Officer Commanding, Air Council Inspection Sqn.

16 Feb 1920:             Officer Commanding, No 1 Group.

29 Feb 1920:              Placed on the Retired List and granted the honorary rank of Brigadier-General.

During the South African War of 1899-1902, he served as a Railway Staff Officer and saw action in Transvaal, Orange River Colony and Cape Colony.  He gained RAeC Certificate No 236 on 18 June 1912.  He and Lt P L W Herbert, flew a Maurice Farman from Aldershot to Plymouth (160 miles) in December 1912 to take part in the mobilisation of the Plymouth Garrison, in which their regiment, The Sherwood Foresters, were taking part.

He formed No 6 Sqn, which began experiments with W/T, but his unit was used to reinforce No 2 Sqn and his squadron did not arrive in France until October 1914.

This page was last updated on 16/06/20

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