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Air Marshal Sir John Rene Whitley, KBE, CB, DSO, AFC & Bar (7 September 1905 – 26 December 1997) was a senior commander in the Royal Air Force during the Second World War and also in the post-war years.

RAF career

Whitley joined the Royal Air Force in 1926. While serving in India, he was awarded the Air Force Cross for relief flights after the 1935 Quetta earthquake. He served in the Second World War as Officer Commanding No. 149 Squadron and then as Station Commander at RAF Linton-on-Ouse. In April 1943, he was shot down in a Halifax bomber over Belgium. Landing by parachute in Northern France, with the help of the French Resistance he escaped through the Basque country to Spain. Returning to England, he continued his war service as Station Commander at RAF Lissett and then as Air Officer Commanding No. 43 Base. He went on to be Air Officer Commanding No. 4 Group and then Air Officer Commanding No. 8 Group.

After the war he served as Assistant Air Officer Administration at Headquarters Air Command South East Asia and then as Station Commander at RAF Karachi. He was appointed Director of Organisation (Establishments) at the Air Ministry in 1947 and Air Officer Administration at Headquarters Second Tactical Air Force in 1951. He went on to be Air Officer Commanding No. 1 Group in 1953, Air Member for Personnel in 1957 and Inspector-General of the RAF in 1959 before retiring in 1962.

References

1. ^ Air of Authority – A History of RAF Organisation – Air Marshal Sir John Whitley
2. Brickhill, P. (1962) Escape - or Die Pan London, pp. 137-155
3. Royal Air Force Bomber Command 60th Anniversary: Bomber Command Archived 2011-05-14 at the Wayback Machine

• 1905 births
• 1997 deaths
• Companions of the Order of the Bath
• Companions of the Distinguished Service Order
• Knights Commander of the Order of the British Empire
• Recipients of the Air Force Cross (United Kingdom)
• Royal Air Force air marshals of World War II