John Whitworth (RAF officer)
Appearance
John Nicholas Haworth Whitworth | |
---|---|
![]() Air Vice Marshal Ralph Cochrane, Wing Commander Guy Gibson, King George VI and Group Captain Whitworth (shown on the right) discussing the 'Dambusters Raid' in May 1943 | |
Born | Buenos Aires, Argentina[1] | 10 January 1912
Died | 13 November 1974 Cirencester, England | (aged 62)
Allegiance | United Kingdom |
Service/ | Royal Air Force |
Years of service | 1930–1964 |
Rank | Air Commodore |
Commands | RAF Hong Kong (1962–64) Chief of Air Staff Ghana (1961–62) Central Flying School (1958–61) RAF Swinderby (c. 1951–53) RAF Scampton (1942–43) No. 35 Squadron RAF (1942) No. 78 Squadron RAF (1940–41) |
Battles/wars | Second World War |
Awards | Companion of the Order of the Bath Distinguished Service Order Distinguished Flying Cross & Bar Mentioned in dispatches |
Air Commodore John Nicholas Haworth Whitworth, CB, DSO, DFC* (10 January 1912 – 13 November 1974) was a Royal Air Force pilot in the 1930s and a commander during and after the Second World War. He was educated at Oundle School in Northamptonshire.
Whitworth was station commander of RAF Scampton during the planning of Operation Chastise; in 1955 he was a technical advisor for the film dramatisation of the raid, The Dam Busters. Whitworth was portrayed by Derek Farr in the film.
Whitworth was later the Chief of Staff of the Ghana Air Force; he was succeeded by the Ghanaian J. E. S. de Graft-Hayford in 1962.
He retired to the village of Rodmarton in Gloucestershire with his wife.
References
[edit]- ^ "100 R.A.F. Awards for Gallantry". Aberdeen Journal. 23 November 1940. p. 6.
External links
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Categories:
- Royal Air Force officers
- 1912 births
- 1974 deaths
- Military personnel from Buenos Aires
- Companions of the Order of the Bath
- Companions of the Distinguished Service Order
- Recipients of the Distinguished Flying Cross (United Kingdom)
- Ghana Air Force personnel
- People educated at Oundle School
- Royal Air Force personnel stubs