Colin McKay Grierson
Encyclopedia
Air Commodore
Colin McKay Grierson CBE RAF, (16 June 1906–1991) was a senior officer in the Royal Air Force
during and after World War II
.
He joined the Royal Air Force
(RAF) as an Aircraft Apprentice in 1921. In 1925 he became a Flight Cadet Sergeant. In 1927 he was on the staff of RAF Calshot
with the rank of Pilot Officer
. During the 1930s he held a number of different positions in the RAF as Armament and Engineering Officer. On 1 January 1941 he worked on the Air Staff in the Directorate of Plans.
On 20 May 1944 he took up the position of Assistant Chief of Staff A2 (Intelligence), Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Force
(SHAEF) with the rank of Acting Air Commodore. At a press briefing held two days after the Dresden raid
which occurred on 14 February 1945, British Air Commodore Grierson told journalists "First of all they [Dresden and similar towns] are the centres to which evacuees are being moved. They are centres of communications through which traffic is moving across to the Russian Front, and from the Western Front to the East, and they are sufficiently close to the Russian Front for the Russians to continue the successful prosecution of their battle. I think these three reasons probably cover the bombing." one of the journalists asked whether the principal aim of bombing of Dresden would be to cause confusion among the refugees or to blast communications carrying military supplies. Grierson answered that the primary aim was communications to prevent them moving military supplies, and to stop movement in all directions if possible. He then added in an offhand remark that the raid also helped destroying "what is left of German morale" Howard Cowan, an Associated Press
war correspondent, subsequently filed a story saying that the Allies had resorted to terror bombing. This set in train a number of embarrassing questions on both sides of the Atlantic on the morality of this form of attack.
He retired from the RAF on 31 August 1950 with the rank of Air Commodore.
Air Commodore
Air commodore is an air-officer rank which originated in and continues to be used by the Royal Air Force...
Colin McKay Grierson CBE RAF, (16 June 1906–1991) was a senior officer in the Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
during and after World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
He joined the Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
(RAF) as an Aircraft Apprentice in 1921. In 1925 he became a Flight Cadet Sergeant. In 1927 he was on the staff of RAF Calshot
RAF Calshot
RAF Calshot was initially a seaplane and flying boat station, and latterly an RAF marine craft maintenance and training unit. It was located at the end of Calshot Spit in Southampton Water, Hampshire, England, at...
with the rank of Pilot Officer
Pilot Officer
Pilot officer is the lowest commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many other Commonwealth countries. It ranks immediately below flying officer...
. During the 1930s he held a number of different positions in the RAF as Armament and Engineering Officer. On 1 January 1941 he worked on the Air Staff in the Directorate of Plans.
On 20 May 1944 he took up the position of Assistant Chief of Staff A2 (Intelligence), Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Force
Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Force
Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Force , was the headquarters of the Commander of Allied forces in north west Europe, from late 1943 until the end of World War II. U.S. General Dwight D. Eisenhower was in command of SHAEF throughout its existence...
(SHAEF) with the rank of Acting Air Commodore. At a press briefing held two days after the Dresden raid
Bombing of Dresden in World War II
The Bombing of Dresden was a military bombing by the British Royal Air Force and the United States Army Air Force and as part of the Allied forces between 13 February and 15 February 1945 in the Second World War...
which occurred on 14 February 1945, British Air Commodore Grierson told journalists "First of all they [Dresden and similar towns] are the centres to which evacuees are being moved. They are centres of communications through which traffic is moving across to the Russian Front, and from the Western Front to the East, and they are sufficiently close to the Russian Front for the Russians to continue the successful prosecution of their battle. I think these three reasons probably cover the bombing." one of the journalists asked whether the principal aim of bombing of Dresden would be to cause confusion among the refugees or to blast communications carrying military supplies. Grierson answered that the primary aim was communications to prevent them moving military supplies, and to stop movement in all directions if possible. He then added in an offhand remark that the raid also helped destroying "what is left of German morale" Howard Cowan, an Associated Press
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
war correspondent, subsequently filed a story saying that the Allies had resorted to terror bombing. This set in train a number of embarrassing questions on both sides of the Atlantic on the morality of this form of attack.
He retired from the RAF on 31 August 1950 with the rank of Air Commodore.