Edward Gordon Jones
Encyclopedia
Air Marshal
Sir Edward ("Tap") Gordon Jones KCB
, CBE
, DSO
, DFC
(31 August 1914 – 20 February 2007) was an officer in the Royal Air Force
for 34 years, from 1935 to 1969. He commanded a squadron of obsolescent biplane
Gladiator
fighters
during the Greek Campaign in the Second World War, where he shot down five Italian
Fiat CR.42
fighters. He served in mainly operational posts in Europe until he retired in 1969. Unusually, he never served a post in the Air Ministry
or the UK Ministry of Defence.
, the third of four sons of Lt.Col. Dr Albert Jones DSO, MC. His father was the borough medical officer. Jones spent time in India
as a child, where his brothers nicknamed him "Doolally Tap" (meaning "slightly mad"). He retained the nickname "Tap" for the rest of his life.
After grammar school, he studied medicine at Liverpool University, where he met his future wife. His three brothers all became doctors, like their father, but Jones soon switched to veterinary science. He was a keen sportsman, representing Liverpool University and Lancashire at rugby union
. He also enjoyed shooting and the outdoor life, but he showed little interest in his studies.
and joined "B" Flight of No. 17 Squadron in Kenley
, flying Gauntlet
fighters. His flight
was detached to form No. 80 Squadron
in March 1937, which flew the Gladiator, the RAF's last biplane fighter. As a Pilot Officer
, he was its adjutant from May 1937. He also played rugby for the RAF.
Promoted to Flying Officer
, his squadron deployed to Egypt in April 1938. He became commander of "A" Flight of No. 80 Squadron
in March 1940, while he was based in Amriya in Egypt.
declared war on the United Kingdom and France on 10 June 1940, Jones took charge of a flight armed with modern Hurricane
fighters. He took charge of a flight of Gladiator when it moved to Trikala
in central Greece
in November 1940. He was in action within days, engaging a formation of more modern Fiat CR.42
fighters, also biplanes, of the Italian Regia Aeronautica
to the north of Yanina. He shot down one on 27 November, then two more the next day over Delvinakion, but was injured in the dogfight
and spent a month recovering from a bullet wound in his neck. He returned to duty on 21 December, and took command of No. 80 Squadron on 27 December, after its commander, Squadron Leader Bill Hickey, was killed in action
.
Jones shot down two further Fiats on 28 February 1941, and was awarded an immediate DFC
. He also received a DFC from the Greek government.
After leave in Egypt, Jones returned to No. 80 Squadron. It had been re-equipped with modern Hurricane fighters shortly before Germany
invaded Greece on 6 April 1941. His battered squadron withdrew to Crete
, then back to Egypt. Finally, it moved to RAF Aqir in Palestine
to regroup, where it fought against the Vichy French in Syria
. He left No. 80 Squadron in 1942, and was awarded the DSO.
He spent a year with the Rhodesia
n Air Training Group, then took command of the RAF fighter base at Hawkinge
in Kent
. He was promoted to Acting Group Captain
in May 1943, and joined the staff preparing tactical fighter operations for D-Day
. His group, No. 83 Group
, transferred to France
shortly after D-Day, and moved eastwards with the front line. He was appointed OBE in December 1944, when he returned to operational duties, taking command of No. 121 Wing with its four squadrons of Typhoon
fighters, based at Vokel in the Netherlands
.
or the Ministry of Defence.
He served at the School of Land/Air Warfare, and then commanded a jet flying school. He was appointed CBE in 1956. He served at the Headquarters of the Second Tactical Air Force and with the Air Task Force during the Suez Crisis
. He took command of RAF Wyton
in 1957, the home base of the RAF's strategic reconnaissance forces.
He was promoted to Acting Air Commodore
in January 1959, and took command of the Central Reconnaissance Establishment. He was appointed CB in 1960. He commanded RAF forces in Germany
from 1961 to 1963, then spent two years as Senior RAF Officer at the Imperial Defence College. He took command of air forces in Malta
as Deputy Commander-in-Chief (Air) of Allied Forces in the Mediterranean in 1965.
He was promoted to Air Marshal
in November 1966, and took up the position of Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief Near East Air Force
(including responsibility for British Forces Cyprus
and Administration of the Sovereign Base Areas
). He was appointed KCB in 1967 and retired from the RAF in August 1969.
He continued to enjoy sport in his retirement.
Air Marshal
Air marshal is a three-star air-officer rank which originated in and continues to be used by the Royal Air Force...
Sir Edward ("Tap") Gordon Jones KCB
Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
, CBE
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
, DSO
Distinguished Service Order
The Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...
, DFC
Distinguished Flying Cross (United Kingdom)
The Distinguished Flying Cross is a military decoration awarded to personnel of the United Kingdom's Royal Air Force and other services, and formerly to officers of other Commonwealth countries, for "an act or acts of valour, courage or devotion to duty whilst flying in active operations against...
(31 August 1914 – 20 February 2007) was an 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...
for 34 years, from 1935 to 1969. He commanded a squadron of obsolescent biplane
Biplane
A biplane is a fixed-wing aircraft with two superimposed main wings. The Wright brothers' Wright Flyer used a biplane design, as did most aircraft in the early years of aviation. While a biplane wing structure has a structural advantage, it produces more drag than a similar monoplane wing...
Gladiator
Gloster Gladiator
The Gloster Gladiator was a British-built biplane fighter. It was used by the Royal Air Force and the Royal Navy and was exported to a number of other air forces during the late 1930s. It was the RAF's last biplane fighter aircraft and was rendered obsolete by newer monoplane designs even as it...
fighters
Fighter aircraft
A fighter aircraft is a military aircraft designed primarily for air-to-air combat with other aircraft, as opposed to a bomber, which is designed primarily to attack ground targets...
during the Greek Campaign in the Second World War, where he shot down five Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
Fiat CR.42
Fiat CR.42
The Fiat CR.42 Falco was a single-seat sesquiplane fighter which served primarily in Italy's Regia Aeronautica before and during World War II. The aircraft was produced by the Turin firm, and entered service, in smaller numbers, with the air forces of Belgium, Sweden and Hungary...
fighters. He served in mainly operational posts in Europe until he retired in 1969. Unusually, he never served a post in the Air Ministry
Air Ministry
The Air Ministry was a department of the British Government with the responsibility of managing the affairs of the Royal Air Force, that existed from 1918 to 1964...
or the UK Ministry of Defence.
Early life
Jones was born in WidnesWidnes
Widnes is an industrial town within the borough of Halton, in Cheshire, England, with an urban area population of 57,663 in 2004. It is located on the northern bank of the River Mersey where the estuary narrows to form the Runcorn Gap. Directly to the south across the Mersey is the town of Runcorn...
, the third of four sons of Lt.Col. Dr Albert Jones DSO, MC. His father was the borough medical officer. Jones spent time in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
as a child, where his brothers nicknamed him "Doolally Tap" (meaning "slightly mad"). He retained the nickname "Tap" for the rest of his life.
After grammar school, he studied medicine at Liverpool University, where he met his future wife. His three brothers all became doctors, like their father, but Jones soon switched to veterinary science. He was a keen sportsman, representing Liverpool University and Lancashire at rugby union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
. He also enjoyed shooting and the outdoor life, but he showed little interest in his studies.
RAF
Edward joined the RAF in 1935. He trained as a pilot at NetheravonNetheravon
Netheravon is a village and civil parish on the River Avon, about north of the town of Amesbury in Wiltshire.-Notable people:The writer Frank Sawyer , although born in Bulford, spent most of his life in Netheravon as river keeper River Avon and died on the banks of the river near the parish church...
and joined "B" Flight of No. 17 Squadron in Kenley
Kenley
Kenley is a district in the south of the London Borough of Croydon. It borders Purley, Coulsdon, Riddlesdown, Caterham and Whyteleafe. Kenley is situated 13 miles south of Charing Cross. The 2001 census showed Kenley having a population of 13,525....
, flying Gauntlet
Gloster Gauntlet
-See also:-References:NotesBibliography* Crawford, Alex. Bristol Bulldog, Gloster Gauntlet. Redbourn, UK: Mushroom Model Publications, 2005. ISBN 83-89450-04-6....
fighters. His flight
Flight
Flight is the process by which an object moves either through an atmosphere or beyond it by generating lift or propulsive thrust, or aerostatically using buoyancy, or by simple ballistic movement....
was detached to form No. 80 Squadron
No. 80 Squadron RAF
No. 80 Squadron RAF was a Royal Flying Corps and Royal Air Force squadron active from 1917 until 1969. It was operative during both World War I and World War II.-Establishment and early service:...
in March 1937, which flew the Gladiator, the RAF's last biplane fighter. As a 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...
, he was its adjutant from May 1937. He also played rugby for the RAF.
Promoted to Flying Officer
Flying Officer
Flying officer is a junior commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many countries which have historical British influence...
, his squadron deployed to Egypt in April 1938. He became commander of "A" Flight of No. 80 Squadron
No. 80 Squadron RAF
No. 80 Squadron RAF was a Royal Flying Corps and Royal Air Force squadron active from 1917 until 1969. It was operative during both World War I and World War II.-Establishment and early service:...
in March 1940, while he was based in Amriya in Egypt.
Second World War
After ItalyItaly
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
declared war on the United Kingdom and France on 10 June 1940, Jones took charge of a flight armed with modern Hurricane
Hawker Hurricane
The Hawker Hurricane is a British single-seat fighter aircraft that was designed and predominantly built by Hawker Aircraft Ltd for the Royal Air Force...
fighters. He took charge of a flight of Gladiator when it moved to Trikala
Trikala
Trikala is a city in northwestern Thessaly, Greece. It is the capital of the Trikala peripheral unit, and is located NW of Athens, NW, of Karditsa, E of Ioannina and Metsovo, S of Grevena, SW of Thessaloniki, and W of Larissa...
in central Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
in November 1940. He was in action within days, engaging a formation of more modern Fiat CR.42
Fiat CR.42
The Fiat CR.42 Falco was a single-seat sesquiplane fighter which served primarily in Italy's Regia Aeronautica before and during World War II. The aircraft was produced by the Turin firm, and entered service, in smaller numbers, with the air forces of Belgium, Sweden and Hungary...
fighters, also biplanes, of the Italian Regia Aeronautica
Regia Aeronautica
The Italian Royal Air Force was the name of the air force of the Kingdom of Italy. It was established as a service independent of the Royal Italian Army from 1923 until 1946...
to the north of Yanina. He shot down one on 27 November, then two more the next day over Delvinakion, but was injured in the dogfight
Dogfight
A dogfight, or dog fight, is a form of aerial combat between fighter aircraft; in particular, combat of maneuver at short range, where each side is aware of the other's presence. Dogfighting first appeared during World War I, shortly after the invention of the airplane...
and spent a month recovering from a bullet wound in his neck. He returned to duty on 21 December, and took command of No. 80 Squadron on 27 December, after its commander, Squadron Leader Bill Hickey, was killed in action
Killed in action
Killed in action is a casualty classification generally used by militaries to describe the deaths of their own forces at the hands of hostile forces. The United States Department of Defense, for example, says that those declared KIA need not have fired their weapons but have been killed due to...
.
Jones shot down two further Fiats on 28 February 1941, and was awarded an immediate DFC
Distinguished Flying Cross (United Kingdom)
The Distinguished Flying Cross is a military decoration awarded to personnel of the United Kingdom's Royal Air Force and other services, and formerly to officers of other Commonwealth countries, for "an act or acts of valour, courage or devotion to duty whilst flying in active operations against...
. He also received a DFC from the Greek government.
After leave in Egypt, Jones returned to No. 80 Squadron. It had been re-equipped with modern Hurricane fighters shortly before Germany
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
invaded Greece on 6 April 1941. His battered squadron withdrew to Crete
Crete
Crete is the largest and most populous of the Greek islands, the fifth largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, and one of the thirteen administrative regions of Greece. It forms a significant part of the economy and cultural heritage of Greece while retaining its own local cultural traits...
, then back to Egypt. Finally, it moved to RAF Aqir in Palestine
Palestine
Palestine is a conventional name, among others, used to describe the geographic region between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River, and various adjoining lands....
to regroup, where it fought against the Vichy French in Syria
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
. He left No. 80 Squadron in 1942, and was awarded the DSO.
He spent a year with the Rhodesia
Rhodesia
Rhodesia , officially the Republic of Rhodesia from 1970, was an unrecognised state located in southern Africa that existed between 1965 and 1979 following its Unilateral Declaration of Independence from the United Kingdom on 11 November 1965...
n Air Training Group, then took command of the RAF fighter base at Hawkinge
Hawkinge
Hawkinge is a village and civil parish in the Shepway District of Kent, England. The original village of Hawkinge is actually just less than a mile due east of the present village centre ; the modern, much larger, village of Hawkinge was formed by the merging of Hawkinge and Uphill...
in Kent
Kent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
. He was promoted to Acting Group Captain
Group Captain
Group captain is a senior commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many other Commonwealth countries. It ranks above wing commander and immediately below air commodore...
in May 1943, and joined the staff preparing tactical fighter operations for D-Day
D-Day
D-Day is a term often used in military parlance to denote the day on which a combat attack or operation is to be initiated. "D-Day" often represents a variable, designating the day upon which some significant event will occur or has occurred; see Military designation of days and hours for similar...
. His group, No. 83 Group
No. 83 Group RAF
No. 83 Group was a group within the Royal Air Force's 2nd Tactical Air Force during the Second World War and the post-war era. In 2006, the group was re-established as No. 83 Expeditionary Air Group.-History:...
, transferred to France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
shortly after D-Day, and moved eastwards with the front line. He was appointed OBE in December 1944, when he returned to operational duties, taking command of No. 121 Wing with its four squadrons of Typhoon
Hawker Typhoon
The Hawker Typhoon was a British single-seat fighter-bomber, produced by Hawker Aircraft. While the Typhoon was designed to be a medium-high altitude interceptor, and a direct replacement for the Hawker Hurricane, several design problems were encountered, and the Typhoon never completely satisfied...
fighters, based at Vokel in the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
.
Post-war career
Jones had a succession of mainly operational appointments in Europe after the War. Unusually, he never served a post in the Air MinistryAir Ministry
The Air Ministry was a department of the British Government with the responsibility of managing the affairs of the Royal Air Force, that existed from 1918 to 1964...
or the Ministry of Defence.
He served at the School of Land/Air Warfare, and then commanded a jet flying school. He was appointed CBE in 1956. He served at the Headquarters of the Second Tactical Air Force and with the Air Task Force during the Suez Crisis
Suez Crisis
The Suez Crisis, also referred to as the Tripartite Aggression, Suez War was an offensive war fought by France, the United Kingdom, and Israel against Egypt beginning on 29 October 1956. Less than a day after Israel invaded Egypt, Britain and France issued a joint ultimatum to Egypt and Israel,...
. He took command of RAF Wyton
RAF Wyton
RAF Wyton is a Royal Air Force station near St. Ives, Cambridgeshire, England.In terms of organisation RAF Wyton is now part of the combined station RAF Brampton Wyton Henlow, a merger of Wyton with two previously separate bases, RAF Brampton and RAF Henlow. Wyton is the largest of the three. It...
in 1957, the home base of the RAF's strategic reconnaissance forces.
He was promoted to Acting Air Commodore
Air Commodore
Air commodore is an air-officer rank which originated in and continues to be used by the Royal Air Force...
in January 1959, and took command of the Central Reconnaissance Establishment. He was appointed CB in 1960. He commanded RAF forces in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
from 1961 to 1963, then spent two years as Senior RAF Officer at the Imperial Defence College. He took command of air forces in Malta
Malta
Malta , officially known as the Republic of Malta , is a Southern European country consisting of an archipelago situated in the centre of the Mediterranean, south of Sicily, east of Tunisia and north of Libya, with Gibraltar to the west and Alexandria to the east.Malta covers just over in...
as Deputy Commander-in-Chief (Air) of Allied Forces in the Mediterranean in 1965.
He was promoted to Air Marshal
Air Marshal
Air marshal is a three-star air-officer rank which originated in and continues to be used by the Royal Air Force...
in November 1966, and took up the position of Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief Near East Air Force
Near East Air Force (Royal Air Force)
The former Royal Air Force Near East Air Force, more simply known as RAF Near East Air Force, was the Command organisation that controlled all Royal Air Force assets in the Western Mediterranean .-History:...
(including responsibility for British Forces Cyprus
British Forces Cyprus
British Forces Cyprus is the name given to the British Armed Forces stationed in the UK sovereign base areas of Dhekelia and Akrotiri on the island of Cyprus...
and Administration of the Sovereign Base Areas
Sovereign Base Areas
The Sovereign Base Areas are military bases located on territory in which the United Kingdom is sovereign, but which are separated from the ordinary British territory....
). He was appointed KCB in 1967 and retired from the RAF in August 1969.
He continued to enjoy sport in his retirement.