John Samuel Rowlands
Encyclopedia
Air Marshal
Sir John Rowlands GC
, KBE
(September 23, 1915 – June 4, 2006) was a Welsh
Royal Air Force
officer who was awarded the George Cross
for his work in bomb disposal
and later worked in the development of Britain's nuclear weapons programme.
, Flintshire
and was educated at the local Hawarden Grammar School. He took a degree in Physics at the University of Wales
, where he captained the university football side and was in the tennis team.
At the outbreak of World War II, Rowlands joined the RAF Volunteer Reserve. After undertaking pilot training at RAF Ternhill
and gaining his pilots wings, he trained in armament engineering at RAF Manby
in Lincolnshire. He was promoted to the rank of Flying Officer
in the Technical Branch on 7 October 1940 and to Temporary Flight Lieutenant
on 1 December 1941. He was appointed a MBE in 1942.
He received further promotions to Acting Squadron Leader
on 2 November 1942, to war-substantive Flight Lieutenant on 2 April 1943, to war-substantive Squadron Leader on 13 January 1944 and to Acting Wing Commander
on 13 July of the same year.
The citation for his George Cross declared:
He was invested with the GC by King George VI at Buckingham Palace
on July 20, 1945.
He was given a permanent commission in the Royal Air Force in September 1945 with the rank of Flight Lieutenant and attended RAF Staff College
in Haifa
in 1946. He was subsequently promoted to Squadron Leader, dated 3 December 1946 but back-dated to January 1945.
Promoted to Wing Commander in January 1952, Rowlands was posted to head an RAF team at the Atomic Warfare Research Establishment
to participate in the development of the British atomic bomb. In 1957 he was made senior RAF advisor for the development of the H-bomb, and was promoted to Group Captain
in January 1958.
He became a Staff Officer on the British Defence Staff at Washington D. C. in 1961, and was promoted to Air Commodore
on 1 July 1963. He became the Assistant Commandant (Technical) at the RAF College Cranwell
in 1965. On 4 June 1968, he was appointed Director-General of Ground Training, with the acting rank of Air Vice-Marshal
, made substantive on 1 July. He was promoted to Air Marshal
and appointed Air Officer Commanding RAF Maintenance Command
on 13 April 1970, where he remained until he retired in July 1973.
He was appointed OBE
in 1954 and knighted KBE
in 1971.
He died a few weeks before he and others were honoured at a special service at Westminster Abbey for recipients of the Victoria Cross
and George Cross
.
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 John Rowlands GC
George Cross
The George Cross is the highest civil decoration of the United Kingdom, and also holds, or has held, that status in many of the other countries of the Commonwealth of Nations...
, KBE
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...
(September 23, 1915 – June 4, 2006) was a Welsh
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
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...
officer who was awarded the George Cross
George Cross
The George Cross is the highest civil decoration of the United Kingdom, and also holds, or has held, that status in many of the other countries of the Commonwealth of Nations...
for his work in bomb disposal
Bomb disposal
Bomb disposal is the process by which hazardous explosive devices are rendered safe. Bomb disposal is an all encompassing term to describe the separate, but interrelated functions in the following fields:*Military:...
and later worked in the development of Britain's nuclear weapons programme.
RAF career
Rowlands was born in HawardenHawarden
Hawarden is a village in Flintshire, North Wales. Hawarden forms part of the Deeside conurbation on the Welsh/English border. At the 2001 Census, the population of Hawarden Ward was 1,858...
, Flintshire
Flintshire
Flintshire is a county in north-east Wales. It borders Denbighshire, Wrexham and the English county of Cheshire. It is named after the historic county of Flintshire, which had notably different borders...
and was educated at the local Hawarden Grammar School. He took a degree in Physics at the University of Wales
University of Wales
The University of Wales was a confederal university founded in 1893. It had accredited institutions throughout Wales, and formerly accredited courses in Britain and abroad, with over 100,000 students, but in October 2011, after a number of scandals, it withdrew all accreditation, and it was...
, where he captained the university football side and was in the tennis team.
At the outbreak of World War II, Rowlands joined the RAF Volunteer Reserve. After undertaking pilot training at RAF Ternhill
RAF Ternhill
RAF Ternhill is a small Royal Air Force station at Ternhill in Shropshire, near the towns of Newport and Market Drayton. The station, home of Volunteer Gliding Squadron 632, was a helicopter base but is now principally used as an outpost for the tri-service helicopter training establishment at RAF...
and gaining his pilots wings, he trained in armament engineering at RAF Manby
Manby
Manby is a village in the county of Lincolnshire, England. Situated approximately five miles east of Louth, the village had a population of 833 at the 2001 Census....
in Lincolnshire. He was promoted to the rank of 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...
in the Technical Branch on 7 October 1940 and to Temporary Flight Lieutenant
Flight Lieutenant
Flight lieutenant is a junior commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many Commonwealth countries. It ranks above flying officer and immediately below squadron leader. The name of the rank is the complete phrase; it is never shortened to "lieutenant"...
on 1 December 1941. He was appointed a MBE in 1942.
He received further promotions to Acting Squadron Leader
Squadron Leader
Squadron Leader is a commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many countries which have historical British influence. It is also sometimes used as the English translation of an equivalent rank in countries which have a non-English air force-specific rank structure. In these...
on 2 November 1942, to war-substantive Flight Lieutenant on 2 April 1943, to war-substantive Squadron Leader on 13 January 1944 and to Acting Wing Commander
Wing Commander (rank)
Wing commander is a commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many other Commonwealth countries...
on 13 July of the same year.
The citation for his George Cross declared:
The KING has been graciously pleased to approve the award of the GEORGE CROSS to:
Acting Wing Commander John Samuel Rowlands, M.B.E. (73378), Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve.
For over 2 years, Wing Commander Rowlands has been employed on bomb disposal duties and has repeatedly displayed the most conspicuous courage and unselfish devotion to duty in circumstances of great personal danger.
He was invested with the GC by King George VI at Buckingham Palace
Buckingham Palace
Buckingham Palace, in London, is the principal residence and office of the British monarch. Located in the City of Westminster, the palace is a setting for state occasions and royal hospitality...
on July 20, 1945.
He was given a permanent commission in the Royal Air Force in September 1945 with the rank of Flight Lieutenant and attended RAF Staff College
RAF Staff College
The RAF Staff College may refer to:*RAF Staff College, Andover *RAF Staff College, Bulstrode Park *RAF Staff College, Bracknell...
in Haifa
Haifa
Haifa is the largest city in northern Israel, and the third-largest city in the country, with a population of over 268,000. Another 300,000 people live in towns directly adjacent to the city including the cities of the Krayot, as well as, Tirat Carmel, Daliyat al-Karmel and Nesher...
in 1946. He was subsequently promoted to Squadron Leader, dated 3 December 1946 but back-dated to January 1945.
Promoted to Wing Commander in January 1952, Rowlands was posted to head an RAF team at the Atomic Warfare Research Establishment
Atomic Weapons Establishment
The Atomic Weapons Establishment is responsible for the design, manufacture and support of warheads for the United Kingdom's nuclear deterrent. AWE plc is responsible for the day-to-day operations of AWE...
to participate in the development of the British atomic bomb. In 1957 he was made senior RAF advisor for the development of the H-bomb, and was promoted to 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 January 1958.
He became a Staff Officer on the British Defence Staff at Washington D. C. in 1961, and was promoted to Air Commodore
Air Commodore
Air commodore is an air-officer rank which originated in and continues to be used by the Royal Air Force...
on 1 July 1963. He became the Assistant Commandant (Technical) at the RAF College Cranwell
Royal Air Force College Cranwell
The Royal Air Force College is the Royal Air Force training and education academy which provides initial training to all RAF personnel who are preparing to be commissioned officers. The College also provides initial training to aircrew cadets and is responsible for all RAF recruiting along with...
in 1965. On 4 June 1968, he was appointed Director-General of Ground Training, with the acting rank of Air Vice-Marshal
Air Vice-Marshal
Air vice-marshal is a two-star air-officer rank which originated in and continues to be used by the Royal Air Force. The rank is also used by the air forces of many countries which have historical British influence and it is sometimes used as the English translation of an equivalent rank in...
, made substantive on 1 July. 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...
and appointed Air Officer Commanding RAF Maintenance Command
RAF Maintenance Command
RAF Maintenance Command was the Royal Air Force command which was responsible for controlling maintenance for all the United Kingdom-based units from formation on 1 April 1938 until being renamed RAF Support Command on 31 August 1973.- History :...
on 13 April 1970, where he remained until he retired in July 1973.
He was appointed OBE
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...
in 1954 and knighted KBE
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...
in 1971.
He died a few weeks before he and others were honoured at a special service at Westminster Abbey for recipients of the Victoria Cross
Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....
and George Cross
George Cross
The George Cross is the highest civil decoration of the United Kingdom, and also holds, or has held, that status in many of the other countries of the Commonwealth of Nations...
.