Thomas Shirley (RAF officer)
Encyclopedia
Air Vice Marshal Sir Thomas Ulric Curzon Shirley KBE
CB
(died c. 1982) was a Royal Air Force
officer who became Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief at Signals Command
.
as a cadet in 1928. He served World War II
as a Signals Officer at Headquarters RAF Middle East and then as a Staff Officer in the Directorate of Telecommunications at the Air Ministry
. After the War he became Deputy Director of Signals at the Air Ministry and then Chief Signals Officer at Headquarters Transport Command
before becoming Director of Radio Engineering at the Air Ministry in 1950. He went on to be Senior Technical Staff Officer at Headquarters Fighter Command
in 1959 and Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief at Signals Command
in 1964 before retiring in 1966.
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...
CB
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...
(died c. 1982) was a 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 became Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief at Signals Command
RAF Signals Command
Signals Command was the RAF's command responsible for control of signals units from 1958 to 1969. It was based at RAF Medmenham near Marlow, Buckinghamshire.-History:The Command was formed on 3 November 1958 by raising No. 90 Group to Command status...
.
RAF career
Shirley joined the Royal Air ForceRoyal 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...
as a cadet in 1928. He served 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...
as a Signals Officer at Headquarters RAF Middle East and then as a Staff Officer in the Directorate of Telecommunications at 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...
. After the War he became Deputy Director of Signals at the Air Ministry and then Chief Signals Officer at Headquarters Transport Command
RAF Transport Command
RAF Transport Command was a Royal Air Force command that controlled all transport aircraft of the RAF. It was established on 25 March 1943 by the renaming of the RAF Ferry Command, and was subsequently renamed RAF Air Support Command in 1967.-History:...
before becoming Director of Radio Engineering at the Air Ministry in 1950. He went on to be Senior Technical Staff Officer at Headquarters Fighter Command
RAF Fighter Command
RAF Fighter Command was one of three functional commands of the Royal Air Force. It was formed in 1936 to allow more specialised control of fighter aircraft. It served throughout the Second World War, gaining recognition in the Battle of Britain. The Command continued until 17 November 1943, when...
in 1959 and Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief at Signals Command
RAF Signals Command
Signals Command was the RAF's command responsible for control of signals units from 1958 to 1969. It was based at RAF Medmenham near Marlow, Buckinghamshire.-History:The Command was formed on 3 November 1958 by raising No. 90 Group to Command status...
in 1964 before retiring in 1966.