Air Commodore Jeaffreson Herbert Greswell, (28 July 1916 – 19 November 2000) was a British pilot during the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

and a senior

Royal Air Force The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the United Kingdom's air and space force. It was formed towards the end of the First World War on 1 April 1918, becoming the first independent air force in the world, by regrouping the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) and ...

officer in the post-war years. As an air commodore, Greswell served as the eleventh

Commandant Royal Observer Corps The Commandant of the Royal Observer Corps (CROC) was the Royal Air Force commander of the Royal Observer Corps. All the holders of the post were RAF officers in the rank of Air Commodore, initially retired reserve officers then Auxiliary offic ...

between June 1964 and June 1968.

RAF career

Greswell joined the

(RAF) in 1935 and served for over thirty years. Much of his war time service was spent with

RAF Coastal Command RAF Coastal Command was a formation within the Royal Air Force (RAF). It was founded in 1936, when the RAF was restructured into Fighter, Bomber and Coastal Commands and played an important role during the Second World War. Maritime Aviation ...

operating on convoy protection duties. Initially flying Ansons with

No. 217 Squadron RAF No. 217 Squadron RAF was a squadron of the RAF. It was formed and disbanded four times between 1 April 1918 and 13 November 1959. In World War I it served in a strike role against enemy bases and airfields in Belgium. In World War II as part ...

and later in Wellingtons, promoted to squadron leader with

No. 172 Squadron RAF No. 172 Squadron RAF was a Second World War Royal Air Force anti-submarine squadron that operated the Vickers Wellington equipped with the Leigh Light. History The squadron was formed on 4 April 1942 at RAF Chivenor from No. 1417 (Leigh Ligh ...

. He was heavily involved in the development and testing of the ' Leigh Light' illumination system used effectively in the war against the U-boat menace. On the first serious test of the system in 1942, a Wellington piloted by Greswell, located two U-boats and seriously damaged both with depth charges and machinegun fire. On his return from a detachment in the United States, where he had overseen American manufacturers on the fitting of the Leigh Light system in Liberators and trained aircrew in its use, Greswell was promoted to wing commander and posted to No. 179 Squadron RAF in Gibraltar. At the end of the war Greswell was placed on the reserve list of RAF officers. Upon recall in the 1950s he was promoted to group captain and his post war appointments included involvement in the air support planning for the British forces landings in Egypt during the

Suez crisis The Suez Crisis, or the Second Arab–Israeli war, also called the Tripartite Aggression ( ar, العدوان الثلاثي, Al-ʿUdwān aṯ-Ṯulāṯiyy) in the Arab world and the Sinai War in Israel,Also known as the Suez War or 1956 Wa ...

in 1956. On promotion to air commodore in June 1964, Greswell was appointed as the 11th Commandant of the

Royal Observer Corps The Royal Observer Corps (ROC) was a civil defence organisation intended for the visual detection, identification, tracking and reporting of aircraft over Great Britain. It operated in the United Kingdom between 29 October 1925 and 31 December ...

during a period which saw the greatest reorganisation and upheaval in the organisation's history.

Honours and awards

* 28 July 1942 – Squadron Leader Jeaffreson Herbert Greswell (37318), No. 172 Squadron, awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross. * 28 March 1944 – Wing Commander Jeaffreson Herbert Greswell DFC (37318), Royal Air Force, No. 179 Squadron, awarded the

Distinguished Service Order The Distinguished Service Order (DSO) is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, as well as formerly of other parts of the Commonwealth, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typ ...

. * 1 January 1946 – Wing Commander Jeaffreson Herbert Greswell DSO DFC (37318), Reserve of Air Force Officers, invested as an

Officer of the Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations, and public service outside the civil service. It was established o ...

* 2 June 1962 – Inveasted as a

Commander of the Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations, and public service outside the civil service. It was established o ...

. * 10 June 1967 – Invested as a

Companion of the Order of the Bath Companion may refer to: Relationships Currently * Any of several interpersonal relationships such as friend or acquaintance * A domestic partner, akin to a spouse * Sober companion, an addiction treatment coach * Companion (caregiving), a caregive ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Greswell, Jeaffreson Herbert 1916 births 2000 deaths Royal Air Force officers People of the Royal Observer Corps Royal Air Force personnel of World War II British World War II pilots Military personnel from Surrey British World War II bomber pilots Companions of the Order of the Bath Commanders of the Order of the British Empire Companions of the Distinguished Service Order Recipients of the Distinguished Flying Cross (United Kingdom)