Group Captain Group captain is a senior commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force, where it originated, as well as the air forces of many countries that have historical British influence. It is sometimes used as the English translation of an equivalent rank i ...

Harold Alfred Whistler, (30 December 1896 – March 1940) was an English

fighter pilot A fighter pilot is a military aviator trained to engage in air-to-air combat, air-to-ground combat and sometimes electronic warfare while in the cockpit of a fighter aircraft. Fighter pilots undergo specialized training in aerial warfare and ...

and

flying ace A flying ace, fighter ace or air ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down five or more enemy aircraft during aerial combat. The exact number of aerial victories required to officially qualify as an ace is varied, but is usually co ...

in the

First World War World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

Early life

Alfred Harold Whistler was born in 1896 in

Theddlethorpe Theddlethorpe is a village in East Lindsey, Lincolnshire, England, that is made up of 2 parishes: * Theddlethorpe St Helen * Theddlethorpe All Saints Theddlethorpe may also refer to Theddlethorpe railway station Theddlethorpe is a village in East ...

, Lincolnshire, the son of Alfred James Whistler, a clergyman, and his wife Mary Maud. In the 1901 Census for Louth he is listed as Harold Alfred Whistler aged 4 with his parents, older brother and two older sisters living at the Rectory,

Little Carlton Little Carlton is a village and civil parish in the East Lindsey district of Lincolnshire, England. It is situated approximately east from the town of Louth. An Anglo-Saxon settlement dating from the 7th-century was discovered in the villa ...

. Whistler was educated at

Oundle School Oundle School is a public school (English independent day and boarding school) for pupils 11–18 situated in the market town of Oundle in Northamptonshire, England. The school has been governed by the Worshipful Company of Grocers of the City ...

near Peterborough and then at the

Royal Military College, Sandhurst The Royal Military College (RMC), founded in 1801 and established in 1802 at Great Marlow and High Wycombe in Buckinghamshire, England, but moved in October 1812 to Sandhurst, Berkshire, was a British Army military academy for training infantry a ...

First World War

Upon passing out from Sandhurst, Whistler was commissioned a

second lieutenant Second lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces, comparable to NATO OF-1 rank. Australia The rank of second lieutenant existed in the military forces of the Australian colonies and Australian Army until ...

in the

Dorsetshire Regiment The Dorset Regiment was a line infantry regiment of the British Army in existence from 1881 to 1958, being the county regiment of Dorset. Until 1951, it was formally called the Dorsetshire Regiment, although usually known as "The Dorsets". In 19 ...

on 19 July 1916. He subsequently transferred to the

Royal Flying Corps "Through Adversity to the Stars" , colors = , colours_label = , march = , mascot = , anniversaries = , decorations ...

to be trained as a pilot, and was seconded to the RFC on 29 September with the appointment of flying officer. He was soon on operations and was wounded in action on 29 January 1917 when he was with 3 Squadron RFC. When he recovered he joined 80 Squadron RFC. He was promoted to the temporary rank of

lieutenant A lieutenant ( , ; abbreviated Lt., Lt, LT, Lieut and similar) is a commissioned officer rank in the armed forces of many nations. The meaning of lieutenant differs in different militaries (see comparative military ranks), but it is often sub ...

(while serving with the RFC) on 1 August 1917, and was appointed a flight commander on 27 August, flying the

Sopwith Camel The Sopwith Camel is a British First World War single-seat biplane fighter aircraft that was introduced on the Western Front in 1917. It was developed by the Sopwith Aviation Company as a successor to the Sopwith Pup and became one of the b ...

. Promoted to the permanent rank of lieutenant on 19 January 1918, he returned to operations in France that year. He was credited with 23 victories ( 1 balloon, 13 destroyed, 9 'out of control') between March 1918 and October 1918, all while flying the

Post war

With the end of the war he stayed in the

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 ...

as an instructor with various units. On 1 August 1919, he received a permanent commission in the new Royal Air Force in the rank of captain (subsequently regraded to

flight lieutenant Flight lieutenant is a junior commissioned rank in air forces that use the Royal Air Force (RAF) system of ranks, especially in Commonwealth countries. It has a NATO rank code of OF-2. Flight lieutenant is abbreviated as Flt Lt in the India ...

). He was promoted to

squadron leader Squadron leader (Sqn Ldr in the RAF ; SQNLDR in the RAAF and RNZAF; formerly sometimes S/L in all services) is a commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many countries which have historical British influence. It is also ...

on 1 July 1927. In the late 1920s he commanded 55 Squadron in operations against the Najd Bedouin tribesmen. He was promoted to

wing commander Wing commander (Wg Cdr in the RAF, the IAF, and the PAF, WGCDR in the RNZAF and RAAF, formerly sometimes W/C in all services) is a senior commissioned rank in the British Royal Air Force and air forces of many countries which have historical ...

on 1 July 1934 and to

group captain Group captain is a senior commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force, where it originated, as well as the air forces of many countries that have historical British influence. It is sometimes used as the English translation of an equivalent rank i ...

on 1 July 1938. By 1940 he was Chief of Staff of RAF India as an acting Air Commodore. On a return trip to the United Kingdom from India on an

Imperial Airways Imperial Airways was the early British commercial long-range airline, operating from 1924 to 1939 and principally serving the British Empire routes to South Africa, India, Australia and the Far East, including Malaya and Hong Kong. Passenger ...

Handley Page H.P.42 The Handley Page H.P.42 and H.P.45 were four-engine biplane airliners designed and manufactured by British aviation company Handley Page, based in Radlett, Hertfordshire. It held the distinction of being the largest airliner in regular use in ...

it disappeared without trace over the

Gulf of Oman The Gulf of Oman or Sea of Oman ( ar, خليج عمان ''khalīj ʿumān''; fa, دریای عمان ''daryâ-ye omân''), also known as Gulf of Makran or Sea of Makran ( ar, خلیج مکران ''khalīj makrān''; fa, دریای مکرا� ...

on 1 March 1940 with eight aboard. His name is inscribed on the Singapore Memorial at the

Kranji War Cemetery The Kranji War Cemetery is located in Kranji, Singapore, and is the final resting place for Allied soldiers who perished during the Battle of Singapore and the subsequent Japanese occupation of the island from 1942 to 1945 and in other parts of ...

. Whistler was born Alfred Harold Whistler and his medal citations reflect that but other records list him as Harold Alfred Whistler.

Honours and awards

*3 August 1918 :Lt. (temp. Capt.) Alfred Harold Whistler is awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross. ::"A very courageous and enterprising patrol leader, who has rendered valuable services. He has done exceptionally good work in attacking ground targets, which he engages at very low altitudes. During the past month his patrol attacked eight enemy scouts who were flying above him. He attacked a triplane and brought it down in a crash, and whilst thus himself engaged another of his pilots destroyed a second enemy machine. The remainder of the enemy formation were then driven off." * 2 November 1918 :Capt. Alfred Harold Whistler, DFC. (Dorset Regt.) is appointed a Companion of 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 ...

. ::"During recent operations this officer has rendered exceptionally brilliant service in attacking enemy aircraft and troops on the ground. On 9 August he dropped four bombs on a hostile battery, engaged and threw into confusion a body of troops, and drove down a hostile balloon, returning to his aerodrome after a patrol of one and a half hours duration with a most valuable report. He has in all destroyed ten aircraft and driven down five others out of control." * 8 February 1919 :Capt. Alfred Harold Whistler, DSO, is awarded a bar to the Distinguished Flying Cross. ::"This officer has twenty-two enemy machines and one balloon to his credit. He distinguished himself greatly on 29 September, when he destroyed two machines in one combat, and on 15 September, when, following two balloons to within twenty feet of the ground, he destroyed one and caused the observer of the second to jump out and crash. He has, in addition, done arduous and valuable service in bombing enemy objectives and obtaining information. Captain Whistler is a gallant officer of fine judgment and power of leadership." * 15 March 1929 :Awarded a Second Bar to the Distinguished Flying Cross ::"In recognition of gallant and distinguished services rendered in connection with the operations against the Akhwan in the Southern Desert, Iraq, during the period November 1927 – May 1928."

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Whistler, Harold Alfred 1896 births 1940 deaths 1940s missing person cases British Army personnel of World War I Royal Air Force personnel killed in World War II British World War I flying aces Companions of the Distinguished Service Order Dorset Regiment officers English aviators Missing in action of World War II Royal Air Force group captains Royal Flying Corps officers Recipients of the Distinguished Flying Cross (United Kingdom) Graduates of the Royal Military College, Sandhurst People from East Lindsey District Military personnel from Lincolnshire People educated at Oundle School Victims of aviation accidents or incidents in international waters Victims of aviation accidents or incidents in 1940

Early life

First World War

Post war

See also

Honours and awards

References