Air Vice Marshal Wilfred Ashton McClaughry, (26 November 1894 – 4 January 1943), born Wilfred Ashton McCloughry, was an Australian aviator and air commander who served in the

Australian Flying Corps The Australian Flying Corps (AFC) was the branch of the Australian Army responsible for operating aircraft during World War I, and the forerunner of the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF). The AFC was established in 1912, though it was not until ...

during 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 ...

and

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) an ...

in 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 opposi ...

. His senior commands included: British Forces Aden (1930s), and; No. 9 Group RAF, and Air Officer Commanding Air Officer Commanding Allied Headquarters Egypt (both during the Second World War). McClaughry was killed, while a passenger, in a flying accident in

Cairo Cairo ( ; ar, القاهرة, al-Qāhirah, ) is the Capital city, capital of Egypt and its largest city, home to 10 million people. It is also part of the List of urban agglomerations in Africa, largest urban agglomeration in Africa, List of ...

in 1943.Record for ''Lodestar EW986'' on ''lostaircraft.com''
/ref>Commonwealth War Graves Commission
/ref>

Military career

McClaughry was educated at Queen's College North Adelaide and the

University of Adelaide The University of Adelaide (informally Adelaide University) is a public research university located in Adelaide, South Australia. Established in 1874, it is the third-oldest university in Australia. The university's main campus is located on N ...

.Australian Dictionary of Biography
/ref> McClaughry joined the

Militia A militia () is generally an army or some other fighting organization of non-professional soldiers, citizens of a country, or subjects of a state, who may perform military service during a time of need, as opposed to a professional force of r ...

in 1913 and served in the First World War with the 9th Light Horse Regiment, before transferring to the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) in 1916. He was appointed Officer Commanding No. 4 Squadron AFC (known in British circles as "71 Squadron") in October 2017. After the war he joined the Royal Air Force and became Officer Commanding the Air Pilotage School in 1921.Air of Authority – A History of RAF Organisation – Air Vice-Marshal W A McClaughry
/ref> He was appointed Officer Commanding No. 8 Squadron in 1924 and then spent three years as a staff officer at Headquarters Wessex Bombing Area. McClaughry went on to be Station Commander at

RAF Heliopolis Almaza Air Force Base Airport is a regional airport in north-eastern Cairo, the capital of Egypt. It was established as a civilian aerodrome, but was partly taken over by the British military, designated RAF Heliopolis and later RAF Almaza. Today ...

in 1934 and Station Commander at RAF Mersa Matruh in 1934 before becoming Air Officer Commanding British Forces Aden in 1936. He became Director of Training at the

Air Ministry The Air Ministry was a department of the Government of the United Kingdom with the responsibility of managing the affairs of the Royal Air Force, that existed from 1918 to 1964. It was under the political authority of the Secretary of State ...

in 1938. McClaughry served in the Second World War as Air Officer Commanding No. 9 Group, a fighter group, during the

Battle of Britain The Battle of Britain, also known as the Air Battle for England (german: die Luftschlacht um England), was a military campaign of the Second World War, in which the Royal Air Force (RAF) and the Fleet Air Arm (FAA) of the Royal Navy defende ...

and then as Air Officer Commanding AHQ Egypt before being killed in an air accident in

in 1943.

Family

In 1940 McClaughry married Angela Grace Maria Segalir. His brother, Air Vice Marshal Edgar Kingston-McCloughry (who hyphenated his surname) also had a distinguished career in both the AFC and RAF.

References

, - {{DEFAULTSORT:Mcclaughry, Wilfred 1894 births 1943 deaths Military personnel from South Australia Australian military personnel of World War I Royal Air Force air marshals of World War II Companions of the Order of the Bath Companions of the Distinguished Service Order Recipients of the Military Cross Recipients of the Distinguished Flying Cross (United Kingdom) Royal Air Force personnel killed in World War II People from Adelaide