Allegiance United Kingdom Died November 19, 2000 Years of service 1935–1968 Battles and wars World War II | Battles/wars World War II Service/branch Royal Air Force Name Jeaffreson Greswell Rank Air commodore | |
Commands held OC No. 179 Squadron RAF
OC RAF Kinloss 1957 – 1959
Commandant Royal Observer Corps 1964 - 1969 Awards Order of the Bath, Order of the British Empire, Distinguished Service Order, Distinguished Flying Cross | ||
Air Commodore Jeaffreson Herbert Greswell CB CBE DSO DFC RAF (28 July 1916 – 19 November 2000) was a British pilot during World War II and a senior Royal Air Force officer in the post-war years.
Contents
As an Air Commodore, Greswell served as the eleventh Commandant Royal Observer Corps between June 1964 and June 1968.
Service history
Greswell joined the RAF in 1935 and served for over thirty years. Much of his war time service was spent with Coastal Command operating on convoy protection duties. Initially flying Ansons with No. 217 Squadron RAF and later in Wellingtons, promoted to Squadron Leader with No. 172 Squadron RAF. 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, he 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 in 1956.
Royal Observer Corps
On promotion to Air Commodore rank in June 1964, Greswell was appointed as the 11th Commandant of the ROC during a period which saw the greatest reorganisation and upheaval in the organisation’s history.