Majors Balcombe-Brown and Blomfield, Oct 1917

Commanding Officers

From Rank Name    
14 Sep 2019 Wg Cdr D Smathers  
22 Aug 2016 Wg Cdr M J Fleckney  
05 Aug 2013 Wg Cdr I Middleton MBE
03 Aug 2011 Wg Cdr AJ Lyle  
01 Sep 2009 Wg Cdr S Larry  
22 Apr 2008 Wg Cdr RM O�Dell  
22 Jun 2007 Wg Cdr DJ Hazell  
21 Apr 2005 Wg Cdr AP Bowen  
04 Oct 2002 Wg Cdr PA Storey  
07 Apr 2000 Wg Cdr IRW Stewart  
11 Jul 1997 Wg Cdr DM Wood  
19 Dec 1994 Wg Cdr SP Ayres  
31 Jul 1992 Wg Cdr PA Coker  
29 Nov 1990 Wg Cdr BP Doggett  
29 Apr 1988 Wg Cdr BJ Titchen  
21 Feb 1986 Wg Cdr MJ Bruce  
09 Mar 1984 Wg Cdr A McKay  
17 Dec 1981 Wg Cdr G Brindle  
09 Mar 1979 Wg Cdr BC Johnson OBE
29 Oct 1976 Wg Cdr RD Arnott  
30 Jun 1976 Wg Cdr MJD Stear  
01 Sep 1974 Wg Cdr AB Blackley  
07 Nov 1972 Wg Cdr ME Bee AFC
09 Jan 1971 Wg Cdr BC Farrer MBE
28 Oct 1968 Wg Cdr WE Kelly  
04 Jan 1966 Wg Cdr CH Bidie AFC
23 Sep 1963 Sqn Ldr IR Martin  
11 Dec 1961 Sqn Ldr DJ Seward  
01 Jan 1960 Sqn Ldr JR Rogers  
02 Dec 1957 Sqn Ldr RJF Dickinson AFC
19 Dec 1955 Maj JEH Kaisin Belgian Air Force
26 Oct 1953 Sqn Ldr GJ Storey AFC
23 May 1953 Sqn Ldr CS Vos DFC
30 Jul 1951 Sqn Ldr RJS Spooner AFC
18 Sep 1950 Sqn Ldr JHW Yeats DFC
18 Jan 1950 Sqn Ldr IS Smith DFC
07 Feb 1948 Sqn Ldr TC Wood DFC
04 Sep 1946 Sqn Ldr RH Holland DFC
01 Apr 1946 Sqn Ldr HW Harrison DFC
13 May 1945 Sqn Ldr MP Kilburn DFC
20 Feb 1945 Sqn Ldr RWA MacKichan DFC
15 Sep 1944 Sqn Ldr DVC Cotes-Preedy GM DFC
19 May 1944 Sqn Ldr AR Hall DFC
16 Sep 1943 Sqn Ldr GL Sinclair DFC
28 Jun 1943 Sqn Ldr CJ Donovan  
17 Jan 1943 Sqn Ldr THV Pheloung DFC
23 Nov 1942 Sqn Ldr AC Johnston DFC
20 Dec 1941 Sqn Ldr HSL Dundas DFC
18 Jun 1941 Sqn Ldr PP Hanks DFC
15 Jan 1941 Sqn Ldr EN Ryder DFC
31 Aug 1940 Sqn Ldr HM Pinfold  
26 Jun 1940 Sqn Ldr GAL Manton  
10 Jun 1939 Sqn Ldr EV Knowles  
23 Jul 1938 Sqn Ldr AEJ Pratt  
01 Oct 1936 Sqn Ldr CL Lea-Cox  
01 Feb 1932 Sqn Ldr GE Wilson  
01 Jan 1931 Sqn Ldr HV Rowley  
08 Feb 1928 Sqn Ldr A Lees  
21 Sep 1926 Sqn Ldr CH Elliott-Smith AFC
22 Sep 1925 Sqn Ldr TJ Vincent DFC
24 Sep 1923 Sqn Ldr Sir CJQ Brand KBE DSO MC DFC
22 Nov 1922 Sqn Ldr IT Lloyd  
01 Nov 1921 Sqn Ldr GGA Williams  
01 Feb 1920 Sqn Ldr P Babington MC AFC
17 Dec 1918 Capt DW Grinnell-Milne DFC
05 May 1918 Maj EJLW Gilchrist  
29 Oct 1917 Maj R Balcombe-Brown DSO
06 Feb 1917 Maj RG Blomfield DSO
21 Dec 1916 Maj HD Harvey-Kelly  
03 Nov 1916 Maj RM Vaughan MC
17 Aug 1916 Maj AAB Thomson MC
08 Jun 1916 Maj EL Gossage MC

Ranks and honours are those held at time of command, or earned directly due to time of command.

Information taken, with kind permission, from 56 Squadron archives. Thanks to Flight Sergeant Mark Fellows for his detailed research into the provision of an accurate 56 Squadron Commanding Officers list.