W/Cdr Kenneth Slater AFC

[Charles Smith]

Hi,

Looking for any war-time information on this officer. Where did he serve, ? etc

TIA

Chaz

[Lyffe]

Can you provide any information about Slater, Chaz? For example where did you find his name or what prompted you to look for him? Have you looked him up in the London Gazette?

Brian

[Resmoroh]

This might be him?:-
Air Ministry, 6th February,: 1940,
ROYAL AIR FORCE. GENERAL DUTIES BRANCH.
The undermentioned are granted permanent commissions in the substantive ranks stated. I5th Nov. 1939:—
Flying Officers.
Kenneth SLATER (37330).
HTH
Peter Davies

[Charles Smith]

Thanks all,

Sadly, I have nothing on him what so every, just a name.

Chaz

[HughAHalliday]

SLATER, Kenneth, W/C (37330, Royal Air Force) - Headquarters, Transport Command - Air Force Cross - awarded as per London Gazette dated 3 April 1945. Confirmed as Pilot Officer, 6 August 1936. Public Record Officer Air 2/9061, courtesy Steve Brew, has recommendation drafted 2 February 1945 when he had flown 1,490 hours, 250 hours since 1 July 1944.

Although this staff officer has been on specialist duties since the end of his Signals Course in 1939, he has kept himself in flying practice to an extent that enabled him to be Pilot/Captain of a crew of staff officers carrying out major inspection flights during 1944.

These flights were firstly United Kingdom-Iceland-Greenland-Newfoundland-Azores-United Kingdom and secondly United Kingdom-Cairo-Shaibah-Karachi-Calcutta-Kunming (China)-Ceylon and return to United Kingdom via the south coast of Arabia.

Although well-established air routes were followed, a pre-determined schedule was followed by day and night. These flights are good examples of the professional zeal of this officer, who has been consistently to the fore in shaping Transport Command’s clearly stated policy for radio aids to navigation.

His practical demonstrations how to use the radio aids in the air have been encouraging and beneficial to Squadron Commanders, aircrews and technicians. In setting his subordinates an example of high personal efficiency in the air and on the ground, he has materially contributed to the more efficient equipment of British aircraft and British air routes.

This was edited for Air Ministry Committee consideration to the following:

Wing Commander Slater is the Staff Signals Officer (Radio Engineering) for Transport Command. He has been employed on specialist duties since completing his Signals Course in 1939, but he has kept himself in flying practice to such an extent that he was enabled to carry out the duties of Pilot/Captain of a crew of staff officers carrying out major inspection flights during 1944. These flights, starting from the United Kingdom, extended to Iceland, Greenland, Newfoundland and the Azores; also to Egypt, India, China and Ceylon, returning by the south coast of Arabia. They were good examples of the professional zeal of this officer who has taken a prominent part in shaping Transport Command’s policy with regard to radio aids for navigation. His practical demonstrations of their use have been extremely beneficial to Squadron Commanders, aircrews and technicians in the air and on the ground.

[PeteS]

Mentioned in Despatches 17 Mar 1941
Mentioned in Despatches 29 Sep 1941
Air Force Cross 3 Apr 1945
Officer - Order of the British Empire (Military) 12 Jun 1947

Slater was granted a permanent commission as Flying Officer. 15 Nov 1939
Slater was Flying Officer when he was promoted Flight Lieut. 6 Mar 1940
Slater was a Flt/Lieut (acting Wing Cdr) on 1 Jun 1941 when he was promoted permanent Sqdn.Ldr.

[Resmoroh]

Sounds like he was an early "IRIS"?
HTH
Peter Davies

[COL BRUGGY]

Hello,

Unusually, referred to as Wg Cdr K. R. Slater.

No.570 Sqn - OC.
Wg Cdr K. R. Slater
June 1945 - August 1945.

No.620 Sqn - OC.
Wg Cdr K. R. Slater
27/07/1945 - September 1945

No.52 Sqn - OC.
Wg Cdr K. R. Slater AFC
September 1945 - January 1947.

See: CS&SS of the RAF/Rawlings/pp.72 & 235, and Stirlings in Action with the Airborne Forces/Williams/p.286.

Col.

[Charles Smith]

Gents,

My sincere thanks to each of you for your help.

Chaz