John Whitley (RAF officer)

Air Marshal Sir John Rene Whitley KBE CB DSO AFC & Bar (7 September 1905 – 26 December 1997) was a senior commander in the Royal Air Force during World War II and also in the post-War years.

RAF career
Whitley joined the Royal Air Force in 1926. He served in World War II as Officer Commanding No. 149 Squadron and then as Station Commander at RAF Linton-on-Ouse. He was shot down in 1943. After evading capture, he continued his war service as Station Commander at RAF Lissett and then as Air Officer Commanding No. 43 Base. He went on to be Air Officer Commanding No. 4 Group and then Air Officer Commanding No. 8 Group.

After the War he served as Assistant Air Officer Administration at Headquarters Air Command South East Asia and then as Station Commander at RAF Karachi. He was appointed Director of Organisation (Establishments) at the Air Ministry in 1947 and Air Officer Administration at Headquarters Second Tactical Air Force in 1951. He went on to be Air Officer Commanding No. 1 Group in 1953, Air Member for Personnel in 1957 and Inspector-General of the RAF in 1959 before retiring in 1962.