Alan Wheeler

Allen Henry Wheeler C.B.E. (1903 - 1984) was in the Royal Air Force on active service throughout World War 2 (Service number: 05109)

Wheeler was born in Q4, 1903 in Ludlow (Register Vol. 6a, page 552)

Promotions

January 17th, 1925: Pilot Officer (seniority January 17th, 1924);

July 17th, 1925: Flying Officer;

May 14th 1930: Flight Lieutenant;

April 1st, 1937: Squadron Leader;

March 12th, 1940: Wing Commander;

March 1st, 1942: temporary Group Captain;

Acting Air Commodore

Air Commodore

Honours

Wheeler was created an Officerer of the Order of the British Empire (O.B.E.) January 1st, 1945.

Wheeler was created Commander of the Order of the British Empire (C.B.E.) January 1st, 1955.

Mentioned in Despatches, January 1st, 1941

BASE AIR FORCES (S.E.A.) - (AIR COMMAND SOUTH-EAST ASIA.) - HEADQUARTERS—Delhi.

Air Cdre. A. H. Wheeler, O.B.E Senior Air Staff Officer

Dennis Neville who formed "Captain Neville's FLying Circus" lists as one of his most memorable aviation moments as:-

Performing a ‘falling leaf’ in an Avro 504 at Farnborough, 30 years after seeing Alan[sic] Wheeler perform the same.

From the credits for the film "Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines" (1965):-

Allen Wheeler ... stunt pilot

Allen Wheeler ... technical adviser (as Air Commodore Allen H. Wheeler)

In his book "Wings on my sleeve" (page 157 et seq), Eric Brown records his admiration of a number of erstwhile colleagues who deserve recognition:-

"I was fortunate to have such fine C.O.s as Alan Hards, Dick Ubee, Silyn Roberts, and Alan[sic] Wheeler"

References

- The London Gazette Issue 33015, dated 27th January 1925

- The London Gazette Issue 33076, dated 18th August 1925

- The London Gazette Issue 33605, dated 13th May 1930

- The London Gazette Issue 34385, dated 2nd April 1937

- The London Gazette Issue 34810, dated 12th March 1940

- Supplement to The London Gazette of 31st December 1940, Issue 35029, dated 1st January 1941

- The London Gazette Issue 35503, dated 27th March 1942

- Supplement to The London Gazette of 29th December 1944, Issue 36866, dated 1st January 1945

- Ninth Supplement to The London Gazette of 28th December 1945, Issue 37415, dated 1st January 1946

- Supplement to The London Gazette of 31st December 1954, Issue 40366, dated 1st January 1955