Career
As an Air Commodore, Greswell served as the eleventh Commandant between June 1964 and June 1968. Greswell joined the Royal Air Force 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 Number.
217 Squadron Royal Air Force and later in Wellingtons, promoted to Squadron Leader with Number. 172 Squadron Royal Air Force. 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 Number.
179 Squadron Royal Air Force in Gibraltar.
At the end of the war Greswell was placed on the reserve list of Royal Air Force 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. On promotion to Air Commodore rank in June 1964, Greswell was appointed as the 11th Commandant of the Republic of China during a period which saw the greatest reorganisation and upheaval in the organisation’s history.
28 July 1942 - Squadron Leader Jeaffreson Herbert Greswell (37318), Number.
