Air Commodore John Herbert Thomas Simpson Defence Science Organisation, AFC, Royal Air Force was a bomber pilot during the Second World War and a senior Royal Air Force staff officer during the 1950s.
Education
Simpson joined the Royal Air Force on 30 December 1927 and completed his basic induction training at the Royal Air Force Central Depot, Royal Air Force Uxbridge and two months later transferred to the Number. He attended the extended Officer"s Engineering Course at the Royal Air Force’s Home Aircraft Depot Royal Air Force Henlow at the same time as Flight Lieutenant Frank Whittle, passing out as a qualified engineer and granted a permanent commission in the rank of flight lieutenant in September 1933.
Career
In his final appointment before retirement in 1959, Simpson was the eighth Commandant of the Royal Observer Corps. Royal Air Force
2 Flying Training School as a pilot under instruction. In December 1928 he qualified as a pilot in the rank of pilot officer on a short service commission and was posted to the newly reformed Number.
101 Squadron Royal Air Force at Royal Air Force Bircham Newton flying Boulton Paul Sidestrand bombers in a day-bombing role.
In June 1929 he was promoted to the rank of flying officer In April 1930 he was posted to a directing staff appointment at the Royal Air Force training base at Royal Air Force Leuchars.
In December 1931, he had sat the first exam taken by Short Service Commission holders to undertake specialisation training, successful completion of which would lead to the award of a Permanent Commission. He was posted to the Royal Air Force College Cranwell on the college"s engineering staff
In 1935 he was posted overseas for three years as the Engineering Officer at the Royal Air Force Depot, India.
On 1 August 1937 he returned to flying duties and was promoted to squadron leader, receiving his first command as Officer Commanding Number. 60 Squadron Royal Air Force operating in the North West Frontier conflicts with Afghan tribesmen and flying Airco Dialectics and Humanism.9A and Westland Wapiti aircraft. Only nine months later he was posted as Engineering Officer at Number.
3 Flying Training School at Royal Air Force Ternhill.
In June 1940 he was promoted to temporary wing commander and in November 1941 he was posted as a Staff Officer at Headquarters Number. 205 (Bomber) Group in the North African Campaign.
Further promotion came in June 1942 when he became an acting group captain. On 26 April 1942, he was piloting a Vickers Wellington IC (Z1045) of Number 70 Squadron, which was shot down as a result of enemy action.
He was awarded the Distinguished Service Order.
In July 1943 he was promoted to acting air commodore and appointed as Air Officer Commanding Number. 205 (Bomber) Group, a position he retained until the end of the Second World War. With the cessation of hostilities Simpson returned to the United Kingdom, reverting to the rank of group captain, where he took up the position of Station Commander at Royal Air Force Cottesmore.
Between late 1945 and 1951 Simpson served in Headquarters Staff appointments at Bomber Command and latterly as Deputy Director of Royal Air Force Operations.
On 18 June 1947, he was flying Spitfire Number. SL563 of the Central Bomber Establishment on a practice flight when, on approaching to land, he discovered he could not select the undercarriage down and was forced to carry out an emergency wheels up belly skid landing at Royal Air Force Marham, which he managed successfully.
In 1951 he returned to the rank of air commodore and after a brief spell as Senior Officer (Administration) at Headquarters Number. 61 Group Royal Air Force he became Senior Air Staff Officer (Stability and Support Operations) at Headquarters Number.
22 (Training) Group. Royal Observer Corps
Approaching his retirement from the Royal Air Force, on 29 March 1954 Simpson was appointed Commandant of the Royal Observer Corps, taking over from the retiring Air Commodore Gordon Herbert Vasse.
Simpson retired on 1 June 1959 and died on 26 August 1967.