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316:"An outstanding officer, Squadron Leader Saffery, by his untiring energy, enthusiasm and devotion to duty has set a splendid example to his subordinates. He has taken part in a number of operational sorties to difficult and distant enemy targets. On one recent sortie he remained for over an hour over one of the most heavily defended areas of Germany, despite the most intense enemy opposition. This officer's sorties have been model to all for thoroughness of preparation and skill and resoluteness of execution."
184:, Kent, he attempted to join the Royal Air Force, but was turned down due to a defect in one eye. Undaunted, he then worked at an advertising agency, and in 1926 began taking flying lessons at the London Aeroplane Club. In March 1927 he passed his test for the Royal Aero Club's Aviators' Certificate, and was granted Certificate No. 8096 in May. Saffery then became interested in gliding, and was awarded RAeC Gliding Certificate No. 104 at the
460:, and Graham Land down to the 64th parallel. The missing 30% largely comprised the featureless ice-cap of the Graham Land plateau. As well as aerial photography, the expedition also established scaling and triangulation control points on the ground, so that the exact location of features could be fixed.
463:
As a result of their work
Saffery, and the pilots and navigators of Hunting Aerosurveys, received the Johnston Memorial Trophy, awarded annually for the most outstanding feat or performance in aerial navigation, for the development of principles of air navigation, or for flights involving the
228:, Manchester, in June 1940 where the first attempts at military parachuting and gliding began. Saffery was soon attached to the new unit on the basis of his pre-war gliding experience, being transferred to the Royal Air Force, and appointed Chief Flying Instructor at
393:
and the surrounding 95 square miles (250 km). The following year he was in charge of a survey in the Sudan, providing photographs and mosaics covering an area of 4,000 square miles (10,000 km), which were then handed over to ecologists employed by
348:
Saffery was finally demobilized in 1946, though he remained on the
Emergency List of the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, until eventually relinquishing his commission on 10 February 1954, being permitted to retain the rank of squadron leader.
377:, with Saffery as chief pilot and expedition manager. In November the same year Hunting Aerosurveys won a contract from the Government of Siam for aerial photography and mapping of some 5,800 square miles (15,000 km) of
1141:
290:, but the cockpits were unpressurized, resulting in considerable discomfort to the pilots, who were in the air for several hours. Saffery flew 37 sorties over Germany and France, photographing potential targets for
1131:
410:
240:
118:
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483:, designing and building light aircraft. He died in his sleep, aged 77, the day before he was due to attend the 56th Annual Reunion Dinner of the Antarctic Club.
452:. The expedition successfully surveyed 40,000 square miles (100,000 km), about 70% of the contract area – including all of the South Shetlands Islands, the
381:, as well as a large-scale survey for a new railway, with Saffery as chief pilot and expedition manager. From May 1951 Saffery was in charge of an expedition to
398:, to report to the Sudanese Government on the possibilities of irrigation projects adjacent to the White and Blue Nile. The survey was extended to cover the
341:, then on 13 June his second King's Commendation for Valuable Service in the Air, and finally on 26 July he was granted permission to the wear the
473:
255:
437:, as well as the Falkland Islands themselves, comprising another 5,000 square miles (13,000 km). Using the 900-ton depot ship
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345:(with palm), conferred by the government of Belgium "in recognition of valuable services rendered in connection with the war".
221:
201:
220:, and so on 17 June Winston Churchill ordered the formation of airborne forces. The first step was the formation of the
246:
445:, which had the advantage of being ice-free during the summer months (from November to March) enabling the use of two
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156:(1907–1985) was an officer of the British Royal Air Force during World War II, who served as flying instructor for
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on 1 November 1939, with seniority from 25 September. However, in May 1940 the
British learned of the use of
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Squadron Leader John Hugh
Saffery (61457), Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, No. 541 Squadron.
421:. This involved carrying out an aerial survey of some 45,000 square miles (120,000 km) of
323:
267:
189:
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on 1 July 1943. He took command of a photo reconnaissance training unit, and subsequently of
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173:
991:"FIDASE (Part One): The Story of The Falkland Island Dependencies Aerial Survey Expedition"
160:
and then commanded a photo reconnaissance squadron. Post-war, he became a survey pilot for
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were flown at altitudes of around 40,000 feet (12,000 m), beyond the reach of the
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330:, spending a whole day floating on his life-raft, before being rescued by a passing
176:, and from then on his only ambition was to become a pilot. After being educated at
517:
464:
development of the technology of navigation. The award was made on the quayside at
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369:
aircraft, which was soon on its way to carry out a photographic survey of
Southern
479:
Following his eventual retirement
Saffery spent much of his time in a workshop on
430:
409:
From 1955 to 1957 Saffery served as the Flying
Manager and Deputy Leader of the
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In 1946 Saffery received a number of awards: firstly on 1 January, a
413:(FIDASE), carried out by Hunting Aerosurveys on a contract from the
245:
361:. as Chief Pilot and later Flying Manager. On 13 January 1950 at
216:
by the
Germans during the invasion of Belgium, at the assault on
1142:
Recipients of the
Commendation for Valuable Service in the Air
254:
in 2013, formerly of No. 541 (PR) Squadron, then part of the
1132:
Royal Air Force
Volunteer Reserve personnel of World War II
200:
Soon after the outbreak of World War II Saffery joined the
411:
Falkland Islands and Dependencies Aerial Survey Expedition
172:
At the age of seven Saffery was taken by his father to
188:
in February 1931. In 1938 Saffery began working for
241:
King's Commendation for Valuable Service in the Air
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King's Commendation for Valuable Service in the Air
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441:, the expedition created a base of operations on
365:Hunting Aerosurveys took delivery of the first
1137:Companions of the Distinguished Service Order
8:
989:Gavin-Robinson, Christopher (14 June 1957).
858:(Supplement). 15 October 1954. p. 5911.
1147:Recipients of the Croix de guerre (Belgium)
506:
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389:, to prepare large-scale photo-mosaics of
17:
840:(Supplement). 23 July 1946. p. 3834.
738:(Supplement). 13 July 1943. p. 3207.
530:
822:(Supplement). 4 June 1946. p. 2819.
756:(Supplement). 30 May 1944. p. 2535.
608:"Royal Aero Club Aviators' Certificates"
239:On 11 June 1942 Saffery was awarded the
492:
276:No. 541 (Photo Reconnaissance) Squadron
96:No. 541 (Photo Reconnaissance) Squadron
638:"Royal Aero Club Gliding Certificates"
474:Guild of Air Pilots and Air Navigators
192:, builders of gliders and sailplanes.
7:
208:, being commissioned as a temporary
305:On 1 June 1944 he was awarded the
14:
396:Sir Alexander Gibb & Partners
256:Battle of Britain Memorial Flight
676:. 3 November 1939. p. 7411.
804:. 28 December 1945. p. 92.
693:A History of Haddenham Airfield
415:Directorate of Colonial Surveys
1:
970:(2299): 205. 13 February 1953
910:(2183): 453. 23 November 1950
648:(1157): 181. 27 February 1931
513:"Obituary: John Hugh Saffery"
222:Central Landing Establishment
202:Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve
880:(2146): 197. 9 February 1950
720:. 5 June 1942. p. 2529.
556:. St Ronan's School: 7. 1941
326:he had to bail out over the
39:1985 (aged 77–78)
1081:"Johnston Trophy Presented"
778:(1859): 161. 10 August 1944
689:"1940-1943 Glider Training"
687:Chamberlain, Peter (2014).
511:Mott, Peter G. (May 1985).
419:Falkland Islands Government
307:Distinguished Service Order
278:, flying specially adapted
114:Distinguished Service Order
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1031:(2513): 358. 22 March 1957
768:"Service Aviation: Awards"
387:Abdullah Al-Salim Al-Sabah
258:. The aircraft is painted
128:Croix de guerre avec palme
1061:(2511): 295. 8 March 1957
588:(952): 178. 24 March 1927
532:10.1017/s0032247400006203
385:, commissioned by Sheikh
375:Anglo-Iranian Oil Company
1091:(2523): 749. 31 May 1957
940:(2211): 685. 8 June 1951
433:peninsula as far as the
86:No. 1 Gliding School RAF
618:(960): 310. 19 May 1927
576:"London Aeroplane Club"
359:Hunting Aerosurveys Ltd
162:Hunting Aerosurveys Ltd
1152:Aviation photographers
547:"Old Boys Now Serving"
427:South Shetland Islands
263:
960:"Two Hunting Surveys"
930:"Civil Aviation News"
470:John Lankester Parker
339:mention in despatches
309:. His citation read:
266:He was promoted from
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123:Mention in despatches
64:Years of service
230:No. 1 Gliding School
1021:"Surveyors Supreme"
870:"The Survey Prince"
435:68th parallel south
214:glider-borne troops
186:London Gliding Club
856:The London Gazette
838:The London Gazette
820:The London Gazette
802:The London Gazette
754:The London Gazette
736:The London Gazette
718:The London Gazette
673:The London Gazette
481:Shoreham Aerodrome
468:on 13 May 1957 by
454:Palmer Archipelago
450:amphibian aircraft
423:British Antarctica
406:on the Blue Nile.
400:proposed reservoir
292:RAF Bomber Command
264:
472:on behalf of the
425:, comprising the
417:on behalf of the
373:on behalf of the
302:launching sites.
268:flight lieutenant
178:St Ronan's School
149:John Hugh Saffery
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22:John Hugh Saffery
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1127:British aviators
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174:Hendon Aerodrome
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357:Saffery joined
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353:Post-war career
343:Croix de Guerre
328:English Channel
296:V-1 flying bomb
272:squadron leader
226:Ringway Airport
218:Fort Eben-Emael
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136:Other work
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1093:. Retrieved
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590:. Retrieved
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558:. Retrieved
554:School Notes
553:
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522:
518:Polar Record
516:
478:
462:
458:Biscoe Group
447:PBY-5A Canso
438:
408:
379:Central Siam
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332:torpedo boat
321:
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196:World War II
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140:Survey pilot
126:
105:World War II
102:Battles/wars
15:
1122:1985 deaths
1117:1907 births
1095:30 November
1065:30 November
1035:30 November
1005:30 November
974:30 November
944:30 November
914:30 November
884:30 November
852:"No. 40303"
834:"No. 37666"
816:"No. 37598"
798:"No. 37407"
782:30 November
750:"No. 36542"
732:"No. 36092"
714:"No. 35586"
698:30 November
668:"No. 34724"
652:30 November
622:30 November
592:30 November
560:30 November
431:Graham Land
404:Er Roseires
391:Kuwait City
190:F. Slingsby
1111:Categories
487:References
300:V-2 rocket
294:including
168:Early life
57:Royal Navy
44:Allegiance
439:Oluf Sven
288:Luftwaffe
280:Spitfires
234:RAF Thame
232:based at
182:Hawkhurst
131:(Belgium)
67:1939–1946
1051:"Awards"
429:and the
260:PRU blue
92:Commands
52:Service/
466:Harwich
284:sorties
282:. Most
1085:Flight
1055:Flight
1025:Flight
995:Flight
964:Flight
934:Flight
904:Flight
874:Flight
772:Flight
642:Flight
612:Flight
581:Flight
456:, the
383:Kuwait
371:Persia
110:Awards
54:branch
968:LXIII
908:LVIII
646:XXIII
550:(PDF)
324:D-Day
252:PS915
1097:2015
1067:2015
1037:2015
1007:2015
976:2015
946:2015
916:2015
886:2015
878:LVII
784:2015
776:XLVI
700:2015
654:2015
624:2015
594:2015
562:2015
298:and
117:2 ×
82:Unit
72:Rank
36:Died
31:1907
28:Born
938:LIX
616:XIX
586:XIX
527:doi
402:at
270:to
224:at
153:DSO
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