Air Vice Marshal Walter Charles Sheen CB DSO OBE
OC RAF Elsham Wolds 1944 – Flew ops as a pilot with both 103 Squadron and 576 Squadron
Walter Sheen as OC 49 Sqn early in the war.
Like many of these pre war RAF types Walter Sheen, a former Halton Old Boy, had a very interesting and varied career and, in his case, a long one.
Walter was born in 1907 and joined the RAF as an Air Apprentice at No 1 School of Technical Training at Halton in 1923. He later qualified as a pilot and was commissioned in 1930.
Also in that year he completed a Flying Instructors Course at the Central Flying School. As a Qualified Flying Instructor he served at No 3 FTS and the CFS. At this time Walter was a member of the CFS's aerobatic team equipped with Avro Tutors.
In 1934 he was transferred to 207 Sqn as a pilot and probably served abroad at this time.
In 1936 he became Flying Examining Officer, Superintendent of RAF Reserve/CFS/HQ No 26 Group. With the continued expansion of the RAF Walter was posted to 106 Sqn as Officer Commanding in Sept 1938. At the time this unit was flying Fairey Battles, Avro Ansons and finally Handley Page Hampdens.
On the 2nd Dec 1939 Walter became OC of 49 Sqn at Scampton. This was another Hampden Squadron. He flew several operational sorties during this period and was awarded a DSO in 1940.
In 1943 he was Senior Air Staff Officer HQ No 92 Group – Training.
In 1944 around May Walter took over as OC RAF Elsham Wolds. During this posting he is shown as flying 2 operations as shown below :-
103 Sqn - 18-Aug-44 - Ertvelde Rieme – Lancaster – PB365 – G/C WC Sheen
576 Sqn - 07-Oct-1944 – Emmerich – Lancaster – PD312 – G/C WC Sheen
Later that year he appointed OC RAF Hemswell followed in April 1945 by a posting as OC at RAF Coningsby and later in 1945 by his appointment Deputy Director of (Bomber) operations. He was awarded an OBE in Jan 1946.
He seems to have remained in that role until June 1950 when he became OC RAF Binbrook in Lincolnshire. On the 23rd Mar 1955 he became Director General of Manning. He was awarded a CB in Jan 1955 and was promoted AVM in July the same year.
Finally, in March 1958, Walter was appointed Commander, RAF Staff - British Joint Services Mission, Washington. That must have been a splendid job. On 16 April 1959 he was an observer at the first live launch of Thor IRBM by an RAF crew at Vandenburg AFB.
Walter Sheen retired on the 13th May 1961 and sadly passed away on the 31st Oct 1969.
Item written by David Fell. Career details from the Air of Authority website.
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