 His performance in this role led to Jones being promoted to acting air commodore on 21 February 1941, and appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire in the 1942 New Year Honours for "diligence, devotion to duty and perseverance of outstanding merit".On 5 May 1942, Jones was appointed Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), the RAAF's senior position.He was considered an unlikely choice, a contemporary newspaper describing him as "the darkest of dark horses".