Augustus Orlebar

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Air Vice Marshal Augustus Henry Orlebar CBE, AFC
Born Augustus Henry Orlebar
17th February 1897
Hinwick House, Podington, Beds.
Died 4 August 1943 (aged 46)
Burial place St Mary's church, Podington
Nationality British
Education Rugby school
Occupation RAF officer
Known for Air racing and military aviation
Spouse Victoria Orlebar
Notes

Augustus Henry Orlebar was born in 1897, the son of Augustus Scobell Orlebar and Hester Mary Orlebar, of Podington. The Orlebars were an old family, having built Hinwick House almost 200 years earlier, after holding the manor since the mid-17th century. Rugby school was a natural education for a boy of his background.

Contents

[edit] The Great War

Enlisted in 1/5th Territorial Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment, January 1915. Commissioned as a 2nd Lt, he served at Gallipoli and wounded in action by a sniper's bullet. Invalided to UK and transferred to RFC on recovery.

Trained as a pilot in 1916, then served over the Western Front to the end of the war. On 13th March 1918, shot down and severely wounded Ltn. Lothar von Richthofen (brother of Manfred von Richthofen), near Cambrai. Wounded in turn himself by Albatros scouts over Ham, 23rd March 1918. Before his return to combat, he also served as an instructor in Essex.

He was credited with two enemy aircraft destroyed whilst serving with No 19 and a further four as a flight commander in No 73 Squadron, before being wounded. He gained his final victory with 43 on 29 September bringing his total to seven.

[edit] Inter-war Service

Test pilot at the Aeroplane and Armament Experimental Establishment (A&AEE), Martlesham Heath, 1919-25.

Awarded AFC 1921 and bar 1929.

[edit] Air racing

Officer Commanding and pilot with the High Speed Flight, the RAF's team for the Schneider Trophy seaplane races of 1927 - 1931. Britain, having won the 1927 race, became the subsequent host for the contests, which were based at RAF Calshot, on the eastern entrance to Southampton Water.

In 1929 he set a air speed record of 357.7 mph in Supermarine S.6 N247. [2]

The final contest was held in 1931, for a 3rd win gave the title to Britain in perpetuity. His report on the contest describes Flt Lt Stainforth's achievement of a new speed record at over 400 mph. [3]

[edit] World War II

As Group Captain, was OC RAF Northolt, 1939.

Promoted to Air Commodore and served at Fighter Command HQ during WW2.


[edit] Service career

[edit] Decorations

AFC - 2 Jan 1922, bar - 3 Jun 1930, MiD - 24 Sep 1941.

[edit] Ranks held

Army
Second Lieutenant 15 Jan 1915
Lieutenant Temporary 21 Sep 1915
Lieutenant 21 Oct 1916 [1 Jun 1916]
Captain Temporary 20 Dec 1917
RAF
Lieutenant 1 Apr 1918
Flight Lieutenant 1 Aug 1919 [1 Apr 1918]
Squadron Leader 1 Jul 1928
Wing Commander 1 Jan 1932
Group Captain 1 Jul 1937
Air Commodore Temporary 1 Feb 1940
Acting Air Vice Marshal 22 Jul 1941- 1 Jan 1943
Air Commodore War substantive 22 Jul 1942
Air Commodore 1 Oct 1942 [22 Jul 1942]
Acting Air Vice Marshal 1 Mar 1943 - 21 Jun 1943

[4]

[edit] Service Record

[edit] Army

15 Jan 1915 2nd Lt, 1/5th Territorial Btn. Bedfordshire Regiment (Gallipoli)

[edit] Royal Flying Corps

17 Sep 1916 Flying Officer, RFC
1916 Pilot, No. 19 Sqn. RFC (BE12, Spad VIIWestern Front)
1917 Pilot, No. 44 (Home Defence) Sqn. RFC (Camel – Hainault farm [5])
19 Aug 1917 precedence backdated to 1 Jun 1916.
20 Dec 1917 Flight Commander, No. 73 Sqn. RFC (CamelWestern Front)

[edit] RAF

British team for 1929 Schneider TrophySqn Ldr Orlebar is 4th from left
British team for 1929 Schneider Trophy
Sqn Ldr Orlebar is 4th from left
British team for 1931 Schneider TrophySqn Ldr Orlebar is 5th from left
British team for 1931 Schneider Trophy
Sqn Ldr Orlebar is 5th from left
1918 Instructor
Aug 1918 Flight Commander, No. 43 Squadron RAF (Camel, SnipeWestern Front)
1 Jul 1919 Pilot, Aeroplane Experimental Station, Martlesham Heath.
1 Aug 1919 Relinquishes his commission in the Bedfordshire Regiment (retaining rank of Lieutenant)
28 Oct 1919 Granted a Permanent Commission in the rank of Flight Lieutenant (effective from 1 Aug)
16 Mar 1920 Pilot, at the renamed Aeroplane and Armament Experimental Establishment
24 Jul 1923 Flight Commander, No. 22 Sqn.. Trials aircraft – Martlesham Heath
4 May 1925 Attended RAF Staff College
12 Apr 1926 Staff, HQ No. 22 Group
21 Sep 1926 supernumerary - awaiting disposal, HQ Iraq Command
3 Sep 1927 Staff, Deputy Directorate of Staff Duties.
9 Jan 1929 Test Pilot, Marine Aircraft Experimental Establishment
2 Dec 1929 Officer Commanding, Flying Boat Development Flight.
11 May 1931 Officer Commanding, RAF High Speed Flight.
2 Jan 1932 Staff, HQ No. 1 Air Defence Group
22 Sep 1933 Senior Air Staff Officer (SASO), HQ Aden Command
1 May 1936 Staff, Directorate of Staff Duties
12 Jan 1937 Attended Imperial Defence College
20 Dec 1937 Officer Commanding, RAF Northolt
15 Oct 1939 Duty Air Commodore, HQ Fighter Command
29 Jul 1940 Director of Flying Training
15 Oct 1940 Air Staff, HQ Fighter Command
22 Jul 1941 AOC, No. 10 (Fighter) Group
4 Nov 1942
2 Mar 1943 Deputy Chief of Combined Operations

[edit] References