Hugh Saunders

Sir Hugh Saunders
Air Marshal Sir Hugh Saunders (far right), Air Vice-Marshal Adrian Cole (far left) as RAAF Liaison Officer to SEAC, with Air Chief Marshal Sir Keith Park (centre), near Penang, c. August 1945
Born	24 August 1894
Died	8 May 1987
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Service/branch	Royal Air Force
Years of service	1914–1953
Rank	Air Chief Marshal
Commands held	No. 45 Squadron No. 11 Group RAF Burma Bomber Command
Battles/wars	World War I World War II
Awards	Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire Military Cross Distinguished Flying Cross & Bar Military Medal

Air Chief Marshal Sir Hugh William Lumsden Saunders GCB KBE MC DFC and Bar MM RAF (24 August 1894 – 8 May 1987) was a South African who rose through the ranks to become a senior Royal Air Force commander.

RAF career

Saunders enlisted with the Witwatersrand Rifles Regiment in 1914 at the start of World War I and then served in the South African Rifles before becoming a pilot in No. 84 Squadron of the Royal Flying Corps.^[1] He became a triple ace, with 15 victories credited to him.^[2] He was promoted to Squadron Leader on 29 May 1929.^[3] He was appointed Officer Commanding No. 45 Squadron in 1932.^[1]

He served in World War II, initially as Chief of Staff for the Royal New Zealand Air Force before becoming Air Officer Administration at Headquarters Fighter Command in February 1942 and then being made Air Officer Commanding No. 11 Group in November 1942.^[1] He was made Director-General of Personnel at the Air Ministry in November 1944.^[1]

At the end of World War II he was made Air Officer Commanding RAF Burma before becoming Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief Bomber Command in January 1947.^[1] He went on to be Air Member for Personnel in October 1947, Inspector-General of the RAF in October 1949 and Commander-in-Chief at Headquarters Air Forces Western Europe in February 1951.^[1] He was appointed Air Deputy to Supreme Allied Commander Europe and retired in September 1953.^[1]

Honours and awards

Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath - 1 June 1953 (KCB - 2 January 1950, CB - 2 June 1943)
Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire - 14 June 1945 (CBE - 1 July 1941)
Military Cross - 16 September 1918
Distinguished Flying Cross – 2 Nov 1918, Bar - 28 October 1921
Military Medal - 12 Mar 1917
Mentioned in Despatches – 1 January 1945
Polonia Restituta, 2nd Class (Poland) - 12 June 1945
Commander of the Legion of Merit (United States) on 20 April 1948, "in recognition of valuable services rendered in connection with the war".^[4]
Officer of the Legion of Honour (France) - 194?
Grand Cross of the Order of the Dannebrog (Denmark) - 20 November 1956, "in recognition of valuable services rendered by him as adviser to the Danish Government on the reorganisation of the Royal Danish Air Force".^[5]

References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation - Air Chief Marshal Sir Hugh Saunders
^ Hugh Saunders The Aerodrome
^ London Gazette: no. 33499. p. 3520. 28 May 1929. Retrieved 2011-07-26.
^ London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 38264. p. 2467. 16 April 1948. Retrieved 2011-07-26.
^ London Gazette: no. 40930. p. 6577. 20 November 1956. Retrieved 2011-07-26.

Military offices
Preceded by The Hon R A Cochrane	Chief of the Air Staff (RNZAF) 1939–1941	Succeeded by R V Goddard
Preceded by T L Leigh-Mallory	Air Officer Commanding No. 11 Group 1942 – 1944	Succeeded by J B Cole-Hamilton
Preceded by Sir Norman Bottomley	Commander-in-Chief Bomber Command January – October 1947	Succeeded by Sir Aubrey Ellwood
Preceded by Sir John Slessor	Air Member for Personnel 1947–1949	Succeeded by Sir Leslie Hollinghurst
Preceded by Sir Leslie Hollinghurst	Inspector-General of the RAF 1949–1951	Succeeded by Sir James Robb
New title Command formed	Air Deputy to SACEUR 1951–1953	Succeeded by L Norstad

Persondata
Name	Saunders, Hugh William Lumsden
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	24 August 1894
Place of birth
Date of death	8 May 1987
Place of death