| Roderic Maxwell Hill | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1 March 1894 |
| Died | 6 October 1954 (aged 60) |
| Allegiance | United Kingdom |
| Service/branch | Royal Air Force |
| Years of service | 1914 – 1 July 1948 |
| Rank | Air Chief Marshal |
| Commands held | No. 45 Squadron<br<No. 12 Group Fighter Command |
| Battles/wars | World War I Arab revolt in Palestine World War II |
| Awards | Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath Military Cross Air Force Cross & Bar Mention in Despatches (4 times) |
| Other work | Rector of Imperial College |
Air Chief Marshal Sir Roderic Maxwell Hill KCB, MC, AFC & Bar, RAF (1 March 1894 – 6 October 1954) was a senior Royal Air Force commander during World War II, and a past Rector of Imperial College. The Department of Aeronautics of Imperial College is situated in a building named after him.
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Educated at University College, London, Hill joined the 18th Bn Royal Fusiliers as a private soldier in 1914 during World War I and transferred to the Royal Flying Corps as a commissioned officer in 1916.[1] He took an interest in aircraft design and in 1917 became Officer Commanding the Experimental Section at the Royal Aircraft Establishment at Farnborough Airfield.[1] He was made Officer Commanding No. 45 Squadron in 1924[1] and flew Vernon transport aircraft on the Air Mail Route carrying British Government air-mail between Cairo and Baghdad, and made other air journeys in Iraq. He wrote and illustrated a memoir of his time in Iraq and the Middle East: it gives a lively account of flying the large biplanes of the period over difficult desert terrain, and also provides a sharply focussed, and sometimes lyrical description of the landscpe and people of the region.[2]
He joined the Directing Staff at the RAF Staff College in 1927 and then went on to be the Officer Commanding the Oxford University Air Squadron in 1930, Deputy Director of Repair and Maintenance at the Air Ministry in 1932 and Air Officer Commanding Palestine & Transjordan Command in 1936.[1]
During World War II he was Director-General of Research and Development at the Air Ministry and then Commandant of the RAF Staff College from 1942.[1] He was appointed Air Officer Commanding No. 12 Group in 1943 and then served as Commander-in-Chief of Fighter Command (also briefly called the Air Defence of Great Britain during his command) from 1943 to 1945.[1]
After the War he was Air Member for Training and then Air Member for Technical Services before retiring in 1948.[1] In retirement he became Rector of Imperial College.[1]
| Military offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by J O Andrews |
Air Officer Commanding No. 12 Group 1943 |
Succeeded by M Henderson |
| Preceded by Sir Trafford Leigh-Mallory |
Commander-in-Chief Fighter Command 1943–1945 |
Succeeded by Sir James Robb |
| Preceded by Sir Peter Drummond |
Air Member for Training 1945–1946 |
Post abolished Duties transferred to the Assistant Chief of the Air Staff (Training) |
| Academic offices | ||
| Preceded by Richard Southwell |
Rector of Imperial College London 1948–1954 |
Succeeded by Patrick Linstead |