Harold Lydford

Sir Harold Lydford
Born	7 May 1898
Died	20 September 1979(1979-09-20) (aged 81)
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Service/branch	Royal Air Force
Years of service	1917-1956
Rank	Air Marshal
Commands held	No. 28 Group British Forces Aden RAF Regiment No. 18 Group Home Command
Battles/wars	World War I World War II
Awards	Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire Companion of the Order of the Bath Air Force Cross

Air Marshal Sir Harold Thomas Lydford KBE, CB, AFC (7 May 1898 – 20 September 1979) was a World War I pilot in the Royal Flying Corps and senior commander in the Royal Air Force during World War II and the post-war decade.

RAF career

Lydford was commissioned into the Special Reserve of the Royal Flying Corps in 1917.^[1] He transferred to the Royal Air Force after the War and served as a pilot with No. 208 Squadron in Constantinople.^[1] He served in World War II as Deputy Director of Organisation and Director of Organisation at the Air Ministry before being appointed Air Officer Commanding No. 28 Group in 1944 and Air Officer Commanding British Forces Aden in March 1945.^[1]

After the War he served as Commandant-General of the RAF Regiment, Air Officer Commanding No. 18 Group and Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief at Home Command before retiring in 1956.^[1] In retirement he became a Director of Electro Mechanisms Limited^[2] and Chairman of the Royal Air Forces Association.^[3]

Honours and decorations

• Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire - 1 Jan 1954 (CBE - 1 Jan 1945)
• Companion of the Order of the Bath - 1 Jan 1948
• Air Force Cross - 3 Jun 1919
• Commander of the Legion of Merit (United States) - 15 Jul 1947.

References