Harold Spencer Kerby

Harold Kerby
Air Vice Marshal H S Kerby, Air Officer Commanding Air Headquarters, East Africa, at the Air Ministry, London
Born	14 May 1893
Died	8 June 1963
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Service/branch	Royal Air Force
Years of service	1915 - 1946
Rank	Air Vice-Marshal
Commands held	No. 4 Fighter School No. 504 (County of Nottingham) Squadron No. 72 Wing RAF Binbrook AHQ East Africa
Battles/wars	World War I World War II
Awards	Companion of the Order of the Bath Distinguished Service Cross Air Force Cross

Air Vice-Marshal Harold Spencer Kerby CB DSC AFC (14 May 1893 – 8 June 1963) was a senior Royal Air Force officer who commanded British Air Forces in East Africa during the Second World War.

RAF career

A Canadian by birth^[1] educated at the University of Toronto, Kerby was commissioned into the Royal Naval Air Service in 1915 during World War I.^[2] He was appointed Officer Commanding No. 4 Fighter School at Freiston in 1918.^[2] He went on to command No. 504 (County of Nottingham) Squadron in 1934 and to be Air Attaché in Peking in 1936.^[2] He served in World War II as Officer Commanding No. 72 Wing and then as Station Commander at RAF Binbrook before becoming Air Officer Administration at Headquarters RAF in Northern Ireland in 1940.^[2] He continued his war service as Air Officer Commanding AHQ East Africa in 1943 and Air Officer Administration at Headquarters RAF Coastal Command in 1944 before retiring in 1946.^[2]

References