Claude Vincent
| Claude Vincent | |
|---|---|
| Born | 21 January 1896 |
| Died | 8 August 1967 (aged 71) |
| Allegiance |
 United Kingdom |
| Service/branch |
 Royal Air Force |
| Years of service | 1915-1952 |
| Rank | Air Vice-Marshall |
| Commands held | RAF Khormaksar |
| Battles/wars |
First World War Third Anglo-Afghan War Second World War |
| Awards | Companion of the Order of the Bath, Commander of the Order of the British Empire, Distinguished Flying Cross and Bar, Air Force Cross |
Air Vice-Marshal Claude McClean Vincent CB CBE DFC AFC (21 January 1896 – 8 August 1967) was a British Royal Air Force officer and test pilot.
Early life
Vincent was born in Trinidad, British West Indies, the son of Harry Vincent and Clarissa McClean, and educated at Queen's Royal College.
Military career
He served in the British Army during the First World War on the Macedonian Front before transferring to the Royal Flying Corps. He was commissioned into the Royal Air Force on 11 August 1918.[1] On 12 July 1920 he received the Distinguished Flying Cross while serving with No. 31 Squadron RAF in the Third Anglo-Afghan War.[2] He received a Bar to his DFC in 1922. He was granted a permanent commission in 1924.[3] Between 1924 and 1936 Vincent was involved in experimental flying and research at the Royal Aircraft Establishment, Farnborough, where he became one of the RAF’s best-known test pilots. From 1930 he was a pioneer of wireless-controlled aircraft, and after leaving Farnborough he commanded the Pilotless Aircraft Development Unit from 1936 to 1939.
During the Second World War he was posted to the Middle East and became Commanding Officer of RAF Khormaksar in 1940.[4] In 1942 Vincent was Mentioned in Dispatches. On 6 July 1943 he became Commandant of the Empire Central Flying School and on 15 March 1947 became Director of Flying Training in the RAF. On 13 June 1946 he was invested as a Companion of the Order of the Bath. On 15 July 1949 he was promoted to the rank of Air Vice-Marshall and Vincent was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire on 5 June 1952.[5] He retired from the RAF on 29 August 1952.
References
- ↑ The London Gazette: no. 31013. p. 13497. 15 November 1918. Retrieved 29 June 2015.
- ↑ The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 31974. p. 7422. 12 July 1920. Retrieved 29 June 2015.
- ↑ The London Gazette: no. 32998. p. 8783. 2 December 1924. Retrieved 29 June 2015.
- ↑ The London Gazette: no. 35187. p. 3322. 10 June 1941. Retrieved 29 June 2015.
- ↑ Harold Evans, My Paper Chase: True Stories of Vanished Times: An Autobiography (Hachette UK, 1 Oct 2009), p.42