Sir Arthur Sanders
The Best Cadet receives her certificate from Air Marshal Sir Arthur Sanders and Air Commandant Dame Felicity Hanbury, Director of the Women's Royal Air Force, at Hawkinge, circa 1949–1950
Born(1898-03-17)17 March 1898
Streatham, London
Died8 February 1974(1974-02-08) (aged 75)
AllegianceUnited Kingdom
Service/branchBritish Army (1916–18)
Royal Air Force (1918–56)
Years of service1916–1956
RankAir Chief Marshal
Commands heldImperial Defence College (1954–56)
RAF Middle East Air Force (1952–53)
British Air Forces of Occupation (1947–48)
RAF Staff College, Bracknell (1945–47)
Battles/warsFirst World War
Second World War
AwardsKnight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath
Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire
Mentioned in Despatches (2)
Order of the Red Star (USSR)[1]
Commander's Cross with Star of the Order of Polonia Restituta (Poland)
Commander of the Legion of Merit (United States)[2]

Air Chief Marshal Sir Arthur Penrose Martyn Sanders, GCB, KBE (17 March 1898 – 8 February 1974) was a Royal Flying Corps pilot during the First World War and a senior Royal Air Force commander during the Second World War and the immediate post-war years.

RAF career

Born the son of a clergyman Henry Martyn Sanders and his wife Maud Mary (née Dixon), Sanders was educated at Haileybury before undergoing officer training at Sandhurst.[3] Sanders was commissioned into the Northumberland Fusiliers in April 1916[4] but transferred to the Royal Flying Corps a few weeks later.[3] He was a pilot on No 5 Squadron RFC and in May 1917 was wounded in a dogfight with German aircraft.[3] As a result, he lost his arm but managed to land his aircraft.[3] As result of his disability, Sanders was appointed to junior staff officer duties in the latter part of the war. On 1 April 1918, Sanders was transferred to the Royal Air Force along with his fellow Flying Corps officers.[3]

Sanders remained in the RAF after the war and made steady progress through the ranks. He served in a variety of staff and instructional roles, notably serving on the air staff of Aden Command in 1932 and 1933.[3] He was promoted to group captain just prior to the outbreak of the Second World War.[3]

During the Second World War, he first served on the staff of the RAF staff College where he was responsible for planning the first wartime course.[3] In 1940 Sanders was appointed the Director of Ground Defence at the Air Ministry and his work was in part responsible for the establishment of the RAF Regiment in 1942.[3] In late 1942 Sanders was appointed Assistant Chief of Staff (Air) at the Allied Force Headquarters and in January 1943 he took up post at Air Officer Administration at Bomber Command.[3]

After the war Sanders served as the Commandant of the RAF staff College at Bracknell before spending much of 1948 as Air Officer Commanding in Chief of British Air Forces of Occupation.[3] He then served as Vice Chief of the Air Staff and Deputy Chief of the Air Staff.[3] In May 1952 Sanders became Commander in Chief of the RAF's Middle East Air Force before his final tour as Commandant of the Imperial Defence College.[3] He retired on 29 January 1956.[3]

References

  1. ^ "No. 36464". The London Gazette (Supplement). 11 April 1944. p. 1674.
  2. ^ "No. 38016". The London Gazette (Supplement). 15 July 1947. p. 3265.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Air of Authority – A History of RAF Organisation – Air Chief Marshal Sir Arthur Sanders
  4. ^ "No. 29537". The London Gazette (Supplement). 4 April 1916. p. 3683.
Military offices Preceded byRonald Graham Commandant of the RAF Staff College, Bracknell 1945–1947 Succeeded byThomas Williams Preceded bySir James Robb Vice-Chief of the Air Staff 1948–1950 Succeeded bySir Ralph Cochrane Preceded bySir Hugh Walmsley Deputy Chief of the Air Staff 1950–1952 Succeeded bySir John Baker Preceded bySir Victor Groom Commander-in-Chief RAF Middle East Air Force 1952–1953 Succeeded bySir Claude Pelly Preceded bySir Frank Simpson Commandant of the Imperial Defence College 1954–1956 Succeeded bySir Guy Russell
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