Albert Cuffe

Abram Albert Lawson Cuffe
Born	(1895-05-02)May 2, 1895
Died	March 24, 1969(1969-03-24) (aged 73)
Place of birth	Kilasser, County Mayo, Ireland
Place of death	Barrie, Ontario, Canada
Allegiance	Canada
Service/branch	Royal Canadian Air Force
Years of service	1914 – 1944
Rank	Air Vice Marshal
Battles/wars	World War I

Air Vice Marshal Abram Albert Lawson Cuffe (2 May 1895 - 24 March 1969) was a Canadian air force officer who was briefly Director of the Royal Canadian Air Force.

Career

Enlisting in the Fort Garry Horse in 1913, Cuffe enlisted in the Canadian Expeditionary Force in September 1914 and went overseas to England in February 1915. He transferred to the Royal Flying Corps in April 1917 with which he served the remainder of World War I. After returning to Canada in early 1919, he briefly returned to civilian life for 12 months. In 1920 he became a member of the Air Board, and was an original member of the Canadian Air Force (service number #24). He became an instructor at Camp Borden. He was responsible for forming No. 2 (Operations) Squadron at High River, Alberta on 1 April 1925. He was the first RCAF officer to attend the RAF Staff College in England. As a Squadron Leader, he served briefly as Director of the Royal Canadian Air Force in 1932 before, having been promoted to wing commander, he became Commanding Officer of No.4 Squadron at Vancouver around 1935. In 1938 he commanded RCAF Station Trenton. He served in World War II, being the first Commander of the British Empire Air Training Plan as Air Member for Training. In February 1942, he was appointed Commander of the Eastern Air Command of the RCAF in the rank of Air Vice Marshall. He retired in 1944.