| Sir Arthur Barratt | |
|---|---|
 Air Marshal Barratt in front of a Hurricane which he often used to visit his airfields | |
| Born | February 25, 1891 |
| Died | November 4, 1966 (aged 75) |
| Place of birth | Peshawar, British India |
| Allegiance |
 United Kingdom |
| Service/branch |
 British Army Royal Air Force |
| Years of service | 1910 - 1947 |
| Rank | Air Chief Marshal |
| Commands held |
No. 6 Squadron No. 49 Squadron 3rd (Corps) Wing School of Army Co-operation No. 1 (Indian) Group RAF Staff College, Andover British Air Forces in France Army Cooperation Command Technical Training Command |
| Battles/wars |
World War I World War II |
| Awards |
Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George Military Cross |
| Other work | Gentleman Usher to the Sword of State |
Air Chief Marshal Sir Arthur Sheridan Barratt KCB CMG MC (25 February 1891 – 4 November 1966) was an officer in the Royal Flying Corps during World War I and a senior commander in the Royal Air Force during World War II. He acquired the nickname "Ugly".
RAF career[]
Barratt was commissioned into the Royal Field Artillery in 1910 and transferred to the Royal Flying Corps in 1914.[1] He served in World War I commanding No. 6 Squadron and then No. 49 Squadron before taking over 3rd (Corps) Wing.[1] After the War he became Assistant Commandant at the Royal Air Force College Cranwell and then Staff Officer for Administration at Headquarters No. 3 Group.[1] He was made Commandant at the School of Army Co-operation in 1926 and Air Staff Officer to the General Officer Commanding Shanghai in April 1927 before joining the Air Staff at Headquarters No. 22 Group in November 1927.[1] He went on to be Chief Instructor at the RAF Staff College, Andover in 1929, Air Officer Commanding No. 1 (Indian) Group in 1931 and Senior Air Staff Officer at Headquarters RAF India in 1932.[1] After that he was Director of Staff Duties at the Air Ministry in 1935 and then returned to the RAF Staff College, Andover, as Commandant in 1936.[1]
He served in World War II as Principal RAF Liaison Officer to the French Air Force and then Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief British Air Forces in France.[1] When he heard that on 14 May 1940, forty of the seventy-one British bombers that had taken off did not return, he is said to have cried.[2] He continued his war service as Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief at Army Co-operation Command in November 1940 and Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief at Technical Training Command in 1943.[1] His last appointment was as Inspector-General of the RAF in 1945 in which capacity he took part in the Victory Parade in June 1946[3] before retiring in 1947.[1]
Honours and awards[]
- Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath - 11 July 1940 (CB - 11 May 1937)
- Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George - 3 June 1919
- Military Cross - 14 January 1916
- Officer of the Order of the Crown (Belgium) - 1918 (Chevalier - 15 July 1919)
- Mentioned in Despatches - 1 January 1916, 15 May 1917, 20 May 1918, 11 July 1919, 20 December 1940, 17 October 1941
- Croix de Guerre with Palms (France) - 15 July 1919
- Croix de Guerre (Belgium) - 25 July 1918
- Grand Commander of the Legion of Honour (France) - 1940
- Croix de Guerre (France) - 1940
- Commanders Cross with Star of the Polonia Restituta (Poland) - 12 June 1945
- Deputy Lieutenant (Hampshire) - 31 July 1956
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation - Air Chief Marshal Sir Arthur Barratt
- ↑ History of the Battle of Britain: The Battle of France
- ↑ Commanders to participate Flight International, 23 May 1946
External links[]
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