Military Wiki
Sir Harold Lydford
Born (1898-05-07)May 7, 1898
Died 20 September 1979(1979-09-20) (aged 81)
Allegiance Flag of the United Kingdom United Kingdom
Service/branch Ensign of the Royal Air Force Royal Air Force
Years of service 1917-1956
Rank Air Marshal
Commands held No. 28 Group
British Forces Aden
RAF Regiment
No. 18 Group
Home Command
Battles/wars World War I
World War II
Awards Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire
Companion of the Order of the Bath
Air Force Cross

Air Marshal Sir Harold Thomas Lydford KBE, CB, AFC (7 May 1898 – 20 September 1979) was a World War I pilot in the Royal Flying Corps and senior commander in the Royal Air Force during World War II and the post-war decade.

RAF career[]

Lydford was commissioned into the Special Reserve of the Royal Flying Corps in 1917.[1] He transferred to the Royal Air Force after the War and served as a pilot with No. 208 Squadron in Constantinople.[1] He served in World War II as Deputy Director of Organisation and Director of Organisation at the Air Ministry before being appointed Air Officer Commanding No. 28 Group in 1944 and Air Officer Commanding British Forces Aden in March 1945.[1]

After the War he served as Commandant-General of the RAF Regiment, Air Officer Commanding No. 18 Group and Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief at Home Command before retiring in 1956.[1] In retirement he became a Director of Electro Mechanisms Limited[2] and Chairman of the Royal Air Forces Association.[3]

Honours and decorations[]

References[]

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation - Air Marshal Sir Harold Lydford
  2. In Brief Flight International, 28 September 1961
  3. In Brief Flight International, 6 June 1958
Military offices
Preceded by
J C Quinnell
Air Officer Commanding No. 28 Group
1944 – 1945
Succeeded by
A MacGregor
Preceded by
F H McNamara
Air Officer Commanding British Forces Aden
1945 – 1948
Succeeded by
A C Stevens
Preceded by
A E Robinson
Commandant-General of the RAF Regiment
1948 – 1950
Succeeded by
S C Strafford
Preceded by
D V Carnegie
Air Officer Commanding No. 18 Group
1950 – 1952
Succeeded by
R L Ragg
Preceded by
Sir Ronald Ivelaw-Chapman
Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief Home Command
1952 – 1956
Succeeded by
Sir Douglas Macfadyen
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