Air
Officer Commanding, No. 13 Group
Air Vice Marshal Richard
Ernest Saul D.F.C.
During World
War One Saul served in the Royal Flying Corps as an observer
on RE8 and BE2 aircraft. He was awarded the Distinguished
Flying Cross (D.F.C.). Throughout the 1920’s he represented
the RAF in rugby and hockey, along with winning the RAF
tennis championship and was regarded as one of the great all
round sportsmen of the Royal Air Force.
In the 1930's he helped organise the structure of Fighter
Command into an effective fighting force and was duly
appointed Senior Air Staff Officer at Fighter Command
Headquarters before eventually becoming the commander of No:
13 Group. During the Battle of Britain, he was responsible
for the aircraft and sector stations defending the North of
England, Scotland and strategically important targets like
the major Naval base at Scapa Flow, Orkney. |