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Richard Saul

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For the American football player, see Rich Saul.

Richard Ernest Saul
Air Vice Marshal Richard Saul c.1940
Born(1891-04-16)16 April 1891
Dublin, Ireland[1]
Died30 November 1965(1965-11-30) (aged 74)
AllegianceUnited Kingdom
Service / branchBritish Army (1914–18)
Royal Air Force (1918–44)
Years of service1914–44
RankAir Vice Marshal
CommandsAir Defences Eastern Mediterranean (1943–44)
No. 12 Group (1940–42)
No. 13 Group (1939–40)
RAF Calshot (1936–37)
No. 203 Squadron (1933–36)
School of Army Co-operation (1930–33)
No. 2 Squadron (1925–27)
No. 12 Squadron (1919–21)
No. 7 Squadron (1919)
No. 4 Squadron (1917–19)
Battles / warsFirst World War
Second World War
AwardsCompanion of the Order of the Bath
Distinguished Flying Cross
Mentioned in Despatches
Knight of the Order of the Crown (Belgium)
Croix de guerre (Belgium)
Other workUnited Nations official

Air Vice Marshal Richard Ernest Saul, CB, DFC (16 April 1891 – 30 November 1965) was a pilot during the First World War and a senior Royal Air Force commander during the Second World War.

Earlier Years

Saul was born in Dublin, Ireland, in 1891. At the start of the First World War he was a second lieutenant in the Royal Army Service Corps but by 1916 he was a Flying Officer (Observer) with No. 16 Squadron of the Army's Royal Flying Corps.[2] During the war he rose to command No. 4 Squadron and after the armistice he commanded No. 7 Squadron and then No. 12 Squadron.[2] In 1925 he was given command of No. 2 Squadron.[2] A keen sportsman Saul played rugby and hockey for the RAF; in both 1928 and 1932 he was the RAF tennis champion.[2]

In September 1933 Saul was appointed the Officer Commanding No. 203 Squadron operating out of Basra in Iraq and in 1935 Saul led a flight of flying boats, from his squadron, on a long-distance journey from Plymouth to Basra.[2]

Second World War and beyond

During the Second World War Saul was Air Officer Commanding No. 13 Group from 1939, Air Officer Commanding No. 12 Group from 1940 and then Air Officer Commanding Air Defences Eastern Mediterranean from 1943.[2]

Saul retired from the RAF on 29 June 1944 and then served as the Chairman of the United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration's mission in the Balkans.[2] He next acted as the Vice-Chairman of the International Transport Commission in Rome.[2] After Saul left Rome in 1951, he took up employment as the manager of the University of Toronto bookshop until finally retiring in 1959.[2] Richard Saul died on 30 November 1965 after being hit by a car two days earlier.

Notes

  1. ^ Richard Saul – History of the Battle of Britain
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i Air of Authority – A History of RAF Organisation – Air Vice-Marshal R E Saul

References

Military offices
Preceded by
L Jenkins
 Officer Commanding No. 4 Squadron
1917–1919 		Succeeded by
H B Prior
Preceded by
L F Forbes
 Officer Commanding No. 2 Squadron
1925–1927 		Succeeded by
W Sowrey
Preceded by Officer Commanding No. 203 Squadron
1933–1936 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Officer Commanding RAF Calshot
1936–1937 		Succeeded by
New title Air Officer Commanding No. 13 (Fighter) Group
1939–1940 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Air Officer Commanding No. 12 (Fighter) Group
1940–1942 		Succeeded by
John Andrews
Preceded by Air Officer Commanding Air Headquarters Egypt
Became AOC Air Defences Eastern Mediterranean on 4 March 1943
1943–1944 		Succeeded by
Thomas Langford-Sainsbury
As AOC Air Headquarters Eastern Mediterranean
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