RAF India

RAF India was a command of the Royal Air Force (RAF) that was active from 1918 until Indian independence and partition in 1947. It was the air force counterpart of the British Army in India.

RAF India
FoundedMay 1918 - December 1947
Country United Kingdom
Branch Royal Air Force
TypeCommand
RoleControl of RAF Forces in British India
Not to be confused with India Command

History

The command had its origins in units of the Royal Flying Corps in India.[1][2] In November 1915, the War Office despatched No. 31 Squadron to India, the squadron arriving at Nowshera in December.[1][2] The squadron, including a basic aircraft park, was subsequently transferred to Risalpur.[1] A period of intensive training ensued, during which flights were periodically sent on patrols over the North-West Frontier regions. A second squadron (No. 114 Squadron) was added in 1917.[1] When the RAF was formed in May 1918, the total strength of the air force in India was 80 officers and 600 men.[1]

Commanders

Commander, Indian Group (1919 to 1920)
No. NameTook officeLeft officeTime in office
1
Webb-Bowen, TomAir Commodore
Tom Webb-Bowen CB, CMG
(1879–1956)		20 September 191927 January 1920129 days

Air Officer Commanding RAF, India (1920–1938)
No. NameTook officeLeft officeTime in office
1
Webb-Bowen, TomAir Commodore
Tom Webb-Bowen CB, CMG
(1879–1956)		27 January 192031 December 19222 years, 338 days
2
Game, PhilipAir Vice Marshal
Philip Game CB, DSO
(1876–1961)		31 December 19225 November 1923309 days
3
Ellington, EdwardAir Marshal
Sir Edward Leonard Ellington KCB, CMG, CBE
(1877–1967)		5 November 192327 December 19263 years, 52 days
4
Ellington, EdwardAir Marshal
Sir Geoffrey Salmond KCB, KCMG, DSO
(1878–1933)		27 December 19266 February 19314 years, 41 days
5
Steel, JohnAir Marshal
Sir John Miles Steel KCB, KBE, CMG
(1877–1965)		6 February 19312 March 19354 years, 24 days
6
Ludlow-Hewitt, EdgarAir Chief Marshal
Sir Edgar Ludlow-Hewitt KCB, CMG, DSO, MC
(1886–1973)		2 March 193529 September 19372 years, 211 days
7
de la Ferté, PhilipAir Marshal
Sir Philip Joubert de la Ferté KCB, CMG, DSO
(1886–1973)		29 September 193727 December 19381 year, 89 days

Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Air Forces in India (1938–1947)
No. NameTook officeLeft officeTime in officeRef
1
de la Ferté, PhilipAir Marshal
Sir Philip Joubert de la Ferté KCB, CMG, DSO
(1886–1973)		27 December 19386 October 1939283 days[3]
2
Higgins, JohnAir Marshal
Sir John Higgins KCB, KBE, DSO, AFC
(1875–1948)		6 October 193926 September 1940356 days—
3
Playfair, PatrickAir Marshal
Sir Patrick Playfair KCB, CB, CVO, MC
(1889–1974)		26 September 19406 March 19421 year, 161 days—
4
Peirse, RichardAir Chief Marshal
Sir Richard Peirse KCB, DSO, AFC
(1892–1970)		6 March 194227 April 19431 year, 52 days—
5
Garrod, GuyAir Marshal
Sir Guy Garrod KCB, OBE, MC, DFC
(1891–1965)		27 April 19438 March 1944316 days—
6
Thomas, MeredithAir Vice Marshal
Meredith Thomas CSI, CBE, DFC, AFC
(1892–1984)		8 March 19441 April 19462 years, 24 days—
7
Carr, RoderickAir Marshal
Sir Roderick Carr KBE, CB, DFC, AFC
(1891–1971)		1 April 194622 November 1946235 days—
8
Walmsley, HughAir Marshal
Sir Hugh Walmsley KCIE, CB, CBE, MC, DFC
(1898–1985)		22 November 194615 August 1947252 days—

(On 15 August 1947, the unified RIAF was separated into the Royal Indian Air Force and the Royal Pakistan Air Force)

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See also


References
  1. Government of India 1924, p. 175-176.
  2. Walters 2017, p. 214-215.
  3. Chiefs of the Indian Air Force 1931 to 1947 Archived 2 February 2007 at the Wayback Machine
  • Walters, Andrew John Charles (2017), Inter-War, Inter-Service Friction on the North-West Frontier of India and its Impact on the Development and Application of Royal Air Force Doctrine
  • The Army in India and Its Evolution, including an Account of the Establishment of the Royal Air Force in India, 1924
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