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{{Short description|Royal Air Force Air Marshal (1898–1979)}}
{{Infobox Military Person
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2021}}
{{Infobox military person
| name = Sir Harold Lydford
| name = Sir Harold Lydford
| image =
| image = Harold Lydford in 1948.jpg
| caption =
| caption = Lydford in 1948
| born = 7 May 1898
| nickname =
| died = {{Death date and age|1979|09|20|1898|05|07|df=yes}}
| birth_date = {{birth date|1898|05|07|df=yes}}
| death_date = {{Death date and age|1979|09|20|1898|05|07|df=yes}}
| placeofburial_label =
| birth_place = Brixton, London, England
| placeofburial =
| death_place = Oxfordshire, England
| placeofbirth =
| placeofdeath =
| placeofburial =
| nickname =
| allegiance = United Kingdom
| branch = [[British Army]] (1916–18)<br/>[[Royal Air Force]] (1918–56)
| allegiance = {{flag|United Kingdom}}
| serviceyears = 1916–56
| branch = {{air force|United Kingdom}}
| serviceyears = 1917-1956
| rank = [[Air Marshal]]
| rank = [[Air Marshal]]
| unit =
| unit =
| commands = [[No. 28 Group RAF|No. 28 Group]]<br>[[British Forces Aden]]<br>[[RAF Regiment]]<br>[[No. 18 Group RAF|No. 18 Group]]<br>[[RAF Home Command|Reserve Command]]
| commands = [[RAF Home Command|Home Command]] (1952–56)<br/>[[No. 18 Group RAF|No. 18 Group]] (1950–52)<br/>[[RAF Regiment]] (1948–50)<br/>[[British Forces Aden]] (1945–48)<br/>[[No. 28 Group RAF|No. 28 Group]] (1944–45)
| battles = [[World War I]]<br>[[World War II]]
| battles = [[First World War]]<br/>[[Second World War]]
| awards = [[Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire]]<br>[[Companion of the Order of the Bath]]<br>[[Air Force Cross (United Kingdom)|Air Force Cross]]
| awards = [[Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire]]<br/>[[Companion of the Order of the Bath]]<br/>[[Air Force Cross (United Kingdom)|Air Force Cross]]<br/>[[Legion of Merit|Commander of the Legion of Merit]] (United States)
| relations =
| relations =
| laterwork =
| laterwork =
}}
}}

[[Air Marshal]] '''Sir Harold Thomas Lydford''' [[Order of the British Empire|KBE]], [[Order of the Bath|CB]], [[Air Force Cross (United Kingdom)|AFC]] (7 May 1898 &ndash; 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.
[[Air Marshal]] '''Sir Harold Thomas Lydford''', {{postnominals|country=GBR|size=100%|sep=,|KBE|CB|AFC}} (7 May 1898 20 September 1979) was a [[First World War]] pilot in the [[Royal Flying Corps]] and senior commander in the [[Royal Air Force]] during the [[Second World War]] and the post-war decade.


==RAF career==
==RAF career==
Lydford was [[Commissioned officer|commissioned]] into the Special Reserve of the [[Royal Flying Corps]] in 1917.<ref name=air>[http://www.rafweb.org/Biographies/Lydford.htm Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation - Air Marshal Sir Harold Lydford]</ref> He transferred to the Royal Air Force after the War and served as a pilot with [[No. 208 Squadron RAF|No. 208 Squadron]] in [[Constantinople]].<ref name=air/> 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 RAF|No. 28 Group]] in 1944 and Air Officer Commanding [[British Forces Aden]] in March 1945.<ref name=air/>
Lydford was [[Officer (armed forces)|commissioned]] into the Special Reserve of the [[Royal Flying Corps]] in 1917.<ref name=air>[http://www.rafweb.org/Biographies/Lydford.htm Air of Authority A History of RAF Organisation Air Marshal Sir Harold Lydford]</ref> He transferred to the Royal Air Force after the war and served as a pilot with [[No. 208 Squadron RAF|No. 208 Squadron]] in [[Constantinople]].<ref name=air/> He served in the [[Second World War]] as Deputy Director of Organisation and Director of Organisation at the [[Air Ministry]] before being appointed Air Officer Commanding [[No. 28 Group RAF|No. 28 Group]] in 1944 and Air Officer Commanding [[British Forces Aden]] in March 1945.<ref name=air/>


After the War he served as [[Commandant-General of the RAF Regiment]], Air Officer Commanding [[No. 18 Group RAF|No. 18 Group]] and Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief at [[RAF Home Command|Home Command]] before retiring in 1956.<ref name=air/> In retirement he became a Director of ''Electro Mechanisms Limited''<ref>[http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1961/1961%20-%201411.html In Brief] Flight International, 28 September 1961</ref> and Chairman of the [[Royal Air Forces Association]].<ref>[http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1958/1958%20-%200743.html In brief] Flight International, 6 June 1958</ref>
After the War he served as [[Commandant-General of the RAF Regiment]], Air Officer Commanding [[No. 18 Group RAF|No. 18 Group]] and Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief at [[RAF Home Command|Home Command]] before retiring in 1956.<ref name=air/> In retirement he became a Director of ''Electro Mechanisms Limited''<ref>[http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1961/1961%20-%201411.html In Brief] Flight International, 28 September 1961</ref> and Chairman of the [[Royal Air Forces Association]].<ref>[http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1958/1958%20-%200743.html In Brief] Flight International, 6 June 1958</ref>

==Honours and decorations==
*[[Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire]] - 1 Jan 1954 (CBE - 1 Jan 1945)
*[[Companion of the Order of the Bath]] - 1 Jan 1948
*[[Air Force Cross (United Kingdom)|Air Force Cross]] - 3 Jun 1919
*[[Legion of Merit|Commander of the Legion of Merit]] (United States) - 15 Jul 1947.


==References==
==References==
{{reflist}}
{{reflist|30em}}


{{s-start}}
{{s-start}}
{{s-mil}}
{{s-mil}}
|-
|-
{{s-bef|before=[[John Quinnell|J C Quinnell]]}}
{{s-bef|before=[[John Quinnell]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=Air Officer Commanding [[No. 28 Group RAF|No. 28 Group]]|years=1944 &ndash; 1945}}
{{s-ttl|title=Air Officer Commanding [[No. 28 Group RAF|No. 28 Group]]|years=1944–1945}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Andrew MacGregor|A MacGregor]]}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Andrew MacGregor]]}}
|-
|-
{{s-bef|before=[[Frank McNamara (VC)|F H McNamara]]}}
{{s-bef|before=[[Frank McNamara (VC)|Frank McNamara]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=Air Officer Commanding [[British Forces Aden]]|years=1945 &ndash; 1948}}
{{s-ttl|title=Air Officer Commanding [[British Forces Aden]]|years=1945–1948}}
{{s-aft|after=A C Stevens}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Alick Stevens]]}}
|-
|-
{{s-bef|before=[[Alfred Robinson (British Army officer)|A E Robinson]]}}
{{s-bef|before=[[Alfred Robinson (British Army officer)|Alfred Robinson]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[Commandant-General of the RAF Regiment]]|years=1948 &ndash; 1950}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[Commandant-General of the RAF Regiment]]|years=1948–1950}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Stephen Strafford|S C Strafford]]}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Stephen Strafford]]}}
|-
|-
{{s-bef|before=[[David Carnegie (RAF officer)|D V Carnegie]]}}
{{s-bef|before=[[David Carnegie (RAF officer)|David Carnegie]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=Air Officer Commanding [[No. 18 Group RAF|No. 18 Group]]|years=1950 &ndash; 1952}}
{{s-ttl|title=Air Officer Commanding [[No. 18 Group RAF|No. 18 Group]]|years=1950–1952}}
{{s-aft|after=R L Ragg}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Robert Ragg]]}}
|-
|-
{{s-bef|before=[[Ronald Ivelaw-Chapman|Sir Ronald Ivelaw-Chapman]]}}
{{s-bef|before=[[Ronald Ivelaw-Chapman|Sir Ronald Ivelaw-Chapman]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief [[RAF Home Command|Home Command]]|years=1952 &ndash; 1956}}
{{s-ttl|title=Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief [[RAF Home Command|Home Command]]|years=1952–1956}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Douglas Macfadyen|Sir Douglas Macfadyen]]}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Douglas Macfadyen|Sir Douglas Macfadyen]]}}
|-
|-
{{s-end}}
{{s-end}}


{{Persondata <!-- Metadata: see [[Wikipedia:Persondata]]. -->
| NAME = Lydford, Harold Thomas
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES =
| SHORT DESCRIPTION =
| DATE OF BIRTH = 7 May 1898
| PLACE OF BIRTH =
| DATE OF DEATH = 20 September 1979
| PLACE OF DEATH =
}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lydford, Harold Thomas}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lydford, Harold Thomas}}
[[Category:1898 births]]
[[Category:1898 births]]
[[Category:1979 deaths]]
[[Category:1979 deaths]]
[[Category:British military personnel of World War I]]
[[Category:British Army personnel of World War I]]
[[Category:British military personnel of World War II]]
[[Category:Royal Air Force personnel of World War II]]
[[Category:Companions of the Order of the Bath]]
[[Category:Companions of the Order of the Bath]]
[[Category:Knights Commander of the Order of the British Empire]]
[[Category:Knights Commander of the Order of the British Empire]]
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[[Category:Commanders of the Legion of Merit]]
[[Category:Commanders of the Legion of Merit]]
[[Category:Royal Air Force air marshals]]
[[Category:Royal Air Force air marshals]]
[[Category:Military personnel from the London Borough of Lambeth]]
[[Category:Royal Flying Corps officers]]
[[Category:Royal Flying Corps officers]]
[[Category:People from Brixton]]





Latest revision as of 19:37, 1 January 2025

Sir Harold Lydford
Lydford in 1948
Born(1898-05-07)7 May 1898
Brixton, London, England
Died20 September 1979(1979-09-20) (aged 81)
Oxfordshire, England
AllegianceUnited Kingdom
Service / branchBritish Army (1916–18)
Royal Air Force (1918–56)
Years of service1916–56
RankAir Marshal
CommandsHome Command (1952–56)
No. 18 Group (1950–52)
RAF Regiment (1948–50)
British Forces Aden (1945–48)
No. 28 Group (1944–45)
Battles / warsFirst World War
Second World War
AwardsKnight Commander of the Order of the British Empire
Companion of the Order of the Bath
Air Force Cross
Commander of the Legion of Merit (United States)

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

RAF career

[edit]

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 the Second World War 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]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c d 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 Air Officer Commanding No. 28 Group
1944–1945
Succeeded by
Preceded by Air Officer Commanding British Forces Aden
1945–1948
Succeeded by
Preceded by Commandant-General of the RAF Regiment
1948–1950
Succeeded by
Preceded by Air Officer Commanding No. 18 Group
1950–1952
Succeeded by
Preceded by Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief Home Command
1952–1956
Succeeded by