Harold Lydford

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.

Sir Harold Lydford
Born	7 May 1898 Brixton, London, England
Died	20 September 1979 (aged 81) Oxfordshire, England
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Service/branch	British Army (1916–18) Royal Air Force (1918–56)
Years of service	1916–56
Rank	Air Marshal
Commands held	Home Command (1952–56) No. 18 Group (1950–52) RAF Regiment (1948–50) British Forces Aden (1945–48) No. 28 Group (1944–45)
Battles/wars	First World War Second World War
Awards	Knight 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)

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 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

1. 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