Air Chief Marshal Sir Guy Garrod

 1 Aug 1919:            Awarded Permanent Commission as a Major  

 5 Sep 1919:            Returned to Home Establishment 

6 Sep 1919:             Transferred from Staff Officer Branch to Flying Branch.

 6 Oct 1919:             Staff Officer 2nd Class (Personnel), HQ No 29 Group.

27 Sep 1921:            Attended RN Staff College.

21 Jul 1922:             Squadron Commander, School of Army Co-operation.

 3 Apr 1923:             Directing Staff, RAF Staff College.

27 Sep 1927:            Officer Commanding, RAF North Weald.

 6 Jan 1928:              Officer Commanding/CFI, Oxford University Air Sqn.

17 Jan 1931:             Air Staff - Operations, HQ Iraq Command.

 2 Jan 1933:              Supernumerary, RAF Depot.

17 Jan 1933:             Attended Imperial Defence College.

 3 Apr 1934:             Deputy Director of Organisation.

xx xxx 1936:             SASO, HQ No 23 (Training) Group.

xx xxx xxxx:           Temporary AOC, No 23 (Training) Group.

18 Feb 1937:           AOC, Armament Group.

31 Mar 1938:           Director of Equipment

xx Mar 1940:             Deputy Director-General of Equipment

 8 Jul 1940:               Air Member for Training

27 Apr 1943:            Deputy AOC in C, RAF India.

16 Nov 1943:           Deputy Allied Air C in C, Air Command - South-East Asia Command

26 Nov 1944:           Allied Air C in C (Temporary), Air Command - South-East Asia Command

16 Mar 1945:            Deputy Air C in C, Mediterranean Allied Air Forces /C-in-C, RAF Mediterranean and Middle East.

xx Dec 1945:            Permanent RAF Representative, Military Staff Committee, United Nations

xx Mar 1946 - 12 May 1948:                 Head of RAF Delegation, Washington.

Having studied at Bradfield College and University College, Oxford, he was considering a career in industry after WW1, Trenchard, convinced him that he should make the RAF his career and so he accepted a permanent commission in August 1919.  He married Sister Evelyn Bray at the Garrison Church, Rouen on 23 August 1918.

During his time as Director of Equipment he chaired talked in 1939 with delegates from Poland about the supply of Battles Hurricanes and Spitfires, but supplies failed to reach the country before the German victory.  

He was appointed to the new post on the Air Council, Air Member for Training, in 1940, in order to improve the recruitment and training of personnel for the rapidly expanding RAF.

Following the loss of Sir Trafford Leigh-Mallory,  when his aircraft flew into a mountain in the Alps in November 1944, he temporarily took over as Air Commander in SEAC, pending the arrival of Keith Park.  Retiring from the RAF, he took an active role in business, holding Directorships with Regis Property Co and Humphreys Ltd as well as being Chairman of Malkay Investments Ltd. He was also made a Honorary Fellow of University College, Oxford.

Citation for the award of the Distinguished Flying Cross

"GARROD, Alfred Guy Rowland, Acting Lieutenant Colonel, MC (Royal Air Force) - No.13 Squadron

Service overseas two years. Has always maintained a high standard of efficiency and morale. Now acting Lieutenant-Colonel, 81st Wing."

(Source - Air 1/1511)

Announcement for the award of Officer of the Order of the British Empire

"GARROD, Alfred Guy Roland, W/C, MC, DFC - -

for valuable services rendered in connection with the operations in Southern Kurdistan between October 1930 and May 1931"

(Source - Aeroplane of 11 May 1932)

Citation for the award of Legion of Merit (Degree of Commander (United States)

"GARROD, Alfred Guy Rowland, Air Marshal, KCB, OBE, MC, DFC.

Air Marshal Alfred G.R. Garrod, KCB, OBE, MC, DFC, Royal Air Force, serving as Deputy Air Commander-in-Chief, Mediterranean Allied Air Force, from February 28 to May 2, 1945, displayed mature understanding of the numerous problems confronting the Allied Forces and utilized an extensive background and vast experience to further the final victorious drive in Northern Italy.  His sound judgement and broad knowledge demonstrated a thorough understanding of this intricate situation, and his unremitting and untiring effort to further integration of the British Air Forces with those of the United States Army Air Forces provided a highly efficient Allied air arm.  Air Marshal Garrod’s outstanding ability to coordinate the use of air operations with those of the Ground Forces contributed immeasurably to the successful conquest of the Italian Peninsula by the American Fifth and British Eighth Armies, and the leadership and administrative ability, together with the tireless activity and intense energy displayed by him aided greatly in the final Allied drive in the Mediterranean Theatre of Operations."

(Source - National Archives of Canada, file HQ-C-54-27-94-32, Record Group 24, Volume 2236)

This page was last updated on 11/08/23

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