Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation

Air Vice-Marshal R E Saul

Richard Ernest.       

b: 16 Apr 1891                   r: 29 Jun 1944              d: 30 Nov 1965

CB - 17 Mar 1941, DFC - 1 Jan 1919, MiD - 11 Jul 1940, Cwn, C & CdeG (P) - 15 Jul 1919.

For a list of foreign decoration abbreviations, click here

(Army): - 2 Lt: 11 Nov 1914, (T) Capt: 1 Aug 1915, Lt: xx xxx xxxx, (T) Maj: 21 Nov 1917.

(RAF): - (T) Maj [Capt]: 1 Apr 1918, Sqn Ldr: 1 Aug 1919 [1 Apr 1918], Wg Cdr: 1 Jul 1926, Gp Capt: 1 Jul 1933, A/Cdre: 1 Jul 1937, AVM: 1 Jul 1939.  

Photograph (Left) © Crown Copyright

11 Nov 1914:   Officer, Army Service Corps.

 5 Jun 1916:       U/T Observer,

16 Aug 1916:     Flying Officer (Observer), No 16 Sqn RFC.

24 Apr 1917:     Flying Officer, RFC (seniority 5 Jun 1916)

 9 Jul 1917:        Flight Commander, No 10 Sqn RFC.

 2 Dec 1917:     Officer Commanding, No 4 Sqn RFC/RAF. (RE8 – Western Front)

 2 Mar 1918:     Attended?, School of Instruction, Hendon

24 Apr 1918:     Supernumerary, No 92 Sqn

 4 May 1918:     Officer Commanding, No 93 Sqn.

 5 Jan 1919:      Officer Commanding, No 7 Sqn. (RE8 – France/Germany)

 1 Aug 1919:     Awarded Permanent Commission as a Major

 3 Sep 1919:     Officer Commanding, No 12 Sqn. (Bristol F2B – Germany)

14 Mar 1921:    Officer Commanding, 1 Sqn?, School of Army Co-operation.

24 Oct 1921:     Attended Senior Officers' Course, School of Artillery, Larkhill

2 Nov 1921:     Awaiting disposal, HQ RAF Iraq.

 1 Feb 1922:     Staff Officer, HQ Iraq Command.

18 Jul 1923:      Staff Officer, HQ Basrah Group.

 2 Mar 1925:    Officer Commanding, No 2 Sqn. (Bristol F2B – Manston)

 9 Jan 1927:     Attended Army Staff College, Camberley.

 1 Jan 1929:     Chief Staff Officer, HQ No 22 Group.

 1 Jan 1930:     Commandant, School of Army Co-operation.

20 Mar 1933:   Attended Flying Boat Course, RAF Base, Calshot.

29 Sep 1933:   Supernumerary, No 203 Sqn. (Rangoon I – Basrah) (arrived 14 Oct 1933)

26 Oct 1933:   Officer Commanding, No 203 Sqn. (Rangoon I – Basrah)

15 Apr 1936:   Supernumerary, RAF Depot. (en-route to UK)

31 Jul 1936:     Officer Commanding, RAF Calshot.

21 Jul 1937:     SASO, HQ No 11 (Fighter) Group.

24 Jul 1939:     AOC, No 13 (Fighter) Group.

16 Dec 1940:   Supernumerary, No 12 (Fighter) Group.

17 Dec 1940:   AOC, No 12 (Fighter) Group.

 5 Jan 1943:     AOC, Air Defences Eastern Mediterranean.

Born in Dublin, he was educated at St Andrew's College, Dublin and Ross College, Dublin.  He gained  RAeC Certificate No 4432 on 31 March 1917.

He played Rugby and Hockey for the RAF and was the RAF Tennis Champion in 1928 and 1932.  In 1935, he led a flight of flying boats of No 203 Squadron on a cruise from Plymouth to Basra, flying in K4582.

In 1945 he was appointed to the U.N.R.R.A in the Balkans, where he carried out investigations into the administrative problems and the loss of relief supplies as Chairman of the UN Mission in the area and later acted as Vice-Chairman of the International Transport Commission in Rome.  Leaving Rome in 1951 he moved to Toronto to manage the University bookshop until 1959.