Basil Embry
Encyclopedia
Air Chief Marshal
Sir Basil Edward Embry GCB
, KBE
, DSO
& Three Bars
, DFC
, AFC
, RAF, (28 February 1902 – 7 December 1977) was a senior Royal Air Force
commander. He was Commander-in-Chief of Fighter Command
from 1949 to 1953.
, England
, in 1902 and as a young boy at Bromsgrove School
he developed an avid interest in aviation. In 1921 he joined the Royal Air Force
with a short service commission as an Acting Pilot Officer. In 1922 he was sent into Iraq
, serving under future Air Marshals Arthur Harris
and Robert Saundby
. By 1926 Embry's enthusiasm, professional application, boundless energy and flair for the unconventional had put him on the fast track for promotion within the RAF, and he was rewarded with the Air Force Cross
in that year's New Year Honours
, and appointment to a permanent commission.
Promoted to Flight Lieutenant
, Embry returned to Britain in 1927 as an instructor at the Central Flying School
, Uxbridge
.
In 1934 he was posted to India
to serve in the Indian Wing on the North West Frontier. He was promoted Squadron Leader
in 1935 and was awarded his first DSO for operations in Waziristan
. He was further promoted in 1938 to Wing Commander
. After five years service he returned to Britain in 1939. On the outbreak of the Second World War Embry was Commanding Officer of No 107 Squadron
flying the Bristol Blenheim
bomber.
and France
, often in the face of heavy losses and overwhelming opposition. On 25 September 1939 Embry led a 3-plane formation on a reconnaissance sortie into Germany. Intercepted by German fighters, Embry’s aircraft suffered serious damage to wings and fuselage and he carried out a one-wheel force-landing landing on returning to RAF Wattisham
. Throughout the remainder of 1939 and into early 1940 the unit made numerous attacks by day and night on a variety of targets, including U-Boats.
On 6 April 1940 RAF photo reconnaissance revealed that a German Naval force including battleships Gneisenau and Scharnhorst was at anchor off Wilhelmshaven
. Embry and his 107 Squadron crews were soon involved in a series of attacks on this German force.
With the German invasion of Norway, 107 Squadron were detached to Scotland, and there carried out ten raids in just eight days on Stavanger and airfields in the area, often in treacherous weather conditions. Embry suffered with frostbite during this time.
In April May 1940 Embry was awarded a second DSO and a third award was announced in August 1940.
The German invasion of France and the Low Countries began on 10 May 1940 and Embry's Squadron flew intensively against the German advance, each crew flying two or three sorties daily across the Channel to France. His leadership and personal gallantry resulted in the award of a second bar to his DSO On 12 May he led No. 107 Squadron and No. 110 Squadron in an attack on two bridges across the Albert Canal
at Maastricht
. Heavily defended, the formation was savaged by ground fire and intercepted by numerous Messerschmitt fighters, losing 7 Blenheims from the original force of 24. Two No. 107 Squadron aircraft also crash-landed at Wattisham, and every surviving Blenheim had suffered some damage.
Due to the tremendous pressure of his operational flying in recent months Embry was then ordered to take a operational 'rest' and was given command of R.A.F. West Raynham, with a promotion to Group Captain. He was to fly one more sortie before relinquishing command. On 26 May 1940, Wing Commander
Embry was shot down by anti-aircraft fire over Saint-Omer
from 6000 feet (1,828.8 m) during a low level bombing mission against advancing German Army columns. His aircraft crashed at Eperlecques
. Of his crew, observer P/O T.A.Whiting was made prisoner while Air Gunner Crpl. G.E.Lang was killed.
Captured by the German
Army, he was being marched away in column of Allied prisoners when he saw a road sign Embry, 3 km. Taking this as a good omen, he rolled down a bank unnoticed by the column's guards and made his escape. He successfully evaded recapture for two months in occupied France before eventually getting back to England via Spain
and Gibraltar
. His adventures while on the run are detailed in the book Wingless Victory by Anthony Richardson
and originally published in 1950.
After two months sick leave Embry was posted to No. 6 Group as Senior Air Staff Officer in the rank of Group Captain
. After only three weeks he was offered command of a night-fighter wing in RAF Fighter Command
, which was accepted, although he reverted to the rank of Wing Commander. The wing disbanded in December 1940 and Embry became AOC RAF Wittering
returning to the rank of Group Captain in March 1941. Embry kept his hand in operationally by flying radar equipped night-fighters with No. 25 squadron
. In July 1941 Embry was given the ceremonial title of an Air Aide-de-Camp
to the King. and was Mentioned in Despatches in September.
In October 1941 he was seconded to the Desert Air Force
as an adviser and saw action in the Desert War.
Embry returned to Britain in March 1942 and served as AOC Wittering again and as AOC 10 Group
, Fighter Command. In June he was again Mentioned in Despatches but he was passed over as the prime candidate for leading RAF Bomber Command
's newly formed Pathfinder Force in July 1942 before being given command of No 2 Group
Bomber Command, which was about to join the 2nd Tactical Air Force
, in June 1943. Although he was now an Air Vice Marshal, Embry continued to fly on operations where possible, piloting each type of light bomber in his command to ascertain the strengths and weaknesses of the tools available to his aircrews. He usually flew as a 'wingman' in a formation, flying under the name of "Wing Commander Smith". This hands-on approach ensured Embry was worshipped by the men under his command, although his frank utterly honest criticisms made few friends within the Air Ministry
.
He pushed fervently for 2 Group's re-equipment with the Mosquito FB VI
, which became the highly potent workhorse of the Group by 1944. By October 1943 Embry's efforts had made 2 Group a highly effective weapon, with bombing accuracy and serviceability among the best in the Allied Air Forces. The group's contribution to the war effort, such as the bombing of V-1
launch sites in France and the anti-transportation offensive prior to D-Day
was arguably decisive. In December 1944 he was appointed a Companion of the Order of the Bath.
Embry's Mosquitoes also undertook specialist precision bombing operations such as the attack on Amiens
jail, and in 1945 on Gestapo
headquarters in Copenhagen
and Odense
. On 31 October 1944 Embry took part in a successful low-level attack undertaken by Mosquitoes of Nos. 21, 464 and 487 Squadrons on the Aarhus University, Denmark, which housed the Gestapo HQ for the whole of Jutland.
For "...(pressing) home his attacks with a skill and gallantry in keeping with his outstanding reputation.." in the latter three operations he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross
. He was also honoured after the war by the Danish Government for his part in these operations, being awarded the Order of Dannebrog, Commander 1st Class. On 20 July 1945 he was awarded a third bar to his DSO. Other nations to honour Embry included the Netherlands (Order of Orange Nassau, Grand Officer) and France (Croix de Guerre
, Légion d'honneur, Croix de Commandeur
)
ed, with his appointment as a Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire (KBE). He was later to receive further knighthoods with higher precedence, in 1952 he was promoted to Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath (KCB) and in 1956 Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath (GCB).
He was Commander-in-Chief Fighter Command from 1949 to 1953. Embry was appointed Commander-in-Chief of Allied Air Forces Central Europe
. His outspoken criticism of the NATO chain of command and organisation framework ensured however that he was retired early from the Royal Air Force in 1956.
In 1956 Embry briefly relocated to New Zealand where he wrote his auto-biography titled 'Mission Completed'.
In March 1956 accompanied by his wife Hope, he emigrated to Western Australia
and began a new life as a sheep farmer, purchasing a 1400 acres (5.7 km²) property at Chowerup. He also acquired land at Cape Riche, east of Albany, and moved here in the late 1960s.
Embry became active in the politics of agriculture through the Farmers' Union of Western Australia. He was elected General President in 1971 and held office for two years. In 1972 he led a delegation through South East Asia and instigated the establishment of the Rural Traders Co-operative (W.A.) Ltd.
He was the president of the Royal Air Forces Escaping Society
and worked himself at a punishing pace until he became ill in 1975. Basil Embry died in Boyup Brook, Western Australia
in 1977.
"He was both charming and rude, prejudiced and broad-minded, pliable and obstinate, dedicated and human." (Group Captain Peter Wykeham
, No 2 Group 1944-45)
|-
Air Chief Marshal
Air chief marshal is a senior 4-star air-officer rank which originated in and continues to be used by the Royal Air Force...
Sir Basil Edward Embry GCB
Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
, KBE
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
, DSO
Distinguished Service Order
The Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...
& Three Bars
Medal bar
A medal bar or medal clasp is a thin metal bar attached to the ribbon of a military decoration, civil decoration, or other medal. It is most commonly used to indicate the campaign or operation the recipient received the award for, and multiple bars on the same medal are used to indicate that the...
, DFC
Distinguished Flying Cross (United Kingdom)
The Distinguished Flying Cross is a military decoration awarded to personnel of the United Kingdom's Royal Air Force and other services, and formerly to officers of other Commonwealth countries, for "an act or acts of valour, courage or devotion to duty whilst flying in active operations against...
, AFC
Air Force Cross (United Kingdom)
The Air Force Cross is a military decoration awarded to personnel of the United Kingdom Armed Forces, and formerly also to officers of the other Commonwealth countries, for "an act or acts of valour, courage or devotion to duty whilst flying, though not in active operations against the enemy"...
, RAF, (28 February 1902 – 7 December 1977) was a senior Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
commander. He was Commander-in-Chief of Fighter Command
RAF Fighter Command
RAF Fighter Command was one of three functional commands of the Royal Air Force. It was formed in 1936 to allow more specialised control of fighter aircraft. It served throughout the Second World War, gaining recognition in the Battle of Britain. The Command continued until 17 November 1943, when...
from 1949 to 1953.
Early life and career
Basil Embry was born in GloucestershireGloucestershire
Gloucestershire is a county in South West England. The county comprises part of the Cotswold Hills, part of the flat fertile valley of the River Severn, and the entire Forest of Dean....
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, in 1902 and as a young boy at Bromsgrove School
Bromsgrove School
Bromsgrove School, founded in 1553, is a co-educational independent school in the Worcestershire town of Bromsgrove, England. The school has a long history and many notable former pupils.-History:...
he developed an avid interest in aviation. In 1921 he joined the Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
with a short service commission as an Acting Pilot Officer. In 1922 he was sent into Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
, serving under future Air Marshals Arthur Harris
Sir Arthur Harris, 1st Baronet
Marshal of the Royal Air Force Sir Arthur Travers Harris, 1st Baronet GCB OBE AFC , commonly known as "Bomber" Harris by the press, and often within the RAF as "Butcher" Harris, was Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief of RAF Bomber Command during the latter half of World War...
and Robert Saundby
Robert Saundby
Air Marshal Sir Robert Henry Magnus Spencer Saundby KCB, KBE, MC, DFC, AFC was an RAF officer whose career spanned both World War I and World War II...
. By 1926 Embry's enthusiasm, professional application, boundless energy and flair for the unconventional had put him on the fast track for promotion within the RAF, and he was rewarded with the Air Force Cross
Air Force Cross (United Kingdom)
The Air Force Cross is a military decoration awarded to personnel of the United Kingdom Armed Forces, and formerly also to officers of the other Commonwealth countries, for "an act or acts of valour, courage or devotion to duty whilst flying, though not in active operations against the enemy"...
in that year's New Year Honours
New Year Honours
The New Year Honours is a part of the British honours system, being a civic occasion on the New Year annually in which new members of most Commonwealth Realms honours are named. The awards are presented by the reigning monarch or head of state, currently Queen Elizabeth II...
, and appointment to a permanent commission.
Promoted to Flight Lieutenant
Flight Lieutenant
Flight lieutenant is a junior commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many Commonwealth countries. It ranks above flying officer and immediately below squadron leader. The name of the rank is the complete phrase; it is never shortened to "lieutenant"...
, Embry returned to Britain in 1927 as an instructor at the Central Flying School
Central Flying School
The Central Flying School is the Royal Air Force's primary institution for the training of military flying instructors. Established in 1912 it is the longest existing flying training school.-History:...
, Uxbridge
Uxbridge
Uxbridge is a large town located in north west London, England and is the administrative headquarters of the London Borough of Hillingdon. It forms part of the ceremonial county of Greater London. It is located west-northwest of Charing Cross and is one of the major metropolitan centres...
.
In 1934 he was posted to India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
to serve in the Indian Wing on the North West Frontier. He was promoted Squadron Leader
Squadron Leader
Squadron Leader is a commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many countries which have historical British influence. It is also sometimes used as the English translation of an equivalent rank in countries which have a non-English air force-specific rank structure. In these...
in 1935 and was awarded his first DSO for operations in Waziristan
Waziristan
Waziristan is a mountainous region near the Northwest of Pakistan, bordering Afghanistan and covering some 11,585 km² . The area is entirely populated by ethnic Pashtuns . The language spoken in the valley is Pashto/Pakhto...
. He was further promoted in 1938 to Wing Commander
Wing Commander (rank)
Wing commander is a commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many other Commonwealth countries...
. After five years service he returned to Britain in 1939. On the outbreak of the Second World War Embry was Commanding Officer of No 107 Squadron
No. 107 Squadron RAF
No. 107 Squadron RAF was a bomber unit in the RAF in both World War I and World War II and during the Cold war was operational on Thor Intermediate Range Ballistic Missiles.-Formation and World War I:...
flying the Bristol Blenheim
Bristol Blenheim
The Bristol Blenheim was a British light bomber aircraft designed and built by the Bristol Aeroplane Company that was used extensively in the early days of the Second World War. It was adapted as an interim long-range and night fighter, pending the availability of the Beaufighter...
bomber.
Second World War
The energetic Embry led his squadron from the front, and he saw extensive action during the campaigns in NorwayNorway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
and France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, often in the face of heavy losses and overwhelming opposition. On 25 September 1939 Embry led a 3-plane formation on a reconnaissance sortie into Germany. Intercepted by German fighters, Embry’s aircraft suffered serious damage to wings and fuselage and he carried out a one-wheel force-landing landing on returning to RAF Wattisham
Wattisham
Wattisham is a civil parish near to the town of Stowmarket in Suffolk, England.-Wattisham Airfield:The village houses an airbase. Formerly known as RAF Wattisham, it was one of the front-line airbases in the Cold War. The RAF moved out in March 1993 and it is now the largest Army Air Corps airfield...
. Throughout the remainder of 1939 and into early 1940 the unit made numerous attacks by day and night on a variety of targets, including U-Boats.
On 6 April 1940 RAF photo reconnaissance revealed that a German Naval force including battleships Gneisenau and Scharnhorst was at anchor off Wilhelmshaven
Wilhelmshaven
Wilhelmshaven is a coastal town in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is situated on the western side of the Jade Bight, a bay of the North Sea.-History:...
. Embry and his 107 Squadron crews were soon involved in a series of attacks on this German force.
With the German invasion of Norway, 107 Squadron were detached to Scotland, and there carried out ten raids in just eight days on Stavanger and airfields in the area, often in treacherous weather conditions. Embry suffered with frostbite during this time.
In April May 1940 Embry was awarded a second DSO and a third award was announced in August 1940.
The German invasion of France and the Low Countries began on 10 May 1940 and Embry's Squadron flew intensively against the German advance, each crew flying two or three sorties daily across the Channel to France. His leadership and personal gallantry resulted in the award of a second bar to his DSO On 12 May he led No. 107 Squadron and No. 110 Squadron in an attack on two bridges across the Albert Canal
Albert Canal
The Albert Canal is a canal located in northeastern Belgium, named after King Albert I of Belgium. It connects the major cities Antwerp and Liège and the Meuse and Scheldt rivers. It has a depth of , a free height of and a total length of...
at Maastricht
Maastricht
Maastricht is situated on both sides of the Meuse river in the south-eastern part of the Netherlands, on the Belgian border and near the German border...
. Heavily defended, the formation was savaged by ground fire and intercepted by numerous Messerschmitt fighters, losing 7 Blenheims from the original force of 24. Two No. 107 Squadron aircraft also crash-landed at Wattisham, and every surviving Blenheim had suffered some damage.
Due to the tremendous pressure of his operational flying in recent months Embry was then ordered to take a operational 'rest' and was given command of R.A.F. West Raynham, with a promotion to Group Captain. He was to fly one more sortie before relinquishing command. On 26 May 1940, Wing Commander
Wing Commander (rank)
Wing commander is a commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many other Commonwealth countries...
Embry was shot down by anti-aircraft fire over Saint-Omer
Saint-Omer
Saint-Omer , a commune and sub-prefecture of the Pas-de-Calais department west-northwest of Lille on the railway to Calais. The town is named after Saint Audomar, who brought Christianity to the area....
from 6000 feet (1,828.8 m) during a low level bombing mission against advancing German Army columns. His aircraft crashed at Eperlecques
Éperlecques
Éperlecques is a commune in the Pas-de-Calais department in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region of France.-Geography:It is a farming commune comprising eight hamlets, all found within the regional nature reserve of the Caps et Marais d'Opale, situated 6 miles northwest of Saint-Omer, at the D222 and...
. Of his crew, observer P/O T.A.Whiting was made prisoner while Air Gunner Crpl. G.E.Lang was killed.
Captured by the German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
Army, he was being marched away in column of Allied prisoners when he saw a road sign Embry, 3 km. Taking this as a good omen, he rolled down a bank unnoticed by the column's guards and made his escape. He successfully evaded recapture for two months in occupied France before eventually getting back to England via Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
and Gibraltar
Gibraltar
Gibraltar is a British overseas territory located on the southern end of the Iberian Peninsula at the entrance of the Mediterranean. A peninsula with an area of , it has a northern border with Andalusia, Spain. The Rock of Gibraltar is the major landmark of the region...
. His adventures while on the run are detailed in the book Wingless Victory by Anthony Richardson
Anthony Richardson
Anthony Richardson , born Anthony Thomas Stewart Currie Richardson, was a British author of adult adventure fiction and non-fiction.-Biography:...
and originally published in 1950.
After two months sick leave Embry was posted to No. 6 Group as Senior Air Staff Officer in the rank of Group Captain
Group Captain
Group captain is a senior commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many other Commonwealth countries. It ranks above wing commander and immediately below air commodore...
. After only three weeks he was offered command of a night-fighter wing in RAF Fighter Command
RAF Fighter Command
RAF Fighter Command was one of three functional commands of the Royal Air Force. It was formed in 1936 to allow more specialised control of fighter aircraft. It served throughout the Second World War, gaining recognition in the Battle of Britain. The Command continued until 17 November 1943, when...
, which was accepted, although he reverted to the rank of Wing Commander. The wing disbanded in December 1940 and Embry became AOC RAF Wittering
RAF Wittering
RAF Wittering is a Royal Air Force station within the unitary authority area of Peterborough, Cambridgeshire. Although Stamford in Lincolnshire is the nearest town, the runways of RAF Wittering cross the boundary between Cambridgeshire and Northamptonshire....
returning to the rank of Group Captain in March 1941. Embry kept his hand in operationally by flying radar equipped night-fighters with No. 25 squadron
No. XXV Squadron RAF
No. 25 Squadron was a squadron of the Royal Air Force. Until April 2008 the squadron operated the Panavia Tornado F3, from RAF Leeming.-The first years:...
. In July 1941 Embry was given the ceremonial title of an Air Aide-de-Camp
Aide-de-camp
An aide-de-camp is a personal assistant, secretary, or adjutant to a person of high rank, usually a senior military officer or a head of state...
to the King. and was Mentioned in Despatches in September.
In October 1941 he was seconded to the Desert Air Force
Desert Air Force
The Desert Air Force , also known chronologically as Air Headquarters Western Desert, Air Headquarters Libya, AHQ Western Desert, the Western Desert Air Force, Desert Air Force, and the First Tactical Air Force , was an Allied tactical air force initially created from No...
as an adviser and saw action in the Desert War.
Embry returned to Britain in March 1942 and served as AOC Wittering again and as AOC 10 Group
No. 10 Group RAF
No. 10 Group of the Royal Air Force was formed on 1 April 1918 in No. 2 Area. On 8 May of the next year it was transferred to South-Western Area. In 1919 it was transferred to Coastal Area where it remained until it was disbanded on 18 January 1932....
, Fighter Command. In June he was again Mentioned in Despatches but he was passed over as the prime candidate for leading RAF Bomber Command
RAF Bomber Command
RAF Bomber Command controlled the RAF's bomber forces from 1936 to 1968. During World War II the command destroyed a significant proportion of Nazi Germany's industries and many German cities, and in the 1960s stood at the peak of its postwar military power with the V bombers and a supplemental...
's newly formed Pathfinder Force in July 1942 before being given command of No 2 Group
No. 2 Group RAF
Number 2 Group is a Group of the Royal Air Force which was first activated in 1918, served from 1918–20, from 1936 through the Second World War to 1947, from 1948 to 1958, from 1993 to 1996, was reactivated in 2000, and is today part of Air Command....
Bomber Command, which was about to join the 2nd Tactical Air Force
RAF Second Tactical Air Force
The former RAF Second Tactical Air Force was one of three tactical air forces within the Royal Air Force during and after the Second World War...
, in June 1943. Although he was now an Air Vice Marshal, Embry continued to fly on operations where possible, piloting each type of light bomber in his command to ascertain the strengths and weaknesses of the tools available to his aircrews. He usually flew as a 'wingman' in a formation, flying under the name of "Wing Commander Smith". This hands-on approach ensured Embry was worshipped by the men under his command, although his frank utterly honest criticisms made few friends within the Air Ministry
Air Ministry
The Air Ministry was a department of the British Government with the responsibility of managing the affairs of the Royal Air Force, that existed from 1918 to 1964...
.
He pushed fervently for 2 Group's re-equipment with the Mosquito FB VI
De Havilland Mosquito
The de Havilland DH.98 Mosquito was a British multi-role combat aircraft that served during the Second World War and the postwar era. It was known affectionately as the "Mossie" to its crews and was also nicknamed "The Wooden Wonder"...
, which became the highly potent workhorse of the Group by 1944. By October 1943 Embry's efforts had made 2 Group a highly effective weapon, with bombing accuracy and serviceability among the best in the Allied Air Forces. The group's contribution to the war effort, such as the bombing of V-1
V-1 flying bomb
The V-1 flying bomb, also known as the Buzz Bomb or Doodlebug, was an early pulse-jet-powered predecessor of the cruise missile....
launch sites in France and the anti-transportation offensive prior to D-Day
D-Day
D-Day is a term often used in military parlance to denote the day on which a combat attack or operation is to be initiated. "D-Day" often represents a variable, designating the day upon which some significant event will occur or has occurred; see Military designation of days and hours for similar...
was arguably decisive. In December 1944 he was appointed a Companion of the Order of the Bath.
Embry's Mosquitoes also undertook specialist precision bombing operations such as the attack on Amiens
Amiens
Amiens is a city and commune in northern France, north of Paris and south-west of Lille. It is the capital of the Somme department in Picardy...
jail, and in 1945 on Gestapo
Gestapo
The Gestapo was the official secret police of Nazi Germany. Beginning on 20 April 1934, it was under the administration of the SS leader Heinrich Himmler in his position as Chief of German Police...
headquarters in Copenhagen
Copenhagen
Copenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...
and Odense
Odense
The city of Odense is the third largest city in Denmark.Odense City has a population of 167,615 and is the main city of the island of Funen...
. On 31 October 1944 Embry took part in a successful low-level attack undertaken by Mosquitoes of Nos. 21, 464 and 487 Squadrons on the Aarhus University, Denmark, which housed the Gestapo HQ for the whole of Jutland.
For "...(pressing) home his attacks with a skill and gallantry in keeping with his outstanding reputation.." in the latter three operations he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross
Distinguished Flying Cross (United Kingdom)
The Distinguished Flying Cross is a military decoration awarded to personnel of the United Kingdom's Royal Air Force and other services, and formerly to officers of other Commonwealth countries, for "an act or acts of valour, courage or devotion to duty whilst flying in active operations against...
. He was also honoured after the war by the Danish Government for his part in these operations, being awarded the Order of Dannebrog, Commander 1st Class. On 20 July 1945 he was awarded a third bar to his DSO. Other nations to honour Embry included the Netherlands (Order of Orange Nassau, Grand Officer) and France (Croix de Guerre
Croix de guerre
The Croix de guerre is a military decoration of France. It was first created in 1915 and consists of a square-cross medal on two crossed swords, hanging from a ribbon with various degree pins. The decoration was awarded during World War I, again in World War II, and in other conflicts...
, Légion d'honneur, Croix de Commandeur
Légion d'honneur
The Legion of Honour, or in full the National Order of the Legion of Honour is a French order established by Napoleon Bonaparte, First Consul of the Consulat which succeeded to the First Republic, on 19 May 1802...
)
Post-war career and later life
Shortly after the end of the war Embry was knightKnight
A knight was a member of a class of lower nobility in the High Middle Ages.By the Late Middle Ages, the rank had become associated with the ideals of chivalry, a code of conduct for the perfect courtly Christian warrior....
ed, with his appointment as a Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire (KBE). He was later to receive further knighthoods with higher precedence, in 1952 he was promoted to Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath (KCB) and in 1956 Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath (GCB).
He was Commander-in-Chief Fighter Command from 1949 to 1953. Embry was appointed Commander-in-Chief of Allied Air Forces Central Europe
Allied Air Forces Central Europe
Allied Air Forces Central Europe was the headquarters for NATO air forces in Central Europe from 1951 to 1967 and from 1974 to 1993.-History:It was first based at Fontainebleau , and originally activated in April 1951...
. His outspoken criticism of the NATO chain of command and organisation framework ensured however that he was retired early from the Royal Air Force in 1956.
In 1956 Embry briefly relocated to New Zealand where he wrote his auto-biography titled 'Mission Completed'.
In March 1956 accompanied by his wife Hope, he emigrated to Western Australia
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
and began a new life as a sheep farmer, purchasing a 1400 acres (5.7 km²) property at Chowerup. He also acquired land at Cape Riche, east of Albany, and moved here in the late 1960s.
Embry became active in the politics of agriculture through the Farmers' Union of Western Australia. He was elected General President in 1971 and held office for two years. In 1972 he led a delegation through South East Asia and instigated the establishment of the Rural Traders Co-operative (W.A.) Ltd.
He was the president of the Royal Air Forces Escaping Society
Royal Air Forces Escaping Society
The Royal Air Forces Escaping Society, was a UK based charitable organization formed in 1946 to provide help to those in the former occupied countries in World War II who put their lives at risk to assist and save members of the "Royal Air Forces" who were attempting to escape and evade...
and worked himself at a punishing pace until he became ill in 1975. Basil Embry died in Boyup Brook, Western Australia
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
in 1977.
"He was both charming and rude, prejudiced and broad-minded, pliable and obstinate, dedicated and human." (Group Captain Peter Wykeham
Peter Wykeham
Air Marshal Sir Peter Guy Wykeham KCB, DSO & Bar, OBE, DFC & Bar, AFC, RAF , born Peter Guy Wykeham-Barnes was a World War II Royal Air Force fighter pilot and squadron commander.-RAF career:...
, No 2 Group 1944-45)
Honours and awards
On 19 April 2007 Spink auctioned the remarkable and unique medal group of Air Chief Marshal Sir Basil Embry, selling for £155,350 to Michael Naxton, an agent.- Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the BathOrder of the BathThe Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
- 2 January 1956 (KCB - 1 January 1953, CB - 1 January 1945) - Knight Commander of the Order of the British EmpireOrder of the British EmpireThe Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
- 5 July 1945 - Distinguished Service OrderDistinguished Service OrderThe Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...
- 13 September 1938, Bar - 30 April 1940, 2nd Bar - 20 August 1940, 3rd Bar - 20 July 1945 - Distinguished Flying CrossDistinguished Flying Cross (United Kingdom)The Distinguished Flying Cross is a military decoration awarded to personnel of the United Kingdom's Royal Air Force and other services, and formerly to officers of other Commonwealth countries, for "an act or acts of valour, courage or devotion to duty whilst flying in active operations against...
- 22 June 1945 - Air Force CrossAir Force Cross (United Kingdom)The Air Force Cross is a military decoration awarded to personnel of the United Kingdom Armed Forces, and formerly also to officers of the other Commonwealth countries, for "an act or acts of valour, courage or devotion to duty whilst flying, though not in active operations against the enemy"...
- 1 January 1926 - Mention in Despatches - 8 May 1936, 24 September 1941, 11 June 1942, 1 January 1946
- Commander of the Legion of Honour (France) - 194?
- Croix de GuerreCroix de guerreThe Croix de guerre is a military decoration of France. It was first created in 1915 and consists of a square-cross medal on two crossed swords, hanging from a ribbon with various degree pins. The decoration was awarded during World War I, again in World War II, and in other conflicts...
(France) - 194? - Commander 1st Class of the Order of Dannebrog (Denmark) - 11 February 1947
- Grand Officer (with Swords) of the Order of Orange-NassauOrder of Orange-NassauThe Order of Orange-Nassau is a military and civil order of the Netherlands which was created on 4 April 1892 by the Queen regent Emma of the Netherlands, acting on behalf of her under-age daughter Queen Wilhelmina. The Order is a chivalry order open to "everyone who have earned special merits for...
(Netherlands) - 18 November 1947
External links
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