Benjamin Ball
Encyclopedia
Air Vice Marshal Sir Benjamin Ball KBE
CB
(6 September 1912 - 24 January 1977) was a Royal Air Force
officer who became Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief at Signals Command
.
as a cadet in 1934. He served in World War II
as a signals officer at RAF Bircham Newton
and then at Headquarters RAF Reserve Command
, as Chief Signals Officer in the Training Commands of the Royal Canadian Air Force
and as Group Captain, Operations with No. 26 Group. After the War he became Chief Signals Officer at Headquarters Bomber Command
and then became Director of Signals in the British Joint Services Mission to Washington D. C. He went on to be Station Commander at RAF Debden
in 1951, Deputy Director of Operational Requirements at the Air Ministry
in 1953 and Chief Signals Officer at Headquarters Bomber Command in 1957. His last appointments were as Deputy Chief Signals Officer at SHAPE
in 1960, as Senior Air Staff Officer at Headquarters Technical Training Command
in 1963 and Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief at Signals Command
in 1966 before retiring in 1969.
He was appointed KBE
in the New Year Honours List in 1969.
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...
CB
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...
(6 September 1912 - 24 January 1977) was a 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...
officer who became Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief at Signals Command
RAF Signals Command
Signals Command was the RAF's command responsible for control of signals units from 1958 to 1969. It was based at RAF Medmenham near Marlow, Buckinghamshire.-History:The Command was formed on 3 November 1958 by raising No. 90 Group to Command status...
.
RAF career
Ball joined the Royal Air ForceRoyal 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...
as a cadet in 1934. He served in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
as a signals officer at RAF Bircham Newton
RAF Bircham Newton
RAF Bircham Newton was a Royal Air Force airfield in the west of the county of Norfolk in the United Kingdom, eight miles west of Fakenham.-History:...
and then at Headquarters RAF Reserve Command
RAF Home Command
RAF Home Command was the Royal Air Force command which was responsible for the maintenance and training of reserve organisations from formation on 1 February 1939 as RAF Reserve Command with interruptions until it ceased to exist on 1 April 1959.-History:...
, as Chief Signals Officer in the Training Commands of the Royal Canadian Air Force
Royal Canadian Air Force
The history of the Royal Canadian Air Force begins in 1920, when the air force was created as the Canadian Air Force . In 1924 the CAF was renamed the Royal Canadian Air Force and granted royal sanction by King George V. The RCAF existed as an independent service until 1968...
and as Group Captain, Operations with No. 26 Group. After the War he became Chief Signals Officer at Headquarters 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...
and then became Director of Signals in the British Joint Services Mission to Washington D. C. He went on to be Station Commander at RAF Debden
RAF Debden
RAF Debden is a former RAF airfield in England. The field is located 3 miles SE of Saffron Walden and approximately 1 mile north of the village of Debden in North Essex.-RAF Fighter Command:...
in 1951, Deputy Director of Operational Requirements at 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...
in 1953 and Chief Signals Officer at Headquarters Bomber Command in 1957. His last appointments were as Deputy Chief Signals Officer at SHAPE
Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe
Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe is the central command of NATO military forces. It is located at Casteau, north of the Belgian city of Mons...
in 1960, as Senior Air Staff Officer at Headquarters Technical Training Command
RAF Technical Training Command
Technical Training Command was an organization within the Royal Air Force which controlled units responsible for delivering aircraft maintenance training and other non-flying training, initially in Berkshire then in Cambridgeshire.-History:...
in 1963 and Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief at Signals Command
RAF Signals Command
Signals Command was the RAF's command responsible for control of signals units from 1958 to 1969. It was based at RAF Medmenham near Marlow, Buckinghamshire.-History:The Command was formed on 3 November 1958 by raising No. 90 Group to Command status...
in 1966 before retiring in 1969.
He was appointed 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...
in the New Year Honours List in 1969.