Brian Edmund Baker
Encyclopedia
Air Marshal
Sir Brian Edmund Baker KBE
, CB
, DSO
, MC
, AFC
(31 August 1896 – 8 October 1979) was a British
Flying Ace
in World War I
credited, in conjunction with his gunners, with 12 victories, comprising 1 aircraft captured, 1 and 3 shared destroyed, and 6 and 1 shared 'out of control'.
(RFC) in August 1915. He was then transferred to France with a total of only twelve hours flying time and joined No. 13 Squadron, which was flying BE2 aircraft. In January 1917 he was given command of a flight in the newly-formed No. 48 Squadron
. He helped shoot down a Gotha heavy bomber on 22 July 1917.
In July 1918 was appointed Officer Commanding No. 141 Squadron
at RAF Biggin Hill.
After the war he remained with the RAF, being appointed Officer Commanding
the Experimental Section at the Royal Aircraft Establishment
in 1926, Officer Commanding No. 32 Squadron in 1929 and Chief Flying Instructor at RAF Leuchars
in 1932. He went on to be Senior RAF Officer on HMS Courageous
in 1935, Station Commander at RAF Gosport in 1937 and Station Commander at RAF Leuchars
in 1938.
He served in World War II
as Air Officer Commanding No. 51 Group from 1940, Air Officer Commanding RAF Iceland from 1941 and Air Officer Commanding No. 16 Group from 1942 before transferring to No. 19 (Reconnaissance) Group in 1943 and taking command of RAF East Africa in 1945.
After the War he was appointed Senior Air Staff Officer at Headquarters RAF Middle East and then, from December 1945, Deputy Air Commander-in-Chief, RAF Mediterranean and Middle East before becoming Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief at RAF Transport Command
in 1947 and retiring in 1950.
Air Marshal
Air marshal is a three-star air-officer rank which originated in and continues to be used by the Royal Air Force...
Sir Brian Edmund Baker 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...
, 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...
, 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...
, MC
Military Cross
The Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
, 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"...
(31 August 1896 – 8 October 1979) was a British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
Flying Ace
Flying ace
A flying ace or fighter ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down several enemy aircraft during aerial combat. The actual number of aerial victories required to officially qualify as an "ace" has varied, but is usually considered to be five or more...
in World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
credited, in conjunction with his gunners, with 12 victories, comprising 1 aircraft captured, 1 and 3 shared destroyed, and 6 and 1 shared 'out of control'.
Military career
Baker served in the Rifle Brigade at the outbreak of war and transferred to the Royal Flying CorpsRoyal Flying Corps
The Royal Flying Corps was the over-land air arm of the British military during most of the First World War. During the early part of the war, the RFC's responsibilities were centred on support of the British Army, via artillery co-operation and photographic reconnaissance...
(RFC) in August 1915. He was then transferred to France with a total of only twelve hours flying time and joined No. 13 Squadron, which was flying BE2 aircraft. In January 1917 he was given command of a flight in the newly-formed No. 48 Squadron
No. 48 Squadron RAF
No. 48 Squadron was a Royal Air Force squadron that saw service in both World War I and World War II.-First World War:No. 48 Squadron of the Royal Flying Corps was formed at Netheravon, Wiltshire, on 15 April 1916. The squadron was posted to France in March 1917 and became the first fighter...
. He helped shoot down a Gotha heavy bomber on 22 July 1917.
In July 1918 was appointed Officer Commanding No. 141 Squadron
No. 141 Squadron RAF
No. 141 Squadron of the Royal Air Force was formed on 1 January 1918 at Rochford, for home defence in the London Area. The Squadron moved to RAF Biggin Hill in February and giving up its mixed collection of types in favour of Bristol F.2 Fighters during March...
at RAF Biggin Hill.
After the war he remained with the RAF, being appointed Officer Commanding
Officer Commanding
The Officer Commanding is the commander of a sub-unit or minor unit , principally used in the United Kingdom and Commonwealth. In other countries, the term Commanding Officer is applied to commanders of minor as well as major units.Normally an Officer Commanding is a company, squadron or battery...
the Experimental Section at the Royal Aircraft Establishment
Royal Aircraft Establishment
The Royal Aircraft Establishment , was a British research establishment, known by several different names during its history, that eventually came under the aegis of the UK Ministry of Defence , before finally losing its identity in mergers with other institutions.The first site was at Farnborough...
in 1926, Officer Commanding No. 32 Squadron in 1929 and Chief Flying Instructor at RAF Leuchars
RAF Leuchars
RAF Leuchars is the most northerly air defence station in the United Kingdom. It is located in Leuchars, Fife, on the east coast of Scotland, near to the university town of St Andrews.-Operations:...
in 1932. He went on to be Senior RAF Officer on HMS Courageous
HMS Courageous
HMS Courageous or Courageux may refer to one of several ships of the Royal Navy:, a 74-gun ship of the line captured from the French on 13 Aug 1761, and wrecked on the coast of Morocco 19 Dec 1796., or Courageuse, was a 32-gun sailing frigate captured from the French in June 1799...
in 1935, Station Commander at RAF Gosport in 1937 and Station Commander at RAF Leuchars
RAF Leuchars
RAF Leuchars is the most northerly air defence station in the United Kingdom. It is located in Leuchars, Fife, on the east coast of Scotland, near to the university town of St Andrews.-Operations:...
in 1938.
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 Air Officer Commanding No. 51 Group from 1940, Air Officer Commanding RAF Iceland from 1941 and Air Officer Commanding No. 16 Group from 1942 before transferring to No. 19 (Reconnaissance) Group in 1943 and taking command of RAF East Africa in 1945.
After the War he was appointed Senior Air Staff Officer at Headquarters RAF Middle East and then, from December 1945, Deputy Air Commander-in-Chief, RAF Mediterranean and Middle East before becoming Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief at RAF Transport Command
RAF Transport Command
RAF Transport Command was a Royal Air Force command that controlled all transport aircraft of the RAF. It was established on 25 March 1943 by the renaming of the RAF Ferry Command, and was subsequently renamed RAF Air Support Command in 1967.-History:...
in 1947 and retiring in 1950.
Honours and awards
- Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire - August 15, 1944
- Companion of the Order of the Bath - June 2, 1943
- 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...
- March 4, 1918 - Military CrossMilitary CrossThe Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
- March 25, 1917 - 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"...
- January 1, 1919 - Croix de Guerre (1914-1918) - April 18, 1918, France
- Commander's Cross with Star of the Order of Polonia Restituta - Poland, June 12, 1945
- Order of the White LionOrder of the White LionThe Order of the White Lion is the highest order of the Czech Republic. It continues a Czechoslovak order of the same name created in 1922 as an award for foreigners....
Second Class - Czechoslovakia, March 15, 1946 - Commander of the Legion of MeritLegion of MeritThe Legion of Merit is a military decoration of the United States armed forces that is awarded for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services and achievements...
- United States, September 13, 1948