Sidney Osborne Bufton
Encyclopedia
Air Vice Marshal Sidney Osborne Bufton CB
, DFC
(12 January 1908 – 29 March 1993) was a senior commander in the Royal Air Force
during the middle part of the 20th century. He played a major part in establishing the Pathfinder
project, over the objections of Arthur Harris
.
International Hockey
player (1931–1937) as well as playing for the RAF and the Combined Services. He served in World War II
as Officer Commanding No. 10 Squadron
and then as Officer Commanding No. 76 Squadron
before becoming Station Commander at RAF Pocklington
in 1941. He continued his war service as Deputy Director and then as Director of Bomber Operations. He was responsible for conceiving and forming the Pathfinder Force
despite opposition from Arthur Harris
.
After the War he was appointed Commandant of the Central Bomber Establishment and then Deputy Chief of Staff (Operations and Plans) at Headquarters Air Forces Western Europe in 1948. He was made Director of Weapons at the Air Ministry
in 1951, Air Officer Administration at Headquarters Bomber Command
in 1952 and Air Officer Commanding at British Forces Aden
in 1953. His last appointments were as Senior Air Staff Officer at Headquarters Bomber Command in 1955 and as Assistant Chief of Staff (Intelligence) at the Air Ministry in 1958 before retiring in 1961.
After retiring from the RAF, he joined Radionic Ltd. as an inventor and later became Managing Director until 1970.
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...
, 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...
(12 January 1908 – 29 March 1993) was a senior commander in 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...
during the middle part of the 20th century. He played a major part in establishing the Pathfinder
Pathfinder (RAF)
The Pathfinders were elite squadrons in RAF Bomber Command during World War II. They located and marked targets with flares, which a main bomber force could aim at, increasing the accuracy of their bombing...
project, over the objections of 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...
.
RAF career
Bufton joined the Royal Air Force in 1927. As a young man he was a WelshWales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
International Hockey
Hockey
Hockey is a family of sports in which two teams play against each other by trying to maneuver a ball or a puck into the opponent's goal using a hockey stick.-Etymology:...
player (1931–1937) as well as playing for the RAF and the Combined Services. 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 Officer Commanding No. 10 Squadron
No. 10 Squadron RAF
No. 10 Squadron was a Royal Air Force squadron. The squadron served in a variety of roles over its 90 year history...
and then as Officer Commanding No. 76 Squadron
No. 76 Squadron RAF
No. 76 Squadron is a squadron of the Royal Air Force. It was formed during World War I as a home defence fighter squadron and in its second incarnation during World War II flew as a bomber squadron, first as an operational training unit and later as an active bomber squadron...
before becoming Station Commander at RAF Pocklington
RAF Pocklington
RAF Pocklington was an operational flying station of the Royal Air Force during World War II, forming part of Bomber command, and operating primarily Wellington and Halifax bombers. The station, adjacent to the village of Pocklington at , opened in 1941, and was closed in 1946...
in 1941. He continued his war service as Deputy Director and then as Director of Bomber Operations. He was responsible for conceiving and forming the Pathfinder Force
Pathfinder (RAF)
The Pathfinders were elite squadrons in RAF Bomber Command during World War II. They located and marked targets with flares, which a main bomber force could aim at, increasing the accuracy of their bombing...
despite opposition from 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...
.
After the War he was appointed Commandant of the Central Bomber Establishment and then Deputy Chief of Staff (Operations and Plans) at Headquarters Air Forces Western Europe in 1948. He was made Director of Weapons 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 1951, Air Officer Administration 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...
in 1952 and Air Officer Commanding at British Forces Aden
British Forces Aden
British Forces Aden was the name given to the British Armed Forces stationed in the Aden Protectorate during part of the 20th century. Their purpose was to preserve the security of the Protectorate from both internal threats and external aggression.-History:...
in 1953. His last appointments were as Senior Air Staff Officer at Headquarters Bomber Command in 1955 and as Assistant Chief of Staff (Intelligence) at the Air Ministry in 1958 before retiring in 1961.
After retiring from the RAF, he joined Radionic Ltd. as an inventor and later became Managing Director until 1970.