Sir Cecil Bouchier
Encyclopedia
Air Vice Marshal Sir Cecil Arthur Bouchier KBE
, CB
, DFC
(14 October 1895 - 15 June 1979) served with the British Army
, Royal Flying Corps
, Indian Air Force
and Royal Air Force
from 1915 to 1953.
He was married to Dorothy Britton
, who translated a number of Japanese books into English.
Flying Officer Cyril Arthur Bouchier - A very skilful pilot of marked, initiative and courage. Has been brought to notice on many occasions for the determination shown in his attacks. His methods are somewhat original. By flying low, parallel with and behind the enemy's lines, stampeding convoys and destroying wagons, he has caused the greatest confusion amongst the enemy, to the great advantage of our own forces. Flying Officer Bouchier is a highly competent reconnaissance officer
The citation had the wrong first name and was corrected to Cecil in a later gazette.
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...
, 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...
(14 October 1895 - 15 June 1979) served with the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
, Royal Flying Corps
Royal 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...
, Indian Air Force
Indian Air Force
The Indian Air Force is the air arm of the Indian armed forces. Its primary responsibility is to secure Indian airspace and to conduct aerial warfare during a conflict...
and 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...
from 1915 to 1953.
He was married to Dorothy Britton
Dorothy Britton
Dorothy Guyver Britton, Lady Bouchier MBE was born in Yokohama and educated in the United States and England, returning to Japan after the American Occupation. She is best-known as a translator into English of Oku no Hosomichi by Basho: A Haiku Journey – Basho's Narrow Road to a Far Province...
, who translated a number of Japanese books into English.
Awards and decorations
- 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...
awarded to Flying Officer Cecil Arthur Bouchier on 18 November 1919.
Flying Officer Cyril Arthur Bouchier - A very skilful pilot of marked, initiative and courage. Has been brought to notice on many occasions for the determination shown in his attacks. His methods are somewhat original. By flying low, parallel with and behind the enemy's lines, stampeding convoys and destroying wagons, he has caused the greatest confusion amongst the enemy, to the great advantage of our own forces. Flying Officer Bouchier is a highly competent reconnaissance officer
The citation had the wrong first name and was corrected to Cecil in a later gazette.
- Squadron Leader Cecil Arthur Bouchier, DFC appointed as an Officer 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...
on 23 June 1936 - Air Commodore Cecil Arthur Bouchier CBE, DFC appointed as a Companion in 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...
on 14 June 1945 - 9 March 1948 Air Vice Marshal Cecil Arthur Bouchier, CB, CBE, DFC is allowed to war decoration of 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...
conferred by the President of the United States in recognition of valuable services rendered in connection with the war. - Air Vice-Marshal Cecil Arthur Bouchier, CB, CBE, DFC appointed as a Knight Commander in 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...
on 1 January 1953
Promotions
- Trumpeter, Honourable Artillery CompanyHonourable Artillery CompanyThe Honourable Artillery Company was incorporated by Royal Charter in 1537 by King Henry VIII. Today it is a Registered Charity whose purpose is to attend to the “better defence of the realm"...
- Flying OfficerFlying OfficerFlying officer is a junior commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many countries which have historical British influence...
- 2 February 1918 (Royal Flying Corps) - Flying OfficerFlying OfficerFlying officer is a junior commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many countries which have historical British influence...
- 1 August 1919 (permamanent commission Royal Air Force) - Flight LieutenantFlight LieutenantFlight 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"...
- 1 January 1926 - Squadron LeaderSquadron LeaderSquadron 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...
- 1 August 1935 - Wing CommanderWing Commander (rank)Wing commander is a commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many other Commonwealth countries...
- 1 July 1938 - Group CaptainGroup CaptainGroup 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...
- 1 December 1940 - Air CommodoreAir CommodoreAir commodore is an air-officer rank which originated in and continues to be used by the Royal Air Force...
- 1 October 1946 - Air Vice Marshal - 25 June 1949
See also
- History of the Indian Air ForceHistory of the Indian Air ForceThe history of the Indian Air Force began with its establishment in 1932 and continues up to the present day.-Formation and early pilots:The Indian Air Force was established in British India as an auxiliary air force of the Royal Air Force with the enactment of the Indian Air Force Act 1932 on 8...
- Occupation of Japan
- RAF HornchurchRAF HornchurchRAF Hornchurch was an airfield in the south of Hornchurch in what is now the London Borough of Havering. Known as Sutton's Farm during the First World War, it occupied of the farm of the same name and was situated east north-east of Charing Cross...