Robert Oxland
Robert Dickinson Oxland | |
|---|---|
 Air Vice Marshal Robert Oxland in March 1944 | |
| Born | 4 April 1889 |
| Died | 27 October 1959 (aged 70) |
| Allegiance | United Kingdom |
| Service | British Army (1915–18) Royal Air Force (1918–46) |
| Years of service | 1915–46 |
| Rank | Air Vice-Marshal |
| Commands | No. 1 (Bomber) Group (1940–43) No. 503 Squadron RAF (1925–26) No. 502 Squadron RAF (1918–19) |
| Battles / wars | First World War Second World War |
| Awards | Companion of the Order of the Bath Commander of the Order of the British Empire Mentioned in Despatches (2) Commander's Cross with Star of the Order of Polonia Restituta (Poland) |
Air Vice Marshal Robert Dickinson Oxland, CB, CBE (4 April 1889 – 27 October 1959) was a senior Royal Air Force officer and member of Bomber Command during the Second World War.[1] He was air officer commanding No. 1 Group from 1940 to 1943.[2]
Early life
[edit]Robert Dickinson Oxland was born in Sydenham on 4 April 1889, the son of Charles Oxland, a Mining Engineer, and his wife Eleanor.[3][4] He was educated at Bedford Modern School.[1]
Career
[edit]At the outbreak of the First World War, Oxland joined the County of London Yeomanry[clarification needed].[5] He was commissioned in 1915 and seconded to the Royal Flying Corps in 1916[3] having learned to fly in Norwich, earning RAeC Certificate No. 2444 on 9 February 1916.[4][5][6] He was with No. 20 Squadron in France in 1916 and with No. 38 Squadron in 1918.[5]
Oxland transferred to the Royal Air Force in 1918.[3] As a qualified meteorological observer[5] his first postings were in Iraq as a specialist staff officer.[2] He returned to England in 1925 as a squadron leader[2] and was the first commanding officer of No. 502 Squadron RAF.[7] In 1926, he was responsible for organising the formation of No. 503 Squadron RAF and was its commanding officer until 1930.[6][8]
Oxland was promoted to wing commander in 1930 and thereafter ‘took a series of staff appointments at home and overseas’.[2] In 1934 he was appointed to the Directorate of Operations and Intelligence at the Air Ministry.[5] In 1936, as Director of the Air Ministry's Operational Requirements,[9] Oxland was Chairman of the Committee that decided to produce the four-engined heavy bombers resulting in the Stirling, Halifax and Lancaster.[6] In 1938 he was promoted to air commodore and the post of Director of Personal Services at the Air Ministry.[2]
In November 1940 he was promoted to air officer commanding (AOC) No. 1 Group.[2] During his time at HQ Bomber Command, "he concentrated on the direction of operations in support of Operation Overlord whilst Hugh Walmsley oversaw the area bombing programme".[6] In February 1943 he was succeeded as AOC of No. 1 Group by Air Vice Marshal Edward Rice.[2] Thereafter he held a ‘special appointment' at HQ Bomber Command[10] and his final position from 1945 was AOA, HQ Air Command South East Asia.[6]
Oxland retired in May 1946.[3]
Awards and honours
[edit]Oxland was invested as an Officer of the Order of the British Empire in 1929. In 1942 he was invested as Commander of the Order of the British Empire and a Commander's Cross with Star of the Order of Polonia Restituta.[3][11] In 1943 he was made Companion of the Order of the Bath.[3]
Oxland was also twice mentioned in despatches, on 1 January 1943 and 8 June 1944.[6]
Family life
[edit]Oxland was a member of the United Service Club.[3] In 1929 he married Ethel Barbara Williams, daughter of Colonel Henry David Williams.[3] They had two daughters.[3] He died in Maidenhead, Berkshire on 27 October 1959.[3]
References
[edit]- ^ a b Kelly’s Handbook to the Titled, Landed and Official Classes 1958, Published by Kelly’s Directories Limited, 1958
- ^ a b c d e f g "RAF – The Group Commanders". mod.uk. Retrieved 5 July 2015.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j "Oxland, Air Vice-Marshal Robert Dickinson, (4 April 1889–27 Oct. 1959)". WHO'S WHO & WHO WAS WHO. 2007. doi:10.1093/ww/9780199540884.013.U241502. ISBN 978-0-19-954089-1.
- ^ a b "Genealogy, Family Trees & Family History Records at Ancestry.co.uk". ancestry.co.uk. Retrieved 5 July 2015.
- ^ a b c d e The Times, 23 October 1934
- ^ a b c d e f "R D Oxland_P". rafweb.org. Retrieved 5 July 2015.
- ^ Rawlings, John D.R. Coastal, Support and Special Squadrons of the RAF and their Aircraft. London: Jane's Publishing Company Ltd., 1982
- ^ Hunt, Leslie. Twenty-one Squadrons: History of the Royal Auxiliary Air Force, 1925–57. London: Garnstone Press, 1972. ISBN 0-85511-110-0. (New edition in 1992 by Crécy Publishing. ISBN 0-947554-26-2.)
- ^ "Avro Lancaster". aviation-history.com. Retrieved 5 July 2015.
- ^ The Times, 22 February 1944
- ^ Piotrowski, Jacek (2004). Dzienniki czynności Prezydenta RP Władysława Raczkiewicza, 1939–1947. ISBN 9788322925669. Retrieved 5 July 2015.