Death of Air Vice Marshal A H Orlebar AFC & Bar, 4 Aug 1943

[en830]

I'm looking for details on the death of Air Vice Marshal A H (Augustus Henry) Orlebar AFC & Bar, 4 August 1943.

Orlebar served as an Officer with 1st/5th Bedfordshire Regiment at Gallipoli in 1915 before transferring to the RFC for pilot training in 1916. From 17 Sep 1916 he served as a Flying Officer with No 19 Sqn RFC. (BE12, Spad VII – Western Front), 1917 No 44 Sqn RFC. (Camel – Hainault Farm), 20 Dec 1917 Flight Commander with No 73 Sqn RFC. (Camel – Western Front), in 1918 he served briefly as an Instructor, before returning to active service in Aug 1918 as a Flight Commander with No 43 Sqn. (Camel, Snipe – Western Front).

After the First World War he served with the Aeroplane Experimental Station, Martlesham Heath before taking up a permanent commission with the RAF and at the same time relinquishing his commission as a Lieutenant in the Bedfordshire Regiment on 1 August 1919.

In December 1929 he became OC Flying Boat Development Flight, during which he set a new air speed record of 357.7mph and in May 1931 OC RAF High Speed Flight.

At the out break of the Second World War he held the appointment of Director of Flying Training and then joined the Air Staff, HQ Fighter Command in October 1940

On 22 Jul 1941 he became AOC, No 10 (Fighter) Group and at the time of his death he held the position of Deputy Chief of Combined Operations, which he attained on 2 March 1943.

Any help would be appreciated.

[Kyt]

post no longer valid - removed by kyt

[en830]

Thank Kyt, much appreciated.