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Air Marshal Sir Peter Drummond
(Peter)
Roy Maxwell b: 2 Jun 1894
d: 27 Mar 194
KCB
-
2 Jun
1943 (CB - 24 Sep 1941),
DSO - 16 Mar 1918, Bar - 26 Jul 1918, OBE - 22 Jul 1921,
MC - 16 Aug 1917,
MiD - 5 Jun 1919,
MiD - 14 Jun 1918, MiD - 11 Jun 1942,
MiD - 19 Sep 1946, OP(Cdr)
- 3 May 1946.
For a list of foreign decoration abbreviations, click here
(Army): - Pte: xx Sep 1914, 2 Lt: 15 Apr 1916, Lt: 9 Dec 1916 [21 Feb 1916], (T) Capt: 15 May 1917.
(RAF):
- (T) Capt [Lt]: 1 Apr 1918,
Act Maj: 2
Sep 1918, Flt
Lt: 1 Aug 1919 [1 Apr 1918], Sqn
Ldr: 1 Jan 1923, Wg Cdr: 1 Jul
1931, Gp Capt: 1 Jan 1937, A/Cdre:
1 Jul 1939, Act AVM: 19 Jun 1940, (T)
AVM: 10 Jan 1941, Act AM: 1 Jun
1941, AVM: 14 Apr
1942 [10 Jan 1941], (T) AM: 1 Jun 1943.
xx
Sep 1914 : Private, Medical Corps, Australian Imperial Force. (Gallipoli/Egypt)
xx
xxx 1915: Invalided out of the Army.
15
Apr 1916: U/T Pilot, RFC
xx
xxx 1917:
Pilot, No 67 Sqn RFC. (Formed as No 1 Sqn AFC.) (Various types – Egypt)
25
May 1917: Flight Commander, No 67 Sqn RFC.
1
Aug 1917: Flight Commander, No 111 Sqn RFC. (Various types – Palestine)
19 Jul 1918: Officer Commanding, No 145 Sqn.
20
Feb 1919: Officer Commanding, No 111 Sqn. (SE5A – Palestine)
xx
Mar 1919:
1 May 1919: Employed as Major (until 31 Jul 1919)
1 Aug 1919: Awarded Permanent Commission as a Captain
xx
Jan 1920:
Attached, Z Force? Served in the Sudan.
15
May 1920:
xx xxx 1921: Officer Commanding, 'H' Unit
1 Apr 1921: Instructor, School of Army Co-operation
3
Apr1922: Attended RAF Staff College.
12 Apr 1923: Air Staff, Directorate of Operations and Intelligence.
1
May 1925: Supernumerary,
RAF Depot.
5 Jun 1925: Deputy Chief of the Air Staff, RAAF.
3 Aug 1927: Seconded to RAAF for (further?) two years.
15
Nov 1929: Supernumerary, RAF Depot.
14
Jan 1930: Attended Imperial Defence College.
20
Dec 1930: Supernumerary, HQ Coastal Area/RAF Depot.
22
Jun 1931: Officer Commanding, RAF Manston.
6
Oct 1931: U/T, School of Army Co-operation.
22
Nov 1931: Officer Commanding, RAF Tangmere
9 Jun 1933: Supernumerary, HQ No 1 Air Defence Group.
3 Apr 1934: Air Staff, Directorate of Staff Duties.
4 Sep 1936: Officer Commanding, RAF Northolt.
20
Nov 1937: SASO, RAF Middle East.
1 Jun 1941: Deputy AOC in C, RAF Middle East
29 Dec 1941: Deputy AOC in C, Middle East Command
27
Apr 1943: Air Member for Training.
Joining
the staff at the Air Ministry, he was responsible for making the suggestion, in
1923, that the RAF and the RAAF should carry out exchanges of officers.
As a result he was himself posted to his native Australia in 1925 as DCAS.
He suggested sending 20 squadrons to the Caucasus to assist the Russians
under the codename Operation 'Velvet'. However,
Stalin refused the offer but asked for the equivalent number of aircraft
instead. He was offered the
position of Air C in C, SEAC in 1944, but declined the post which was therefore
offered to Leigh-Mallory. Feeling
that he may have been fortunate not to meet Leigh-Mallory's fate by declining
the post, he set off in March 1945 to Canada in order to take part in the
official ceremony to mark the closing down of the Commonwealth Air Training
Plan. He was flying aboard the
Liberator 'Commando', of No 45 Group Communications Squadron, which had once
been Churchill's personnel
aircraft, together with Commander R A Breadner; Parliamentary Under Secretary of
State for Air, Sir John Abraham; Deputy Under Secretary at the Air Ministry and Mr.
H A Jones; Director of Public Relations.
On 27 March 1945 the aircraft was last heard of near the Azores and has
never been heard from again. So
having avoided flying into a mountain in the Alps he was appears to have
disappeared over the Atlantic.
"Capt. Roy Maxwell Drummond, M.C., R.F.C.
For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. While escorting a reconnaissance, on three hostile 'planes being encountered he at once attacked and' drove down one of these, although he was being himself attacked in the rear by the remaining two. Drawing these latter away from the reconnaissance machine, he turned, attacked and followed one of these dawn to a lower altitude, despite heavy anti-aircraft fire. This machine was then seen to strike the ground and turn over. He then attacked the third machine, and, after a long burst of fire at close range, both wings of the enemy plane were observed to collapse in the air. The whole action was characterised by the great skill and daring of this officer."
Announcement in the London Gazette - 22 Jul 1921
"The KING has been graciously pleased to give orders for the following appointment to the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire in recognition of distinguished services in the operations against the Garjak Nuers in 1920: —
To be an, Officer of the Military Division of the said Most Excellent Order.
Flight Lieutenant Roy Maxwell Drummond,. D.S.O., M.C., Royal Air Force. : - .
This officer performed most excellent work in command of H. Unit, Royal Air Force. Notwithstanding the adverse conditions that were met with, both at the aerodrome and in the air, the work performed by his unit in reconnaissance of the country and bombing expeditions, was one of the decisive factors leading to the success of the operations. The capable handling of his unit and the method of carrying out the duties assigned to him are deserving of the highest praise."
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