Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation

Air Chief Marshal Sir Arthur Sanders

Arthur Penrose Martyn  

b: 17 Mar 1898                     r: 29 Jan 1956                   d: 8 Feb 1974

GCB - 1 Jan 1955 (KCB - 1 Jan 1952, CB - 8 Jun 1944), KBE - 1 Jan 1946 (CBE - 11 Jun 1942), MiD - 14 Jun 1945, MiD – 1 Jan 1946, ORS - 11 Apr 1944, PR2 - 12 Jun 1945, LoM (Cdr) - 15 Jul 1947.

For a list of foreign decoration abbreviations, click here

(Army):- 2 Lt: 7 Apr 1916, (T) Capt: 4 Jun 1917, Lt: 7 Oct 1917.

(RAF):- (T) Capt [Lt]: 1 Apr 1918, Flt Lt: 1 Aug 1919 [1 Apr 1918], Sqn Ldr: 1 Jul 1929, Wg Cdr: 1 Jan 1936, Gp Capt: 1 Apr 1939, Act A/Cdre: xx xxx 1940, (T) A/Cdre: 1 Mar 1941, Act AVM: 25 Sep - 4 Dec 1942; 1 Jan 1943, A/Cdre (WS): 21 Oct 1943, (T) AVM: 1 Dec 1943, AVM: 1 Jan 1946, Act AM: 8 Dec 1947, AM: 1 Jul 1948, ACM: 16 Oct 1951.

xx xxx 1915:          Attended RMC Sandhurst.

 7 Apr 1916:          Officer, 1st Bn Northumberland Fusiliers.

xx xxx 1916:           U/T Pilot

17 Jul 1916:            Attached, No 1 AD

25 Jul 1916:            Pilot, No 5 Sqn RFC.

26 Jul 1916:            Attached, No 1 AD

 2 Aug 1916:           Pilot, No 5 Sqn RFC.

20 May 1917:         Wounded and admitted to No 30 Casualty Clearing Station (Gun shot wound, right arm fractured)

27 May 1917:         Admitted to No 20 General Hospital (Gun shot wound, right arm amputated)

29 May 1917:         To England on HA 'Jan Buydal'

 4 Jun 1917:            Staff Officer, ?

 1 Apr 1918            Staff Officer 3rd Class, P.2D, Directorate of Air Personal Services.

 5 Aug 1918            Staff Officer 3rd Class, Directorate of Air Personal Services.

 1 May 1919:          Transferred to Administrative Branch from Staff Officer

xx xxx 1919            Attached, P.4Z, Directorate of Personnel.

 1 Aug 1919:           Awarded Permanent Commission as a Captain (Staff Officer)

15 Jul 1920:            Restored to the Active List.

15 Jul 1920:            Staff Officer, Record Office

23 Mar 1921:          Adjutant, No 4 FTS.

17 Jan 1925:           Supernumerary, RAF Depot.

 3 Aug 1925:           Student, School of Photography.

xx xxx 1926:           Instructor, School of Photography.

19 Sep 1927:          Attended RAF Staff College

17 Dec 1928:          Supernumerary, RAF Depot.

 9 Jan 1929:            Staff, Deputy Directorate of Staff Duties.

 1 Jan 1932:            Supernumerary, RAF Depot.

23 Jan 1932:           Air Staff, HQ Aden Command.

16 Jan 1934:           Attended Imperial Defence College.

15 Jan 1935:           Air Staff, Deputy Directorate of Plans.

 1 Jan 1938:            Directing Staff, RAF Staff College.

26 Aug 1939:         Air Staff, Directorate of Plans.

xx xxx xxxx:           Staff, RAF Staff College (planning first wartime course)

xx xxx 1940:           Director of Ground Defence, Air Ministry.

25 Sep 1942:         Assistant Chief of Staff (Air), Allied Force HQ.

 1 Jan 1943:           AOA, HQ Bomber Command.

xx Dec 1945:          Commandant, RAF Staff College, Bracknell.

xx Jul 1947:            Staff Officer, Department of ACAS (Training) (Committee for Revision of RAF Manuals)

 8 Dec 1947:           AOC in C, British Air Forces of Occupation.

 1 Nov 1948:          Vice Chief of the Air Staff.

 1 Mar 1950:          Deputy Chief of the Air Staff.

19 May 1952:         C in C, Middle East Air Force.

28 Oct 1953:           Tour of Commonwealth countries (six weeks)

 1 Jan 1954:            Commandant, Imperial Defence College.

19 Apr 1954 - 29 Jan 1956:    Air ADC to The Queen

Attendance at Haileybury College was followed by entry into the Royal Military Academy at Sandhurst and a commission in the Northumberland Fusiliers, however, his regimental service was short-lived as he almost immediately transferred to the RFC.  In May 1917, he was wounded during a fight with seven or eight German aircraft, losing his right arm but still managing to get his aircraft back to base.  However, this injury resulted in his relegation to staff duties for the remainder of the war.  As Director of Ground Defence, he set in motion the events which led to the formation of the RAF Regiment in 1942.  He acted as a special air adviser to Eisenhower for the 'Torch' landings.  

He represented the Air Council at the funeral of King George VI.  Member of North Thames Gas Board, 1956 - 64.  Industrial Chairman, Fiji Sugar Board, Jan  - Jul 1962. and Chairman, League of Remembrance from 1959.

Citation for the award of Companion of the Order of the Bath

"SANDERS, Arthur Penrose Martyn, A/V/M, CBE - Bomber Command Headquarters.

This officer is employed as Air Officer in Charge of Administration.  He has shown outstanding ability and efficiency and has never failed to solve, in a most able and speedy manner, the many difficulties with which his department is naturally and continuously confronted."

(Source - Air 2/9003)

This page was last updated on 27/08/23

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