Howard Saint

Captain Howard John Thomas Saint (20 January 1893 - 1976) was a First World War flying ace credited with seven aerial victories. He became the chief test pilot for Gloster in the 1930s.

Early life
Saint was born in Ruabon in Debighshire on 20 January 1989, the son of Thomas and Margaret Saint, his father was a mining engineer and surveyor and later Colliery Manager. In the 1911 census of Wrexham Saint is described as a Colliery Managers Apprentice.

Aviator
Saint joined the Royal Naval Air Service and served with the Armoured Car Section in France before training as a pilot. On 1 April 1918 when the RNAS was merged with the Royal Flying Corps Saint transferred to the new Royal Air Force. After the war he joined Airco as a pilot and on 1 May 1919 carried out the first civilian flight after the wartime ban was lifted. The flight in a De Havilland DH.9 carrying newspapers from Hounslow to Bournemouth did not go well as Saint made a forced landing on the Portsdown Hills and was injured.

Saint rejoined the RAF in 1922, he transferred to reserve status in 1927 when he became chief test pilot for Gloster. He officially retired from the RAF in February 1931. He retired as chief test pilot from Gloster in 1935 and lived in Cheltenham until his death in 1976.

Honours and awards

 * 2 November 1917 - Acting Flight Commander Howard John Thomas Saint, R.N.A.S. is awarded the Distinguished Service Cross: