Richard Saul

Air Vice-Marshal Richard Ernest Saul CB, DFC, RAF (16 April 1891 – 30 November 1965) was a pilot during World War I and a senior Royal Air Force commander during World War II.

Earlier Years
Saul was born in Dublin, Ireland, in 1891. At the start of the First World War he was a second lieutenant in the Royal Army Service Corps but by 1916 he was a Flying Officer (Observer) with No. 16 Squadron of the Army's Royal Flying Corps. During the war he rose to command No. 4 Squadron and after the armistice he commanded No. 7 Squadron and then No. 12 Squadron. In 1925 he was given command of No. 2 Squadron. A keen sportsman Saul played Rugby and Hockey for the RAF; in both 1928 and 1932 he was the RAF Tennis Champion.

In September 1933 Saul was appointed the Officer Commanding No. 203 Squadron operating out of Basra in Iraq and in 1935 Saul led a flight of flying boats, from his squadron, on a long-distance journey from Plymouth to Basra.

World War II and beyond
During World War II Saul was air officer commanding No. 13 Group from 1939, air officer commanding No. 12 Group from 1940 and then air officer commanding Air Defences Eastern Mediterranean from 1943.

Saul retired from the RAF on 29 June 1944 and then served as the Chairman of the United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration's mission in the Balkans. He next acted as the Vice-Chairman of the International Transport Commission in Rome. After Saul left Rome in 1951, he took up employment as the manager of the University of Toronto bookshop until finally retiring in 1959. Richard Saul died on 30 November 1965 after being hit by a car two days earlier.

Honours and awards

 * Companion of the Order of the Bath - 17 March 1941
 * Distinguished Flying Cross - 1 January 1919
 * Mentioned in Despatches - 11 July 1940
 * Chevalier of the Order of the Crown - 15 July 1919
 * Croix de Guerre with Palms (Belgium) - 15 July 1919