Air Chief Marshal Air chief marshal (Air Chf Mshl or ACM) is a high-ranking air officer rank used by some air forces, with origins from the Royal Air Force. The rank is used by air forces of many Commonwealth of Nations, countries that have historical British i ...

Sir Arthur Penrose Martyn Sanders, (17 March 1898 – 8 February 1974), was a pilot in the

Royal Flying Corps The Royal Flying Corps (RFC) was the air arm of the British Army before and during the First World War until it merged with the Royal Naval Air Service on 1 April 1918 to form the Royal Air Force. During the early part of the war, the RFC sup ...

during the

First World War World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

and a senior

Royal Air Force The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the Air force, air and space force of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies. It was formed towards the end of the World War I, First World War on 1 April 1918, on the merger of t ...

commander during the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

and the immediate post-war years.

RAF career

Born the son of a clergyman Henry Martyn Sanders and his wife Maud Mary (née Dixon), Sanders was educated at Haileybury before undergoing officer training at Sandhurst.Air of Authority – A History of RAF Organisation – Air Chief Marshal Sir Arthur Sanders
/ref> Sanders was commissioned into the

Northumberland Fusiliers The Royal Northumberland Fusiliers was an infantry regiment of the British Army. Raised in 1674 as one of three 'English' units in the Dutch Anglo-Scots Brigade, it accompanied William III to England in the November 1688 Glorious Revolution and ...

in April 1916 but transferred to the

a few weeks later. He served as a pilot in No 5 Squadron RFC and in May 1917, was wounded in a dogfight with German aircraft. As a result, he lost his arm but managed to land his aircraft. Due to his disability, Sanders was assigned to junior staff officer duties for the remainder of the war. On 1 April 1918, Sanders was transferred to the

along with his fellow Flying Corps officers. Sanders remained in the RAF after the war and made steady progress through the ranks. He served in a variety of staff and instructional roles, notably on the air staff of Aden Command in 1932 and 1933. He was promoted to

group captain Group captain (Gp Capt or G/C) is a senior officer rank used by some air forces, with origins from the Royal Air Force. The rank is used by air forces of many Commonwealth of Nations, countries that have historical British influence. Group cap ...

just before the outbreak of the

. During the Second World War, he first served on the staff of the RAF staff College where he was responsible for planning the first wartime course. In 1940, Sanders was appointed the Director of Ground Defence at the

Air Ministry The Air Ministry was a department of the Government of the United Kingdom with the responsibility of managing the affairs of the Royal Air Force and civil aviation that existed from 1918 to 1964. It was under the political authority of the ...

and his work was partly responsible for the establishment of the

RAF Regiment The Royal Air Force Regiment (RAF Regiment) is part of the Royal Air Force and functions as a specialist corps. Founded by Royal Warrant in 1942, the Corps carries-out security tasks relating to the protection of assets and personnel dedicated ...

in 1942. In late 1942 Sanders was appointed Assistant Chief of Staff (Air) at Allied Force Headquarters and in January 1943 he took up the post at Air Officer Administration at

Bomber Command Bomber Command is an organisational military unit, generally subordinate to the air force of a country. The best known were in Britain and the United States. A Bomber Command is generally used for strategic bombing (although at times, e.g. during t ...

. After the war, Sanders served as the Commandant of the RAF staff College at Bracknell before spending much of 1948 as Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief of British Air Forces of Occupation. He then served as Vice Chief of the Air Staff and Deputy Chief of the Air Staff. In May 1952, Sanders became Commander-in-Chief of the RAF's Middle East Air Force before his final tour as Commandant of the Imperial Defence College. He retired on 29 January 1956.

References

, - , - , - , - {{DEFAULTSORT:Sanders, Arthur 1898 births 1974 deaths British Army personnel of World War I Graduates of the Royal Military College, Sandhurst Royal Northumberland Fusiliers officers Royal Flying Corps officers Royal Air Force air marshals People from Streatham English aviators Knights Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath Knights Commander of the Order of the British Empire Commanders of the Legion of Merit Commanders with Star of the Order of Polonia Restituta People educated at Haileybury and Imperial Service College Royal Air Force personnel of World War II Military personnel from the London Borough of Lambeth