James Robb (RAF Officer)
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Air Chief Marshal Sir James Milne Robb, (26 January 1895 – 18 December 1968) was 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. After early service in 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 ...
with the Northumberland Fusiliers, Robb joined 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 ...
and became a
flying ace A flying ace, fighter ace or air ace is a military aviation, military aviator credited with shooting down a certain minimum number of enemy aircraft during aerial combat; the exact number of aerial victories required to officially qualify as an ...
credited with seven aerial victories. He was granted a permanent commission in the
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 ...
in 1919 and commanded No. 30 Squadron RAF in the Iraqi revolt against the British. In 1939, Robb travelled to Canada to help establish the Empire Air Training Scheme, a massive training program that provided the Royal Air Force with trained aircrew from Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Southern Rhodesia. He commanded No. 2 Group RAF of RAF Bomber Command and No. 15 Group RAF of RAF Coastal Command. Robb became Deputy Chief of Combined Operations under Lord Louis Mountbatten in 1942. During Operation Torch he was air advisor to the Supreme Allied Commander, Lieutenant General Dwight Eisenhower and in February 1943, Eisenhower appointed him Deputy Commander of the Northwest African Air Forces. When Eisenhower became Supreme Allied Commander in Europe in January 1944, he brought Robb to his Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Force as Deputy Chief of Staff (Air). Robb became Commander-in-Chief of Fighter Command in 1945 and learned to fly the Gloster Meteor, the RAF's first operational
jet aircraft A jet aircraft (or simply jet) is an aircraft (nearly always a fixed-wing aircraft) propelled by one or more jet engines. Whereas the engines in Propeller (aircraft), propeller-powered aircraft generally achieve their maximum efficiency at much ...
. He became Vice-Chief of the Air Staff in 1947, and then Commander in Chief of the Western Union's air forces in 1948. In 1951 he became Inspector General of the RAF.


Early life

James Milne Robb was born in Hexham, Northumberland on 26 January 1895, the third son of a draper, James Thomas Robb, and his wife Mary Elizabeth née Weir. He was educated at George Watson's School in
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and
Durham University Durham University (legally the University of Durham) is a collegiate university, collegiate public university, public research university in Durham, England, founded by an Act of Parliament (UK), Act of Parliament in 1832 and incorporated by r ...
. He had two older brothers, one of whom,
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, later became a major-general in the
British Army The British Army is the principal Army, land warfare force of the United Kingdom. the British Army comprises 73,847 regular full-time personnel, 4,127 Brigade of Gurkhas, Gurkhas, 25,742 Army Reserve (United Kingdom), volunteer reserve perso ...
.


First World War

Following the outbreak of 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 ...
, Robb enlisted in the 4th Battalion, Northumberland Fusiliers. He was commissioned into the Northumberland Fusiliers as a second lieutenant on 10 November 1914, and promoted to captain a year later. In August 1916 he transferred to 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 ...
. After learning to fly, Robb was posted to No. 32 Squadron RFC, a fighter squadron on the Western Front equipped with Airco DH.2s. Robb was wounded in March 1917 and spent some time with a training unit in England before returning to the Western Front in May 1918 as a flight commander with No. 92 Squadron RFC, flying SE5as. Robb achieved the squadron's first air victory on 22 July, shooting down a Fokker D.VII. In February 1919 he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross. His citation read:


Between the wars

In August 1919 he was granted a permanent commission in the
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 ...
as a captain. He joined No. 24 Squadron RAF in February 1920. In September 1922 he was posted to No. 6 Squadron RAF in
Iraq Iraq, officially the Republic of Iraq, is a country in West Asia. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to Iraq–Saudi Arabia border, the south, Turkey to Iraq–Turkey border, the north, Iran to Iran–Iraq border, the east, the Persian Gulf and ...
flying Bristol F.2 Fighters. He was promoted to squadron leader in 1924 and assumed command of No. 30 Squadron RAF. Robb was awarded the
Distinguished Service Order The Distinguished Service Order (DSO) is a Military awards and decorations, military award of the United Kingdom, as well as formerly throughout the Commonwealth of Nations, Commonwealth, awarded for operational gallantry for highly successful ...
for his service during operations in
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in 1925. Returning to the United Kingdom in 1926, Robb became chief flying instructor at the Central Flying School at RAF Upavon in Wiltshire. He married Bessie Murray on 29 December 1927. Their marriage produced a son and a daughter. In 1932 he was promoted to the rank of wing commander and attended the Royal Naval Staff College in
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,
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. This was followed by a posting as senior air officer aboard the
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in the
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. In 1935 he became fleet aviation officer with the Mediterranean Fleet before returning to the Central Flying School as commandant. He was promoted to group captain in 1936.


Second World War

In 1939, Robb travelled to Canada to help establish the Empire Air Training Scheme, a massive training program that provided the Royal Air Force with trained aircrew from Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Southern Rhodesia throughout 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 ...
. In January 1940 he was promoted to air commodore. He took command of No. 2 Group RAF in April. In July 1940 he was awarded the Air Force Cross, and in September he was promoted again, this time to air vice marshal. On 1 January 1941, he was appointed a Companion of the Order of the Bath. However, he fell out with the head of RAF Bomber Command, Air Marshal Sir Richard Peirse, over the merits of sending Bristol Blenheims on unescorted daylight missions, which Robb regarded as suicidal. Robb was therefore transferred to RAF Coastal Command, where he command No. 15 Group RAF. Robb became Deputy Chief of Combined Operations under Lord Louis Mountbatten in 1942. During Operation Torch he was air advisor to the Supreme Allied Commander, Lieutenant General Dwight Eisenhower. In February 1943, Eisenhower appointed him Deputy Commander of the Northwest African Air Forces under Major General Carl Spaatz. After Air Chief Marshal Tedder became Deputy Supreme Allied Commander in Europe in January 1944, he brought Robb to his Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Force as Deputy Chief of Staff (Air). Robb was promoted to air marshal in October 1944 and created a
Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding valuable service in a wide range of useful activities. It comprises five classes of awards across both civil and military divisions, the most senior two o ...
in January 1945. In May 1945 he was appointed the head of RAF Fighter Command and learned to fly the Gloster Meteor, the RAF's first operational
jet aircraft A jet aircraft (or simply jet) is an aircraft (nearly always a fixed-wing aircraft) propelled by one or more jet engines. Whereas the engines in Propeller (aircraft), propeller-powered aircraft generally achieve their maximum efficiency at much ...
. He claimed to have flown over 150 different aircraft types in his career. In August 1945 he received the U.S. Distinguished Service Medal from the
President of the United States The president of the United States (POTUS) is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president directs the Federal government of the United States#Executive branch, executive branch of the Federal government of t ...
, Harry S. Truman.


Post war

In 1947 Robb became Vice-Chief of the Air Staff. He then became Commander in Chief, Air Forces, Western Union Defence Organisation in 1948. Finally, in 1951 he became Inspector General of the RAF. He was created a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath in June 1949, and in January 1951 was elevated to a Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath. After retiring from the RAF on account of ill health he became King of Arms of the Order of the Bath on 21 March 1952, remaining in this appointment until 26 January 1965. Robb was co-author of a volume of the official history of the Second World War, ''Victory in the West'' (1962), of which Major Lionel Ellis was the main author, with Captain G. R. G. Allen RN and Lieutenant Colonel A. E. Warhurst. He died at a nursing home in Bognor Regis,
Sussex Sussex (Help:IPA/English, /ˈsʌsɪks/; from the Old English ''Sūþseaxe''; lit. 'South Saxons'; 'Sussex') is an area within South East England that was historically a kingdom of Sussex, kingdom and, later, a Historic counties of England, ...
on 18 December 1968.


Notes


References

* , - , - , - {{DEFAULTSORT:Robb, James Milne 1895 births 1968 deaths Alumni of Armstrong College, Durham British World War I flying aces Commanders of the Legion of Honour Companions of the Distinguished Service Order Foreign recipients of the Distinguished Service Medal (United States) Graduates of the Royal Naval College, Greenwich Grand Crosses of the Order of the White Lion Knights Commander of the Order of the British Empire Knights Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath Military personnel from Northumberland Officers of the Legion of Merit People educated at George Watson's College People from Hexham Recipients of the Air Force Cross (United Kingdom) Recipients of the Czechoslovak War Cross Recipients of the Distinguished Flying Cross (United Kingdom) Recipients of the Distinguished Service Medal (US Army) Royal Aeronautical Society Royal Air Force air marshals Royal Northumberland Fusiliers officers Royal Northumberland Fusiliers soldiers Territorial Force soldiers Western Union (alliance) military appointments