Air Chief Marshal Sir Arthur Penrose Martyn Sanders, GCB, KBE died On This Day 8 February 1974. A Royal Flying Corps pilot during the First World War and a senior Royal Air Force commander during the Second World War and the immediate post-war years.
Born in Thirlmere Road Streatham, the son of a clergyman Henry Martyn Sanders and his wife Maud Mary (née Dixon), Baptised at St Leonard's Church.
Sanders was educated at Haileybury before undergoing officer training at Sandhurst. Sanders was commissioned into the Northumberland Fusiliers in April 1916 but transferred to the Royal Flying Corps a few weeks later. He was a pilot on 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. As result of his disability, Sanders was appointed to junior staff officer duties in the latter part of the war. On 1 April 1918, Sanders was transferred to the Royal Air Force along with his fellow Flying Corps officers
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
Source Air of Authority – A History of RAF Organisation – Air Chief Marshal Sir Arthur Sanders and wikipedia
Image by Elliott & Fry 1954
NPG x91296 © National Portrait Gallery, London
Born in Thirlmere Road Streatham, the son of a clergyman Henry Martyn Sanders and his wife Maud Mary (née Dixon), Baptised at St Leonard's Church.
Sanders was educated at Haileybury before undergoing officer training at Sandhurst. Sanders was commissioned into the Northumberland Fusiliers in April 1916 but transferred to the Royal Flying Corps a few weeks later. He was a pilot on 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. As result of his disability, Sanders was appointed to junior staff officer duties in the latter part of the war. On 1 April 1918, Sanders was transferred to the Royal Air Force along with his fellow Flying Corps officers
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
Source Air of Authority – A History of RAF Organisation – Air Chief Marshal Sir Arthur Sanders and wikipedia
Image by Elliott & Fry 1954
NPG x91296 © National Portrait Gallery, London
