Air Vice Marshal Sir Cecil Arthur Bouchier (14 October 1895 – 15 June 1979) served with the

British Army The British Army is the principal land warfare force of the United Kingdom, a part of the British Armed Forces along with the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force. , the British Army comprises 79,380 regular full-time personnel, 4,090 Gurk ...

Royal Flying Corps "Through Adversity to the Stars" , colors = , colours_label = , march = , mascot = , anniversaries = , decorations ...

Indian Air Force The Indian Air Force (IAF) is the air arm of the Indian Armed Forces. Its complement of personnel and aircraft assets ranks third amongst the air forces of the world. Its primary mission is to secure Indian airspace and to conduct aerial w ...

and

Royal Air Force The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the United Kingdom's air and space force. It was formed towards the end of the First World War on 1 April 1918, becoming the first independent air force in the world, by regrouping the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) and ...

from 1915 to 1953. He was Air Officer Commanding British Commonwealth Air Forces as part of the Occupation Force in Japan from 1945 to 1948. Bouchier was married to

Dorothy Britton Dorothy Guyver Britton, Lady Bouchier MBE (14 February 1922 – 25 February 2015) was born in Yokohama and went to the Yokohama International School, moved to the United States at the age of 11, and was educated in the United States and England, ...

, who translated a number of Japanese books into English.

Awards and decorations

* Distinguished Flying Cross awarded to Flying Officer Cecil Arthur Bouchier on 18 November 1919. The citation had the wrong first name and was corrected to Cecil in a later gazette. * Squadron Leader Cecil Arthur Bouchier, DFC appointed an

Officer of the Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations, and public service outside the civil service. It was established o ...

on 23 June 1936 * Air Commodore Cecil Arthur Bouchier CBE, DFC appointed a

Companion of the Order of the Bath Companion may refer to: Relationships Currently * Any of several interpersonal relationships such as friend or acquaintance * A domestic partner, akin to a spouse * Sober companion, an addiction treatment coach * Companion (caregiving), a caregive ...

on 14 June 1945 * 9 March 1948 Air Vice Marshal Cecil Arthur Bouchier, CB, CBE, DFC is allowed to war decoration of

Commander of the Legion of Merit The Legion of Merit (LOM) is a military award of the United States Armed Forces that is given for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services and achievements. The decoration is issued to members of the eight u ...

conferred by the President of the United States in recognition of valuable services rendered in connection with the war. * Air Vice Marshal Cecil Arthur Bouchier, CB, CBE, DFC appointed 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 contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations, and public service outside the civil service. It was established ...

on 1 January 1953

Promotions

*Trumpeter,

Honourable Artillery Company The Honourable Artillery Company (HAC) is a reserve regiment in the British Army. Incorporated by royal charter in 1537 by King Henry VIII, it is the oldest regiment in the British Army and is considered the second-oldest military unit in the w ...

* Flying Officer – 2 February 1918 (Royal Flying Corps) * Flying Officer – 1 August 1919 (permanent commission Royal Air Force) *

Flight Lieutenant Flight lieutenant is a junior commissioned rank in air forces that use the Royal Air Force (RAF) system of ranks, especially in Commonwealth countries. It has a NATO rank code of OF-2. Flight lieutenant is abbreviated as Flt Lt in the India ...

– 1 January 1926 *

Squadron Leader Squadron leader (Sqn Ldr in the RAF ; SQNLDR in the RAAF and RNZAF; formerly sometimes S/L in all services) is a commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many countries which have historical British influence. It is also ...

– 1 August 1935 *

Wing Commander Wing commander (Wg Cdr in the RAF, the IAF, and the PAF, WGCDR in the RNZAF and RAAF, formerly sometimes W/C in all services) is a senior commissioned rank in the British Royal Air Force and air forces of many countries which have historical ...

– 1 July 1938 *

Group Captain Group captain is a senior commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force, where it originated, as well as the air forces of many countries that have historical British influence. It is sometimes used as the English translation of an equivalent rank i ...

– 1 December 1940 * Air Commodore – 1 October 1946 *Air Vice Marshal – 25 June 1949

References

;Notes ;Further reading
Air of Authority – A History of RAF Organisation – Air Vice Marshal Sir Cecil Bouchier
*Air Vice Marshal Sir Cecil Bouchier, ''Spitfires in Japan – A Memoir'', Global Oriental, 2005. *Grey, Jeffrey. The Commonwealth Armies and the Korean War: An Alliance Study. Manchester University Press, 1990. , - , - {{DEFAULTSORT:Bouchier, Cecil 1895 births 1979 deaths Royal Flying Corps officers Military personnel from Hampshire Royal Air Force air marshals Knights Commander of the Order of the British Empire Companions of the Order of the Bath Recipients of the Distinguished Flying Cross (United Kingdom) Commanders of the Legion of Merit Royal Air Force personnel of World War II People from Fleet, Hampshire Honourable Artillery Company soldiers

Awards and decorations

Promotions

See also

References