Air Marshal Sir Thomas Melling Williams, (27 September 1899 – 10 June 1956) was an ace pilot in the

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

during the First World War, scoring nine aerial victories, and a senior officer in the Royal Air Force during the Second World War and the following years.

Military career

Williams was commissioned into the 12th South African Infantry and was in action in German West Africa in 1916 and 1917. He transferred into the

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

in 1917. After training as a pilot, Williams was assigned to No. 65 Squadron in France, flying Sopwith Camels. He achieved nine air victories, and was awarded the Military Cross for his "conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty" during operations in 1918 in which "he destroyed three enemy aircraft and drove down two out of control." This was followed by the award of the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) later that year. The citation for the latter was published in a supplement to the ''

London Gazette London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...

'' of 2 November 1918, reading:Supplement to the London Gazette, 2 November 1918 By the end of the war in 1918 Williams was a flight commander, a role he continued when he was assigned to the British force in North Russia, supporting anti- Bolshevik forces for which he was awarded a

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to his DFC. After the war he commanded No. 423 Flight and then No. 406 Flight of the Fleet Air Arm. He was appointed Station Commander at RAF Andover in 1938 and served in the Second World War being one of the last RAF officers to escape from France to Britain in 1940, leaving from Brest with his Air Officer Commanding. He continued his war service as Station Commander at RAF Watton from 1940, as Senior Air Staff Officer at Headquarters No. 2 Group from 1941 and then as Senior Air Staff Officer at Headquarters

RAF Bomber Command RAF Bomber Command controlled the Royal Air Force's bomber forces from 1936 to 1968. Along with the United States Army Air Forces, it played the central role in the strategic bombing of Germany in World War II. From 1942 onward, the British bo ...

from later that year. After serving in the Far East and in India, Williams was appointed Air Officer Commanding the AHQ Bengal in 1943. He became Deputy Commander at Headquarters Eastern Air Command at Air Command South East Asia in December 1943 and Assistant Chief of the Air Staff (Operations) in August 1944. After the war he became Commandant of the RAF Staff College, Bracknell and then Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief

British Air Forces of Occupation The RAF Second Tactical Air Force (2TAF) was one of three tactical air forces within the Royal Air Force (RAF) during and after the Second World War. It was made up of squadrons and personnel from the RAF, other British Commonwealth air forces, ...

before becoming

Inspector-General of the RAF The Inspector-General of the RAF was a senior appointment in the Royal Air Force, responsible for the inspection of airfields. The post existed from 1918 to 1920 and from 1935 until the late 1960s. For much of World War II, a second inspector-ge ...

in 1951. Williams' air force career was cut short by ill-health and he died in June 1956.

References

, - , - {{DEFAULTSORT:Williams, Thomas Melling South African military personnel of World War I Royal Air Force air marshals Military personnel from Lancashire Royal Flying Corps officers 1899 births 1956 deaths British World War I flying aces Recipients of the Military Cross Recipients of the Distinguished Flying Cross (United Kingdom) Foreign recipients of the Distinguished Service Medal (United States) Knights Commander of the Order of the Bath Officers of the Order of the British Empire Recipients of the Air Medal Commanders of the Legion of Merit Royal Air Force personnel of World War II Royal Air Force personnel of the Russian Civil War Recipients of the Distinguished Service Medal (US Army)