Air Chief Marshal Air chief marshal (Air Chf Mshl or ACM) is a high-ranking air officer originating from the Royal Air Force. The rank is used by air forces of many countries that have historical British influence. An air chief marshal is equivalent to an Admir ...

Sir Robert Mordaunt Foster, (3 September 1898 – 23 October 1973) was a

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

pilot in the

First World War World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

, and a senior commander in the

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 ...

during the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

and the immediate post-war years.

Early life and First World War

Foster was educated at

Winchester College Winchester College is a public school (fee-charging independent day and boarding school) in Winchester, Hampshire, England. It was founded by William of Wykeham in 1382 and has existed in its present location ever since. It is the oldest of the ...

and the Royal Military College at Sandhurst, graduating as a Gentlemen Cadet. He was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the

Royal Fusiliers The Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment) was a line infantry regiment of the British Army in continuous existence for 283 years. It was known as the 7th Regiment of Foot until the Childers Reforms of 1881. The regiment served in many wars ...

on 19 July 1916, but was seconded to the Royal Flying Corps, and on 7 October 1916 was appointed a flying officer. He was sent to France to join No. 54 Squadron flying the

Sopwith Camel The Sopwith Camel is a British First World War single-seat biplane fighter aircraft that was introduced on the Western Front in 1917. It was developed by the Sopwith Aviation Company as a successor to the Sopwith Pup and became one of the b ...

. While with 54 Squadron, Foster shot down at least one enemy machine. Later in the war Foster returned to Great Britain, carrying out home defence duties whilst serving with No. 44 Squadron. On 19 January 1918 he was promoted to lieutenant. In April 1918, Foster returned to France, serving as a flight commander with the rank of temporary captain from 15 May, in No. 209 Squadron where he claimed three shared enemy aircraft captured, nine shared enemy aircraft destroyed, and four shared enemy aircraft 'out of control', giving a total of 16. On 2 August 1918 Foster was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, his citation reading:

Inter-war years

On 1 August 1919 Foster was granted a permanent commission in the Royal Air Force with the rank of lieutenant, resigning his commission in the Royal Fusiliers the same day. In late 1919 he was posted to India where he joined No. 20 Squadron as a pilot. On one occasion during his nearly four years in India, after suffering an aircraft fire, Foster and his observer had to make a forced landing and they were subsequently captured and held for three weeks before being released. On 1 January 1924 he was promoted from flying officer to flight lieutenant. In May 1925 Foster attended the

RAF Staff College The RAF Staff College may refer to: *RAF Staff College, Andover (active: 1922 to 1940 and 1948 to 1970) *RAF Staff College, Bulstrode Park (active: 1941 to 1948) *RAF Staff College, Bracknell The RAF Staff College at Bracknell was a Royal Air ...

and the following year he spent several months at the

School of Oriental Studies SOAS University of London (; the School of Oriental and African Studies) is a public research university in London, England, and a member institution of the federal University of London. Founded in 1916, SOAS is located in the Bloomsbury ar ...

in London. After this period of study, Foster spent the remainder of the 1920s carrying out intelligence duties at the headquarters of

RAF Iraq Command Iraq Command was the Royal Air Force (RAF) commanded British Armed Forces, inter-service Command (military formation), command in charge of United Kingdom, British forces in Iraq in the 1920s and early 1930s, during the period of the British Man ...

. From 1930 Foster once again served as a pilot, this time with No. 70 Squadron. After promotion to

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 ...

in December 1932, Foster took up the post of Officer Commanding No. 15 Squadron the next year. In 1935, Foster returned to Iraq, serving on the air staff at the British Forces headquarters where he received promotion to

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 ...

on 1 July 1937. His last tour before the outbreak of the

was in the Deputy Directorate of Plans on the Air Staff.

Second World War

Only days after war was declared, Foster was posted as the Senior Personnel Officer at the headquarters of

No. 2 Group No. 2 Group is a Group (military aviation unit)#United Kingdom, group of the Royal Air Force which was first activated in 1918, served from 1918–20, from 1936 through the Second World War to 1947, from 1948 to 1958, from 1993 to 1996, was react ...

. Late 1939 saw Foster appointed Officer Commanding No. 110 Squadron, and in 1940 he was the Station Commander at

RAF Wyton Royal Air Force Wyton or more simply RAF Wyton is a Royal Air Force station near St Ives, Cambridgeshire, England. The airfield is decommissioned and is now home to the Joint Forces Intelligence Group. History Flying station Wyton has be ...

. In January 1942 Foster took up command of No. 214 Group, part of Middle East Command, based at

Kirkuk Kirkuk ( ar, كركوك, ku, کەرکووک, translit=Kerkûk, , tr, Kerkük) is a city in Iraq, serving as the capital of the Kirkuk Governorate, located north of Baghdad. The city is home to a diverse population of Turkmens, Arabs, Kurds, ...

, Iraq, and in November that year he received an acting promotion to air commodore and was posted as Air Officer Commanding (AOC) No. 213 Group based at

Aley Aley ( ar, عاليه) is a major city in Lebanon. It is the capital of the Aley District and fourth largest city in Lebanon. The city is located on Mount Lebanon, 15 km uphill from Beirut on the freeway to Damascus. Aley has the nickn ...

, Lebanon. From March 1943, Foster was engaged in staff duties at

Mediterranean Air Command The Mediterranean Air Command (MAC) was a World War II Allied air-force command that was active in the North African and Mediterranean Theater of Operations (MTO) between February 18 and December 10, 1943 . MAC was under the command of Air Chie ...

before being appointed AOC

RAF Malta 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 ...

a year later and receiving acting promotion to

air vice marshal Air vice-marshal (AVM) is a two-star air officer rank which originated in and continues to be used by the Royal Air Force. The rank is also used by the air forces of many countries which have historical British influence and it is sometimes u ...

. Later in 1944 he served as Head of the Air Commission in Italy which effectively granted him command of the

Italian Air Force , colours = , colours_label = , march = (Ordinance March of the Air Force) by Alberto Di Miniello , mascot = , anniversaries = 28 March ...

. Foster did not spend long as Head of the Air Commission, being posted as AOC

Desert Air Force The Desert Air Force (DAF), also known chronologically as Air Headquarters Western Desert, Air Headquarters Libya, the Western Desert Air Force, and the First Tactical Air Force (1TAF), was an Allied tactical air force created from No. 204 ...

North Africa North Africa, or Northern Africa is a region encompassing the northern portion of the African continent. There is no singularly accepted scope for the region, and it is sometimes defined as stretching from the Atlantic shores of Mauritania in ...

in December. Following the defeat of the Germany, from August 1945, Foster served on the

Allied Commission for Austria Following the termination of hostilities in World War II, the Allies were in control of the defeated Axis countries. Anticipating the defeat of Germany and Japan, they had already set up the European Advisory Commission and a proposed Far Eastern ...

as the Chief of the Air Division. Only days later the post became AOC RAF Austria.

Post-war years

In May 1946 Foster returned to Italy as the AOC at the air headquarters of RAF Italy. However, only two months later he was appointed AOC of No. 3 Group of Bomber Command. From early 1947 to late 1949 Foster was Assistant Chief of the Air Staff (Policy) and he then held the post of Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief Reserve Command. On 1 July 1950 he was promoted to Air Marshal and then, following the renaming of his command, served as Air Officer Commander-in-Chief Home Command. In October 1951, Foster became Commander-in-Chief of the RAF's

Second Tactical Air Force 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, ...

in post-war Germany. He was promoted to

on 28 January 1953 and he handed over command to Sir

Harry Broadhurst :''See also Henry Broadhurst for the trade unionist and politician'' Air Chief Marshal Sir Harry Broadhurst, (28 October 1905 – 29 August 1995), commonly known as Broady, was a senior Royal Air Force commander and flying ace of the Second Wor ...

in December that year. Foster retired from the RAF at his own request on 1 February 1954. He became a Deputy Lieutenant of

Suffolk Suffolk () is a ceremonial county of England in East Anglia. It borders Norfolk to the north, Cambridgeshire to the west and Essex to the south; the North Sea lies to the east. The county town is Ipswich; other important towns include Lowes ...

in April 1968, living in

Great Glemham Great Glemham is a village and civil parish in the East Suffolk district, England, a mile and a half to the west of the A12 and roughly equidistant between Framlingham and Saxmundham. The parish takes the shape of an irregular triangle formed b ...

until his death on 23 October 1973.

References

, - , - , - , - {{DEFAULTSORT:Foster, Robert 1898 births 1973 deaths British Army personnel of World War I British World War I flying aces British World War I pilots Commanders of the Legion of Merit Commanders of the Order of the British Empire Deputy Lieutenants of Suffolk Graduates of the Royal Military College, Sandhurst Knights Commander of the Order of the Bath People educated at Winchester College People from Richmond, London Recipients of the Distinguished Flying Cross (United Kingdom) Royal Air Force air marshals of World War II Royal Air Force personnel of World War I Royal Flying Corps officers Military personnel from Surrey Royal Fusiliers officers