Augustus Orlebar facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Augustus Orlebar
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Augustus H. Orlebar
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| Born | 17 February 1897 Hinwick House, Podington, Bedfordshire |
| Died | 4 August 1943 (aged 46) |
| Buried |
St Mary's Church, Podington
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| Allegiance | United Kingdom |
| Service/ |
British Army (1915–18) Royal Air Force (1918–43) |
| Years of service | 1915–1943 |
| Rank | Air Vice Marshal |
| Unit | Bedfordshire Regiment Royal Flying Corps |
| Commands held | No. 10 (Fighter) Group RAF Northolt High Speed Flight RAF |
| Battles/wars | First World War Second World War |
| Awards | Commander of the Order of the British Empire Air Force Cross & Bar Mentioned in Despatches |
Air Vice Marshal Augustus Henry Orlebar (born February 17, 1897 – died August 4, 1943) was a brave British officer. He served in both the British Army and the Royal Air Force (RAF). He fought in both the First World War and the Second World War.
After being hurt in the Gallipoli campaign, Orlebar joined the Royal Flying Corps. This group later became the Royal Air Force. Between the two big wars, he became famous for flying very fast planes. He even led a special team called the High Speed Flight RAF. He competed in the exciting Schneider Trophy races. He also held the world air speed record for a time!
When the Second World War began, Orlebar was in charge of RAF Northolt. He later became a top leader in RAF Fighter Command. In 1941, he took command of No. 10 Group RAF, a fighter group. Sadly, he became ill and passed away in 1943.
Contents
Who was Augustus Orlebar?
Augustus Orlebar was born in Podington, Bedfordshire. His family, the Orlebars, had lived there for a very long time. They built a large house called Hinwick House almost 200 years before he was born. Augustus went to Rugby School when he was younger.
Fighting in the First World War
Augustus Orlebar joined the army in 1915. He was a second lieutenant in the Bedfordshire Regiment. His unit went to Suvla Bay as part of the Gallipoli campaign. This was a tough battle. He was promoted to lieutenant but then got shot by a sniper.
After recovering from his injury, he joined the Royal Flying Corps (RFC). This was the early version of the Royal Air Force. He learned to fly planes in 1916. He then became a flying officer.
Flying on the Western Front
Orlebar was sent to No. 19 Squadron RFC on the Western Front. This was a major battle area in France and Belgium. On March 13, 1918, he shot down a plane flown by Lothar von Richthofen. Lothar was the brother of the famous German pilot, Manfred von Richthofen, also known as the "Red Baron." Orlebar was wounded again shortly after. Before returning to battle, he also taught other pilots how to fly.
He shot down two enemy planes with No. 19 Squadron. He then shot down four more planes as a flight commander with No. 73 Squadron. His final victory was with No. 43 Squadron. In total, he shot down seven enemy aircraft during the war.
Between the World Wars: A Test Pilot
After the First World War, Orlebar became a test pilot. He worked at the Aeroplane and Armament Experimental Establishment. This was a place where new planes and weapons were tested. He worked there from 1919 to 1925. For his excellent work, he received the Air Force Cross in 1921. He received another award bar in 1929.
Setting Air Speed Records
One of Orlebar's most exciting roles was leading the High Speed Flight RAF. This was a special team of RAF pilots. They competed in the Schneider Trophy seaplane races. These races were for the fastest seaplanes (planes that land on water). Britain won the 1927 race. This meant they hosted the next races. These races took place near Southampton Water.
In 1929, Augustus Orlebar set a new world air speed record. He flew a Supermarine S.6 plane at an amazing speed of 357.7 miles per hour!
The last Schneider Trophy race was in 1931. Britain won for the third time. This meant they kept the trophy forever. Another pilot, Flight Lieutenant George Stainforth, set an even faster record. He flew at over 400 miles per hour!
Service in the Second World War
When the Second World War started, Orlebar was a high-ranking officer. He was the Director of Flying Training. This meant he oversaw how pilots were trained. In October 1940, he joined the staff at RAF Fighter Command. This group was very important for defending Britain.
In July 1941, he became the Air Officer Commanding for No. 10 Group RAF. This group was in charge of fighter planes. In March 1943, he became Deputy Chief of Combined Operations. This role involved planning joint missions with different military branches.
Sadly, Augustus Orlebar became ill. He died in a hospital on August 4, 1943. He is buried in his family church in Podington, Bedfordshire. His name is on the War Memorial there.
Awards and Ranks
Augustus Orlebar received several important awards for his service:
- Air Force Cross (1922) and a Bar (1930)
- Mentioned in Despatches (1941)
He held many ranks during his career:
- In the Army, he rose from Second Lieutenant to Captain.
- In the RAF, he started as a Lieutenant. He then became a Flight Lieutenant, Squadron Leader, Wing Commander, Group Captain, and Air Commodore.
- At the time of his death, he was an Acting Air Vice Marshal.
Images for kids
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British team for 1929 Schneider Trophy. Left to right: Fg Off HRD Waghorn, Fg Off Moon (Engineering Officer), Flt Lt D D'Arcy A Greig, Sqn Ldr AH Orlebar (Flight Commander), Flt Lt GH Stainforth, Fg Off RLR Atcherley.
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British team for 1931 Schneider Trophy. Left to right: Flt Lt E.J.L. Hope, Lt RL "Jerry" Brinton (Fleet Air Arm), Flt Lt Freddy Long, Flt Lt George Stainforth, Sqn Ldr AH Orlebar (Flight Commander), Flt Lt John Boothman, Fg Off Leonard Snaith, Flt Lt W.F. Dry (Engineering Officer). In the background is a Supermarine S.6B, or possibly a S.6A.
See Also
- High Speed Flight RAF
- Schneider Trophy
- World air speed record
