Eric Betts facts for kids

Air Vice Marshal Eric Bourne Coulter Betts (born January 24, 1897 – died October 30, 1971) was an important air officer in the British Royal Air Force. He started his military journey during the First World War in the Royal Naval Air Service. He became known as a flying ace, which means he shot down at least five enemy aircraft. He was officially credited with six victories.

However, his main job was not just fighting. He was very important for flying long-distance photographic reconnaissance missions. These missions involved taking pictures of enemy areas from the sky. He was given special awards for his bravery and skill in these missions.

After the war, he stayed in the military and continued to rise through the ranks in the Royal Air Force. Before the Second World War began, he was a group captain. During the war, he played a big part in planning for the Royal Air Force. He made very accurate predictions about what the RAF would need in terms of people and supplies.

Later in the Second World War, he was promoted to air vice marshal. He was put in charge of administration for the Middle East Command. He retired from the Royal Air Force in 1946 with this high rank.

Early Life and Start in the Military

Eric Bourne Coulter Betts was born in Dalkey, Dublin, Ireland, on January 24, 1897.

He began his military service as a signalman in the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve. This was a group of volunteers who helped the navy. On October 14, 1915, he became a temporary sub-lieutenant, which is a junior officer rank.

First World War Adventures

Eric Betts then joined the Royal Naval Air Service, which was the air branch of the navy. He became an aerial observer for No. 2 (Naval) Squadron. His job was to sit in the back of the plane and use guns or take notes during missions.

On February 1, 1917, he achieved his first confirmed aerial victory. He was in a Sopwith 1½ Strutter plane on a long-range reconnaissance mission. He used the guns in the back seat to shoot down an enemy plane. For this brave act, he received the Distinguished Service Cross from Britain and the French Croix de guerre.

He was promoted to temporary lieutenant on February 28. By June, he was involved in plans for long-range photo missions over German naval bases. Even though some missions were changed, Betts was praised for completing over 20 successful long-distance photo-reconnaissance flights. These missions were very important for gathering information about the enemy. He received the Distinguished Flying Cross for these efforts.

On April 1, 1918, the Royal Naval Air Service became part of the new Royal Air Force. Betts stayed with his squadron, which was renamed No. 202 Squadron. Working with another pilot, Flight Lieutenant Noel Keeble, he scored five more aerial victories between June and September 1918. This made him a "flying ace" with a total of six confirmed victories.

Between the World Wars

After the First World War, Eric Betts continued his career in the Royal Air Force. On August 1, 1919, he was given a permanent position as a lieutenant. He served on a ship called HMS Pegasus and was promoted to flight lieutenant in 1921.

He also attended the RAF Staff College, Andover, which was a special school for military leaders. He was one of the first students there, learning important skills for future command roles.

In 1923, he started pilot's training and later became a Qualified Flying Instructor. This meant he could teach other pilots how to fly. He was promoted to squadron leader in 1929.

Betts then served overseas in British Forces Aden (now Yemen) before returning to Britain. He continued to work in staff roles and was given command of No. 101 (Bomber) Squadron RAF in 1933.

He was promoted to wing commander in 1936 and then to group captain in 1939, just before the Second World War began. He became the Deputy Director of War Organisation, helping to plan how the RAF would operate in wartime.

Second World War and Retirement

When the Second World War started in 1939, Eric Betts was part of a team trying to send British aircraft, like Fairey Battles and Hawker Hurricanes, to help Poland. However, Germany took over Poland before the planes could arrive.

From September 1939 to May 1940, he was given a very important task. He had to make 16 predictions about what the RAF would need in terms of supplies and personnel for the war. These predictions were incredibly accurate, with only a tiny error margin. This showed how good he was at planning.

He continued to be promoted, becoming a temporary air commodore in 1941. He was also involved in talks about getting aircraft from the United States to Britain through the Lend Lease program.

On March 14, 1943, he was promoted to acting air vice-marshal. He then became the Air Officer in Charge of Administration for the RAF Middle East Command. This meant he was responsible for managing all the administrative needs of the RAF in the Middle East.

Eric Betts officially retired from the Royal Air Force on March 10, 1946, keeping the rank of air vice-marshal. He passed away on October 30, 1971, and is buried in Castletownshend, Ireland.

Awards and Recognition

Eric Betts received several important awards for his service and bravery:

• Distinguished Service Cross (1917): For his services on February 1, 1917, when he gathered important information and shot down an enemy plane.
• Croix de Guerre (France) (1917): An award from France for his distinguished service during the war.
• Distinguished Flying Cross (1918): For his skill as an observer, completing over 20 long-distance photo missions, and helping to destroy eight enemy machines.
• Croix de Guerre with Palm (France) (1919): A higher level of the French Croix de Guerre.
• Commander of the Order of the British Empire (1943): A high honor for his valuable services during the war.
• Mentioned in Despatches (1945): This means his name was specially mentioned in official reports for his good work.
• Grand Officer of the Order of the Phoenix (Greece) (1946): A high award from Greece.

Images for kids

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  Staff and students at the first RAF Staff College course, 7 December 1922. (Flt. Lt. Betts, middle row far right.)