Air Vice Marshal Robert Stewart Blucke, CB, CBE, DSO, AFC & Bar RAF
Bobby Blucke
Robert Blucke was born in 1897 in Dorset. In 1914 he was officer cadet at Cambridge University - St Catherines College.
WW1
Blucke was commissioned into the 3rd Battalion the Dorsetshire Regiment in 1915 and by April 1917 he was acting Company Commander of the 2nd Battalion Dorsetshire Regt in Mesopotamia, Iraq. A torrid and unhealthy place fighting a brutal campaign against the Turks
He transferred to the RAF 63 Squadron on formation of the Royal Air Force in April 1918 when 63 Squadron was operating in Mesopotamia and later flew as an Observer on RE8s on the North West Frontier, India.
RE8
He returned to the UK in September 1918.
Inter war
In 1920 he relinquished his commission but 2 years later was appointed to a short service commission in the RAF and completed his pilots training at No 2 FTS, Duxford – P/O (P)
In March 1924 he was Staff/QFI at RAF College Cranwell and in January 1925 became a pilot with 29 Squadron which was a fighter squadron based in the UK flying Gloster Grebes.
Gloster Grebe
On the 10 Jan 1927 he attended the Electrical and Wireless School which followed in September of that year with a posting as Signals Officer to 31 Squadron and in November 1929 as Signals Officer Aircraft Depot India.
In March 1933 he was Staff - Anti Aircraft Co-operation Flight at Biggin Hill.
In January 1934 Blucke was posted as Signals Officer to the Experimental Section of the Royal Aircraft Establishment which must have been quite a prestigious appointment. At this time he worked with Watson Watt on the early radar trials in 1935. He flew the first aircraft, a Handley Page Heyford, to be detected by radar in experiments near Daventry in 1936 and was awarded an AFC in 1937. Presumably for his contribution to this immensely important research.
Handley Page Heyford
He remained at the RAE until 1938 when he joined the Signal Staff at HQ Bomber Command.
From May 1938 to the start of WW2 he held a number of postings in quick succession, HQ No 6 Auxiliary Group, No 6 Group Bomber Command and No 50 ( Training ) Group – S/L
WW2
The day war broke out he was appointed to the Air Staff of the training Directorate and in October to OC Blind Approach Training and Development Unit followed on the 7 June 1940 as a Staff Officer at HQ Bomber Command. And then back to the BT and D U for 6 days. He was then OC in charge of the investigation of the German radio beams which was another crucially important project. Blucke was awarded a bar to his AFC in July 1941 which I suspect was in recognition of his work on the beams.
In September he was OC Wireless Investigation Development Unit followed by another appointment in November 1940 as Air Staff Directorate of Flying Training.
In June 1942 he was OC RAF Spalding Moor and in June 1943 OC RAF Ludford Magna.
He was awarded a DSO for an operation in September 1943 when he was flying a Lancaster on a raid to Mannheim. The rear turret became unserviceable and owing to icing the elevator trim gear jammed rendering the aircraft very difficult to control. Blucke skilfully completed the operation and returned safely to base. He had completed a number of sorties in the summer of 1943 and by his personal example and leadership produced a high standard of efficiency in the personnel under his command.
On the 1 January 1944 Blucke was appointed Base Commander No 14 Base followed on the
5 February 1945 by a further promotion to AOC No 1 Bomber Group – A/AVM.
Top photo shows Blucke inspecting the guard at the 103 Squadron disbandment parade at RAF Elsham Wolds in December 1945 and below at a similar parade for 576 Squadron at RAF Fiskerton in September 1945
Post War
27 November SASO AHQ India,
December 1947 AOA HQ Technical Training Command,
Promoted to AVM 1 July 1947
May 1949 AOA HQ Far East Air Force.
January 1951 AOA AHQ Malaya
January 1952 AOC in C Transport Command.
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Robert Blucke retired at his own request in 1952 and passed away in October 1988 at the age of 91.
Compiled by David Fell with photos from my archive with the exception of the Fiskerton photo which is courtesy of the IWM
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