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AM Sir Patrick Playfair KBE, CB, CVO, MC
AOC, No 1 Group
AOC, Advanced Air Striking Force.
Patrick Playfair
Patrick Playfair was born 22 November 1889 and was educated at Cheltenham College before entering the RMA Woolwich. Two year later he took leave to learn to fly at Weybridge, gaining his RAeC Certificate (No 283) on 3 September 1912 and transferred to the RFC.
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Attended RMA Woolwich.
23 Jul 1910 - Officer, Royal Field Artillery (Ireland/Bordon)
28 Nov 1912 - Pilot, No 2 Sqn RFC. (Various types — Farnborough)
1912 - Pilot, No 4 Sqn RFC. (Various types — Farnborough/Netheravon/Western Front)
8 Aug 1914 - Embarked for France (with No 4 Sqn)
27 Jan 1915 - 'B' Flight Commander, No 11 Sqn RFC. (Netheravon/Western Front)
28 May 1915 - Returned to Home Establishment
10 Aug 1915 - Re-embarked for France (with No 11 Sqn)
12 Jan 1916 - Officer Commanding, No 8 Sqn RFC. (BE2c Western Front)
BE2
24 Aug 1916 - Posted to 13th Wing.
26 Aug 1916 - Officer Commanding, 13th (Army) Wing RFC.
28 Dec 1916 - Returned to Home Establishment
Sick/Convalescing (Flying accident)
24 Nov 1917 - Re-embarked for France
24 Nov 1917 - Officer Commanding, 13th Wing RFC
31 Oct 1918 / 4 Jan 1919 - Admitted to Hospital (Pneumonia and Influenza)
6 Jan 1919 - Attached, RAF Paris
17 Jan 1919 - Commandant, Central Flying School.
1 Aug 1919 - Awarded Permanent Commission as a Lieutenant Colonel
26 Aug 1919 - Officer Commanding, Netheravon Flying School
23 Dec 1919 - Officer Commanding, No 1 FTS
15 Nov 1922 - Officer Commanding, RAF Base – Leuchars.
15 Aug 1925 - Supernumerary - Non effective (Sick), RAF Depot
16 Nov 1925 - Chief Staff Officer, HQ Coastal Area
17 Nov 1928 - Officer Commanding, RAF Transjordan and Palestine
26 Aug 1929 - Deputy AOC, RAF Transjordan and Palestine
30 Nov 1929 - Officer Commanding/AOC, HQ Transjordan and Palestine
His posting to the Middle East coincided with a period of rioting and various massacres involving disputes between sections of local population. This resulted in Playfair’s temporary replacement on the 26th August by Brigadier Dobbie. AVM Hugh Dowding arrived in September to take overall control of the RAF in the region until peace was restored. On conclusion of the troubles Playfair was reinstated to the command.
1930 - Promoted to Air Commodore
17 Dec 1930 - SASO, HQ RAF India.
10 Sep 1932 - Supernumerary, RAF Depot
31 Oct 1932 - AOC, No 23 Group
26 Sep 1933 - AOC, Wessex Bombing Area
1 Oct 1933 - AOC, Western Area
1 May 1936 - AOC, No 3 Group
17 Feb 1938 - AOC, No 1 Group
2 Sep 1939 - AOC, Advanced Air Striking Force.
26 Sep 1940 - AOC in C, Air Forces in India.
Later :-Area Officer (Lincolnshire?), Air Training Corps
Retired 20 July 1942.
Playfair’s career was blighted with periods of hospitalisation. In 1917 he was inured in an accident, in 1919 he suffered pneumonia and influenza probably due to the Spanish Flu epidemic and in 1925 he is noted as being sick for several months
Died at Newmarket, Suffolk 23 November 1974
Compiled by David Fell. Photos from my archives
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