Henry Probert
Encyclopedia
Air Commodore
Henry Austin Probert MBE
RAF (23 December 1926 in Cheadle
, Cheshire
– 25 December 2007) was a Royal Air Force
education officer and air force historian.
Henry Austin Probert was born on 23 December 1926 in Cheadle
, Cheshire
. He read modern history at Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge
, before joining the RAF, initially as his national service. He was granted a temporary commission as a pilot officer
in the Education Branch on 4 November 1948.
As a senior officer he worked at the Air Ministry
, at the Headquarters of Bomber Command
and at the RAF Staff College at Bracknell
. His last Service appointment was as Director of Education in 1976.
After retiring from the Air Force, Probert served as Head of the Air Historical Branch
from 1978 to 1989. Both during and after his RAF career, Probert wrote several books concerning RAF history, most notably Bomber Harris: His Life and Times which was published in 2001.
Air Commodore
Air commodore is an air-officer rank which originated in and continues to be used by the Royal Air Force...
Henry Austin Probert MBE
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
RAF (23 December 1926 in Cheadle
Cheadle, Greater Manchester
Cheadle is a suburb in the Metropolitan Borough of Stockport in Greater Manchester, England. It borders the districts of Cheadle Hulme, Gatley, Heald Green and Cheadle Heath in Stockport, and the East Didsbury area of Manchester. As of 2001 it had a population of 14,261.-Early history:There has...
, Cheshire
Cheshire
Cheshire is a ceremonial county in North West England. Cheshire's county town is the city of Chester, although its largest town is Warrington. Other major towns include Widnes, Congleton, Crewe, Ellesmere Port, Runcorn, Macclesfield, Winsford, Northwich, and Wilmslow...
– 25 December 2007) was a Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
education officer and air force historian.
Henry Austin Probert was born on 23 December 1926 in Cheadle
Cheadle, Greater Manchester
Cheadle is a suburb in the Metropolitan Borough of Stockport in Greater Manchester, England. It borders the districts of Cheadle Hulme, Gatley, Heald Green and Cheadle Heath in Stockport, and the East Didsbury area of Manchester. As of 2001 it had a population of 14,261.-Early history:There has...
, Cheshire
Cheshire
Cheshire is a ceremonial county in North West England. Cheshire's county town is the city of Chester, although its largest town is Warrington. Other major towns include Widnes, Congleton, Crewe, Ellesmere Port, Runcorn, Macclesfield, Winsford, Northwich, and Wilmslow...
. He read modern history at Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge
Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge
Sidney Sussex College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge in England.The college was founded in 1596 and named after its foundress, Frances Sidney, Countess of Sussex. It was from its inception an avowedly Puritan foundation: some good and godlie moniment for the mainteynance...
, before joining the RAF, initially as his national service. He was granted a temporary commission as a pilot officer
Pilot Officer
Pilot officer is the lowest commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many other Commonwealth countries. It ranks immediately below flying officer...
in the Education Branch on 4 November 1948.
As a senior officer he worked at the Air Ministry
Air Ministry
The Air Ministry was a department of the British Government with the responsibility of managing the affairs of the Royal Air Force, that existed from 1918 to 1964...
, at the Headquarters of Bomber Command
RAF Bomber Command
RAF Bomber Command controlled the RAF's bomber forces from 1936 to 1968. During World War II the command destroyed a significant proportion of Nazi Germany's industries and many German cities, and in the 1960s stood at the peak of its postwar military power with the V bombers and a supplemental...
and at the RAF Staff College at Bracknell
RAF Staff College, Bracknell
The RAF Staff College at Bracknell was a Royal Air Force staff college active for most of the second half of the 20th century. Its role was the training of staff officers in the administrative, staff and policy aspects of air force matters...
. His last Service appointment was as Director of Education in 1976.
After retiring from the Air Force, Probert served as Head of the Air Historical Branch
Air Historical Branch
The Air Historical Branch is the historical archive and records service of the Royal Air Force.First established in 1919, the AHB was responsible for creating the Official History of British Air Operations in the First World War....
from 1978 to 1989. Both during and after his RAF career, Probert wrote several books concerning RAF history, most notably Bomber Harris: His Life and Times which was published in 2001.