Laurence Frank Sinclair
Encyclopedia
Air Vice Marshal Sir Laurence Frank Sinclair GC
, KCB
, CBE
, DSO & Bar
(13 June 1908 - 14 May 2001) was awarded the George Cross
for rescuing a severely injured airman from a crashed and burning plane.
and was appointed Officer Commanding No. 110 Squadron
in 1940. The event that led to him being awarded the George Cross took place on 30 September 1941 at RAF Wattisham
in Suffolk
. Unfortunately the rear gunner later died of his wounds. The only other crew member to survive was the navigator, Flight Sergeant Anthony George Byron. Sinclair continued his war service as Senior Air Staff Officer at No. 6 Group and then at No. 91 Group. He became Officer Commanding No. 323 Wing in 1943 and then became Air Officer Commanding the Tactical Bomber Force and then Senior Air Staff Officer for the Balkan Air Force
.
After the War he became Director of Postings (Selection) at the Air Ministry
and then attended the Imperial Defence College before being appointed Senior Air Staff Officer No. 84 Group in 1947. He was made Station Commander at RAF Gutersloh
later that year, Air Officer Commanding No. 2 Group
in 1948 and Assistant Commandant at RAF Cranwell
in 1949. He went on to be Commandant of the School of Land / Air Warfare in 1952, Assistant Chief of the Air Staff (Operations) in 1953 and Air Officer Commanding British Forces Aden
in 1955. His last appointment was as Commandant of the Joint Services Staff College
in 1958 before retiring in 1960.
In retirement he became the first Controller (Chief Executive) of the UK's National Air Traffic Control Services
(NATCS). His medal is on display at the Victoria & George Cross Gallery in London
's Imperial War Museum
.
George Cross
The George Cross is the highest civil decoration of the United Kingdom, and also holds, or has held, that status in many of the other countries of the Commonwealth of Nations...
, KCB
Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
, CBE
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...
, DSO & Bar
Distinguished Service Order
The Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...
(13 June 1908 - 14 May 2001) was awarded the George Cross
George Cross
The George Cross is the highest civil decoration of the United Kingdom, and also holds, or has held, that status in many of the other countries of the Commonwealth of Nations...
for rescuing a severely injured airman from a crashed and burning plane.
RAF career
Sinclair joined the Royal Air Force as a cadet at the RAF College in 1926. He served in World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
and was appointed Officer Commanding No. 110 Squadron
No. 110 Squadron RAF
-Formation and World War I:No. 110 Squadron RFC was formed on 1 November 1917, at Rendcomb, Gloucestershire and was equipped with B.E.2c aircraft. The squadron moved to Kenley the following year and re-equipped with the DH.9A - the first squadron to employ this aircraft. Its original complement of...
in 1940. The event that led to him being awarded the George Cross took place on 30 September 1941 at RAF Wattisham
RAF Wattisham
RAF Wattisham was a Royal Air Force station located in East Anglia just outside the village of Wattisham, south of Stowmarket in Suffolk, England. During the Cold War it was a major front-line air force base...
in Suffolk
Suffolk
Suffolk is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in East Anglia, England. It has borders with Norfolk to the north, Cambridgeshire to the west and Essex to the south. The North Sea lies to the east...
. Unfortunately the rear gunner later died of his wounds. The only other crew member to survive was the navigator, Flight Sergeant Anthony George Byron. Sinclair continued his war service as Senior Air Staff Officer at No. 6 Group and then at No. 91 Group. He became Officer Commanding No. 323 Wing in 1943 and then became Air Officer Commanding the Tactical Bomber Force and then Senior Air Staff Officer for the Balkan Air Force
Balkan Air Force
The Balkan Air Force was a late-World War II Allied air formation.-History:The formation was based at Bari in Italy, and activated on 7 June 1944 from AHQ 'G' Force to simplify command arrangements for the air support of Special Operations Executive-operations in the Balkans, i.e. across the...
.
After the War he became Director of Postings (Selection) 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...
and then attended the Imperial Defence College before being appointed Senior Air Staff Officer No. 84 Group in 1947. He was made Station Commander at RAF Gutersloh
RAF Gütersloh
The former Royal Air Force Station Gütersloh, more commonly known as RAF Gütersloh, was a Royal Air Force Germany military airbase, the nearest Royal Air Force airbase to the East/West German border, in the vicinity of the town of Gütersloh. It was constructed by the Germans prior to World War II...
later that year, Air Officer Commanding No. 2 Group
No. 2 Group RAF
Number 2 Group is a Group of the Royal Air Force which was first activated in 1918, served from 1918–20, from 1936 through the Second World War to 1947, from 1948 to 1958, from 1993 to 1996, was reactivated in 2000, and is today part of Air Command....
in 1948 and Assistant Commandant at RAF Cranwell
Royal Air Force College Cranwell
The Royal Air Force College is the Royal Air Force training and education academy which provides initial training to all RAF personnel who are preparing to be commissioned officers. The College also provides initial training to aircrew cadets and is responsible for all RAF recruiting along with...
in 1949. He went on to be Commandant of the School of Land / Air Warfare in 1952, Assistant Chief of the Air Staff (Operations) in 1953 and Air Officer Commanding British Forces Aden
British Forces Aden
British Forces Aden was the name given to the British Armed Forces stationed in the Aden Protectorate during part of the 20th century. Their purpose was to preserve the security of the Protectorate from both internal threats and external aggression.-History:...
in 1955. His last appointment was as Commandant of the Joint Services Staff College
Joint Service Defence College
The Joint Service Defence College was a training academy for British military personnel in the period from 1983 to 1997. It has now been amalgamated into the Joint Services Command and Staff College.-History:...
in 1958 before retiring in 1960.
In retirement he became the first Controller (Chief Executive) of the UK's National Air Traffic Control Services
National Air Traffic Services
NATS Ltd. is the main air navigation service provider in the United Kingdom. It provides en-route air traffic control services to flights within the UK Flight Information Regions and the Shanwick Oceanic Control Area, and provides air traffic control services to fifteen UK airports and Gibraltar...
(NATCS). His medal is on display at the Victoria & George Cross Gallery in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
's Imperial War Museum
Imperial War Museum
Imperial War Museum is a British national museum organisation with branches at five locations in England, three of which are in London. The museum was founded during the First World War in 1917 and intended as a record of the war effort and sacrifice of Britain and her Empire...
.