Air Chief Marshal Sir Hugh C T Dowding, copyright IWM
When the RAF was reorganised into specialist commands back in mid-1936, and Fighter Command came into existence, the then Air Marshal Sir Hugh Dowding was chosen as its first commander, Air Officer Commanding in Chief. Thus, Dowding presided over the command during the vital 4 years when it was modernised for war. This was when ground breaking innovation of a radar based control system had been installed. It was also when many hundreds of new young pilots were brought onto the Squadrons and were provided with the new monoplane fighters, the Hurricanes and Spitfires. The Battle of Britain was, therefore, the battle which Dowding had been preparing for. Moreover, his influence had been crucial, well before his command had been set up. In the early Thirties, he had been the Air Member for Research. He had always been at the forefront of technical developments and showed interest in scientific innovation.
Born in 1882, Dowding had an early career in the Army in the Far East and the Mediterranean where he proved to be an effective commander. While at the Staff College at Camberley in 1913, he took flying lessons at Brooklands and gained his pilot’s licence and consequently joined the RFC on the outbreak of the First World War. During this period he had fallen out with Trenchard over Dowding’s desire to rest operational pilots at reasonable intervals in between battles. After service in France, he came back to Britain and worked in training and logistic roles.
What kind of a man was he? He was the perfect staff officer. He was totally devoted to his command and particularly to the young pilots in it. He wasn’t an affable man. His nickname “Stuffy” fitted him pretty well. During the Battle, he was at his post at Bentley Priory where command and control were located. Here, he would follow the Battle every day and every hour.
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July 14, 2010 at 7:03 am
Day 5 – July 14th 1940 « Battle of Britain Day by Day
[...] theme: Captains and Commanders – Dowding Follow the Battle Day by [...]
July 14, 2010 at 5:42 pm
gscurtis
Without Dowding we wouldn’t be here. His brains saved the day.
July 15, 2010 at 4:15 pm
Andrew
Agreed, without Dowding the RAF would have had only obsolete bombers to strike back with. His foresight and prewar effort rank him as one of the gretaest military commanders of all time.
November 24, 2010 at 7:02 pm
Andrew M Dickson
I think we should remember too that Sir Hugh Dowding was quite suddenly sidelined immediately after the Battle of Britain, as early as October in fact. Why, I don’t know, although I suspect possibly for speaking his mind too forcefully and too often. This in no way reduces our debt to the man.
November 30, 2010 at 12:10 pm
Tony Rudd
I totally agree. Tony Rudd
December 8, 2010 at 5:57 pm
Silksheen
I knew Dowding better than anyone alive today. The answers to the above comments are well explained in Professor Vincent Orange’s recent biography “DOWDING OF FIGHTER COMMAND” and as to the plot to dismiss him, Dr. Jack Dixon has published a second and well researched book, “DOWDING & CHURCHILL, the dark side of the Battle of Britain”.
January 18, 2011 at 12:27 pm
Paula Danholm
To Silksheen
I am writing a play about Air Marshall Dowding and would very much like to talk to someone like yourself who knew him. I want to keep the dialogue as truthful to Dowding as possible. My respect and admiration for Lord Dowding is immense and I wish to write a play that will highlight his genius and the shameful way in which the RAF hierarchy treated him after The Battle of Britain. I want to highlight the man as well as the events. Any help you could give in this direction would be gratefully received. My parents were Salvation Army Officers and served with the all three services during the war, but particularly with the airforce. Hence my interest and desire to write about the man who I believe changed the course of history.
January 20, 2011 at 11:35 am
Tony Rudd
I hope your enquiries are fruitfull. I thought he was a remarkable man but personally I never met him.
Good luck,
Tony
January 27, 2011 at 5:36 pm
Silksheen
Just found your request by chance while researching details about WAAFs for a book being written here in France.
Every year in September there is a service by the memorial to Lord Dowding in his birth town of Moffat, Scotland. They have a BBC recording of him talking about the Battle in 1940. This will give you a good idea of the clear and accurate manner he expressed his thoughts and ideas.
To learn the background of Hugh Dowding get the recent biography:
Dowding of Fighter Command: Victor of the Battle of Britain
But there was much more to this man than just a military commander, he achieved much during his retirement, see: http://hansard.millbanksystems.com/people/mr-hugh-dowding
Paula, I’m happy to give you more information about my stepfather, but I shall need your e-mail address.
February 9, 2011 at 1:20 pm
Paula Danholm
Hello Silksheen
I have been away for a few days so please forgive the delay in responding. Thank you so much for all the information you gave me. Some I had already tracked down. I had already read and am now re-reading The Beauty Not The Beast, by Lady Dowding. I really am interested in the man, not the legend. Lord Dowding was a very spiritual person and this is where my interest lies. My e mail is management@oscarsacademy.co.uk. I am principal of the academy so this address is quite personal to ,myself.
with kind regards
Paula Danholm
February 9, 2011 at 3:36 pm
Paula Danholm
Hello Silksheen
I have been trying to answer your very kind reply, but unfortunately the website will not let me post my e mail however hard I try to communicate it. I would like to thank you for the links you have given. I am just in the process of re-reading Beauty not the Beast’ by Lady Dowding. I really want to portray the man not just the legend. I am very aware of Lord Dowding’s work after the war and would very much like to talk to you about it. You may also be interested to know that my husband is a Dane, born in occupied Denmark and has much for which to thank the RAF .