ROYAL AIR FORCE

Evening Star, Issue 19942, 11 August 1928, Page 11

ROYAL AIR FORCE

CHANGES IN COMMAND

(British Official Wireless.) Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright,

RUGBY, August 10, (Received August 11, at noon.)

The following changes in the higher commands of the. Royal Air Force are announced:—Air Marshal, Sir John Salmond has been selected to succeed Air Vice-Marshal Sir Philip Game as Air Member of the Council for Personae! at tho beginning of January next, and Air Vice-Marshal Six Edward Ellington will at the same time succeed Air Marshal Sir John Salmond as Air Officer Commandor-in-Ghief of the Air Defence of Great Britain. Sir John Salmond has bad a distinguished career as a flying officer. On the outbreak of war in 1914 ho went to France in command of No. 3 Squadron of tho Royal .Flying Corps, and subsequently received rapid promotion. In 1916 ho became Brigadier-general, and tho following year was promoted Major-gene-ral ; then he became General Officer Commanding tho Royal Air Force in France, which appointment he held until the conclusion of hostilities. In October, 1922, he was appointed First Air Officer to command the combined British Forces in Iraq. In 1923 he was promoter Air Marshal in recognition of his distinguished service in Iraq, and on returning to England was appointed Air Officer Commander-in-Chief of the Air Defence of Great Britain—a new command. Shortly afterwards he was appointed ControllerGeneral of Equipment at the Air Ministry. On tho reorganisation of Air Ministry in 1919 he became DirectorGeneral of Supply and Research, with a seat on the Air Council, and held this appointment until 1922, when he proceeded to Egypt to take over the command of the Royal Air Force and the control of the air defences of that country. At present Sir John Salmond is in Australia at the request of the Australian Government advising on the air defence of the Commonwealth and on the organisation, training, aud equipment of tho Royal Australian Air Force.

Air Vice-Marshal Sir Edward Ellington became Director-General of Military Aeronautics in 1918 in the Middle East. He relinquished this command in 1923 on his appointment as Air Officer Commanding the Royal Air Force in India. Since November, 1926, he has commanded tho British Forces in r xaq.