Robert Oxland

Robert Dickinson Oxland was born in Sydenham on 4 April 1889, the son of Charles Oxland, a Mining Engineer, and his wife Eleanor.[3][4] He was educated at Bedford Modern School.[1]

At the outbreak of the First World War, Oxland joined the County of London Yeomanry.[5] He was commissioned in 1915 and seconded to the Royal Flying Corps in 1916[3] having learned to fly in Norwich, earning RAeC Certificate No. 2444 on 9 February 1916.[4][5][6] He was with No. 20 Squadron in France in 1916 and with No. 38 Squadron in 1918.[5]

Oxland transferred to the Royal Air Force in 1918.[3] As a qualified meteorological observer[5] his first postings were in Iraq as a specialist staff officer.[2] He returned to England in 1925 as a squadron leader[2] and was the first commanding officer of No. 502 Squadron RAF.[7] In 1926, he was responsible for organising the formation of No. 503 Squadron RAF and was its commanding officer until 1930.[6][8]

Oxland was promoted to wing commander in 1930 and thereafter ‘took a series of staff appointments at home and overseas’.[2] In 1934 he was appointed to the Directorate of Operations and Intelligence at the Air Ministry.[5] In 1936, as Director of the Air Ministry's Operational Requirements,[9] Oxland was Chairman of the Committee that decided to produce the four-engined heavy bombers resulting in the Stirling, Halifax and Lancaster.[6] In 1938 he was promoted to air commodore and the post of Director of Personal Services at the Air Ministry.[2]

In November 1940 he was promoted to air officer commanding (AOC) No. 1 Group.[2] During his time at HQ Bomber Command, "he concentrated on the direction of operations in support of Operation Overlord whilst Hugh Walmsley oversaw the area bombing programme".[6] In February 1943 he was succeeded as AOC of No. 1 Group by Air Vice Marshal Edward Rice.[2] Thereafter he held a ‘special appointment' at HQ Bomber Command[10] and his final position from 1945 was AOA, HQ Air Command South East Asia.[6]

Oxland retired in May 1946.[3]

Oxland was invested as an Officer of the Order of the British Empire in 1929. In 1942 he was invested as Commander of the Order of the British Empire and a Commander's Cross with Star of the Order of Polonia Restituta.[3][11] In 1943 he was made Companion of the Order of the Bath.[3]

Oxland was also twice mentioned in despatches, on 1 January 1943 and 8 June 1944.[6]

Oxland was a member of the United Service Club.[3] In 1929 he married Ethel Barbara Williams, daughter of Colonel Henry David Williams.[3] They had two daughters.[3] He died in Maidenhead, Berkshire on 27 October 1959.[3]