Lord Dowding was an officer in the
Royal Air Force. He served as a fighter pilot and then as commanding officer of
No. 16 Squadron during the
First World War. During the inter-war years he became Air Officer Commanding Fighting Area,
Air Defence of Great Britain and then joined the Air Council as
Air Member for Supply and Research. He was Air Officer Commanding
RAF Fighter Command during the
Battle of Britain, and is generally credited with playing a crucial role in Britain's defence, and hence, the defeat of
Adolf Hitler's plan to invade Britain. He was unwillingly replaced in command in November 1940 by
Big Wing advocate
Sholto Douglas.