John Tremayne Babington

Sir John Tremayne Babington
Air Commodore Babington
Born	(1891-07-20)20 July 1891
Died	20 March 1979(1979-03-20) (aged 87)
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Service / branch	Royal Navy (1908–18) Royal Air Force (1918–44)
Years of service	1908–44
Rank	Air Marshal
Commands	Technical Training Command (1941–43) Far East Command (1938–41) No. 24 Group (1936–38) RAF Halton (1934–36) RAF Gosport (1927–28) No. 7 Squadron RNAS (1917–19)
Battles / wars	First World War Second World War
Awards	Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath Commander of the Order of the British Empire Distinguished Service Order Mentioned in Despatches Knight of the Legion of Honour (France) Croix de guerre (France)

Air Marshal Sir John Tremayne Babington, KCB, CBE, DSO, DL (20 July 1891 – 20 March 1979) was a senior commander in the Royal Air Force. In 1944, he retired and the following year changed his name to Tremayne, his mother's maiden name, to avoid confusion with his younger brother, Philip Babington.[1]

He was educated at Osborne and Dartmouth Royal Navy colleges.[2]

RAF career

Babington was commissioned as a Midshipman in the Royal Navy in 1908.[3] During the First World War, Babington was a member of the Royal Naval Air Service. He participated in the air raid on the Friedrichshaven Airship Factory, Germany on 21 November 1914.[3] On 2 January 1920, Babington was removed from the Navy List and awarded a permanent commission in the Royal Air Force.[3] He was appointed Station Commander at RAF Gosport in 1927 and went on to be a Station Commander in Iraq in January 1929 before becoming British Air Representative to the League of Nations in November 1929.[3] He became Station Commander of RAF Halton and Commandant, No. 1 School of Technical Training in 1934, Air Officer Commanding No. 24 Group in 1936 and Air Officer Commanding, RAF Far East Command in 1938.[3]

He served in the Second World War as Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief Technical Training Command and then Head of RAF Mission in Moscow[4] before retiring in 1944.[3]

In retirement served as High Sheriff of Cornwall.[3]

References

1. "Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation - Air Marshal Sir John Babington/Tremayne". Retrieved 14 August 2017.
2. Hammerton, Sir John ABC of the RAF London 1941 p.49
3. "Air of Authority – A History of RAF Organisation – Air Marshal Sir John Babington". rafweb.org. Retrieved 27 September 2009.
4. Service Aviation Flight International, 24 June 1943

External websites

• Air Marshal Sir John Tremayne/Babington

Military offices
Preceded by Norman MacEwen	Commandant No. 1 School of Technical Training 1934–1936	Succeeded by Ranald Reid
Preceded by Sir William Welsh	Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief Technical Training Command 1941–1943	Succeeded by Sir Arthur Barratt