Sir Arthur Patrick Hastings Forbes, the Ninth Earl of Granard
 

Hi Guys

I wonder if anyone could advise a bit more about this man?

I have some basics such as date of birth, education and so on. Did he ever acquire a civil pilot license or did he join RAF and got a military license?
Since he, in 1939, bought a Percival Q-6 and used it while being the Air Attaché in Romania he certainly must have had some kind of license.

I know that on 23 October 1939 he was commissioned as a Squadron Leader in the General Services Branch “for the duration of hostilities.” He is listed as a member of the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve (RAFVR). His RAF serial number (service number?) was 76567. So what was his RAF connection during the 1930s? Surely he did not become a high ranking officer in RAF without any real back ground?

He was still the Air Attaché in Romania when in October 1940 he experienced an "assassination attempt" in the house where he stayed, but everyone survived. In November 1940 he went to Greece as part of a Liaison Mission, so most likely departed more or less straight away from Romania.

In an interview in December 1940 he was named as Wing Commander and being part of the RAF Intelligence network in Greece. During his time in Greece he seems to have used his civil registered Q-6 to fly various missions to both North Africa, Turkey, Palestine and probably other places as well.

After the fall of Greece he went to North Africa (Cairo?) and probably continued with his Intelligence/Liaison work. He helped to plan the original Ploesti raid in 1943 and is said to have flown the route himself with a Mosquito.

At some point (1944?) he went to Britain and transferred over to the staff of SHAEF. By that time he was an (acting) Air Commodore (or became one?)
He was the Deputy Chief of the Air Division of SHAEF.

On 16 May 1945 he received a permanent promotion from Squadron Leader to Wing Commander and on 1 February 1946 he resigned from the RAFVR. At that time he held the permanent rank of Wing Commander but was retired with the rank of Air Commodore.

So if anyone can fill in some gaps in all this, I would be very happy.

Also what happened to him post war? When he resigned from the RAF he was only 31 years old! I have checked the Internet but can't locate much....

Also is any photo known of him at any point in time?

Cheers
Stig

Re: Sir Arthur Patrick Hastings Forbes, the Ninth Earl of Granard
 

A little here in his obit:

https://www.newspapers.com/clip/7527...e-modesto-bee/


and here: https://www.newspapers.com/clip/75275978/the-gazette/

Re: Sir Arthur Patrick Hastings Forbes, the Ninth Earl of Granard
 

Thanks Rolland

Cheers
Stig

Re: Sir Arthur Patrick Hastings Forbes, the Ninth Earl of Granard
 

As for his Percival airplane, see https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/206206

Regards,
Leendert

Re: Sir Arthur Patrick Hastings Forbes, the Ninth Earl of Granard
 

Stig,

Scroll down to 12/1/41 on this site: http://www.211squadron.org/1941.html
Described here as "Lord Forbes"

It (also) refers to a book about him.

Regards,
Leendert

Re: Sir Arthur Patrick Hastings Forbes, the Ninth Earl of Granard
 

Thanks Leendert

Got all the aircraft details.
There is no real evidence he kept his former Q.6 as his own "toy" after its impressment.

Cheers
Stig

PS: The above was in answer to post 4

Thanks again Leendert
Interesting find in the 211 Sq records!!
Stig

Re: Sir Arthur Patrick Hastings Forbes, the Ninth Earl of Granard
 

Scroll down to 10/12/40 here: http://www.211squadron.org/1940.html

Regards,
Leendert

Re: Sir Arthur Patrick Hastings Forbes, the Ninth Earl of Granard
 

I "suspect" he got his pilot training at Cambridge as a cadet in the Cambridge University Air Squadron. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cambri...y_Air_Squadron

He graduated from Cambridge in 1937

Re: Sir Arthur Patrick Hastings Forbes, the Ninth Earl of Granard
 

Rolland/Leendert

Thanks again! (Working overtime are we?? :) )

Cheers
Stig