Bertine Sutton Air Marshal Sir Bertine Entwisle Sutton KBE , CB , DSO , MC , RAF ( 17 December 1886 – 28 September 1946 ) was a pilot in the Royal Flying Corps during World War I and a senior officer in the Royal Air Force from the 1920s to the 1940s . Early life . Bertine Sutton was born in Kensington , the son of the Reverend Alfred Sutton and his wife Bertha Frances Entwisle , and grandson of James Sutton of Shardlow . He was educated at Eton and University College , Oxford from where he gained his Bachelor of Arts in 1908 . After graduation , Sutton worked in a solicitor ' s office in London until he was employed by Hutchinson the publishing company . Sutton had aimed to become a lawyer but the outbreak of the Great War resulted in him entering the Army . Military service during World War I . Sutton had been an original members of the Oxford University mounted infantry and in 1914 when he joined the Inns of Court Officer Training Corps as a private soldier . By October of that year , Sutton had been commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Westmorland and Cumberland Yeomanry and was sent to France . In early 1916 , Sutton was posted to No . 5 Squadron of the Royal Flying Corps , where he served as an observer flying officer . Later that year , Sutton was appointed an RFC wing adjutant and it is likely that he underwent flying training some time in the middle part of 1916 . In 1917 , Sutton first served as a pilot and then flight commander on No . 9 Squadron flying RE8s on the Western Front . In October 1917 , Sutton was promoted ( temporarily ) to the rank of major and appointed Officer Commanding No . 7 Squadron , a position he held for the remained of the War . Sutton was transferred to the Royal Air Force on its establishment and subsequently relinquished his commission in Westmorland and Cumberland Territorial Force . RAF service during the inter - War years . In 1921 Sutton attended the British Army ' s Staff College at Camberley and he subsequently served on the directing staff of the newly established RAF Staff College , Andover for the next four years . After attending a refresher flying course at the Central Flying School , Sutton was appointed the Officer Commanding , No . 1 ( Apprentices ) Wing at No . 1 School of Technical Training in the summer of 1926 . From late 1929 to 1932 , Sutton served on the directing staff of the Imperial Defence College . 1932 saw Sutton posted to India as the Officer Commanding No . 1 ( Indian ) Group . In late 1934 Sutton took up the appointment of senior air staff office at the headquarters of RAF India . With the pre - Second World War build up of the RAF , Sutton was recalled to Great Britain and served as Air Officer Commanding ( AOC ) No . 2 ( Bomber ) Group , the AOC No . 22 Group and then the AOC No . 21 ( Training ) Group . World War II . At the start of World War II , Sutton was AOC No . 21 ( Training ) Group . In November 1940 , Sutton continued in his training role when he was appointed AOC No . 24 ( Training ) Group . The next year Sutton returned to staff college work , this time as the Commandant of the RAF Staff College at Bulstrode Park . In the summer of 1942 Sutton was appointed to the Air Council as the Air Member for Personnel ( AMP ) . During his time as AMP , Sutton was required to deal with various manning problems , including the British Army ' s requirement for more personnel in anticipation of D - day and the Battle of Normandy . Retirement . Sutton retired from the RAF on 7 June 1945 , just prior to the end of World War II . Sutton made Little Park Farm at Crookham Common , which is near Newbury in Berkshire , his home and he planned to enjoy his library , pictures , and garden . However , by this time Sutton was not in good health and he died just over a year later on 28 September 1946 .