Meredith Thomas Air Vice - Marshal Meredith Thomas CSI , CBE , DFC , AFC RAF ( 6 July 1892 – 20 May 1984 ) was a senior commander in the Royal Air Force during World War II . He began his career as a flying ace during World War I , credited with five aerial victories . Early life . Meredith Thomas was born in Preesgweene , Shropshire , England on 6 July 1892 . First World War service . See also Aerial victory standards of World War I Meredith joined the Queen ' s Westminsters in August 1914 . He went to France in January 1915 , and served as an infantryman on the Western Front until 2 December 1915 , before being commissioned into the Welsh Regiment . He transferred to the Royal Flying Corps in October 1916 and was trained as a pilot , being assigned in 1917 to 41 Squadron to fly a Royal Aircraft Factory FE . 8 , and later an Airco DH . 5 . He became a flight commander with the rank of acting captain on 29 March 1917 . He claimed his first two victories in September 1917 while flying an Airco DH . 5 , destroying an Albatros D . III on the 25th near Cambrai , and another on the 28th at Bugnicourt , France . After transferring to a Royal Aircraft Factory SE . 5a , he claimed three wins over Albatros D . V s . On 30 November 1917 , he destroyed one D . V over Rumilly , France at 1345 hours . A quarter hour later , he joined with squadronmates Russell Winnicott , Loudoun MacLean , and Frank Harold Taylor in driving another down out of control . His final victory came on 6 December 1917 at 1450 hours , when he and two other pilots sent a D . V down out of control over Sailly , France . Having thus become an ace , he was then returned to instructor duty in England . Between the World Wars . In 1919 he was stationed in Germany ; while there , he received the Air Force Cross on 3 June 1919 . From 1920 to 1923 he served in Iraq as a Flight Lieutenant filling a flight commander ' s position . On 13 February 1920 , he was posted to No . 6 Squadron RAF , operating Royal Aircraft Factory R . E . 8 s and Bristol F . 2 Fighter s from Mosul , Iraq ; he was Mentioned in Despatches on 19 April 1921 . In mid 1921 , he transferred to No . 30 Squadron in Baghdad to fly an Airco DH . 9 a ; he was again Mentioned in Despatches , on 28 October 1921 . He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross on 10 October 1922 . Thomas returned from foreign service to begin attending RAF Staff College on 1 May 1923 . On 5 May 1924 , he was graduated to staff duty . He was promoted to squadron leader on 1 January 1926 . On 1 September 1928 , he began instructing cadet s at the Royal Air Force College Cranwell . Once again posted overseas , Thomas began attending the Command and Staff College , Quetta on 24 December 1931 . In December 1933 , he was moved to the Air Staff , Headquarters RAF India . His promotion to wing commander came on 1 January 1934 . Thomas returned to the British Isles to assume command of No . 6 Armament Training Camp , RAF Warmwell on 24 May 1937 . The following year , on 6 May , he became Senior Air Staff Officer for No . 5 Group RAF . Second World War and beyond . With the advent of war , Thomas moved up in responsibility , becoming Director of Technical Training on 7 August 1940 . On 1 December , he was appointed an acting Air Commodore . On 24 December 1941 , he became SASO of Flying Training Command . On 2 August 1943 , he was simultaneously raised to acting Air Vice - Marshal and appointed Air Officer Commanding of No . 23 Group RAF . On 8 March 1944 , he succeeded to the post of Air Officer Commanding , RAF India . He held the post through war ' s end . On 22 January 1946 , he was retained as an Air Vice - Marshal . His retirement followed on 18 April 1946 . He died on 20 May 1984 , at Gloucester , Gloucestershire , England .