James Coward

Air Commodore James Baird Coward, (18 May 1915 – 25 July 2012) was a senior officer in the Royal Air Force. He was Air Officer Commanding Air Cadets and Commandant of the Air Training Corps between 1962 and 1966.

Early life Coward was born on 18 May 1915 in Teddington, Middlesex, England. He was educated at the private St John's School, Leatherhead, Surrey.

RAF career Coward was commissioned into the Royal Air Force as an acting pilot officer (on probation) on 28 January 1937. He joined No. 19 Squadron based at RAF Duxford as a pilot flying the Gloster Gauntlet, a single seat biplane. Having shown his artistic skill through caricatures of his comrades, he was tasked with painting the squadron badge on the canvas of the biplanes. However, after weeks of work, the Munich Crisis occurred and the biplanes, and their recently painted badges, were painted over in camouflage. He was promoted to flying officer on 16 June 1939.

With the outbreak of the Second World War, Coward was to serve as a pilot and staff officer. His squadron provided air support during the evacuation of the British Expeditionary Force from Dunkirk, between 27 May and 4 June 1940. On 2 June, he was credited with the probable destruction of a German Messerschmitt Bf 109 fighter aircraft. He was promoted to flight lieutenant on 3 September 1940.

Having taken five months to recover from the surgery, At Chartwell, Churchill's private home, he coordinated the air surveillance to warn the prime minister of any impending attack from nearby Nazi occupied France. Shortly after, he left Churchill's staff to become an instructor at the fighter training unit,

After the war, Coward was posted as an Air Attaché to Norway in 1946. and to squadron leader on 1 November 1947 with seniority from 1 August that year. He was given a permanent commission on 15 July 1948. He was promoted to wing commander on 1 July 1952, to group captain on 1 July 1958, and to air commodore on 1 July 1962. Between September 1962 and June 1966, he was Air Officer Commanding Air Cadets and Commandant of the Air Training Corps.

Coward retired from the Royal Air Force on 8 September 1969.

Later life Upon retirement, Coward and his wife moved to Canberra, Australia. He was awarded the Air Force Cross (AFC) in the 1954 New Year Honours.

Personal life Coward married Cynthia Bayon on 29 December 1939. Together they had four daughters, two of whom predeceased him.