Kenneth Blair

Kenneth Blair, (15 February 1918 – 31 October 1953) was a British flying ace of the Royal Air Force (RAF) during the Second World War. He is credited with the destruction of at least eight aircraft.

From Stockport, Blair joined the RAF in March 1937. After completing his flying training, he was posted to No. 85 Squadron and was sent to France with this unit on the outbreak of the Second World War. He achieved his first aerial victories during the Battle of France and was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross. Once the campaign in France was over, he was transferred to No. 151 Squadron and flew in the Battle of Britain, claiming more aerial victories. In July 1941 he was given command of No. 1453 Flight, a night fighter unit, and led this until being rested in September the following year by which time he had been twice mentioned in despatches. He returned to operations with No. 25 Squadron in June 1943 and a few months later took command of No. 613 Squadron. He remained in the RAF in the postwar period, rising to the rank of wing commander before his death from polio on 31 October 1953.

Early life Kenneth Hughes Blair was born on 15 February 1918 in Heaton Moor in Stockport, England. Educated at The Lower School of John Lyon in Harrow, he joined the Royal Air Force (RAF) in March 1937 on a short service commission. He trained at No. 11 Flying Training School at Wittering and in June 1938 was posted to No. 85 Squadron as a pilot officer. This was a newly reformed unit which was based at Debden and equipped with Gloster Gladiator fighters. A few months later it began to reequip with the Hawker Hurricane fighter.

Second World War On the outbreak of the Second World War, No. 85 Squadron was sent to France as part of the Air Component of the British Expeditionary Force. It flew patrols and was occasionally called upon to intercept intruding Luftwaffe aircraft from its bases in Lille-Seclin and Merville. It saw little action until 10 May 1940, when the Battle of France, the German invasion, commenced. The squadron was immediately and frequently engaged.

Battle of France In the morning of 10 May, Blair destroyed a Heinkel He 111 medium bomber to the north of Ghent. In the afternoon, he shot down another He 111 near Arras and probably destroyed a second. After two weeks of constant action in France, the squadron had become non-operational and was back at Debden. Blair, now a flying officer, was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) in recognition of his successes in France. The citation, published on 31 May in The London Gazette, read:

Pilots of No. 85 Squadron at Lille-Seclin airfield, 10 May 1940; Blair is kneeling front left

Battle of Britain Blair was presented with his DFC by King George VI in a ceremony at Hornchurch late the following month. By this time he had been posted to No. 151 Squadron. A Do 17 was claimed as destroyed by Blair and another pilot to the southeast of Skegness on 9 November but in fact it returned to Gilze-Rijen in Holland with wounded crew aboard. He continued to lead the flight until September 1942 at which time he was rested. A few months previously, he had again been mentioned in despatches. He returned to operations in June 1943 with an appointment as flight commander at No. 25 Squadron. He was awarded a Bar to his DFC the following May.

Postwar career Blair remained in the RAF in the postwar period and was granted a permanent commission as a squadron leader on 1 October 1950. He was promoted to wing commander at the start of 1952. Serving at Lindholme, Blair took ill with polio and died on 31 October 1953. Buried at Hatfield Cemetery near Doncaster, he was survived by his wife Ruth, who he had married three years previously.

Blair is credited with having destroyed eight aircraft, two of which shared with other pilots, and damaged three others. He is believed to have also probably destroyed six aircraft.