Leonard Slatter

Air Marshal Sir Leonard Horatio Slatter, (8 December 1894 – 14 April 1961) was a naval aviator during the First World War and a senior Royal Air Force commander during the Second World War. Slatter ended his career as the Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief of Coastal Command.

Early life and First World War Slatter was born in Durban, South Africa on 8 December 1894. He received his education at Dale College and Selborne College in South Africa and then at Battersea Polytechnic, training to be a civil engineer.

With the outbreak of the First World War he joined the Royal Navy. He initially served as a dispatch rider in the Naval Armoured Car Division before transferring to the Royal Naval Air Service in 1915. and was advanced from pilot to flight commander.

In July 1918, Slatter was removed from front-line duties and sent to No. 4 Aeroplane Supply Depot, as an instructor. He went on to be Officer Commanding No. 19 Squadron at RAF Duxford and then Officer Commanding No. 111 Squadron at RAF Hornchurch, where he was also Station Commander, before being appointed Officer Commanding No. 43 Squadron at RAF Tangmere in 1930. before becoming Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief at RAF Coastal Command in June 1945.