RAF Battle of Britain 56 OC PINFOLD signed photo

 Group Captain Herbert Moreton Pinfold
WWII Battle of Britain OC 56 Squadron

Born on February 5 1913, Pinfold joined the RAF on a short service commission in August 1934. On the September 29th he was posted to 5 FTS, Sealand and with training completed, he went to 6 Squadron at Ismailia, Egypt on September 5 1935. He returned to the UK to joined the newly formed 64 Squadron on March 19 1936 flying Hawker Demons, and went with the squadron to the Western Desert to combat the Italian Air Force threat. The squadron returned to the UK in September.
After a short spell as personal assistant and pilot to AOC 11 Group, posted to RAF Upavon for a Flying Instructors Course. On completion of course he was posted to 502 Squadron, AuxAF as Flying Instructor and Adjutant at RAF Aldergrove, Northern Ireland on July 16 1938.
In January 1939 he joined 603 Squadron at RAF Turnhouse, Scotland where he converted from Harts to Gladiators and then to the Spitfire. Pinfold went to 3 FTS, South Cerney on July 2 1940, as an instructor.
Having been keen to fly operationally, he arrived at 5 OTU, Aston Down on August 11 for a refresher course and after converting to Hurricanes. He took command of 56 Squadron at North Weald on the 25th, remaining with it until January 29 1941, when he returned to flying instruction with a posting to 10 FTS, Tern Hill, as an instructor.
Pinfold then completed the RAF Staff College course and then held staff positions in the UK, after which he was on the staff at Air HQ Kandy, Ceylon and later Singapore.
On returning to the UK he commanded Duxford by then flying Meteors. He was then posted to the Air Ministry in the Directorate of Intelligence (Russian). In 1953 he was appointed Air Attache in Roma, before returning to the UK in 1956 for a second spell as Station Commander of Duxford.
He opted for early retired from the RAF on October 1 1958, as a Group Captain to join an electronics company, later becoming its export manager. 

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