Graham Bladon
| Graham Clarke Bladon | |
|---|---|
| Born |
13 September 1899 Burton upon Trent, Staffordshire, England |
| Died | 11 October 1967 (aged 68) Bath, Somerset, England |
| Allegiance | United Kingdom |
| Service/branch |
Royal Navy Royal Air Force |
| Years of service | 1917–1959 |
| Rank | Air Commodore |
| Unit |
No. 30 Squadron RAF No. 47 Squadron RAF No. 208 Squadron RAF No. 420 Flight, FAA No. 443 Flight, FAA Air Headquarters, Malaya No. 62 (Southern Reserve) Group |
| Commands held | No. 421 Flight, FAA No. 443B Flight, FAA No. 42 Squadron RAF RAF Base, Singapore Royal Ceylon Air Force |
| Battles/wars |
World War I 1920 Iraqi Revolt World War II |
| Awards |
Commander of the Order of the British Empire Companion of the Order of the Bath Mention in despatches (× 2) |
Air Commodore Graham Clarke Bladon CB, CBE (13 September 1899 – 11 October 1967) was a British air officer of the Royal Air Force, who initially joined the Royal Naval Air Service during the First World War, becoming an RAF officer in 1918. He went on to hold various commands up to and throughout the Second World War, and served as the first Commander of the Royal Ceylon Air Force from 1951 until 1958.
Bladon was born in Burton upon Trent, Staffordshire, the son of John James Clarke Bladon (1876–1942) and his wife Annie Elizabeth (née Daniels) (1880–1921).
Bladon joined the Royal Naval Air Service in late 1917, soon after his 18th birthday, as a temporary probationary flight officer, and began his training at RNAS Cranwell. He was appointed a temporary flight sub-lieutenant on 29 January 1918, and was awarded Royal Aero Club Aviator's Certificate No. 6700 on 3 March 1918. On 1 April 1918, the Royal Naval Air Service and the Army's Royal Flying Corps (RFC) merged to form the Royal Air Force, and Bladon joined the new service with the rank of lieutenant.
Bladon stayed with the RAF after the end of the war. He was transferred to the RAF's unemployed list on 22 November 1919, but on 12 December was awarded a short service commission with the rank of flying officer. In early 1920 Bladon was sent to Mesopotamia to serve in No. 30 Squadron, subsequently receiving mentions in despatches from Lieutenant-General Sir Aylmer Haldane, the commander the Mesopotamian Expeditionary Force, in September 1920 and October 1921. On 24 March 1922 he was transferred to No. 47 Squadron based in Egypt, and on 26 September was transferred again to No. 208 Squadron when it was sent to Turkey during the Chanak Crisis. On 10 July 1923 Bladon was seriously injured when his Bristol F.2b, H1678, overturned on landing.
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