Air Vice Marshal Q Brand

Links of Long Standing

Major AT Harris studied night fighter tactics with Major Quintin Brand’s squadron and was set to take command of No 44 Squadron when the First World War ended. Intending to return to Africa, a commission as a Squadron leader in the newly formed RAF proved to be the more attractive option.

Links of Long Standing

Air Vice-Marshal Sir Quintin Brand KBE DSO MC DFC who was educated at Marist Brothers in Johannesburg and knighted in 1920 with Lt Colonel Sir HA van Ryneveld after flying a Vickers Vimy from England to Cape Town, a journey of almost seven weeks, commanded No 10 Group during the “Battle of Britain”, but retired in 1943.

Links of Long Standing

HL Saunders, educated at Marist Brothers in Johannesburg with Air Vice-Marshal Sir Quintin Brand, earned the “Military Medal” with the Witwatersrand Rifle Brigade, completed his flying training in 1917, earned a “Military Cross” and “Distinguished Flying Cross” and “Bar”. An Air Vice- Marshal by 1943, Air Chief Marshal Sir Hugh Lumsden Saunders GCB KBE MC DFC & Bar MM retired in 1953 and died in 1987.

Against Unfavourable Odds

Most of Air Chief Marshal Sir Hugh Dowding’s fighter squadrons fell under Air Vice Marshal Park’s Uxbridge based No 11 Group which covered south –east England, the closest target for the Pas de Calais based Luftwaffe. The balance, shared between Air Vice Marshal Leigh-Mallory’s No 12 at Nottingham, Air Vice Marshal Saul’s No 13 at Newcastle Upon- Tyne and South African World War One Veteran Air Vice Marshal Brand’s No 10 at Wiltshire, which was formed after Dowding decided the area to be covered by No 11 Group was not manageable.