Ralph Cochrane

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Air Chief Marshal Sir Ralph Alexander Cochrane GBE KCB AFC RAF (24 February 1895–17 December 1977), the youngest son of the 1st Baron Cochrane of Cults, was a British pilot and Royal Air Force officer, perhaps best known for his role in Operation Chastise–the famous "Dambusters" raid.

Ralph Cochrane entered the Royal Navy in 1908. During the First World War, Cochrane served in airships. In January 1920, he was removed from the Navy List and awarded a commission in the RAF. During the interbellum, Cochrane served in various staff positions and commanded no. 3 Squadron and no. 8 Squadron. He attended the RAF Staff College in 1925 and the Imperial Defence College in 1935. On April 1, 1937, Cochrane was appointed Chief of the Air Staff of the Royal New Zealand Air Force.

During the Second World War, Cochrane commanded No. 7 Group, No. 3 Group and from 1943 to 1945 No. 5 Group, all in RAF Bomber Command. Cochrane's outstanding virtue as a Bomber Group Commander was his receptivness to new ideas and innovations, from whatever source they came. He could be arrogant, but had no professional conceit. 5 Group became the most efficient and elite Main Force bomber group, second only to 8 Group, the 'Pathfinders'. There was intense, sometimes openly hostile, rivalry between Cochrane and Air Vice Marshal Donald Bennett, who saw Cochrane's experimentation with low-level target marking in 1944 as a direct threat to his specialist squadron's reputation. Cochrane had good claim to be not only the most outstanding group AOC of the war, but the best bomber commander in the RAF.

In February 1945, Cochrane became commanding officer of RAF Transport Command, a position he held until 1947, when he became commanding officer Flying Training Command. In 1950 Cochrane was appointed Vice Chief of the Air Staff. Ralph Cochrane retired from the service in 1952. Following his retirement, Cochrane entered the business world.

Reference

[Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation - Air Chf Mshl Cochrane]

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