Eric Betts

Who was Eric Betts?

Air Vice Marshal Eric Bourne Coulter Betts began his career in the Royal Naval Air Service during the First World War. He became flying ace credited with six aerial victories, although acedom was incidental to his more important mission of long range photographic reconnaissance, for which he was decorated.

He remained in military service postwar, rising through the officer's ranks of the Royal Air Force to the rank of group captain just before the Second World War began. As that war started, he was a very influential participant in the United Kingdom's effort to gear up for the conflict; his 16 early forecasts of needed personnel and logistic requirements for the Royal Air Force were accurate within a five percent margin.

Later in the war, having been promoted to air vice-marshal, he was in charge of administration for Middle East Command. He retired in that rank postwar, on 10 March 1946. He died on 30 March 1971.