Air vice-marshal keith park

Air Chief Marshal Hugh Caswall Tremenheere Dowding, 1st Baron Dowding, GCB, GCVO, CMG, lived from 24 April 1882 to 15 February 1970. He is best remembered as the commander of RAF Fighter Command during the Battle of Britain. The wider picture in Scotland at the time is set out in our Historical Timeline.

Hugh Dowding was born in Moffat and began his education at St Ninian's Boys' Preparatory School in Moffat, which had been established by his father, Arthur Dowding. He later attended Winchester College and the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich, before joining the Army with a commission in the Royal Garrison Artillery.

Dowding was an early aviation enthusiast and gained his Fédération Aéronautique Internationale Aviator's Certificate, number 711, early on the morning of 20 December 1913 in a Vickers biplane at the Vickers Sir hugh dowding.