GODDARD, AM Sir (Robert) Victor (1897-1987)

'Epic violet', a draft memoir covering his service with the Air Ministry and the BEF, 1939-1940, notably pre-war air intelligence, the 'phoney war' and air reconnaissance in France, Sep 1939-Apr 1940, the German invasion of France, May 1940, and the evacuation of UK troops from Dunkirk, May-June 1940, written in [1957]. 'Skies to Dunkirk', a memoir based on the above draft, published in 1982.

Born in 1897; educated at Royal Naval Colleges, Osbourne and Dartmouth, Jesus College, Cambridge and Imperial College of Science, London; joined RN, 1910; served World War One with RN, Royal Navy Air Service, Royal Flying Corps and RAF; transferred to RAF, 1918; RAF Staff College, 1929; commanded RAF Mosul, 1930; RN Staff College, 1934; Wing Cdr, 1935; Deputy Director of Intelligence, Air Ministry, 1938-1939; Group Capt, 1938; Air Officer in charge of Administration, later Senior Air Staff Officer, General HQ, BEF, France, 1939-1940; Deputy Director of Plans, later Director of Military Cooperation, Air Ministry, 1940-1941; Chief of the Air Staff, New Zealand, and Commander Royal New Zealand Air Force, South Pacific, 1941-1943; Air Officer in charge of Administration, Air Command, South East Asia, 1943-1946; Deputy Head of RAF Delegation to USA, 1946-1948; member of Air Council for Technical Services, 1948-1951; retired 1951; Principal of College of Aeronautics, Cranfield, 1951-1954; publication of The enigma of menace, (1959), Flight towards reality, (1975), and Skies to Dunkirk, (1982); died in 1987.

Arranged in sections as above.

Open, subject to signature of reader's undertaking form.

Presented to the Centre by Goddard in 1975 and 1982.

Summary guide entry on-line at http://www.kcl.ac.uk/iss/archives/cats/, and detailed catalogue available in hard copy in the Centre's reading room.

The National Archives holds an account of his war experiences, 1914-1918, written as staff college assignment (AIR 1/2390/228/11/130). Liddle Collection, Leeds University holds papers relating to his service in World War One and Imperial War Museum Department of Sound holds recordings of interviews with Goddard.

Copies, subject to the condition of the original, may be supplied for research use only. Requests to publish original material should be submitted to the Trustees of the Liddell Hart Centre for Military Archives, attention of the College Archivist.