Sir Brian Edmund Baker , was an officer of the Royal Air Force who served in both World Wars. He was a flying ace in World War I credited, in conjunction with his gunners, with twelve victories, comprising one enemy aircraft captured, four destroyed, and seven "out of control".
On 9 January 1915 Baker received a commission as a temporary second lieutenant, in the 15th Battalion of the Rifle Brigade. In August 1915, Baker was transferred into the Royal Flying Corps, and received the Royal Aero Club Aviator's Certificate No. 1938 at the military flying school at Montrose on 25 October 1915. On 7 December 1915 Baker was assigned to the General List, attached to the Royal Flying Corps, and appointed a flying officer. With only 12 hours of flight time in his log book, he was posted to No. 13 Squadron in France, flying the BE.2 aircraft. On 6 February 1917, although still only a second lieutenant, he was appointed a flight commander, with the temporary rank of captain, in the newly formed No. 48 Squadron, flying the Bristol F.2B. Between June and November 1917 he gained 12 victories:
After the war he remained with the RAF, serving as an instructor at the School of Technical Training. He trained as a flying instructor at the Central Flying School and in December 1921 was assigned to No. 4 Flying Training School at RAF Abu Sueir, Egypt. He later served on the staff of the Directorate of Training, before being appointed Officer Commanding, Aden Flight, in February 1924. In April 1925 he returned to No. 4 FTS as instructor and commander. He was promoted from flight lieutenant to squadron leader on 1 July 1925. Baker was appointed Officer Commanding the Experimental Section at the Royal Aircraft Establishment in March 1926, and Officer Commanding No. 32 Squadron at Biggin Hill in December 1929. In December 1932 he was promoted to wing commander, and appointed chief flying instructor at RAF Leuchars. Baker served aboard the aircraft carrier in 1934, and was senior RAF officer aboard from May 1935. He was appointed station commander at RAF Gosport in April 1937, with the rank of group captain from 1 July 1937, and then served as station commander at Leuchars from September 1938.
Baker was a keen cricketer, and as a right-handed batsman, he played for Haileybury College nine times between 1912 and 1914, and twice for Hertfordshire in the Minor Counties Championship in August 1914. Between 1925 and 1932 he made thirteen appearances for the Royal Air Force cricket team, eight at first-class level, and served as Team Captain between 1928 and 1930. He was also a member of the RAF hockey team in 1927.
