The statue of Royal Air Force Air Chief Marshal Lord Dowding, outside St Clement Danes RAF church, on 17th April 2018, in London, England. Hugh Caswall Tremenheere Dowding, 1st Baron Dowding, GCB, GCVO, CMG 24 April 1882 – 15 February 1970 was an officer in the Royal Air Force. He served as a fighter pilot and then as commanding officer of No. 16 Squadron during the First World War. During the inter-war years he became Air Officer Commanding Fighting Area, Air Defence of Great Britain and then joined the Air Council as Air Member for Supply and Research. He was Air Officer Commanding RAF Fighter Command during the Battle of Britain and is generally credited with playing a crucial role in Britains defence, and hence, the defeat of Adolf Hitlers plan to invade Britain.