Air Chief Marshal Sir William Geoffrey Hanson Salmond, (19 August 1878 – 27 April 1933) was a senior commander in the Royal Flying Corps during the First World War. Remaining in the Royal Air Force after the war, he held senior appointments in the Middle East, Great Britain and India. In late 1928 and early 1929, he directed the evacuation from Kabul of British embassy staff and others, by air. In 1933, Salmond served as Chief of the Air Staff for only a matter of days before being taken ill and subsequently dying from cancer. Early life and education Geoffrey Salmond was born on 19 August 1878 to Major General Sir William Salmond and Emma Mary Salmond (née Hoyle). His siblings included a brother, John, and a sister Gwen. He was educated at Wellington College in Berkshire before joining the Army. Royal Artillery service Salmond joined the British Army, undertaking his officer training at Royal Military Academy Woolwich around 1897. He was commissioned into the Royal Artillery on 23 June 1898 and saw active service during the Second Boer War. He took part in the relief of Ladysmith and the operations on the Tugela Heights. He received he Queen's Medal and seven clasps, then on 10 November 1900 he was sent to China and gained a medal for the operations during the Boxer Rebellion there. He was seconded to study Japanese on 2 May 1905 and promoted to captain on 2 December 1905. He was then appointed Adjutant with the Royal Field Artillery on 4 February 1908. Then in 1911 he attended the Staff College, Camberley. Royal Flying Corps service Salmond was awarded Royal Aero Club Aviator's Certificate no. 421 on 18 February 1913, and then joined the reserve of the Royal Flying Corps on 17 April 1913. He became a staff office at the War Office on 31 July 1913, a staff officer in the Directorate of Military Aeronautics on 31 August 1913 and then a staff officer at Headquarters Royal Flying Corps in France on 4 August 1914. Salmond went on to take up the post of Officer Commanding No. 1 Squadron RFC on 26 January 1915. In the First World War the squadron operated over the Western Front and Salmond and his squadron took part in the Battle of Neuve Chapelle, including the Battle of Hill 60 and the Battle of Aubers Ridge. He was appointed a