ert ford shire ▁before ▁service ▁in ▁the ▁Royal ▁Air ▁Force ▁during ▁World ▁War ▁II ▁as ▁a ▁navig ator ▁initially ▁with ▁ 9 6 ▁Squadron ▁but ▁soon ▁after ▁with ▁ 2 5 5 ▁Squadron . ▁Wh ilst ▁with ▁ 2 5 5 , ▁Dra ke ▁fle w ▁night ▁pat rol s ▁in ▁Br istol ▁Beau fig h ter ▁aircraft ▁over ▁Africa ▁and ▁Italy ▁and ▁was ▁awarded ▁the ▁Dist ingu ished ▁F lying ▁Cross ▁following ▁a ▁number ▁of ▁success es ▁against ▁enemy ▁aircraft . ▁ ▁Career ▁Following ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁the ▁war , ▁Dra ke ▁completed ▁studies ▁at ▁Ex eter ▁College , ▁Oxford ▁in ▁juris pr ud ence . ▁He ▁was ▁called ▁to ▁the ▁Bar ▁at ▁Lincoln ' s ▁Inn ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 0 , ▁joining ▁ 4 ▁P aper ▁Build ings , ▁( l ater ▁H ail sh am ▁Ch amb ers ) ▁in ▁Inner ▁Temple . ▁Dra ke ▁later ▁took ▁sil k . ▁He ▁was ▁appointed ▁a ▁High ▁Court ▁Judge ▁of ▁the ▁Queen ’ s ▁Ben ch ▁Division ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 8 ▁where ▁one ▁of ▁his ▁first ▁cases ▁was ▁the ▁murder ▁of ▁Carl ▁Bridge water . ▁The ▁conv iction ▁was ▁over turn ed ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 7 ▁ ▁As ▁a ▁High ▁Court ▁judge , ▁Dra ke ▁pres ided ▁over ▁several ▁high - profile ▁def am ation ▁cases ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 0 s ▁including : ▁Don ovan ▁v ▁The ▁Face ▁( 1 9 9 3 ) ▁and ▁T ay l for th ▁v ▁News ▁Group