On 30 November 1937, having had a few weeks initial officer training, he was granted a short-service commission in the RAF. In August 1938 he was assigned to
No. 17 Squadron, learning the rudiments of being a fighter pilot in
Gloster Gauntlets. The Squadron was re-equipped with
Hawker Hurricanes in June 1939.
Second World War In April 1940 Bird-Wilson was back on active service, in time to fly Hurricanes for the British retreat from France in the following weeks. he became the 40th kill of
Luftwaffe ace
Adolf Galland of
JG 26. Baling out on fire, he landed in the Thames and was picked up by a navy boat. Yet again he was hospitalised. In 1941 he went back into service as an instructor at
No. 56 Operational Training Unit (OTU) before seeing action flying
Spitfires with
No. 234 Squadron RAF, participating in raids over northern
France. He returned for a spell commanding a unit at No. 56 OTU later in the year. In 1942 he commanded
No. 152 Squadron RAF and
No. 66 Squadron RAF as they led fighter escorts for bombing raids to the northern European coast, moving on to lead Wings in 1943. In 1944 he attended command training in the US at
Fort Leavenworth, before returning to action over the
Normandy Invasion. He ended the war commanding No. 1335 Jet Conversion Unit, the first jet unit in the RAF.
Post-war career For many years after the war Bird-Wilson held a variety of posts in the Central Flying Establishment. In 1946 he was given command of the air fighting development squadron. In 1948 he moved to Middle East operations, becoming personal staff officer to Air Chief Marshal
Sir John Baker, Middle East Air Force Commander-in-Chief in 1949. In 1954, he joined the British Joint Services Mission in
Washington, D.C. He returned to be Station Commander at
RAF Coltishall from June 1959 to November 1961, then held a post at the
Air Ministry from 1961 to 1963; before two years commanding the
Central Flying School; and a further two years as air officer commanding Hong Kong, 1965–1967. In 1967 he took up a post at the Ministry of Technology. From 1970 to March 1973, his penultimate posting was commanding
No. 23 Group RAF in
RAF Training Command, responsible for flying training. Finally, he commanded the Southern Maritime Air Region (
No. 18 Group RAF, Strike Command) until 1 June 1974, when he retired at his own request. He died on 27 December 2000. ==Family==