Charles Steele (RAF officer)

Air Marshal Sir Charles Ronald Steele, KCB, DFC, DL (9 November 1897 – 14 February 1973) was a Royal Air Force officer who became Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief at Coastal Command from 1950 to 1952.

Sir Charles Ronald Steele
Born(1897-11-09)9 November 1897
Netheredge, West Riding of Yorkshire
Died14 February 1973(1973-02-14) (aged 75)
Trumpington, Cambridgeshire
AllegianceUnited Kingdom
Service / branchBritish Army (1916–18)
Royal Air Force (1918–52)
Years of service1916–1952
RankAir Marshal
CommandsCoastal Command (1950–52)
AHQ Malta (1947–49)
No. 85 Group (1944–45)
No. 10 Group (1943–44)
No. 9 Group (1942)
No. 18 Squadron (1936–37)
Battles / warsFirst World War
Second World War
AwardsKnight Commander of the Order of the Bath
Distinguished Flying Cross
Mentioned in Despatches
Commander of the Royal Order of George I with Swords (Greece)
Commander of the Legion of Honour (France)
Croix de guerre (France)
Commander of the Order of the Crown (Belgium)
Croix de guerre (Belgium)

RAF career

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Educated at Oundle School and the Royal Military College, Sandhurst, Steele was commissioned into the Green Howards in 1916.[1] He transferred into the Royal Flying Corps and became a flying ace credited with seven aerial victories.[2] He transferred into the Royal Air Force after the First World War and was granted a permanent commission on 1 August 1919.[1] He was appointed Officer Commanding No. 18 Squadron in 1936 and served in the Second World War, initially on the Air Staff at Headquarters No. 3 Group, and then at the Rhodesian Air Training Group before being appointed Senior Air Staff Officer and then temporary Air Officer Commanding at No. 9 Group.[1] He went on to be Air Officer Commanding No. 10 Group and then Air Officer Commanding No. 85 Group.[1] He was made Senior Air Staff Officer at the Headquarters of the British Air Forces of Occupation in Germany in July 1945.[1] He became Air Officer Commanding AHQ Malta in 1947 and Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief at Coastal Command in 1950 before retiring in 1952.[1]

References

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Military offices
Preceded by Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief Coastal Command
1950–1952
Succeeded by