Air Vice Marshal Cuthbert Trelawder MacLean, CB, DSO, MC (18 October 1886 – 25 February 1969) was a Royal Air Force officer who served as Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief at Middle East Command from 1934 to 1938.

Air Vice Marshal

Cuthbert MacLean

Born(1886-10-18)18 October 1886
Whanganui, New Zealand
Died25 February 1969(1969-02-25) (aged 82)
AllegianceUnited Kingdom
Service / branchBritish Army (1914–18)
Royal Air Force (1918–40)
Years of service1914–1940
RankAir Vice Marshal
CommandsNo. 2 (Bomber) Group (1938–40)
Middle East Command (1934–38)
Aden Command (1929–31)
RAF Heliopolis (1928–29)
RAF Hinaidi (1925–28)
No. 5 Flying Training School (1923–25)
13th Wing (1917–18)
No. 11 Squadron (1917)
Battles / warsFirst World War
Second World War
AwardsCompanion of the Order of the Bath
Distinguished Service Order
Military Cross
Mentioned in Despatches (2)
Knight of the Legion of Honour (France)

RAF career

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Educated at Wanganui Collegiate School[1] and Auckland University College in New Zealand,[2] MacLean served in the First World War in the 7th Royal Fusiliers[3] and was seconded to the Royal Flying Corps in 1915.[4] He was awarded his aviator's certificate in October 1915[3] and successively served as a flight, squadron, wing and brigade commander.[5] He received the Distinguished Service Order for distinguished service in France.[6]

He went on to be Air Officer Commanding British Forces Aden in 1929 and Director of Postings at the Air Ministry in 1931 before becoming Air Officer Commanding Middle East Command in 1934.[4] He was appointed Air Officer Commanding No. 2 (Bomber) Group in 1938 and served in that role in the early stages of the Second World War before retiring in 1940.[4]

He was awarded the rank of Chevalier in the Légion d'honneur.[2]

References

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  1. ^ Wanganui Collegiate School
  2. ^ a b Encyclopaedia of New Zealand 1966
  3. ^ a b Grace's Guide
  4. ^ a b c Liddell Hart Centre for Military Archives
  5. ^ "Air Vice-Marshal C T MacLean". Air of Authority – A History of RAF Organisation. Retrieved 9 August 2016.
  6. ^ "Pro Patria Project". Archived from the original on 12 July 2011. Retrieved 13 February 2011.
Military offices
Preceded by Brigadier-General Commanding 1st Brigade RFC
Temporary appointment

19 – 21 January 1918
Succeeded by
Preceded by Commander Aden Command
1929–1931
Succeeded by
Preceded by Air Officer Commanding Middle East Command
1934–1938
Succeeded by
Preceded by Air Officer Commanding No. 2 (Bomber) Group
1938–1940
Succeeded by