Charles Steele (RAF officer)

Sir Charles Ronald Steele
Sir Charles Ronald Steele
Born	9 November 1897; Netheredge, West Riding of Yorkshire
Died	14 February 1973 (aged 75); Trumpington, Cambridgeshire
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Service / branch	British Army (1916–18); Royal Air Force (1918–52)
Years of service	1916–1952
Rank	Air Marshal
Commands	Coastal 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 / wars	First World War; Second World War
Awards	Knight 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)

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.

RAF career

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

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f Air of Authority – A History of RAF Organisation – Air Marshal Sir Charles Steele
^ Charles Steele The Aerodrome

Military offices
Preceded by Sir John Baker	Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief Coastal Command 1950–1952	Succeeded by Sir Alick Stevens

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[air-1] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f Air of Authority – A History of RAF Organisation – Air Marshal Sir Charles Steele

[2] Charles Steele The Aerodrome

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