Charles Steele

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.

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]