Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation

Air Vice-Marshal Sir Lionel McKean

Lionel Douglas Dalzell b: 11 Oct 1886 r: 21 May 1945 d: 28 Dec 1963

KBE - 14 Jun 1945 (OBE - 2 Jun 1923), CB - xx xxx 1942, MiD - 16 Dec 1919, MC1 (B) - 5 Nov 1943, PR2 - 12 Jun 1945, LoM (Cdr) - 5 Nov 1946, ON(GO)s - 2 Dec 1947.

For a list of foreign decoration abbreviations, click here

(RN): - Ass Clk: 15 Jul 1904, Clerk: 15 Jul 1905, Ass’t Pay: 11 Oct 1907, Pay: 1 Oct 1911, Flt Lt: 22 May 1915, Flt Cdr: 30 Jun 1917.

(RAF): - Lt: 1 Apr 1918, (H) Capt: 1 Apr 1918, Act Maj: 1 Sep 1918, Maj: 1 May - 4 Jun 1919, Flt Lt: 1 Aug 1919 [1 Apr 1918], Sqn Ldr: 1 Mar 1920, Wg Cdr: 1 Jul 1924, Gp Capt: 1 Jul 1931, A/Cdre: 1 Jul 1935, Act AVM (pd): 1 Dec 1939, (T) AVM: 10 Jan 1941, AVM: 6 Nov 1943.

15 Jul 1904: Assistant Clerk, HMS Drake.

xx Jan 1906: Clerk, HMS Foresight

27 Feb 1906: Clerk, HMS Spartiaz (Temporary)

20 Mar 1906: Clerk, HMS Montague

1 Oct 1906: Clerk, HMS Triumph

5 Mar 1907: Clerk, C-in-C's Staff, HMS King Edward VII

11 Oct 1907: Assistant Paymaster, HMS King Edward VII (Flag Ship, Channel Fleet)

30 Jun 1908: Assistant Paymaster, HMS Crescent

xx xxx 1908: Assistant Paymaster, HMS Tamar (Hong Kong)

5 Sep 1911: Assistant Paymaster, HMS Dido

2 M ay 1912: Assistant Paymaster, HMS Amethyst for duty with Captain (Destroyers), 8th Western Flottila

7 May 1913: HMS Hermes for service as Assistant Paymaster, Central Air Office

25 Dec 1913: HMS Pembroke for service as Assistant Paymaster, Central Air Office

1915 Pilot, RNAS Chingford

xx xxx 1915: Pilot, No 1 Sqn/Wing RNAS.

1915 Pilot, No 5 Sqn/Wing RNAS (Dover).

xx Oct 1915: Prisoner of War

xx Apr 1918: Pilot, No 251 Sqn. (DH6 – Hornsea)

1 Sep 1918: Officer Commanding?, No 265 Sqn

1 Aug 1919: Awarded Permanent Commission as a Captain

13 Nov 1919: Staff Officer 3rd Class (Technical), Directorate of Equipment.

22 Jan 1920: Removed from the Navy Lists on being awarded Permanent Commission in RAF

1 Apr 1921: Refresher Flying Course, No 24 Sqn.

20 Jun 1921: Staff Officer, Coastal Area Aircraft Depot.

1 Oct 1921: Officer Commanding, No 203 Sqn (Leuchars)

25 Apr 1922: Officer Commanding, Development Flight, RAF Base Gosport.

18 Sep 1924: Supernumerary, No 216 Sqn. (Vimy – Egypt)

1 Oct 1924: Officer Commanding, No 216 Sqn. (Vimy – Egypt)

18 Nov 1929: Staff, Directorate of Operations and Intelligence.

31 Aug 1931: Group Captain: i/c Administration, HQ RAF Halton.

26 Mar 1934: SASO, HQ Inland Area/RAF.

10 Jul 1936: SASO, HQ Training Command.

1 Dec 1939: AOC, No 20 Group.

xx Mar 1940: Liaison Officer-in-Chief, UK Air Liaison Mission, Canada.

1 Jan 1941: Gazetted for rendering valuable services in connection with the war

11 Oct 1943: Retired and re-employed

Educated at Colwyn Bay, he was awarded RAeC Certificate No 1159 on 10 April 1915 and received a Mention in Despatches for valuable services whilst in captivity. He married Phyllis Maude Warren at Epsom Parish Church on 7 January 1920.

His knighthood was awarded for his work in Canada connected with the establishment of the Commonwealth Air Training Plan.

Recommendation for the award of Officer of the Order of the British Empire

McKEAN, Lionel Douglas Dalzell, S/L - awarded as per London Gazette dated 2 June 1923 in King's Birthday List. Public Record Office (provided courtesy of Ann Sadler) has the recommendation.

"For exceptional devotion to duty and outstanding leadership and initiative in practice torpedo attacks against ships of the Royal Navy.

He has made a close study of the tactics to be employed in making torpedo attacks, and on all occasions he has himself led the attack.

He is a very zealous officer and has worked extremely hard to increase the efficiency of his squadron."

(Source - Air 30/54)

This page was last updated on 19/12/22

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