Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation

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Air Chief Marshal Sir John Steel

John Miles                    b: 11 Sep 1877              r: 12 Sep 1937                        d: 2 Dec 1965

GCB - 11 May 1937 (KCB - 1 Jan 1935, CB - 3 Jun 1922), KBE - 3 Jul 1926 [5 Jun 1926] (CBE - 1 Jan 1919), CMG - 3 Jun 1919, MiD - 10 Sep 1901, MiD - 15 Sep 1916 (2), SS2S - 5 Jun 1917.

For a list of foreign decoration abbreviations, click here

(RN): - Sub Lt: xx xxx 1897, Lt: 30 Jun 1900, Cdr: 30 Jun 1912, Capt: 31 Dec 1916.

(RAF): -  (T) Brig-Gen [Lt Col]: 1 Apr 1918, Col: 1 Apr 1918, Act Brig-Gen: 1 May 1919, Gp Capt: 1 Aug 1919,  A/Cdre: 5 Aug 1919,  AVM: 1 Jan 1925, AM: 1 Jan 1932,  ACM: 1 Jul 1936, AVM: 28 Aug 1939.

xx xxx 1892:   Attended Britannia Naval College.

xx xxx xxxx:   Midshipman, Royal Navy.

xx xxx 1897:   Officer, Royal Navy.

xx xxx 1899:   Officer, Royal Naval Brigade (Relief of Ladysmith)

xx xxx xxxx:   Officer, Expedition to the Gambia River.

xx xxx xxxx:    Officer, HMS Cumberland (Training Ship for Cadets - 1908)

xx xxx 1912:   Officer, Grand Fleet.

 1 Feb 1914:   2 i/c, HMS Conqueror. (Battle of Jutland)

xx Feb 1917:    Officer Commanding, RNAS Eastchurch.

xx xxx 1918:    Officer Commanding, No 58 Wing - Eastchurch.

 1 Apr 1918:     GOC, No 8 Group.

27 Nov 1918?: Officer Commanding, No 29 Group.

xx xxx 1919:     Director of Air Division, Admiralty.

 1 Aug 1919:    Awarded Permanent Commission as a Colonel

8 Sep 1919:     Director of Operations and Intelligence.

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

12 Apr 1926:   AOC, Wessex Bombing Area.

 6 Feb 1931:    AOC, RAF India.

21 - 31 Jul 1935:    Placed on half pay list, scale A.

 1 Aug 1935:    AOC in C, Air Defence of Great Britain.

14 Jul 1936:     AOC in C, Bomber Command.

12 Sep 1937 - 27 Aug 1939:    Retired List

28 Aug 1939     AOC, Reserve Command.

27 May 1940:    Reverted to Retired List.

15 Apr 1941:    Controller-General of Economy, Air Ministry

26 Sep 1945:    Reverted to Retired List

He did not learn to fly until Mar 1918, at the age of 40, having commanded Eastchurch for a year previously.  On 28 January 1936 he was a mourner at the funeral of HM King George V.  Recalled to service, voluntarily assuming the rank of AVM 28 August 1939 to 27 May 1940 and then again from 15 April 1941 to 26 September 1945, although he remained listed as Air Chief Marshal in the Air Force Lists..