A Earle

Air Chief Marshal Sir Alfred Earle (26132)

Sir Alfred Earle Alfred b: 11 Dec 1907 r: 6 Jun 1966 d: 27 Mar 1990

GBE - 1 Jan 1966 (KBE - 1 Jan 1961, CBE - 1 Jan 1946), CB - 2 Jan 1956.

Plt Off: 14 Dec 1929, Fg Off: 14 Jun 1931, Flt Lt: 14 Jun 1935, Sqn Ldr: 1 Jul 1938, (T) Wg Cdr: 1 Dec 1940, Act Gp Capt: 7 Feb 1943, (T) Gp Capt: 1 Jul 1943, Wg Cdr (WS): 7 Sep 1943, Act A/Cdre: 31 Jul 1945, Gp Capt (WS): 31 Jan 1946, Wg Cdr: 1 Oct 1946, Gp Capt: 1 Jul 1947, A/Cdre: 1 Jul 1952, AVM: 1 Jan 1955, Act AM: 17 Dec 1959, AM: 1 Jul 1960, ACM: 1 Apr 1964.

Sir Alfred Earle

by Godfrey Argent
bromide print, 21 April 1970
NPG x13361

xx xxx xxxx: Aircraft Apprentice, No 1 School of Technical Training, RAF Halton.

12 Jan 1928: Flight Cadet, 'A' Sqn, RAF College.

14 Dec 1929: Appointed to a Permanent Commission.

14 Dec 1929: Pilot, No 100 Sqn.

xx xxx 1930: Attended School of Photography?.

7 Oct 1930: Photographic officer/Pilot, No 55 Sqn.

11 Feb 1932: Admitted to SSQ, RAF Amman with nose injury

14 Apr 1932: Supernumerary - Non effective (Sick), RAF Depot.

13 Jun 1932: Supernumerary, RAF Depot.

1 Oct 1932: Photographic officer/Pilot, No 35 Sqn.

1 Jan - 15 Sep 1934: Attended Specialist Photographic Course, School of Photography.

12 Feb 1938: Command Photographic Officer, HQ RAF Far East

5 Dec 1938: Supernumerary, No 1 RAF Depot

23 Jan 1939: Attended RAF Staff College.

3 Oct 1939: Photographic Officer, Heston Flight

25 Oct 1939: Command Photographic Officer, HQ Training Command

xx xxx 1940: Photos 2, Deputy Directorate of Photography

25 Feb 1941: Air Staff, Directorate of Plans.

xx xxx 1942: Attended Conversion Course No 26 OTU

7 Nov 1942: Officer Commanding, No 428 (RCAF) Sqn.

7 Feb 1943: Officer Commanding, RAF ?

xx xxx 1943: Staff, War Cabinet Offices

31 Jul 1945: AOC, No 300 Group.

1 Jan 1946: AOC, No 232 Group.

xx xxx 1946: Directing Staff, RAF Staff College.

xx xxx 1950: Attended Imperial Defence College.

xx xxx 1951: Commandant, RAAF Staff College.

xx xxx 1954: Director of Policy (Air Staff)

1 Mar 1955: Assistant Chief of the Air Staff (Policy).

1 Jul 1957: AOC, No 13 Group.

xx xxx 1960: Deputy Chief of the Defence Staff.

12 Feb 1962: AOC in C, Technical Training Command

xx xxx 1964: Vice Chief of the Defence Staff

Leaving Shebbear College in Devon, he joined the RAF as a Aircraft Apprentice at Halton in 1922?. On completion of his training he was awarded a scholarship to the RAF College at Cranwell where he spent a further two years, attaining the rank of Flight Cadet Corporal, before graduating as a in 1929. It is believed that he suffered a broken nose in a flying accident in 1932, hence the period as 'Non-effective (Sick).'

In 1943 he was appointed to the Offices of the War Cabinet and accompanied Winston Churchill to both the Cairo and Yalta Conferences. His two years in the 'corridors of power' was followed by a move to Melbourne, Australia and command of a transport group, No 300, which was responsible for providing the air transport requirements of the Far Eastern area using three Dakota squadrons. Although operating in the Far East, No 300 Group was controlled directly by HQ Transport Command.

Following his retirement from the RAF in 1966 he took up the post of Director-General of Intelligence on the Defence Staff which he held until 1968. From 1974 to 1976 he was the Chairman of Waveney District Council.

This page was last updated on 25/10/23

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