Charles Steele (RAF officer)

For other people named Charles Steele, see Charles Steele (disambiguation).

Charles Ronald Steele
Born	(1897-11-09)9 November 1897 Netheredge, South Yorkshire
Died	14 February 1973(1973-02-14) (aged 75) Trumpington, Cambridgeshire
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Service/branch	British Army (1916–1918) Royal Air Force (1918–1952)
Rank	Air Marshal
Commands held	No. 18 Squadron No. 9 Group No. 10 Group No. 85 Group AHQ Malta Coastal Command
Battles/wars	Second World War
Awards	Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath Distinguished Flying Cross

Air Marshal Sir Charles Ronald Steele KCB DFC (9 November 1897 – 14 February 1973) was a Royal Air Force officer who became Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief at RAF Coastal Command.

RAF career

Educated at Oundle School and the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, Steele was commissioned into the Green Howards in 1916. He transferred into the Royal Flying Corps and became a flying ace credited with seven aerial victories. He transferred into the Royal Air Force after the First World War and was granted a permanent commission on 1 August 1919. 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. He went on to be Air Officer Commanding No. 10 Group and then Air Officer Commanding No. 85 Group. He was made Senior Air Staff Officer at the Headquarters of the British Air Forces of Occupation in Germany in July 1945. He became Air Officer Commanding AHQ Malta in 1947 and Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief at RAF Coastal Command in 1950 before retiring in 1952.