Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation

Air Marshal Sir Charles Guest (17013)

Charles Edward Neville        b: 4 Oct 1900               r: 29 Aug 1956                     d: 23 Jun 1977

KBE - 1 Jan 1954 (CBE - 1 Jan 1945, OBE - 23 Jun 1936), CB - 13 Jun 1946, MiD - 24 Sep 1941, MiD - 1 Jan 1942.

Plt Off (P): 21 Aug 1922, Plt Off: 21 Feb 1923, Fg Off: 21 Feb 1924, Flt Lt: 1 Jul 1928, Sqn Ldr: 1 Apr 1936, Wg Cdr: 1 Mar 1939, (T) Gp Capt: 1 Sep 1941, Act A/Cdre: 12 Dec 1943?, (T) A/Cdre: 1 Oct 1944, Gp Capt: 1 Dec 1944, Act AVM: 14 Mar 1945, (T) AVM: 1 Jan 1946, A/Cdre (WS): 14 Mar 1946, A/Cdre: 1 Apr 1946, AVM: 1 Jan 1948, AM: 1 Jul 1953 [1 Jan 1953].

xx xxx 1918:            Airman, RAF.

21 Aug 1922:          U/T Pilot

14 Sep 1923:          Pilot, No 30 Sqn.

 1 Jul 1927:             Test Pilot, 'C' Flight, No 15 Sqn. (Various – Martlesham Heath)

14 Jan 1929:           Test Pilot, No 22 Sqn. (Various – Martlesham Heath)

20 Oct 1930:          PA to Director of Operations and Intelligence.

 4 Dec 1933:           Attended Refresher flying course, CFS

22 Jan 1934:           Attended RAF Staff College.

xx xxx xxxx:            Staff Officer, Directorate of Operations and Intelligence

 9 Feb 1935:           Flight Commander, No 8 Sqn (Vincent – Aden)

27 Apr 1936:          Officer Commanding, No 12 Sqn. (Hart/Hind – Aden/Andover)

2 Dec 1937:            Seconded to British Military Mission, Egypt.

 1 Dec 1940:           SASO, HQ No 202 Group.

xx xxx 1941:           SASO, HQ No 204 Group.

15 Sep 1942:          Deputy Director of Organisation (1).

16 Dec 1943:          AOC, No 229 Group.

xx Nov 1945:          Air Officer, Transport Command, South-East Asia.

 3 Mar 1946:           SASO, HQ Air Command South East Asia

15 Jan 1947:           AOC, No 1 Group.

 6 Dec 1948:           Assistant Chief of the Air Staff (Operations).

 3 Jun 1952:            AOC in C, Transport Command.

19 Apr 1954:          Inspector-General of the RAF. (until 31 Jul 1956)

Educated at King Edwards School, Birmingham.  In 1929 whilst serving as a test pilot at the A. & A.E.E. (No 22 Sqn) he was a member of a two man aerobatic team equipped with Gloster Grebes using smoke.

As Inspector-General he carried out a review of the Accident Investigation Organisation in order to improve the RAF’s safety record at the time.  He was a representative of the RAF at the funeral of King George VI.  

Immediately on retiring from the RAF, he was appointed as a Additional Aeronautical Adviser to the Ministry of Transport and Civil Aviation.  From 1961, he acted as Advisor to BOAC on Flight Safety.

This page was last updated on 11/10/19

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