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Air Vice-Marshal W C C Gell (90580)


William Charles Coleman GellWilliam Charles Coleman

b: 10 Jul 1888                                                                                 d: 16 May 1969

CB – 8 Jun 1944, DSO – 1 Jan 1918, Bar – 3 Jun 1919 MC – 1 Jan 1917, TD – 13 Oct 1926, DL (Warwickshire) – 26 Aug 1931.

(TA): - 2 Lt: 12 May 1911, (T) Capt: xx xxx xxxx, Lt: xx xxx xxxx [16 Dec 1914], (T) Maj: 3 Oct 1916 – 28 Jun 1917, Capt: 28 Jun 1917 [1 Jun 1916], Act Lt Col: 18 May  – 25 Jul 1917; 15 – 23 Aug 1917, (T) Lt Col: 23 Aug 1917 - 8 Apr 1919, Bt Maj: 1 Jan 1919, Maj: 17 Dec 1920, Lt Col: 16 Feb 1924, Bt Col: 16 Feb 1928, Col: 16 Feb 1929 [16 Feb 1928]

(AuxAF): - Wg Cdr: 18 Jan 1939, (T) Gp Capt: 1 Sep 1940, Act A/Cdre: 1 Jan 1942, Gp Capt (WS): 1 Jul 1942, (T) A/Cdre: 1 Dec 1943, Act AVM: xx xxx xxxx – 12 Feb 1945, AVM: Retained.

William Charles Coleman Gell

by Walter Stoneman
bromide print, February 1944
NPG x169555

© National Portrait Gallery, London

xx xxx 1907:               Cadet Sergeant, Cambridge University (Gonville and Caius College) Contingent, Senior Division, Officer Training Corps.

12 May 1911:              Officer, 7th Battalion, Royal Warwickshire Regiment, TA

21 Jan 1912:               Officer, 5th/6th Battalion, Royal Warwickshire Regiment, TA

18 May 1917:              Officer Commanding, 5th/6th Battalion, Royal Warwickshire Regiment, TA

 6 Jul 1917:                 Officer Commanding, 5th/6th Battalion, Royal Warwickshire Regiment, TA

25 Jul 1917:                Officer, 5th/6th Battalion, Royal Warwickshire Regiment, TA

23 Aug 1917:              Officer Commanding, 5th/6th Battalion, Royal Warwickshire Regiment, TA

 8 Apr 1919:                Officer, 5th Battalion, Royal Warwickshire Regiment, TA

16 Feb 1924:               Officer Commanding, 5th Battalion, Royal Warwickshire Regiment, TA

16 Feb 1929:               Colonel, TA

xx xxx 1935:               Officer, Anti-Aircraft Service, Territorial Army

18 Jan 1939:                 Appointed to a Commission in the Auxiliary Air Force in the rank of Wing Commander.

18 Jan 1939:                 Officer Commanding, No 6 Balloon Centre, Auxiliary Air Force (Opened 13 Mar 1939)

 1 Jul 1941:                   AOC, No 30 (Balloon) Group

 1 Feb 1944:                AOC, Balloon Command

26 Mar 1945:               Resigned his Commission

He graduated from Cambridge University with a law degree in 1913.  Served in Italy during WW1 and afterwards practiced as a solicitor as a partner in Johnson & Company in Birmingham.

This page was last updated on 14/10/22

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