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{{short description|Royal Air Force air marshal (1913–1979)}}
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[[Air Marshal]] '''Sir William Edward Coles''' {{postnominals|country=GBR|size=100%|sep=,|KBE|CB|DSO|DFC}} & [[Medal bar|Bar]], [[Air Force Cross (United Kingdom)|AFC]] (26 July 1913 – 7 June 1979) was a [[Royal Air Force]] officer who served as Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief [[RAF Technical Training Command|Technical Training Command]] from 1966 to 1968. Coles was also a [[Great Britain|British]] [[bobsled]]der who competed in the late 1940s as part of an RAF team.
[[Air Marshal]] '''Sir William Edward Coles''' {{postnominals|country=GBR|size=100%|sep=,|KBE|CB|DSO|DFC1|AFC}} (26 July 1913 – 7 June 1979) was a [[Royal Air Force]] officer who served as Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief [[RAF Technical Training Command|Technical Training Command]] from 1966 to 1968. Coles was also a [[Great Britain|British]] [[bobsled]]der who competed in the late 1940s as part of an RAF team.


==RAF career==
==RAF career==
Coles joined the Royal Air Force in 1938.<ref name=air>[http://www.rafweb.org/Biographies/Coles.htm Air of Authority – A History of RAF Organisation – Air Marshal Sir William Coles]</ref> He served in the [[Second World War]] as [[Officer Commanding]] [[No. 117 Squadron RAF|No. 117 Squadron]] and as Officer Commanding [[No. 233 Squadron RAF|No. 233 Squadron]].<ref name=air/> After the war he became a Staff Officer at the [[Air Ministry]] before joining the [[Central Flying School]].<ref name=air/> He was appointed Station Commander at [[RAF Middleton St. George]] in 1950, Chief Flying Instructor at the Central Flying School in 1951 and Air Adviser to the [[List of High Commissioners of the United Kingdom to Australia|High Commissioner to Australia]] in 1953.<ref name=air/> He went on to be Senior Air Staff Officer at Headquarters [[No. 3 Group RAF|No. 3 (Bomber) Group]] in 1957, Air Officer Commanding [[No. 23 Group RAF|No. 23 (Training) Group]] in 1960 and Director-General of RAF Personal Services in 1963.<ref name=air/> His last appointment was as Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief [[RAF Technical Training Command|Technical Training Command]] in 1966 before retiring in 1968.<ref name=air/>
Coles joined the Royal Air Force in 1938.<ref name=air>[http://www.rafweb.org/Biographies/Coles.htm Air of Authority – A History of RAF Organisation – Air Marshal Sir William Coles]</ref> He served in the [[Second World War]] as [[Officer Commanding]] [[No. 117 Squadron RAF|No. 117 Squadron]] and as Officer Commanding [[No. 233 Squadron RAF|No. 233 Squadron]].<ref name=air/> After the war he became a Staff Officer at the [[Air Ministry]] before joining the [[Central Flying School]].<ref name=air/> He was appointed Station Commander at [[RAF Middleton St. George]] in 1950, Chief Flying Instructor at the Central Flying School in 1951 and Air Adviser to the [[List of High Commissioners of the United Kingdom to Australia|High Commissioner to Australia]] in 1953.<ref name=air/> He went on to be Senior Air Staff Officer at Headquarters [[No. 3 Group RAF|No. 3 (Bomber) Group]] in 1957, Air Officer Commanding [[No. 23 Group RAF|No. 23 (Training) Group]] in 1960 and Director-General of RAF Personal Services in 1963.<ref name=air/> His last appointment was as Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief [[RAF Technical Training Command|Technical Training Command]] in 1966 before retiring in 1968.<ref name=air/>

He was the subject of ''[[This Is Your Life (British TV series)|This Is Your Life]]'' in 1974 when he was surprised by [[Eamonn Andrews]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0767773/|title=Sir William Coles|publisher=IMDB|access-date=18 September 2021}}</ref>


In retirement he became President of the [[Not Forgotten Association]]<ref>[http://www.nfassociation.org/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/NFA-Annual-Review-2010.pdf Not Forgotten Association] Annual Review 2010</ref> and Controller of the [[RAF Benevolent Fund]].<ref>[http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1969/1969%20-%203100.html World News] Flight International, 30 October 1969</ref>
In retirement he became President of the [[Not Forgotten Association]]<ref>[http://www.nfassociation.org/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/NFA-Annual-Review-2010.pdf Not Forgotten Association] Annual Review 2010</ref> and Controller of the [[RAF Benevolent Fund]].<ref>[http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1969/1969%20-%203100.html World News] Flight International, 30 October 1969</ref>
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{{s-bef|before=[[Colin Scragg]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[No. 23 Group RAF|Air Officer Commanding No. 23 Group]]|years=1960–1963}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Peter Philpott (RAF officer)|Peter Philpott]]}}
|-
{{s-bef|before=[[Donald Randall Evans|Sir Donald Evans]]}}
{{s-bef|before=[[Donald Randall Evans|Sir Donald Evans]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief [[RAF Technical Training Command|Technical Training Command]]|years=1966–1968}}
{{s-ttl|title=Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief [[RAF Technical Training Command|Technical Training Command]]|years=1966–1968}}
{{s-non|reason=Post disbanded}}
{{s-non|reason=Command disbanded}}
{{end}}
{{end}}


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[[Category:Companions of the Order of the Bath]]
[[Category:Companions of the Order of the Bath]]
[[Category:Knights Commander of the Order of the British Empire]]
[[Category:Knights Commander of the Order of the British Empire]]
[[Category:Bobsledders at the 1948 Winter Olympics]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Air Force Cross (United Kingdom)]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Air Force Cross (United Kingdom)]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Distinguished Flying Cross and Bar (United Kingdom)]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Distinguished Flying Cross (United Kingdom)]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Distinguished Flying Cross (United States)]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Distinguished Flying Cross (United States)]]
[[Category:Royal Air Force air marshals]]
[[Category:Royal Air Force air marshals]]

Latest revision as of 15:04, 16 November 2024

Sir William Coles
Born(1913-07-26)26 July 1913
Died7 June 1979(1979-06-07) (aged 65)
Allegiance United Kingdom
Service / branch Royal Air Force
Years of service1938–1968
RankAir Marshal
CommandsTechnical Training Command (1966–68)
No. 23 (Training) Group (1960–63)
RAF Middleton St. George (1950–51)
No. 233 Squadron (1944–45)
No. 117 Squadron (1943–44)
Battles / warsSecond World War
AwardsKnight Commander of the Order of the British Empire
Companion of the Order of the Bath
Distinguished Service Order
Distinguished Flying Cross & Bar
Air Force Cross
Distinguished Flying Cross (United States)

Air Marshal Sir William Edward Coles KBE, CB, DSO, DFC & Bar, AFC (26 July 1913 – 7 June 1979) was a Royal Air Force officer who served as Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief Technical Training Command from 1966 to 1968. Coles was also a British bobsledder who competed in the late 1940s as part of an RAF team.

RAF career

[edit]

Coles joined the Royal Air Force in 1938.[1] He served in the Second World War as Officer Commanding No. 117 Squadron and as Officer Commanding No. 233 Squadron.[1] After the war he became a Staff Officer at the Air Ministry before joining the Central Flying School.[1] He was appointed Station Commander at RAF Middleton St. George in 1950, Chief Flying Instructor at the Central Flying School in 1951 and Air Adviser to the High Commissioner to Australia in 1953.[1] He went on to be Senior Air Staff Officer at Headquarters No. 3 (Bomber) Group in 1957, Air Officer Commanding No. 23 (Training) Group in 1960 and Director-General of RAF Personal Services in 1963.[1] His last appointment was as Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief Technical Training Command in 1966 before retiring in 1968.[1]

He was the subject of This Is Your Life in 1974 when he was surprised by Eamonn Andrews.[2]

In retirement he became President of the Not Forgotten Association[3] and Controller of the RAF Benevolent Fund.[4]

Sport

[edit]

At the 1948 Winter Olympics in St. Moritz, he finished fifth in the two-man and seventh in the four-man events.[5]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c d e f Air of Authority – A History of RAF Organisation – Air Marshal Sir William Coles
  2. ^ "Sir William Coles". IMDB. Retrieved 18 September 2021.
  3. ^ Not Forgotten Association Annual Review 2010
  4. ^ World News Flight International, 30 October 1969
  5. ^ 1948 bobsleigh two-man results; 1948 bobsleigh four-man results; British Olympic Association profile
Military offices
Preceded by Air Officer Commanding No. 23 Group
1960–1963 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief Technical Training Command
1966–1968 		Command disbanded
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