Hazelton Nicholl
Encyclopedia
Air Vice Marshal Sir Hazelton Robson Nicholl KBE
CB
(14 January 1882 - 14 August 1956) was a Royal Air Force
officer who became Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief at Middle East Command
.
and then transferred to the South Rhodesia Volunteers in 1903. He was commissioned into the Royal Flying Corps
Special Reserve in 1915 during World War I
and served as a pilot with No. 8 Squadron before instructing at the Central Flying School
and then becoming Officer Commanding
No. 84 Squadron
and subsequently Officer Commanding No. 110 Squadron
on the Western Front
.
After the War he became a Staff Officer at the Air Ministry
before being appointed Officer Commanding No. 70 Squadron in 1926. He was made Deputy Director of Training and then Deputy Director of Personal Services before becoming Deputy Director of Manning at the Air Ministry in 1931. He went on to be Station Commander at RAF Calshot
in 1932, Air Officer Commanding No. 23 Group in 1933 and Air Officer Commanding Central Area in 1934. After that he was made a Member of the Air Board of the Royal Australian Air Force
in 1935, Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief at Middle East Command
in 1938 and Air Officer for Administration at Headquarters Fighter Command
in 1939, the post he held in the early years of World War II
. He retired in 1942.
He retired to Scotland
and became Controller of the RAF Benevolent Fund
.
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
CB
Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
(14 January 1882 - 14 August 1956) was a Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
officer who became Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief at Middle East Command
RAF Middle East Command
Middle East Command was a command of the Royal Air Force formed on December 29, 1941 by renaming Headquarters RAF Middle East. During the early part of the Second World War the Command was one of the three major British service commands in the Middle East, the others being the British Army's...
.
RAF career
Nicholl served as a private soldier in the London Scottish Volunteers in the Second Boer WarSecond Boer War
The Second Boer War was fought from 11 October 1899 until 31 May 1902 between the British Empire and the Afrikaans-speaking Dutch settlers of two independent Boer republics, the South African Republic and the Orange Free State...
and then transferred to the South Rhodesia Volunteers in 1903. He was commissioned into the Royal Flying Corps
Royal Flying Corps
The Royal Flying Corps was the over-land air arm of the British military during most of the First World War. During the early part of the war, the RFC's responsibilities were centred on support of the British Army, via artillery co-operation and photographic reconnaissance...
Special Reserve in 1915 during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
and served as a pilot with No. 8 Squadron before instructing at the Central Flying School
Central Flying School
The Central Flying School is the Royal Air Force's primary institution for the training of military flying instructors. Established in 1912 it is the longest existing flying training school.-History:...
and then becoming Officer Commanding
Officer Commanding
The Officer Commanding is the commander of a sub-unit or minor unit , principally used in the United Kingdom and Commonwealth. In other countries, the term Commanding Officer is applied to commanders of minor as well as major units.Normally an Officer Commanding is a company, squadron or battery...
No. 84 Squadron
No. 84 Squadron RAF
No. 84 Squadron of the Royal Air Force is at present a Search and Rescue Squadron based at RAF Akrotiri, it uses the Bell Griffin HAR.2 helicopter. It is currently part of the RAF's Search and Rescue Force-History:...
and subsequently Officer Commanding No. 110 Squadron
No. 110 Squadron RAF
-Formation and World War I:No. 110 Squadron RFC was formed on 1 November 1917, at Rendcomb, Gloucestershire and was equipped with B.E.2c aircraft. The squadron moved to Kenley the following year and re-equipped with the DH.9A - the first squadron to employ this aircraft. Its original complement of...
on the Western Front
Western Front
Western Front was a term used during the First and Second World Wars to describe the contested armed frontier between lands controlled by Germany to the east and the Allies to the west...
.
After the War he became a Staff Officer at the Air Ministry
Air Ministry
The Air Ministry was a department of the British Government with the responsibility of managing the affairs of the Royal Air Force, that existed from 1918 to 1964...
before being appointed Officer Commanding No. 70 Squadron in 1926. He was made Deputy Director of Training and then Deputy Director of Personal Services before becoming Deputy Director of Manning at the Air Ministry in 1931. He went on to be Station Commander at RAF Calshot
RAF Calshot
RAF Calshot was initially a seaplane and flying boat station, and latterly an RAF marine craft maintenance and training unit. It was located at the end of Calshot Spit in Southampton Water, Hampshire, England, at...
in 1932, Air Officer Commanding No. 23 Group in 1933 and Air Officer Commanding Central Area in 1934. After that he was made a Member of the Air Board of the Royal Australian Air Force
Royal Australian Air Force
The Royal Australian Air Force is the air force branch of the Australian Defence Force. The RAAF was formed in March 1921. It continues the traditions of the Australian Flying Corps , which was formed on 22 October 1912. The RAAF has taken part in many of the 20th century's major conflicts...
in 1935, Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief at Middle East Command
RAF Middle East Command
Middle East Command was a command of the Royal Air Force formed on December 29, 1941 by renaming Headquarters RAF Middle East. During the early part of the Second World War the Command was one of the three major British service commands in the Middle East, the others being the British Army's...
in 1938 and Air Officer for Administration at Headquarters Fighter Command
RAF Fighter Command
RAF Fighter Command was one of three functional commands of the Royal Air Force. It was formed in 1936 to allow more specialised control of fighter aircraft. It served throughout the Second World War, gaining recognition in the Battle of Britain. The Command continued until 17 November 1943, when...
in 1939, the post he held in the early years of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. He retired in 1942.
He retired to Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
and became Controller of the RAF Benevolent Fund
RAF Benevolent Fund
The Royal Air Force Benevolent Fund is the Royal Air Force's leading welfare charity, providing financial, practical and emotional support to serving and former members of the RAF - regardless of rank - as well as their partners and dependents.They help members of the RAF family deal with a wide...
.