Hugh Constantine
Encyclopedia
Air Chief Marshal
Sir Hugh Alex Constantine KBE
CB
DSO
(23 May 1908 - 16 April 1992) was a Royal Air Force
officer who became Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief of Flying Training Command
.
, Constantine joined the Royal Air force as a cadet in 1926. He served in World War II
initially as Officer Commanding
No. 214 Squadron
and then as Station Commander at RAF Elsham Wolds
. He continued his war service as Senior Air Staff Officer at Headquarters No. 1 Group
in 1942, as Deputy Senior Air Staff Officer at Headquarters RAF Bomber Command
in 1943 and as Air Officer Commanding No. 5 Group
in 1945. In this capacity he worked closely with Barnes Wallis
and used Grand Slam bomb
s and Tallboy bomb
s against key industrial targets in Germany
.
After the War he became Chief Intelligence Officer with the Control Commission in Germany and was then appointed Senior Air Staff Officer at Headquarters No. 205 Group
. He went on to be Director of Intelligence (Operations) at the Air Ministry
in 1951, Air Officer Administration at Headquarters RAF Fighter Command
in 1952 and Air Officer Commanding No. 25 (Training) Group in 1954. His final posts were as Deputy Chief of Staff, Plans & Policy at Headquarters SHAPE
in 1956, Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief of Flying Training Command
in 1959 and Commandant of the Imperial Defence College
in 1961 before retiring in 1964.
In retirement he was made an honorary Doctor of Laws
at the University of Warwick
.
Air Chief Marshal
Air chief marshal is a senior 4-star air-officer rank which originated in and continues to be used by the Royal Air Force...
Sir Hugh Alex Constantine KBE
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...
DSO
Distinguished Service Order
The Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...
(23 May 1908 - 16 April 1992) 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 of Flying Training Command
RAF Flying Training Command
Flying Training Command was an organization within the Royal Air Force which controlled units responsible for delivering flying training. The command's headquarters were at Shinfield Park, Reading in Berkshire.-History:...
.
RAF career
Educated at Christ's HospitalChrist's Hospital
Christ's Hospital is an English coeducational independent day and boarding school with Royal Charter located in the Sussex countryside just south of Horsham in Horsham District, West Sussex, England...
, Constantine joined the Royal Air force as a cadet in 1926. He served in 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...
initially as 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. 214 Squadron
No. 214 Squadron RAF
-History:No 214 Squadron was formed from No. 14 Squadron Royal Naval Air Service , itself formerly No. 7A Squadron RNAS only taking on the new number in 9 December 1917. With the creation of the RAF from the Royal Flying Corps and the RNAS on 1 April 1918 it received the number 214. It was later...
and then as Station Commander at RAF Elsham Wolds
RAF Elsham Wolds
RAF Elsham Wolds is a former Royal Air Force station in England, which operated in World War I and World War II. It is located just to the north east of the village of Elsham in north Lincolnshire.-World War I:...
. He continued his war service as Senior Air Staff Officer at Headquarters No. 1 Group
No. 1 Group RAF
Number 1 Group of the Royal Air Force is one of the two operations groups in Air Command.The group is today referred to as the Air Combat Group, as it controls the RAF's combat fast-jet aircraft and has airfields in the UK plus RAF Unit Goose Bay in Canada, which is used extensively as an...
in 1942, as Deputy Senior Air Staff Officer at Headquarters RAF Bomber Command
RAF Bomber Command
RAF Bomber Command controlled the RAF's bomber forces from 1936 to 1968. During World War II the command destroyed a significant proportion of Nazi Germany's industries and many German cities, and in the 1960s stood at the peak of its postwar military power with the V bombers and a supplemental...
in 1943 and as Air Officer Commanding No. 5 Group
No. 5 Group RAF
No. 5 Group was a Royal Air Force bomber group of the Second World War, led during the latter part by AVM Sir Ralph Cochrane.-History:The Group was formed on 1 September 1937 with headquarters at RAF Mildenhall....
in 1945. In this capacity he worked closely with Barnes Wallis
Barnes Wallis
Sir Barnes Neville Wallis, CBE FRS, RDI, FRAeS , was an English scientist, engineer and inventor. He is best known for inventing the bouncing bomb used by the RAF in Operation Chastise to attack the dams of the Ruhr Valley during World War II...
and used Grand Slam bomb
Grand Slam bomb
The Grand Slam was a 22,000 lb earthquake bomb used by RAF Bomber Command against strategic targets during the Second World War.Known officially as the Bomb, Medium Capacity, 22,000 lb, it was a scaled up version of the Tallboy bomb and closer to the original size that the bombs' inventor,...
s and Tallboy bomb
Tallboy bomb
The Tallboy or Bomb, Medium Capacity, 12,000 lb, was an earthquake bomb developed by the British aeronautical engineer Barnes Wallis and deployed by the RAF in 1944...
s against key industrial targets in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
.
After the War he became Chief Intelligence Officer with the Control Commission in Germany and was then appointed Senior Air Staff Officer at Headquarters No. 205 Group
No. 205 Group RAF
No. 205 Group was a long-range, heavy bomber group of the Royal Air Force established on October 23, 1941 by boosting No. 257 Wing to Group status....
. He went on to be Director of Intelligence (Operations) 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...
in 1951, Air Officer Administration at Headquarters RAF 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 1952 and Air Officer Commanding No. 25 (Training) Group in 1954. His final posts were as Deputy Chief of Staff, Plans & Policy at Headquarters SHAPE
Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe
Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe is the central command of NATO military forces. It is located at Casteau, north of the Belgian city of Mons...
in 1956, Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief of Flying Training Command
RAF Flying Training Command
Flying Training Command was an organization within the Royal Air Force which controlled units responsible for delivering flying training. The command's headquarters were at Shinfield Park, Reading in Berkshire.-History:...
in 1959 and Commandant of the Imperial Defence College
Commandant Royal College of Defence Studies
The Commandant of the Royal College of Defence Studies was a UK senior serving military officer between 1972 and 2001. The post rotated through the three branches of the armed forces in turn. In 1971 the old Imperial Defence College became the Royal College of Defence Studies...
in 1961 before retiring in 1964.
In retirement he was made an honorary Doctor of Laws
Doctor of law
Doctor of Law or Doctor of Laws is a doctoral degree in law. The application of the term varies from country to country, and includes degrees such as the LL.D., Ph.D., J.D., J.S.D., and Dr. iur.-Argentina:...
at the University of Warwick
University of Warwick
The University of Warwick is a public research university located in Coventry, United Kingdom...
.
Honours and awards
- Knight Commander of the Order of the British EmpireOrder of the British EmpireThe 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...
- 1 Jan 1958 (CBE - 8 Jun 1944) - Companion of the Order of the BathOrder of the BathThe 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...
- 1 Jan 1946 - Distinguished Service OrderDistinguished Service OrderThe Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...
- 22 Sep 1942 - Mentioned in Despatches - 23 Jul 1937, 24 Sep 1941, 11 Jun 1942, 1 Jan 1945, 194?
- Polonia RestitutaPolonia RestitutaThe Order of Polonia Restituta is one of Poland's highest Orders. The Order can be conferred for outstanding achievements in the fields of education, science, sport, culture, art, economics, defense of the country, social work, civil service, or for furthering good relations between countries...
, 3rd Class (Poland) - 12 Jun 1945 - Doctor of LawsDoctor of lawDoctor of Law or Doctor of Laws is a doctoral degree in law. The application of the term varies from country to country, and includes degrees such as the LL.D., Ph.D., J.D., J.S.D., and Dr. iur.-Argentina:...
(HonHonorary degreeAn honorary degree or a degree honoris causa is an academic degree for which a university has waived the usual requirements, such as matriculation, residence, study, and the passing of examinations...
) (WarwickUniversity of WarwickThe University of Warwick is a public research university located in Coventry, United Kingdom...
) - 1978.