John Cole-Hamilton
Encyclopedia
Air Vice Marshal John Beresford Cole-Hamilton CB
, CBE
, RAF
(1 December 1894 – 22 August 1945) was an airship
pilot in the Royal Naval Air Service
during World War I
and a senior Royal Air Force
commander during World War II
.
. Cole-Hamilton received a temporary promotion to air commodore
in July 1940. With the evacuation of the British Expeditionary Force, Cole-Hamiliton returned to Great Britain. In December Cole-Hamilton returned to an army co-operation training role, being appointed Air Officer Commanding
(AOC) No. 70 (Army Co-operation Training) Group.
In November 1941 Cole-Hamilton was appointed AOC of the RAF in Northern Ireland. October 1942 saw Cole-Hamilton appointed AOC of the Air Headquarters in West Africa
. Returning to Great Britain in February 1944, he was appointed AOC of No. 85 (Base) Group. In July he became AOC of No. 10 (Fighter) Group
and in November he was appointed AOC of No. 11 (Fighter) Group
. Cole-Hamilton died on 22 August 1945, less than four months after the end of the War in Europe
.
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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...
, CBE
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...
, RAF
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...
(1 December 1894 – 22 August 1945) was an airship
Airship
An airship or dirigible is a type of aerostat or "lighter-than-air aircraft" that can be steered and propelled through the air using rudders and propellers or other thrust mechanisms...
pilot in the Royal Naval Air Service
Royal Naval Air Service
The Royal Naval Air Service or RNAS was the air arm of the Royal Navy until near the end of the First World War, when it merged with the British Army's Royal Flying Corps to form a new service , the Royal Air Force...
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 a senior 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...
commander during 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...
.
World War II
During the early months of the War, Cole-Hamilton was Commandant at the RAF's School of Army Co-operation. In 1940 he was sent to France, taking up the post of Air Officer Administration on the Air Component of the British Expeditionary ForceBritish Expeditionary Force (World War II)
The British Expeditionary Force was the British force in Europe from 1939–1940 during the Second World War. Commanded by General Lord Gort, the BEF constituted one-tenth of the defending Allied force....
. Cole-Hamilton received a temporary promotion to air commodore
Air Commodore
Air commodore is an air-officer rank which originated in and continues to be used by the Royal Air Force...
in July 1940. With the evacuation of the British Expeditionary Force, Cole-Hamiliton returned to Great Britain. In December Cole-Hamilton returned to an army co-operation training role, being appointed Air Officer Commanding
Air Officer Commanding
Air Officer Commanding is a title given in the air forces of Commonwealth nations to an air officer who holds a command appointment. Thus, an air vice marshal might be the AOC 38 Group...
(AOC) No. 70 (Army Co-operation Training) Group.
In November 1941 Cole-Hamilton was appointed AOC of the RAF in Northern Ireland. October 1942 saw Cole-Hamilton appointed AOC of the Air Headquarters in West Africa
West Africa
West Africa or Western Africa is the westernmost region of the African continent. Geopolitically, the UN definition of Western Africa includes the following 16 countries and an area of approximately 5 million square km:-Flags of West Africa:...
. Returning to Great Britain in February 1944, he was appointed AOC of No. 85 (Base) Group. In July he became AOC of No. 10 (Fighter) Group
No. 10 Group RAF
No. 10 Group of the Royal Air Force was formed on 1 April 1918 in No. 2 Area. On 8 May of the next year it was transferred to South-Western Area. In 1919 it was transferred to Coastal Area where it remained until it was disbanded on 18 January 1932....
and in November he was appointed AOC of No. 11 (Fighter) Group
No. 11 Group RAF
No. 11 Group was a group in the Royal Air Force for various periods in the 20th century, finally disbanding in 1996. Its most famous service was during 1940 when it defended London and the south-east against the attacks of the Luftwaffe during the Battle of Britain.-First World War:No. 11 Group was...
. Cole-Hamilton died on 22 August 1945, less than four months after the end of the War in Europe
Victory in Europe Day
Victory in Europe Day commemorates 8 May 1945 , the date when the World War II Allies formally accepted the unconditional surrender of the armed forces of Nazi Germany and the end of Adolf Hitler's Third Reich. The formal surrender of the occupying German forces in the Channel Islands was not...
.
Reference
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