Charles Warburton Meredith

Air Vice-Marshal
Sir Charles Warburton Meredith
KBE CB AFC

Meredith in Salisbury during the Second World War
Born 1896
Wynberg, Cape Town
Died April 1977 (aged 80–81)
Allegiance  British Empire
Service/branch
Years of service 1917-1945
Rank Air Vice-Marshal
Commands held Rhodesian Air Training Group
Wars
Awards

Air Vice-Marshal Sir Charles Warburton Meredith KBE CB AFC (1896 – 19 April 1977) was a South African air force pilot, and Air Officer Commanding of the Rhodesian Air Training Group during the Second World War.

Early life and family

Meredith was born in Wynberg, Cape Town and attended Wynberg Boys' High School. He was a cadet at RAF Staff College, Andover and was then commissioned as Second Lieutenant in the Royal Flying Corps (Military Wing) in October 1917.[1] He was promoted to Flying Officer in February 1918.[2]

After the First World War, in 1924, he joined the South African Air Force,[3] having been recruited by Major Allister Miller,[4] and in 1937 was appointed Commanding Officer of the Aircraft and Artillery Depot.[3]

He was appointed Director of Civil Aviation in Southern Rhodesia in 1939.[3]

Meredith was commissioned Air Commodore in the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve on 21 March 1940 for the duration of the hostilities.[5] He was promoted to Air Vice-Marshal during the War.

Rhodesian Air Training Group

Meredith was Air Officer Commanding of the Rhodesian Air Training Group, part of the Empire Air Training Scheme. Sir Archibald Sinclair, the British Secretary of State for Air, praised the excellent quality of the reinforcements coming to the RAF from the RATG.[6]

Meredith expressed in 1943 that the Air Training Group would expand and that the expansion would be beneficial after the war for aeronautical training.[7]

Honours

Meredith was awarded the Air Force Cross in June 1919.[8]

He was appointed Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (CBE) in July 1941;[9] Grand Commander of the Royal Order of the Phoenix (with swords) in 1943;[10] and Companion of the Most Honourable Order of the Bath (Military Division) in June 1943.[11]

References

  1. ↑ "The British Air Services" (PDF). Flight. 25 October 1917. Retrieved 27 November 2012.
  2. ↑ "The British Air Services" (PDF). Flight. 25 April 1918. Retrieved 27 November 2012.
  3. 1 2 3 "Here and There" (PDF). Flight. 29 June 1939. Retrieved 27 November 2012.
  4. ↑ "A Loss to South African Aviation" (PDF). Flight. 26 October 1951. Retrieved 27 November 2012.
  5. ↑ The London Gazette: no. 34927. p. 5094. 20 August 1940. Retrieved 26 November 2012.
  6. ↑ "Here and There" (PDF). Flight. 13 November 1941. Retrieved 27 November 2012.
  7. ↑ "Here and There" (PDF). Flight. 23 September 1943. Retrieved 27 November 2012.
  8. ↑ The London Gazette: no. 31378. p. 7034. 30 May 1919. Retrieved 26 November 2012.
  9. ↑ The London Gazette: no. 35204. p. 3742. 27 June 1941. Retrieved 26 November 2012.
  10. ↑ The London Gazette: no. 35936. p. 1190. 9 March 1943. Retrieved 26 November 2012.
  11. ↑ The London Gazette: no. 36033. p. 2419. 28 May 1943. Retrieved 26 November 2012.

Further reading

External links

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