Cyril Cooke
Encyclopedia
Air Marshal
Sir Cyril Bertram Cooke KCB
CBE
(28 June 1895 - 27 September 1972) was a senior Royal Air Force
officer who became Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief RAF Maintenance Command
.
during World War I
transferring to the Royal Flying Corps
in 1915. He was appointed Officer Commanding
No. 188 Squadron
in April 1918 on the formation of the Royal Air Force
. He went on to be Officer Commanding No. 20 Squadron
in 1924, a Wing Commander at the No. 1 School of Technical Training in 1935 and Officer Commanding, No. 6 School of Technical Training in 1939.
He served in World War II
as Chief Maintenance Officer at Headquarters RAF Middle East from February 1941, as Air Officer Commanding No. 206 (Maintenance) Group from June 1941 and as Air Officer Commanding No. 4 School of Technical Training from December 1942 before becoming Director of Technical Training at the Air Ministry
in June 1944 and Director of Maintenance and Supply at Rear Headquarters Mediterranean Allied Air Forces
in December 1944. He finished the War as Air Officer Commanding No. 43 Group.
After the War he was appointed Director-General of Servicing and Maintenance at the Air Ministry and then Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief RAF Maintenance Command
before retiring in 1949.
He took part in the National Shooting Competition at Bisley
and was Chairman of the Royal Air Force (County) Football Association.
Air Marshal
Air marshal is a three-star air-officer rank which originated in and continues to be used by the Royal Air Force...
Sir Cyril Bertram Cooke KCB
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...
(28 June 1895 - 27 September 1972) was 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...
officer who became Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief RAF Maintenance Command
RAF Maintenance Command
RAF Maintenance Command was the Royal Air Force command which was responsible for controlling maintenance for all the United Kingdom-based units from formation on 1 April 1938 until being renamed RAF Support Command on 31 August 1973.- History :...
.
RAF career
Cooke served with the Royal ArtilleryRoyal Artillery
The Royal Regiment of Artillery, commonly referred to as the Royal Artillery , is the artillery arm of the British Army. Despite its name, it comprises a number of regiments.-History:...
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...
transferring to 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...
in 1915. He was appointed 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. 188 Squadron
No. 188 Squadron RAF
No. 188 Squadron RAF was a Royal Flying Corps and Royal Air Force Squadron that was a night training unit towards the end of World War I.-Formation in World War I:...
in April 1918 on the formation of the 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...
. He went on to be Officer Commanding No. 20 Squadron
No. 20 Squadron RAF
No. 20 Squadron of the Royal Air Force was until March 2010, the OCU for the BAE Harrier GR9, and T12, operating from RAF Wittering...
in 1924, a Wing Commander at the No. 1 School of Technical Training in 1935 and Officer Commanding, No. 6 School of Technical Training in 1939.
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...
as Chief Maintenance Officer at Headquarters RAF Middle East from February 1941, as Air Officer Commanding No. 206 (Maintenance) Group from June 1941 and as Air Officer Commanding No. 4 School of Technical Training from December 1942 before becoming Director of Technical Training 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 June 1944 and Director of Maintenance and Supply at Rear Headquarters Mediterranean Allied Air Forces
Mediterranean Allied Air Forces
The Mediterranean Allied Air Forces was the major Allied air force command organization in the Mediterranean theater from mid-December 1943 until the end of the Second World War.-Formation:...
in December 1944. He finished the War as Air Officer Commanding No. 43 Group.
After the War he was appointed Director-General of Servicing and Maintenance at the Air Ministry and then Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief RAF Maintenance Command
RAF Maintenance Command
RAF Maintenance Command was the Royal Air Force command which was responsible for controlling maintenance for all the United Kingdom-based units from formation on 1 April 1938 until being renamed RAF Support Command on 31 August 1973.- History :...
before retiring in 1949.
He took part in the National Shooting Competition at Bisley
National Rifle Association of the United Kingdom
The National Rifle Association of the United Kingdom is the governing body of full bore rifle and pistol shooting sports in the United Kingdom.- History :...
and was Chairman of the Royal Air Force (County) Football Association.