Neil Wheeler
Air Chief Marshal Sir Henry Neil George Wheeler, GCB, CBE, DSO, DFC & Bar, AFC (8 July 1917 – 9 January 2009) was a senior Royal Air Force (RAF) officer.
Sir Neil Wheeler | |
|---|---|
| Born | 8 July 1917 Pretoria, South Africa |
| Died | 9 January 2009 (aged 91) |
| Allegiance | United Kingdom |
| Service/ | Royal Air Force |
| Years of service | 1935–1976 |
| Rank | Air Chief Marshal |
| Commands held | Air Member for Supply and Organisation (1970–73) Far East Air Force (1969–70) RAF Laarbruch (1959–61) RAF Kuala Lumpur (1948–49) No. 236 Squadron (1942–43) |
| Battles/wars | Second World War Malayan Emergency |
| Awards | Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath Commander of the Order of the British Empire Distinguished Service Order Distinguished Flying Cross & Bar Air Force Cross |
| Relations | Major General Norman Wheeler (brother) General Sir Roger Wheeler (nephew) |
| Other work | Director of Rolls-Royce (1977–82) Director of Flight Refuelling (Holdings) |
Military career
Educated St Helen's College in Southsea and the Royal Air Force College Cranwell, Wheeler was commissioned into the RAF in 1935.[1] He served with Bomber Command from 1937 and then spent part of the Second World War as Officer Commanding No. 236 Squadron[2] in Fighter Command before going to the RAF Staff College and US Army Staff College in 1943.[1]
After the war he joined the Directing Staff at the RAF Staff College and then transferred to the Far East Air Force in 1947.[1] He was posted to the Directing Staff at the Joint Services Staff College in 1949 and to Bomber Command in 1951 before going to the Air Ministry in 1953.[1] He was appointed Assistant Commandant at the RAF College in 1957 and Officer Commanding RAF Laarbruch in 1959.[1] He attended the Imperial Defence College in 1961 and then served in the Ministry of Defence from 1961.[1] He became Senior Air Staff Officer at Headquarters RAF Germany (2 Tactical Air Force) in 1963 and Assistant Chief of Defence Staff (Operational Requirements) in 1966.[1] He was made Deputy Chief of the Defence Staff (Operational Requirements) in 1967 and Commander of the Far East Air Force in 1969.[1] He was Air Member for Supply and Organisation at the Ministry of Defence from 1970 and then Controller of Aircraft at the Procurement Executive from 1973.[1]
In retirement he became a Director of Rolls-Royce Limited.[1]
Family
In 1942 he married Elizabeth Weightman and then went on to have two sons and a daughter. He was the younger brother of Major General Norman Wheeler, and uncle of General Sir Roger Wheeler.[3]