Arthur Coningham (RAF officer)

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Arthur Coningham
January 19, 1895 (1895-01-19) – presumably January 29 or January 30, 1948
Air Marshal Coningham
Nickname	Mary
Place of birth	Australia
Place of death	Bermuda Triangle (presumed)
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Service/branch	Royal Air Force
Years of service	1914–1947
Rank	Air Marshal
Commands held	2nd Tactical Air Force 1st Allied Tactical Air Force Western Desert Air Force No.4 Group RAF Calshot No. 92 Squadron
Battles/wars	World War I Gallipoli Campaign Western Front Battle of Amiens World War II North African Campaign Western Desert Campaign First Battle of El Alamein Second Battle of El Alamein Italian Campaign North-West Europe Campaign Normandy campaign
Awards	Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire Distinguished Service Order Military Cross Distinguished Flying Cross Air Force Cross Mention in Despatches (4)

Air Marshal Sir Arthur "Mary" Coningham KCB KBE DSO MC DFC AFC RAF (19 January 1895 – presumably January 29 or 30 1948) was a senior Royal Air Force commander and was the Air Officer Commander-in-Chief 2nd Tactical Air Force (and subsequently the Air Officer Commander-in-Chief Flying Training Command). Coningham is chiefly remembered as the person most responsible for the development of tactical air power, which he developed as commander of the Western Desert Air Force between 1941 and 1943, and as commander of the tactical air forces in the Normandy campaign in 1944. In 1948, Coningham mysteriously disappeared (along with all passengers and crew) while aboard the airliner Star Tiger when it vanished without a trace in the Bermuda Triangle.

[edit] Military career

[edit] World War I service

Coningham volunteered for service in the New Zealand Expeditionary Force in 1914, and fought at Gallipoli. In 1916 he volunteered for the Royal Flying Corps. By the end of the war was a major and command of No. 92 Squadron. He had destroyed nine enemy aircraft and shared in the destruction of four others, which were recognised with the award of a Distinguished Flying Cross. During this time he acquired the nickname 'Mary', possibly derived from 'Maori' (due to being a New Zealander).

[edit] Inter-war years

After the end of World War I, Coningham remained in the Royal Air Force, initially remaining as Officer Commanding No. 92 Squadron. During the early 1920s he served as a technical and flying instructor before being posted to No. 55 Squadron flying DH9As out of Mosul in Iraq. In the summer of 1923 Coningham was promoted to squadron leader and appointed as the Officer Commanding of No. 55 Squadron. From early 1924 to early 1926 Coningham carried out staff officer duties, first at the headquarters of Egyptian Group and then at the headquarters of RAF Middle East.

After further service at the Royal Air Force College, Cranwell and the Central Flying School, Coningham was promoted to wing commander in 1931. The next year he was sent to the Sudan as the senior RAF officer.

On his return to Great Britain in 1935 he took up staff duties in Coastal Area before being promoted to group captain and serving as the Senior Air Staff Officer at the headquarters of No. 17 Group. From 1937 to 1939, Coningham was the Officer Commanding RAF Calshot.

[edit] World War II service

Coningham began the war commanding Bomber Command's No.4 Group, which he led for two years in the bombing offensive against Germany. In 1941 he was sent to the Middle East, where he assumed command of the Western Desert Air Force. Faced with equipment shortages, a hostile desert environment, and superior enemy planes, Coningham, through judicious deployment of his squadrons, gradually achieved air superiority in the North African campaign. In particular, Coningham developed the use of fighter-bombers, able to fight as fighter planes in the air or in bombing and strafing attacks of enemy ground targets. Coningham developed an efficient ground support system to keep planes flying, and a command and control system to allow ground observers to radio in air attacks. Coningham's Western Desert Air Force, in continuous air attacks of enemy ground targets, was instrumental in stopping the enemy offensive at Alamein in July 1942. Coningham formed a close relationship with the new commander of Eighth Army, General Bernard Montgomery. Montgomery and Coningham recognised the importance of joint operations. The air power doctrine devised by Coningham is the basis of modern joint operations doctrine. The dominance of the Allied air force was a critical factor in the British victory at Alamein in November 1942. Coningham's doctrine of tactical air power would reach its fruition in early 1943, when RAF and USAAF fighter-bombers and bombers attacked enemy land forces.

Coningham (centre) with Montgomery (left) and Dempsey (right) prior to the British crossing of the Rhine

Coningham was commander of the 1st Allied Tactical Air Force in Tunisia, Sicily and Italy during 1943. As the leading exponent of tactical air warfare, he was the obvious choice to command the Allied tactical air forces in the North-West European campaign. As commander of the 2nd Tactical Air Force, Coningham commanded the allied fighter-bombers which savaged German land forces and played a crucial role in the Normandy campaign. He remained commander of the 2nd Tactical Air Force until January 1945.

[edit] Retirement and disappearance

Coningham retired in 1947. He died five months later when the airliner in which he was travelling crashed in the Bermuda Triangle.

[edit] Popular Culture

In the film Patton, Coningham is played by John Barrie. During his scene, in which General George S Patton is complaining about lack of air cover for American troops, Sir Arthur confirms to Patton that he will see no more German planes. As he has completed his sentence, German planes strafe the compound.

[edit] See also

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

Arthur Coningham (RAF officer)

• List of people who have disappeared

[edit] References

• Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation - Air Marshal Coningham
• Coningham: A Biography of Air Marshal Sir Arthur Coningham
• Orange, Vincent (1990). Coningham - A biography of Air Marshal Sir Arthur Coningham, Methuen, ISBN 0-413-14580-8