| William Alec Coryton | |
|---|---|
| Born | 16 February 1895 Pentillie, Cornwall |
| Died | 20 October 1981 Langton Matravers, Dorset |
| Allegiance | United Kingdom |
| Service/branch | British Army Royal Air Force |
| Years of service | 1914 - 1951 |
| Rank | Air Chief Marshal |
| Commands held | Third Tactical Air Force No. 5 Group No. 16 Squadron RAF |
| Battles/wars | World War I World War II |
| Awards | Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire Member of the Royal Victorian Order Distinguished Flying Cross |
Air Chief Marshal Sir William Alec Coryton KCB, KBE, MVO, DFC, RAF (16 February 1895 – 20 October 1981), commonly known as Alec Coryton, was a senior RAF commander in World War II.
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Originally commissioned as an officer in the British Army's Rifle Brigade (Special Reserve), he transferred to the Royal Flying Corps as a Lieutenant in 1918. When the RFC became the Royal Air Force he resigned his Army commission and became a Royal Air Force officer.
From 1925 to 1928, he was Officer Commanding 16 Squadron based at Old Sarum. operating the Bristol F.2 Fighter in the tactical reconnaissance role.
In February 1943 Coryton moved to the Air Staff at the Air Ministry and was appointed Assistant Chief of the Air Staff (Operations) in 1944.
On 25 August 1944 he became Commander, RAF Third Tactical Air Force.
| Military offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by J C Slessor |
Air Officer Commanding No. 5 Group 1942–1943 |
Succeeded by The Hon R A Cochrane |
| Preceded by J E A Baldwin |
Air Officer Commanding Third Tactical Air Force Post downgraded to AOC HQ RAF Bengal and Burma on 4 December 1944 Post renamed AOC HQ RAF Burma on 1 June 1945 1944–1947 |
Post disestablished |
Probert,Henry, Bomber Harris His Life and Times,Stoddart,2001 p207