| Sir William Elliott | |
|---|---|
| Born | 3 June 1896 |
| Died | 27 June 1971 |
| Allegiance | United Kingdom |
| Service/branch | Royal Air Force |
| Years of service | 1915–1954 |
| Rank | Air Chief Marshal |
| Commands held | No. 501 Squadron RAF Middle Wallop RAF Gibraltar Balkan Air Force RAF Fighter Command |
| Battles/wars | World War I World War II |
| Awards | Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire Distinguished Flying Cross & Bar |
Air Chief Marshal Sir William Elliott GCVO, KCB, KBE, DFC & Bar, ADC, RAF, (3 June 1896 – 27 June 1971) was a senior Royal Air Force commander.
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Educated at Tonbridge School, Elliott joined the Army Service Corps in 1915 and then transferred to the Royal Flying Corps in 1917.[1] He was appointed Officer Commanding No. 501 Squadron in 1932 before becoming Assistant Secretary to Committee of Imperial Defence in 1937 and being made Assistant Secretary of the War Cabinet Secretariat in 1939.[1] He served in World War II as Officer Commanding RAF Middle Wallop and as a member of the Air Staff responsible for Night Defences at Headquarters RAF Fighter Command in 1941 and then as Director of Plans at the Air Ministry in 1942.[1] He continued has war service as Air Officer Commanding RAF Gibraltar and then as Air Officer Commanding the RAF's Balkan Air Force during 1944 until he was made Assistant Chief Executive at the Ministry of Aircraft Production in March 1945.[1]
After the War he served as Assistant Chief of the Air Staff (Policy) and then became Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief at RAF Fighter Command in 1947.[1] He went on to be Chief Staff Officer to the Minister of Defence in 1949 and Chairman of the British Joint Services Mission to Washington D. C. in 1951 before he retired in 1954.[1]
He married Rosemary Chancellor: they had one son Simon, who married Annabel, sister of Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall .[2]
| Military offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| New title Air force established
|
Air Officer Commanding the Balkan Air Force 1944–1945 |
Succeeded by G H Mills |
| Preceded by Sir James Robb |
Commander-in-Chief Fighter Command 1947–1949 |
Succeeded by Sir Basil Embry |