Cyril Cooke

Sir Cyril Cooke
Born 28 June 1895
Died 27 September 1972
Allegiance  United Kingdom
Service/branch  Royal Air Force
Rank Air Marshal
Commands held No. 188 Squadron
No. 20 Squadron
No. 206 (Maintenance) Group
No. 43 Group
RAF Maintenance Command
Battles/wars World War I
World War II
Awards Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath
Commander of the Order of the British Empire

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.

Military career

Cooke served with the Royal Artillery during World War I transferring to the Royal Flying Corps in 1915.[1] He was appointed Officer Commanding No. 188 Squadron in April 1918 on the formation of the Royal Air Force.[1] 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.[1]

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.[1] He finished the War as Air Officer Commanding No. 43 Group.[1]

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.[1][2]

Personal life

He took part in the National Shooting Competition at Bisley[3] and was Chairman of the Royal Air Force (County) Football Association.[4]

He was the father of John Cooke. His son also joined the RAF and rose to senior ranks as Dean of Air Force Medicine.[5]

References

External links

Military offices
Preceded by
Sir Grahame Donald
Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief Maintenance Command
1947 1949
Succeeded by
Sir Thomas Warne-Browne