| Sir Neil Wheeler | |
|---|---|
| Born | (1917-07-08)8 July 1917 Pretoria, South Africa |
| Died | 9 January 2009(2009-01-09) (aged 91) |
| Allegiance | United Kingdom |
| Service | Royal Air Force |
| Years of service | 1935–1976 |
| Rank | Air Chief Marshal |
| Commands | 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) |
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.
Military career
Educated St Helen's College in Southsea and the Royal Air Force College Cranwell, Wheeler was commissioned into the RAF in 1935. He served with Bomber Command from 1937 and then spent part of the Second World War as Officer Commanding No. 236 Squadron in Fighter Command before going to the RAF Staff College and US Army Staff College in 1943.
After the war he joined the Directing Staff at the RAF Staff College and then transferred to the Far East Air Force in 1947. 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. He was appointed Assistant Commandant at the RAF College in 1957 and Officer Commanding RAF Laarbruch in 1959. He attended the Imperial Defence College in 1961 and then served in the Ministry of Defence from 1961. 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. He was made Deputy Chief of the Defence Staff (Operational Requirements) in 1967 and Commander of the Far East Air Force in 1969. 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.
In retirement he became a Director of Rolls-Royce Limited.
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.
References
- ^ Liddell Hart Centre for Military Archives
- Air of Authority – A History of RAF Organisation – Air Chief Marshal Sir Neil Wheeler
- Obituary: Sir Neil Wheeler Daily Telegraph, 13 January 2009
External links
| Military offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| New post | Deputy Chief of the Defence Staff (Operational Requirements) 1967–1968 |
Succeeded bySir Noel Thomas |
| Preceded bySir Rochford Hughes | Commander-in-Chief Far East Air Force 1969–1970 |
Succeeded byNigel Maynard |
| Preceded bySir Thomas Prickett | Air Member for Supply and Organisation 1970–1973 |
Succeeded bySir Anthony Heward |
| Preceded bySir Peter Fletcher | Controller Aircraft 1973–1975 |
Succeeded bySir Douglas Lowe |
- 1917 births
- 2009 deaths
- People from Pretoria
- Non-U.S. alumni of the Command and General Staff College
- Graduates of the Royal College of Defence Studies
- Knights Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath
- Commanders of the Order of the British Empire
- Companions of the Distinguished Service Order
- Recipients of the Air Force Cross (United Kingdom)
- Royal Air Force air marshals
- Graduates of the Royal Air Force College Cranwell
- British World War II pilots
- Recipients of the Distinguished Flying Cross (United Kingdom)