Christopher Hartley (RAF officer)
Encyclopedia
Air Marshal
Sir Christopher Harold Hartley KCB
CBE
DFC
AFC
(31 January 1913 - 29 July 1998) was a senior Royal Air Force
officer who became Deputy Chief of the Air Staff
.
and Balliol College, Oxford
, Hartley joined the Royal Air Force in 1938. He served in World War II
as a pilot and then as Assistant Director of Intelligence (Technical). After the war he became Chief of Staff at Headquarters No 12 (Fighter) Group
. He went on to be Air Officer Commanding No. 12 Group
in 1959, Assistant Chief of the Air Staff (Operational Requirements) in 1961 and Deputy Chief of the Air Staff
in 1963 before being made Controllor of Aircraft
in 1967 and retiring in 1970.
Air Marshal
Air marshal is a three-star air-officer rank which originated in and continues to be used by the Royal Air Force...
Sir Christopher Harold Hartley KCB
Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
CBE
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
DFC
Distinguished Flying Cross (United Kingdom)
The Distinguished Flying Cross is a military decoration awarded to personnel of the United Kingdom's Royal Air Force and other services, and formerly to officers of other Commonwealth countries, for "an act or acts of valour, courage or devotion to duty whilst flying in active operations against...
AFC
Air Force Cross (United Kingdom)
The Air Force Cross is a military decoration awarded to personnel of the United Kingdom Armed Forces, and formerly also to officers of the other Commonwealth countries, for "an act or acts of valour, courage or devotion to duty whilst flying, though not in active operations against the enemy"...
(31 January 1913 - 29 July 1998) was a senior Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
officer who became Deputy Chief of the Air Staff
Deputy Chief of the Air Staff
The Deputy Chief of the Air Staff was a senior appointment in the Royal Air Force. The incumbent was the deputy to the Chief of the Air Staff. The post existed from 1918 to 1968 or 1969...
.
RAF career
Educated at Eton CollegeEton College
Eton College, often referred to simply as Eton, is a British independent school for boys aged 13 to 18. It was founded in 1440 by King Henry VI as "The King's College of Our Lady of Eton besides Wyndsor"....
and Balliol College, Oxford
Balliol College, Oxford
Balliol College , founded in 1263, is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England but founded by a family with strong Scottish connections....
, Hartley joined the Royal Air Force in 1938. He served in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
as a pilot and then as Assistant Director of Intelligence (Technical). After the war he became Chief of Staff at Headquarters No 12 (Fighter) Group
No. 12 Group RAF
No. 12 Group of the Royal Air Force was a command organization that exisited over two separate periods, namely the end of World War I when it had a training function and from just prior to World War II until the early 1960s when it was tasked with an air defence role.No. 12 Group was first formed...
. He went on to be Air Officer Commanding No. 12 Group
No. 12 Group RAF
No. 12 Group of the Royal Air Force was a command organization that exisited over two separate periods, namely the end of World War I when it had a training function and from just prior to World War II until the early 1960s when it was tasked with an air defence role.No. 12 Group was first formed...
in 1959, Assistant Chief of the Air Staff (Operational Requirements) in 1961 and Deputy Chief of the Air Staff
Deputy Chief of the Air Staff
The Deputy Chief of the Air Staff was a senior appointment in the Royal Air Force. The incumbent was the deputy to the Chief of the Air Staff. The post existed from 1918 to 1968 or 1969...
in 1963 before being made Controllor of Aircraft
Controller Aircraft
Controller Aircraft or Controller of Aircraft is a senior Royal Air Force appointment which has the responsible for releasing new military aircraft types into service. This is certified by a Controller Aircraft Release or CA Release which certifies the airworthiness of the type of aircraft...
in 1967 and retiring in 1970.