Christopher Courtney

Air Chief Marshal Sir Christopher Lloyd Courtney (27 June 1890 – 22 October 1976) was a senior Royal Air Force officer. He began his military career in the Royal Navy, joining as a midshipman at Britannia Naval College in May 1905 and rising to acting sub-lieutenant by late 1909. During the First World War, he served as Officer Commanding Killingholme Royal Naval Air Station and later as Officer Commanding Royal Naval Air Station Dover, No. 4 Wing RNAS, and No. 7 Squadron RNAS. In April 1918, with the creation of the RAF, Courtney transferred to the new service and was appointed deputy director of Aircraft Equipment at the Air Ministry. He was promoted to acting brigadier-general later that year and sent to France to command the 11th Brigade as part of the RAF's Independent Air Force. After the armistice, he succeeded Sir Hugh Trenchard as commander of the brigade. Post-war, Courtney held various roles including Officer Commanding No. 2 (Indian) Wing, service on the Directing Staff at the RAF Staff College, Andover, and appointments as deputy director of Operations and Intelligence at the Air Ministry. He briefly served as Air Officer Commanding RAF Iraq Command in late 1932 and later held positions such as Director of Training, Director of Staff Duties, and Deputy Chief of the Air Staff. In 1937, he was appointed Air Officer Commanding RAF Iraq Command again and became Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief Reserve Command in February 1939. During World War II, he was made Air Member for ...