Neil Wheeler

Henry Neil George Wheeler
Born	8 July 1917 Pretoria, Union of South Africa
Died	9 January 2009 (aged 91)
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Service/branch	Royal Air Force
Years of service	1935 – 1976
Rank	Air Chief Marshal
Commands held	No. 236 Squadron RAF Laarbruch Far East Air Force
Battles/wars	World War II 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
Other work	Director of Rolls Royce (1977-82) and Director of Flight Refuelling (Holdings)

Air Chief Marshal Sir Henry Neil George Wheeler, GCB, CBE, DSO, DFC and bar, AFC (8 July 1917 – 9 January 2009) was a British Royal Air Force officer.

Military career

Educated St Helen's College in Southsea and the Royal Air Force College Cranwell, Wheeler was commissioned into the Royal Air Force in 1935.^[1] He served with Bomber Command from 1937 and then spent part of World War II as Officer Commanding No. 236 Squadron^[2] in Fighter Command before going to the RAF Staff College and US Army Staff College in 1943.^[1]

After the War he joined the Directing Staff at the RAF Staff College and then transferred to the Far East Air Force in 1947.^[1] 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.^[1] He was appointed Assistant Commandant at the RAF College in 1957 and Officer Commanding RAF Laarbruch in 1959.^[1] He attended the Imperial Defence College in 1961 and then served in the Ministry of Defence from 1961.^[1] 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.^[1] He was made a Deputy Chief of Defence Staff in 1967 and Commander of the Far East Air Force in 1969.^[1] 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.^[1]

In retirement he became a Director of Rolls Royce Limited.^[1]

Family

In 1942 he married Elizabeth Weightman and then went on to have two sons and a daughter.^[3]

References

1. ^ ^{a b c d e f g h i j} Liddell Hart Centre for Military Archives
2. ^ Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation - Air Chief Marshal Sir Neil Wheeler
3. ^ Obituary: Sir Neil Wheeler Daily Telegraph, 13 January 2009

External links

• Obituary in The Daily Telegraph
• The Battle of Britain Historical Society Discussion Forum: Obituary

Military offices
Preceded by Sir Rochford Hughes	Commander-in-Chief Far East Air Force 1969 – 1970	Succeeded by N M Maynard
Preceded by Sir Thomas Prickett	Air Member for Supply and Organisation 1970 – 1973	Succeeded by Sir Anthony Heward

Persondata
Name	Wheeler, Neil
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	8 July 1917
Place of birth	Pretoria, Union of South Africa
Date of death	9 January 2009
Place of death