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Ronald Ivelaw-Chapman No Photo Available Died : 28 / 4 / 1978

Air Chief Marshal Sir Ronald Ivelaw-Chapman GCB KBE DFC AFC (deceased) Sir Ronald joined the Royal Flying Corps as a cadet at Farnborough in 1917 and was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in September of that year. He started flying training at Thetford on 1st October 1917 on Maurice Farman Shorthorns, graduated for his wings on RE8s on 11th January 1918 and converted to Armstrong-Whitworth 160s before joining No.10 Sqn in March 1918 with the British Expeditionary Force in France. He flew 460 hours 10 minutes with No.10 Sqn on FK8s and Bristol Fighters, was promoted to Captain and became Officer Commanding B Flight. The following entry from his flying log book shows that he was airborne at the time of the ceasefire on 11th November 1918. : 11/11/18 A W Self Lt. Cockburn 10.30 1.15 C.A.P. Remarks :- Saw the last few minutes of the war. Our troops halted at 11.00. He recalls having dropped a football to the front line troops after a series of low level passes in salute before flying back to base. He flew his last sortie for No.10 Sqn on 16th December 1918. After a short spell in England he saw service in India on North West Frontier operations and on the first India Airmail Service. Back in England once again, in 1922, he became an experimental pilot and flew 50-60 different types of aircraft up to 1926. This was followed by a tour on No.99 Sqn flying Handley Page Hyderabad night bombers. 1928 saw him back in India where he flew Vickers Victorias engaged in the Kabul evacuations. During these operations he made a forced landing and was captured by warring tribesmen. He became a political prisoner for 3 weeks. By 1930 he was once again back in England, this time to fly Armstrong Whitworth Siskins on a Fighter Squadron. Following attendance at Staff College Andover he took up various Staff appointments which included 3 years in the Intelligence Branch. In 1940, after the outbreak of the Second World War, he became Station Commander at Linto-on-Ouse - a bomber station in No.4 Group, this was followed by a further period of Staff work. 1943 saw him promoted to Air Commodore followed by a move to Elsham Wolds as base commander. In May 1944 he flew in a Lancaster bomber, on his only wartime sortie, and was shot down over France. After evading capture for 5 weeks he was eventually caught. He was the most senior officer of Bomber Command to be captured in the war. Following periods of interrogation by the Gestapo SS and the Luftwaffe he became a prisoner of war until his release by Allied forces on 16th April 1945. When the war ended he moved back into Staff appointments and was once again posted to India on loan to the Indian Government as Chief of Air Staff of the Indian Air Force. As Vice Chief of Air Staff he was promoted to Air Chief Marshal before retiring from the Royal Air Force in September 1957. He has since worked closely with the Royal Air Force Escaping Society - a service sponsored charity devoted to the needs of those who risked their lives to assist Allied evaders on the escape routes, latterly becoming Vice President. He died on 28th April 1978.

Items Signed by Air Chief Marshal Sir Ronald Ivelaw-Chapman GCB KBE DFC AFC (deceased)

Clipped Signature - Sir Ronald Ivelaw-Chapman. Price : £70.00

Served in WW1 with No.10 Sqn RFC flying FK8s and Bristol Fighters. Flew many types of aircraft as a test pilot in the 1920s before a tour with No.99 Sqn. As a Wing Commander in WW2 flew one mission as second pilot of a Lancaster in May 1944 but wa......

Packs with at least one item featuring the signature of Air Chief Marshal Sir Ronald Ivelaw-Chapman GCB KBE DFC AFC (deceased)

Air Chief Marshal Sir Ronald Ivelaw-Chapman GCB KBE DFC AFC (deceased)