Leslie Brown (RAF officer)

Sir Leslie Oswald Brown
Air Vice Marshal L O Brown, Air Officer Commanding No. 84 Group, standing by his personal Supermarine Spitfire at Odiham, Hampshire
Born	11 July 1893 Pietermaritzburg, South Africa
Died	28 June 1978 (aged 84)
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Service/branch	Royal Air Force
Years of service	1914 to 1949
Rank	Air Vice Marshal
Commands held	No. 20 Sqn No 50 (Army Co-operation) Wing 84 Group
Awards	KCB - 1 Jan 1948 CB - 1 Jan 1945 CBE - 24 Sep 1941 DSC - 15 Jun 1917 AFC - 3 Jun 1919 MiD - 26 Jun 1931, 6 May 1932, 11 Jun 1942 King Haakon VII Liberty Cross - 12 Apr 1949

Sir Leslie Oswald Brown KCB CBE DSC AFC was a South African who served with the Royal Air Force (RAF) in both World Wars, attaining the rank of Air Vice Marshal.

Brown served in East Africa, the Middle East and the United Kingdom. His first years were with the Royal Naval Air Service, before that was absorbed into the newly formed RAF.^[1]

He commanded 84 Group as a temporary Air Vice Marshal during the allied advance across north west Europe, assigned to support the 1st Canadian Army's operations. His staff established extremely close operational contacts with their army opposite numbers, but this was not to the liking of his superior, Air Marshal Sir Arthur Coningham and he was replaced in November, 1944.^[2]

He was appointed Commandant of the School of Land/Air Warfare later in 1944 and reverted to his substantive rank of Air Commodore.^[3]

Brown was promoted to Air Vice Marshal in October 1946, retired from the RAF on 23 January 1949 and died on 28 June 1978.^[1]

References

1. Barrass, M B (26 Aug 2009). "Establishments - Flying Schools and Colleges". Air Vice Marshal Sir Leslie Brown. Retrieved 17 Oct 2009.
2. Copp, Terry (Spring 2006). The Siege of Boulogne and Calais (PDF). The Canadian Army Journal. p. 30.
3. Barrass, M B (2001–2008). "Establishments - Flying Schools and Colleges". Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation. Retrieved 17 Oct 2009.

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