Charles Elworthy, Baron Elworthy

Marshal of the Royal Air Force Samuel Charles Elworthy, Baron Elworthy (23 March 1911 – 4 April 1993) was a New Zealand-born senior officer in the Royal Air Force. He served as commander of a squadron of Blenheim bombers and then as a station commander during the Second World War. He became Chief of the Air Staff in the mid-1960s and implemented the cancellation of the TSR-2 strike aircraft and the HS681 military transport aircraft programmes. He also became Chief of the Defence Staff in which role he oversaw the evacuation from Aden in November 1967 and had to respond to the growing crisis in Northern Ireland in the late 1960s.

RAF career Elworthy was the son of Percy Ashton Elworthy and Bertha Victoria Elworthy (née Julius). Elworthy was also a grandson of Edward Elworthy. Educated at Marlborough College and Trinity College, Cambridge, Charles Elworthy was called to the Bar at Lincoln's Inn before he joined the Reserve of Air Force Officers as a pilot officer on probation on 14 August 1933. He was confirmed in the rank on 14 August 1934.

Elworthy was granted a commission as a pilot officer in No. 600 (City of London) (Fighter) Squadron, part of the Auxiliary Air Force, where he flew Harts, with effect from 15 January 1935. He became attached to the Royal Air Force on 28 October 1935 and joined No.15 Squadron at RAF Abingdon, again flying Harts, with effect from the same date. He was granted a permanent commission in the Royal Air Force on 3 March 1936, promoted to flying officer on 3 September 1936 and became Personal Assistant to Air Chief Marshal Sir Edgar Ludlow-Hewitt, the Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief at RAF Bomber Command, in November 1937. he was posted as a pilot and then a flight commander with No. 108 Squadron at RAF Bassingbourn flying Blenheim bombers in January 1939. (made permanent in April 1942) he became Chief Flying Instructor with No. 13 Officer Training Unit in April 1940. and the Distinguished Flying Cross on 7 March 1941. In March 1941, despite heavy and accurate anti-aircraft fire, he scored a direct hit on an enemy tanker, setting it on fire: he was appointed a Companion of the Distinguished Service Order for this on 22 April 1941.

Elworthy joined the air staff responsible for operations at Headquarters No. 2 Group in May 1941, and mentioned in despatches on 24 September 1941. He transferred to the air staff responsible for operations at Headquarters RAF Bomber Command in October 1941 and became Group Captain responsible for operations there in May 1942. he was mentioned in despatches again on 1 January 1943. He became Station Commander at RAF Waddington in April 1943 In April 1944 he was made Bomber Command's Representative to Air Chief Marshal Sir Arthur Tedder, who was then serving as Deputy Supreme Allied Commander, Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Force. He was made Senior Air Staff Officer at No. 5 Group in August 1944:

After the war, Elworthy joined the staff at the Central Bombing Establishment at RAF Marham. of the Royal Pakistan Air Force Station, Drigh Road (now PAF Base Faisal) on 1 November 1947. He went on to be Deputy Director of Personnel at the Air Ministry in December 1949, Station Commander at RAF Tangmere in December 1951 and Station Commander at RAF Odiham in March 1953. he became Commander of the Metropolitan Sector in December 1953. he attended the Imperial Defence College in 1956 and became Commandant of the RAF Staff College, Bracknell, in January 1957. and to air vice marshal on a substantive basis on 1 July 1957, Elworthy became Deputy Chief of the Air Staff with the acting rank of air marshal on 15 November 1959. Appointed a Companion of the Order of the Bath in the 1960 New Year Honours and promoted to air marshal on a substantive basis on 1 July 1960, he became Commander-in-Chief British Forces Arabian Peninsular in August 1960. he became Commander-in-Chief Middle East Command (Aden), a newly formed unified command, in March 1961.

Elworthy was made Chief of the Air Staff on 1 September 1963. As Chief of the Air Staff, he worked closely with Secretary of State Denis Healey implementing the cancellation of the TSR-2 strike aircraft and the HS681 military transport aircraft programmes. He was promoted to Marshal of the Royal Air Force on 1 April 1967 and became Chief of the Defence Staff on 4 August 1967. In this role he oversaw the evacuation from Aden in November 1967 and had to respond to the growing crisis in Northern Ireland in the late 1960s. He was made Constable and Governor of Windsor Castle on 13 April 1971 and became Lord Lieutenant of Greater London in 1973. He resigned from his various posts in 1978 and returned to his native New Zealand. Elworthy died at Christchurch in New Zealand on 4 April 1993.

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