George Croil

Air Marshal George Mitchell Croil CBE, AFC (June 5, 1893 – April 8, 1959) was an American-born Canadian Royal Flying Corps pilot during World War I who went on to become the first Chief of the Air Staff of the Royal Canadian Air Force. Croil resigned as CAS in 1940 and then served as Inspector-General of the RCAF until his retirement in 1944, when the post of Inspector General was abolished.

Early life Croil was born on June 5, 1893, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. His parents, Thomas Croil and Christian Mitchell, were Scottish immigrants to the United States. Croil was a first cousin of US Major General Billy Mitchell, who, like Croil, was a pioneer of military aviation in the US.

When Croil was 11 years old, his family moved to Canada and settled in Montreal, Quebec, where he attended Westmount Academy from 1903 to 1907. From 1907 to 1911, Croil lived in Scotland, studying at Robert Gordon's College in Aberdeen. Remaining in Great Britain, Croil studied Civil Engineering and was chartered as an engineer 1912. He was soon commissioned, serving as a machine gun officer in the 5th Battalion of the Gordon Highlanders. In January 1915, he received an acting promotion to captain and took up duties as a company commander. Power was replaced two months later following Croil's resignation. Croil then served as the Inspector-General of the Royal Canadian Air Force until 1944.

Croil died on April 8, 1959, in Vancouver, British Columbia.