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villages with the intent of pacifying tribal opposition. Charlton opposed this policy and he went on to openly criticize such bombing actions. Within a year of his arrival, Charlton resigned from his post in Iraq. In the same month he arrived, Charlton visited the local hospital in
311:
in early August 1902, after the war had ended. Following their return, he relinquished his commission with the
Imperial Yeomanry in September 1902, and returned to the Lancashire Fusiliers. He did not stay long, however, as later the same year he was seconded to serve with the
381:
Charlton: "About my reasons for resigning." Trenchard: "Look here, Charlton. You resigned, and I accept your resignation. There's nothing more to be said." Charlton: "Won't there be an official enquiry, then?" Trenchard: "An inquiry into what? Your conscience? Certainly not."
364:, and was shocked by seeing the wounds of Iraqis injured in RAF bombing raids present, later writing in his memoirs that "indiscriminate bombing of a populace... with the liability of killing women and children, was the nearest thing to wanton slaughter."
436:
In recent years, the memory of
Charlton was taken up by opponents of the present war in Iraq, and specifically by British opponents of their country's involvement in that war, who hold him up as an example to be emulated by present-day officers.
412:, correctly emphasizing the crucial importance which bombing civilian populations would have. Charlton was homosexual and lived with an old RAF friend, Tom Wichelo; he belonged to a circle including
244:
posts until his retirement from the air force in 1928. Most notably, Charlton resigned his position as the RAF's Chief Staff
Officer in Iraq as he objected to the bombing of Iraqi villages.
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When the summons did not come, Charlton requested an interview with
Trenchard. Trenchard asked Charlton why he had requested the interview and the following exchange took place:
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Mike
Marqusee, "Imperial whitewash – feelgood versions of British history are blinding us to the ways in which we are even now repeating it"
404:, published by Penguin Books (no. 163, 1938); this work was rather candid and was written in the third person singular. In 1938, he published
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expressed the opinion that
Charlton should have had a monument erected in his honour at London, rather than his fellow RAF commander
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Shortly before the First World War he transferred to the Royal Flying Corps, becoming one of its first brigadier generals in 1917.
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On 2 February 1923, Air
Commodore Charlton took up the post of Chief Staff Officer at the headquarters of the RAF's
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In retirement, he became an author of adventure fiction for children. At this time, he also wrote
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who conducted the bombings of Iraq without compunction and went on to bomb the German cities in
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on 5 October 1901. During the latter part of the war he served with the 3rd
Battalion
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Although
Charlton was barred from further postings in Iraq, he went on to serve as
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On his return to Great
Britain, Charlton expected to be summoned to see the
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Airminded – Air Power and British Society 1908 – 1939 – L E O Charlton
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Air of Authority – A History of RAF Organisation – Air Cdre Charlton
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343:, Charlton temporarily took command until he travelled to France.
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Dictionary of National Biography – Charlton, Lionel Evelyn Oswald
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76:
392:. Charlton requested early retirement, which he was granted.
355:. It was at this time that the RAF employed the bombing of
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335:. On 15 April 1915, when No. 8 Squadron was grouped with
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He served with the 2nd Battalion of his regiment in the
228:, Charlton held several command and staff posts in the
408:, a reasoned analysis and prediction of the impending
527:. No. 36846. London. 14 August 1902. p. 8.
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Companions of the Order of St Michael and St George
173:Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George
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613:Air of Authority – A History of RAF Organisation
327:Charlton was initially as a flight commander on
1021:Military personnel from the City of Westminster
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523:"The Army in South Africa - Return of Troops".
272:on 28 September 1898, followed by promotion to
986:Companions of the Distinguished Service Order
682:History of Homosexuality in Europe, 1919–1939
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331:and later as the first Officer Commanding of
240:on its creation, Charlton served in several
252:Lionel Charlton was born on 7 July 1879 at
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16:Royal Air Force Air Commodore (1879-1958)
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976:Royal Air Force generals of World War I
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634:"Early Days – World War I – 1915–1920"
283:1899–1901, including as part of the
37:Brigadier-General L E O Charlton as
996:Companions of the Order of the Bath
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640:. 4 September 2006. Archived from
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287:, and was severely wounded at the
169:Companion of the Order of the Bath
14:
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1031:20th-century English LGBTQ people
1026:19th-century English LGBTQ people
1016:20th-century English male writers
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697:. Richard Neville. Archived from
695:"Merciless Savagery From The Sky"
684:. Algora Publishing, 2004, p. 203
483:. 16 February 1900. p. 1077.
1011:Officers of the Legion of Honour
567:. 4 November 1902. p. 7014.
512:. 1 November 1901. p. 7047.
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669:), 1999, relevant quotation at
667:Nu dog du: bombernas ĂĄrhundrade
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607:Barass, Malcolm (6 June 2007).
547:. 3 October 1902. p. 6275.
186:Officer of the Legion of Honour
609:"Air Commodore L E O Charlton"
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198:Lionel Evelyn Oswald Charlton
25:Lionel Evelyn Oswald Charlton
587:. 2 January 1903. p. 6.
291:, for which he received the
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966:Royal Flying Corps officers
293:Distinguished Service Order
177:Distinguished Service Order
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665:, "A History of Bombing" (
406:The Air Defence of Britain
402:Charlton, an autobiography
375:. The summons never came.
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981:Military history of Iraq
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295:(DSO). He was promoted
264:and was commissioned a
181:Mentioned in Despatches
141:V Brigade RAF (1917–18)
1001:Gay military personnel
925:Air Officer Commanding
895:Air Officer Commanding
846:February–October 1917
597:Hart′s army list, 1903
493:Hart's Army list, 1901
452:Arthur "Bomber" Harris
387:Air Officer Commanding
369:Chief of the Air Staff
285:Ladysmith Relief Force
236:. Transferring to the
817:Temporary appointment
414:Edward Morgan Forster
276:on 1 September 1899.
260:. He was educated at
110:Years of service
932:March–December 1924
767:Squadron established
270:Lancashire Fusiliers
1006:English gay writers
680:Tamagne, Florence.
314:Gold Coast Regiment
289:battle of Spion Kop
807:Officer Commanding
773:Officer Commanding
701:on 4 February 2014
584:The London Gazette
564:The London Gazette
544:The London Gazette
509:The London Gazette
480:The London Gazette
339:to form RFC's new
305:SS Kinfauns Castle
230:Royal Flying Corps
144:No. 8 Squadron RFC
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935:Succeeded by
905:Succeeded by
877:Succeeded by
849:Succeeded by
824:Succeeded by
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789:Archibald MacLean
786:Succeeded by
757:Military offices
301:Imperial Yeomanry
266:second lieutenant
234:brigadier general
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915:Preceded by
908:Edward Masterman
885:Preceded by
859:Preceded by
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703:. Retrieved
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616:. Retrieved
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418:Joe Ackerley
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353:Iraq Command
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151:Battles/wars
98:British Army
72:(1958-04-18)
18:
961:1958 deaths
956:1879 births
928:No. 3 Group
898:No. 7 Group
705:14 February
579:"No. 27512"
559:"No. 27491"
539:"No. 27479"
504:"No. 27370"
475:"No. 27165"
242:air officer
105:(1918–1928)
100:(1897–1918)
57:7 July 1879
39:Air Attaché
950:Categories
874:1917-1918
810:Fifth Wing
648:3 November
618:3 November
462:References
396:Later life
390:No 3 Group
274:lieutenant
254:Piccadilly
248:Early life
84:Allegiance
60:Piccadilly
53:1879-07-07
797:New title
763:New title
525:The Times
309:Cape Town
113:1897–1928
362:Diwaniya
341:5th Wing
307:leaving
188:(France)
128:Commands
92:Service/
62:, London
879:Unknown
297:captain
268:in the
432:Legacy
258:London
165:Awards
146:(1915)
139:(1922)
134:(1924)
94:branch
77:Hexham
902:1922
821:1915
783:1915
357:Iraqi
215:
213:,
208:
206:,
707:2014
650:2007
620:2007
424:and
347:Iraq
118:Rank
67:Died
47:Born
813:RFC
779:RFC
444:in
256:in
217:DSO
210:CMG
183:(3)
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416:,
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203:CB
200:,
709:.
652:.
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55:)
51:(
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