500:(ATS). She is recorded as having joined up on 19 September 1938, just ten days after the service itself was officially established, making her one of the first recruits to the Service. By March 1940, the mother of four was serving as a senior commandant, then the fourth most senior rank of officer in the service (another grade would later be inserted to match the rank-system of the men's services). On 30 May 1941, the ATS was made a formal part of the Army, subject to military law and military discipline. The women officers were all, whatever their ATS status, commissioned as second subalterns, the lowest rank of the new militarised-ATS system. The women were also given service numbers and though more senior women had been brought in to provide command experience for the rapidly-expanding Women's Services, Edith Gell was still the 36th most senior person in the ATS, as indicated by her number: 192036. Once formally commissioned into the reformed ATS, the women could be promoted through the new ranks and Mrs. Gell resumed her career in the new style of senior commander. By 1944, she was serving in the rank of chief commander and her six years of service to date were recognised with the award of a military
431:
360:
After service in the First World War, Gell returned to legal practice as a solicitor, being noted as "Mr. William
Charles Coleman Gell, Solicitor, of 36, Waterloo Street, Birmingham,(a member of the firm of Johnson and Co., of the same place, Solicitors)" in the London Gazette in 1922. He continued
33:
398:, of which he had been commanding officer in 1924–29. The RAF List of July 1938 lists him amongst the military members of the "Territorial Army and Air Force Associations" of Warwickshire, recording Gell as honorary colonel of the 45th (Royal Warwicks)
300:. Initially commissioned, on 12 May 1911, into the 7th Battalion, The Royal Warwickshire Regiment, he soon transferred, from 21 January 1912, to the Birmingham Rifles, more formally known as: 5th and 6th Battalions, The Royal Warwickshire Regiment.
292:: "William Charles Coleman Gell (late Cadet Serjeant, Cambridge University Contingent, Senior Division, Officers Training Corps) to be Second Lieutenant". (London Gazette). Once settled as a Birmingham solicitor, Gell joined a
336:, Gell held command of 1st/5th Battalion Royal Warwicks from 23 August 1917, serving in France and Flanders until late 1918 and completing his service in Italy. On 1 January 1917 his bravery still as a lieutenant and acting
394:(TD) for his long and distinguished service in the Territorial Army. He joined the Anti-Aircraft branch of the Territorial Army in 1935. In 1937 he was appointed Honorary Colonel of the
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1067:
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462:
344:. Further brave conduct and successful leadership resulted in the award of a Bar to the Distinguished Service Order in June 1919 for his service as Acting
512:
Following wartime service Gell again returned to legal practice with
Johnson and Co. in Birmingham a company he was still associated with in 1965.
280:
where he graduated with an MA degree in law. On coming down from university, Gell returned to
Birmingham to begin his legal career as a solicitor.
348:
commanding 1st/5th
Battalion of the Royal Warwickshire Regiment in France and Flanders and finally Italy. The Italian government awarded him the
1087:
1062:
484:
protecting
British cities and military and naval installations was rewarded in the Birthday Honours list of June 1944 with appointment as a
1072:
32:
1077:
450:, Gell served as Officer Commanding No. 5 and then No. 6 Balloon Centre protecting against German air attacks. Gell was promoted to
325:
410:
as
Officer Commanding, No 6 Balloon Centre, Auxiliary Air Force. The RAF List of August 1939 lists him as a wing commander in the
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171:
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Gell's military service began in the
Officers Training Corps (OTC), a standard route for a non-career
455:
411:
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883:
277:
969:
683:
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332:, he was wounded on the Somme in 1916 and from 3 October 1916 until 28 June 1917 was an acting
229:
183:
406:. On 18 Jan 1939 Gell was appointed to a commission in the Auxiliary Air Force in the rank of
340:
during his service in France was rewarded with a rare appointment as a junior officer, to the
407:
72:
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785:
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703:
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Gell's wife, Edith Maud Gell (1896–1980), also had a career during the war, serving in the
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8:
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in command of 5th
Battalion, Royal Warwickshire Regiment, Gell was awarded the
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603:
Air of
Authority – A History of RAF Organisation – Air Vice-Marshal W C C Gell
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328:. Gell landed at LeHavre in France on 23 March 1915 with 1st/5th Battalion,
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In
January 1941 the RAF List shows him as the senior group captain in the
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on 1 December 1943, and appointed Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief at
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the son of William and Catherine Gell. He grew up at 111 Gough Road,
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268:, where his father managed an umbrella factory. He was educated at
465:
date 1 September 1940. He was appointed Air Officer Commanding
673:
National Archives, London, British Army MIC – William CC Gell
725:
Quarterly Army List for the Quarter Ending 31 December, 1919
371:
On 26 August 1931 Gell, who was then living at the Croft,
364:
Gell married Edith Maud Gosling on 30 January 1923 in
240:(10 July 1888 – 16 May 1969) was an officer of the
248:. He served as Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief at
1093:Military personnel from Birmingham, West Midlands
1044:
892:(Supplement). 18 January 1944. pp. 419–420.
434:Air Vice Marshal Gell (far left), listens while
692:(Supplement). 29 December 1916. pp. 34–35.
663:(Supplement). 29 December 1916. pp. 34–35.
998:(Supplement). 1 June 1965. pp. 5347–5348.
912:(Supplement). 2 June 1944. pp. 2568–2569.
1068:Companions of the Distinguished Service Order
1083:Royal Air Force air marshals of World War II
16:Royal Air Force Air Vice-Marshal (1888-1969)
775:England & Wales Marriage Index, 1916–65
944:
942:
935:(Supplement). 29 March 1940. p. 1834.
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919:
396:5th Battalion, Royal Warwickshire Regiment
296:(TF) battalion of his local regiment, the
31:
978:(Supplement). 1 January 1944. p. 11.
538:Liddell Hart Centre for Military Archives
988:
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958:(Supplement). 8 July 1941. p. 3906.
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863:. 20 September 1940. pp. 5591–5592.
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794:. 4 September 1931. pp. 5766–5767.
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550:"Cambridge University Calendar 1913–14"
442:campaign against London, September 1944
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728:. Vol. 2. HMSO. 7 February 2012.
1088:Royal Warwickshire Fusiliers officers
1063:British Army personnel of World War I
598:
596:
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814:. 5 February 1926. pp. 889–890.
643:. 12 March 1912. pp. 1832–1833.
552:. Cambridge University. p. 1023
283:
1073:Companions of the Order of the Bath
765:. 28 July 1922. pp. 5664–5665.
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418:operation was transferred from the
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13:
873:RAF List, January 1941. Column 576
623:. 7 July 1911. pp. 5062–5063.
589:
528:1911 Census, Birmingham, Edgbaston
486:Companion of the Order of the Bath
361:to serve in the Territorial Army.
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168:Companion of the Order of the Bath
14:
1109:
844:RAF List, August 1939. Column 830
477:in 1944 before retiring in 1945.
1078:Recipients of the Military Cross
835:RAF List, July 1938, Column 1322
438:announces the end of the German
383:(DL) for the County of Warwick.
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577:. Birmingham Law Society. 2009
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350:Silver Medal of Military Valor
188:Silver Medal of Military Valor
137:No. 6 Balloon Centre (1939–41)
1:
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498:Auxiliary Territorial Service
491:
480:Gell's success in command of
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37:Air Vice-Marshal Gell in 1944
712:. 30 May 1919. p. 6940.
200:William Charles Coleman Gell
7:
342:Distinguished Service Order
330:Royal Warwickshire Regiment
298:Royal Warwickshire Regiment
172:Distinguished Service Order
143:Royal Warwickshire Regiment
10:
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1098:Territorial Force officers
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1021:
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572:"Officers of the Society"
456:Royal Auxiliary Air Force
412:Royal Auxiliary Air Force
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422:to the Royal Air Force.
316:in France, earning the
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414:Balloon Section after
392:Territorial Decoration
184:Territorial Decoration
133:No. 30 (Balloon) Group
458:on 1 September 1940.
433:
324:serving as temporary
106:Years of service
467:No. 30 Balloon Group
290:commissioned officer
1023:Commander-in-Chief
475:RAF Balloon Command
463:RAF Balloon Section
386:While serving as a
308:Gell served in the
252:from 1944 to 1945.
250:RAF Balloon Command
1017:Sir Leslie Gossage
995:The London Gazette
975:The London Gazette
955:The London Gazette
932:The London Gazette
909:The London Gazette
889:The London Gazette
860:The London Gazette
811:The London Gazette
791:The London Gazette
762:The London Gazette
709:The London Gazette
689:The London Gazette
660:The London Gazette
640:The London Gazette
620:The London Gazette
469:in 1941, promoted
444:
388:lieutenant-colonel
346:lieutenant colonel
312:and commanded the
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1032:Succeeded by
1009:Military offices
381:Deputy Lieutenant
314:5th/6th Battalion
294:Territorial Force
284:Territorial Force
260:Gell was born in
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140:5th/6th Battalion
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1014:Preceded by
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448:Second World War
426:Second World War
356:Between the wars
244:and then of the
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197:Air Vice-Marshal
158:Second World War
118:Air Vice-Marshal
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482:Balloon Command
440:V-1 flying bomb
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420:Royal Engineers
416:barrage balloon
404:Royal Engineers
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310:First World War
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304:First World War
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270:Malvern College
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246:Royal Air Force
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154:First World War
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128:Balloon Command
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1035:Philip Lincoln
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408:wing commander
379:was appointed
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318:Military Cross
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83:United Kingdom
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471:air commodore
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436:Duncan Sandys
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741:14 September
739:. Retrieved
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581:14 September
579:. Retrieved
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556:14 September
554:. Retrieved
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373:Blossomfield
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242:British Army
199:
195:
150:Battles/wars
94:British Army
68:(1969-05-16)
53:10 July 1888
25:William Gell
18:
1058:1969 deaths
1053:1888 births
990:"No. 43664"
970:"No. 36309"
950:"No. 35211"
927:"No. 34819"
904:"No. 36544"
884:"No. 36340"
855:"No. 34949"
806:"No. 33130"
786:"No. 33750"
757:"No. 32733"
704:"No. 31372"
684:"No. 29886"
655:"No. 29886"
635:"No. 28589"
615:"No. 28511"
508:Later years
446:During the
402:Battalion,
66:16 May 1969
1047:Categories
1029:1944–1945
516:References
492:Edith Gell
322:lieutenant
262:Birmingham
256:Early life
80:Allegiance
56:Birmingham
49:1888-07-10
825:Army List
366:Maidstone
278:Cambridge
266:Edgbaston
145:(1917–19)
135:(1941–44)
130:(1944–45)
101:(1939–45)
96:(1911–39)
75:, England
58:, England
377:Solihull
124:Commands
88:Service/
454:in the
338:captain
326:captain
190:(Italy)
109:1911–45
732:
214:&
174:&
164:Awards
90:branch
73:Knowle
575:(PDF)
334:major
320:as a
235:
233:,
228:
226:,
221:
219:,
210:
208:,
743:2015
730:ISBN
583:2015
558:2015
272:and
114:Rank
63:Died
43:Born
502:OBE
216:Bar
212:DSO
176:Bar
1049::
992:.
972:.
952:.
941:^
929:.
918:^
906:.
886:.
857:.
808:.
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686:.
657:.
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617:.
591:^
504:.
488:.
375:,
368:.
352:.
276:,
237:DL
230:TD
223:MC
205:CB
202:,
745:.
585:.
560:.
51:)
47:(
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
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