Norman Bottomley
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Sir Norman Bottomley
18 September 1891 - 13 August 1970
Place of birth	Yorkshire
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Service/branch	Royal Air Force
Years of service	1914 - 1948
Rank	Air Chief Marshal
Commands held	Inspector-General of the RAF Bomber Command No. 5 Group
Battles/wars	World War I World War II
Awards	Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath Companion of the Order of the Indian Empire Distinguished Service Order Air Force Cross Mention in Despatches (5)

Air Chief Marshal Sir Norman Howard Bottomley KCB CIE DSO AFC RAF (18 September 1891 - 13 August 1970) was the Yorkshire-born successor to Arthur 'Bomber' Harris as Commander-in-Chief of Royal Air Force Bomber Command in 1945.

Born in Yorkshire, Bottomley was educated at Halifax School and the University of Rennes in Brittany before being commissioned into the East Yorkshire Regiment as a subaltern with which he served until transferring to the Royal Flying Corps in 1915. He flew with the the RAF during World War I.

Between the wars Bottomley's appointments included service in the Middle East and the command of No. 4 (AC) Squadron RAF and No. 1 (Indian) Group. Bottomley was Senior Air Staff Officer at Bomber Command headquarters between 1938 and 1940, and was appointed Air Officer Commanding No. 5 Group RAF in November 1940. He was later promoted to Deputy Chief of the Air Staff in 1943. On the 15 September 1945, he followed Sir Arthur 'Bomber' Harris as Commander-in-Chief Bomber Command, retaining command until 16 January 1947.

Bottomley became Inspector-General of the RAF in 1947 and retired the following year.

Sir Norman Bottomley died on 13 August 1970, aged seventy-eight.

References

• Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation - Air Chf Mshl Bottomley

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