Michael Casano
| Michael Peter Casano | |
|---|---|
| Born | 7 June 1913 Folkestone, United Kingdom |
| Died | 2006 (aged 93) |
| Allegiance |
 United Kingdom
|
| Service/branch |
 Royal Air Force
|
| Rank | Squadron Leader |
| Commands held | No. 2 Armoured Car Company RAF |
| Battles/wars | |
| Awards | Military Cross |
Michael Peter Casano, MC (7 June 1913 – 2006), was a Squadron Leader in the Royal Air Force during the Second World War.
He is probably best remembered as the leader of the force of armoured cars that took part in the Relief of Habbaniyah, in Iraq in 1941.
Casano was born on 7 June 1913 at Folkestone and educated at Dover College. Having failed the entrance examination to the RAF College, Cranwell he joined the East Kent Regiment but bought himself out to gain a commission in the RAF three years later.
Casano learned to fly in Egypt but a serious accident (leading to a fractured skull) meant that he was posted onto armoured cars, in 1936. RAF armoured cars operating on Internal Security duties in Palestine at this time, alongside the Army armoured cars of the 11th Hussars, during what was then called the Arab Revolt.
On the outbreak of War with Italy, in June 1940, Flight Lieutenant Casano was serving with No. 2 Armoured Car Company RAF at Amman in the Transjordan. In September of that year, the Army requested assistance for its hard-pressed armoured reconnaissance regiment, whose small force of armoured cars had to cover the vastness of the Western Desert almost single-handed. F/L. Casano took two Sections of 2 ACC, of six cars each, to Egypt, to help the Army in formation reconnaissance duties, the traditional cavalry screen, patrolling the border with the large Italian force in Libya. The Army regiment was the old colleagues the 11th Hussars and the RAF cars were soon incorporated, as 'D' Sqn., with Casano as Squadron Commander. The RAF unit took part in the great Battle of Bardia, in December 1940, when the daring of a smaller British Empire force blocked the hesitant advance into Egypt. The Commonwealth forces the seized the initiative and pushed the enemy back as far as El Agheila, in the next few weeks, with D Sqn. acting as flank protection on the Desert flank. In February 1941, after 5 months of very hard, but very successful campaigning, the RAF vehicles were released, to return to Amman for rest and refit. Losses were just 5 wounded or otherwise injured. The vehicles were elderly Rolls-Royce armoured car bodies, refurbished on a rather less exalted Fordson, but durable, truck chassis. After this brilliant baptism of fire, Casano was soon promoted and given command of the whole Company.
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Wikipedia