William Gell (RAF officer)

William Gell
Air Vice Marshal Gell, far left, listens while Duncan Sandys announces the end of the German V-1 flying bomb campaign against London, September 1944
Born	(1888-07-10)10 July 1888 Birmingham, England
Died	16 May 1969(1969-05-16) (aged 80) Knowle, England
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Service/branch	British Army (1911–39) Royal Air Force (1939–45)
Years of service	1911–45
Rank	Air Vice Marshal
Commands held	Balloon Command (1944–45) No. 30 (Balloon) Group (1941–44) No. 6 Balloon Centre (1939–41) 5th/6th Battalion Royal Warwickshire Regiment (1917–19)
Battles/wars	First World War Second World War
Awards	Companion of the Order of the Bath Distinguished Service Order & Bar Military Cross Territorial Decoration Silver Medal of Military Valor (Italy)

Air Vice Marshal William Charles Coleman Gell, CB, DSO & Bar, MC, TD, DL (10 July 1888 – 16 May 1969) was a Royal Air Force officer who served as Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief at RAF Balloon Command from 1944 to 1945.

Gell was born in Birmingham the son of William and Catherine Gell, he grew up at 111 Gough Road, Edgbaston, his father managed an umbrella factory, he was educated at Malvern College and Caius College, Cambridge where he achieved a law degree.

Educated at the University of Cambridge, where he gained an MA degree in Law Gell was commissioned into the Royal Warwickshire Regiment in 1911. Gell was commissioned into 7th Battalion, The Royal Warwickshire Regiment on 12 May 1911, the London Gazette stated "William Charles Coleman Gell (late Cadet Serjeant, Cambridge University Contingent, Senior Division, Officers Training Corps) to be Second Lieutenant. From 21 January 1912 he transferred to 5th and 6th Battalions The Royal Warwickshire Regiment still a Second Lieutenant. This was a unit of the Territorial Army, almost all officers and the enlisted men continued in their civil occupations serving in the unit during their free time. Gell's profession was a junior solicitor.

Gell served in the First World War and commanded the 5th/6th Battalion in France, earning the Military Cross as a lieutenant serving as temporary captain. Gell landed at LeHavre in France on 23 March 1915 with 1st/5th Battalion, Royal Warwickshire Regiment, he was wounded on the Somme in 1916 and from 3 October 1916 until 28 June 1917 was an acting major, 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 captain during his service in France was rewarded with a rare appointment as a junior officer, to the Distinguished Service Order. 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 lieutenant colonel commanding 1st/5th Battalion of the Royal Warwickshire Regiment in France and Flanders and finally Italy. The Italian government awarded him the Silver Medal of Military Valor.