The Airmen's Stories - S/Ldr. G F Chater

George Frederick Chater, of South Africa, was born on 18th August 1913 and joined the RAF on a short service commission in September 1934.

He completed his flying training at 3 FTS Grantham and joined 23 Squadron on 16th September 1935.

Chater was posted overseas on 21st February 1936 to 100 (Torpedo bomber) Squadron at Seletar, Singapore.

In late 1939 Chater was a flying instructor at Cranwell. On 5th January 1940 a detached section of 152 Squadron Gladiators at Sumburgh was designated 'Fighter Flight, RAF Sumburgh'. Chater joined it on 9th January as CO.

Three days later the Flight was transferred from Fighter Command to 18 Group, Coastal Command. Chater was still commanding when the Flight rejoined Fighter Command on 21st July 1940.

On 28th July the unit moved south to Roborough and on 1st August he reformed 247 Squadron from the Gladiators of the Sumburgh Fighter Flight, tasked with the defence of the Plymouth dockyards.

Chater was awarded the DFC (gazetted 13th September 1940) and on 23rd September he took command of 3 Squadron at Turnhouse. He was posted away to RAF Castletown on 12th November 1940 as non-effective sick.

He commanded 30 Squadron in Ceylon from February to May 1942 and a Hurricane Wing in Burma in 1944. Chater was released from the RAF in 1949 as a Group Captain.

Chater died on 30th May 1981 in Hitchin.