George Mitchell Croil
George Mitchell Croil, airman (b at Milwaukee, Wis 5 June 1893; d at Vancouver 8 Apr 1959). Croil flew with the Royal Flying Corps in Salonika and trained pilots in the Middle East in WWI. In 1919 he joined the Canadian Air Board and was one of 62 officers granted RCAF commissions in 1924. After graduating from RAF Staff College and the Imperial Defence College, Croil became first chief of the air staff in 1938. A reserved, straightforward and meticulous officer, he directed the RCAF's prewar expansion. He retired as RCAF inspector general in 1944.