Michael Le Bas

Air Vice Marshal Michael Le Bas, CB, CBE, DSO (September 2, 1916 - January 26, 1988) was a prominent pilot of the British Royal Air Force who had an extensive flying career during World War II and continued to serve the RAF post-war.
==Early life and education==
Le Bas was born in Rosario, Estado de Santa Fe, Argentina. His father, Ricardo Le Bas, worked for a British grain exporter, and his mother, Minga Le Bas, was a housewife. He later moved to England in 1929 and attended Malvern School in Worcestershire. In 1940, due to the war between Britain and Axis Forces, Le Bas returned to the UK from Argentina to serve the nation in its fight.
==Wartime service==
In September 1941, Le Bas joined Squadron No 234 Sqn at Ibsley, where he flew the Mark II Spitfire in Channel patrols.
In April 1942, he volunteered for service in the Middle East with No 601 Squadron, which was re-equipping and embarking their Spitfires on the Air-Carrier USS Wasp. They flew off from the carrier on 20 April to reinforce the defenses of Malta. After his stay in Malta, which involved heavy dogfighting with German Squadrons flying from Sicily under the direction of General Kesselring, the squadron was transferred to the Western Desert, where it took part in armed reconnaissance patrols and ground attack missions in support of the 8th Army advance from El Alamein.
Le Bas later became a flight instructor in Abu Suweir, Egypt, before being promoted to Squadron Leader of No 241 Squadron, which flew Spitfire VIII/IXs in Italy. Here, his squadron supported the 57th Bomb Wing, USAAF with Tactical Reconnaissance and Photographic Reconnaissance. His outstanding leadership earned him the Distinguished Service Order (DSO).
==Post World War II==
After the war, Le Bas received a permanent commission by the RAF and had various postings before the Suez Crisis. He was on the staff of the Directorate of Organization (Forecasting & Planning) in 1946, followed by being on the Directing Staff at the RAF Staff College, Bracknell from 1948-1951. He then served on the Training Air Staff at the HQ of the 2nd Tactical Air Force (TAF) from Jul 1951 to Apr 1952. From Apr 1952 to 1954, he was an Officer Commanding at RAF Wildenrath in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, then in 1954 to the staff at the School of Land/Air Warfare till the Suez Crisis.
==Suez Crisis==
During the Suez Crisis, he was Wing Commander and deputy officer commanding, No 215 Wing/RAF at El Gamil, Port Said, Suez, Egypt. Following the crisis, he spent 1956-1957 returning to the School of Land/Air Warfare and then moved in 1957 to be the Officer Commanding the Administration Wing of RAF Cottesmore until early August 1959 when he became a Staff Officer in the Department of the Chief of the Air Staff.
==Later life==
Le Bas's subsequent appointments included Officer Commanding RAF Coningsby, Group Captain - Operations, Headquarters at Bomber Command, Senior Air Staff Officer at HQ Air Forces Middle East until June 1966, and Air Officer in charge of No 1 Group. His final position in 1969 was an Air Vice Marshal and Director-General of RAF Personnel Services at the Ministry of Defense.
==Nickname==
Le Bas received the affectionate nickname “Pancho” from his RAF colleagues. 
==Personal life==
Le Bas died on January 26, 1988, in Dinton, United Kingdom. He was married to his wife Moyra Bentiz, and they had a son and a daughter.
==References==
Category:1916 births
Category:Royal Air Force officers
Category:Royal Air Force air vice-marshals
Category:People of Rosario (Argentina)
Category:1988 deaths