Marshal of the Royal Air Force: Sir Charles Portal- One of the Greatest Allied Leaders of WW2

Charles Frederick Algernon Portal was born in Hungerford, England, in 1893. One of seven brothers, Portal developed a fierce competitive streak and a steely determination from an early age. Known by all who knew him as Peter', Portal enlisted in the Army at the outbreak of the First World War as a despatch rider, being mentioned in General French's very first despatch. Portal's abilities were quickly recognised, and he gained a commission in short order. It was in the air that Portal saw his future, and he subsequently transferred to the Royal Flying Corps, initially as an observer, before training as a pilot. In this latter role, Portal proved a courageous and instinctive leader, garnering the rare accolade of a DSO and Bar for his wartime service. Author, Richard Milburn, reveals in this long-overdue biography that Charles Portal was a hero in every sense; a heroic battlefield leader in one global conflict, and one of the men most responsible for Allied victory.