Date of birth:

June 7th, 1913 (Folkestone)

Date of death:

July 2006

Service number:

37223

Nationality:

British

Michael Casano was educated at Dover College. Even though he had a strong wish to join the RAF, he failed the entrance examination to the RAF College, Cranwell. Therefore he joined the East Kent Regiment as a private soldier. He bought himself out of the regiment three years later and was given a short-service commission in the RAF.
He trained as a pilot in Egypt, but crashed his Fury bi-plane, fracturing his skull. Assessed subsequently as "unlikely to become an effective service pilot", he was posted to No 2 Armoured Car Company in April 1936, serving in the Middle East.
After serving in Syria Casano he and his company went back to the Western Desert, and he led them during the Battle of Alamein and the offensive that followed.
He took part in the fighting in Iraq and Syria in 1941 before joining Glubb Pasha in the Arab Legion.
After the war Casano was granted a permanent commission in the administration branch and served in Germany, Malta and various units in England. He retired in 1958 and became a driving instructor.

Promotions:
June 12th, 1935: Acting Pilot Officer (probation)
July 21st, 1936: Pilot Officer
April 21st, 1938:Flying Officer
April 21st, 1940: Flight Lieutenant (war sub)
June 1st, 1942: Temporary Squadron Leader (war sub)
October 14th, 1946: Flight Lieutenant (extended service for four years)
January 1st, 1947: transfer to the Secretarial Branch
October 21st, 1948: Flight Lieutenant (permanent)
March 24th, 1958: retirement

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Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Acting Squadron Leader

Unit:

No.2 Armoured Car Company

Awarded on:

January 1st, 1942

Recommendation:
"During the advance on Bagdad on the 28th to 30th May [1941], Squadron Leader Casano led his armoured cars in person, on several occasions moving his own car to within 20 yards of the enemy positions, being confined by the nature of the country to a single and often flooded road. The successes of the ground operations of the "HAB"force, both in Iraq and Syria, were largely due to this officer, who performed excellent work during the period May to July 1941 when the operations were in progress. Squadron Leader Casano’s company were operating in the role of advance guard in all the actions under most hazardous conditions. Notwithstanding the enormous difficulties of supply, and divorced as he was from the normal means of maintenance generally accorded to other units, the work which his company performed was a triumph of organization and foresight. This officer both in the rear and front of the enemy deserves the highest praise. Squadron Leader Casano displayed the greatest gallantry throughout the operations."

LG 35399/41
WO 373/47/115

• - The London Gazette Issue 34174 published on the 25 June 1935
  - The London Gazette Issue 34319 published on the 1 September 1936
  - The London Gazette Issue 34515 published on the 31 May 1938
  - The London Gazette Issue 34964 published on the 8 October 1940
  - Supplement to The London Gazette Issue 35725 published on the 29 September 1942
  - Supplement to The London Gazette Issue 35399 published on the 30 December 1941
  - Second Supplement to The London Gazette Issue 37827 published on the 20 December 1946
  - Second Supplement to The London Gazette Issue 37958 published on the 16 May 1947
  - Second Sipplement to The London Gazette Issue 38748 published on the 1 November 1949
  - Second Supplement to The London Gazette Issue 41349 published on the 28 March 1958
  - The Telegraph - Obituaries
  - Royal Air Force
  - Raf Commands 1939-1945