53719 Major Eric Henry STEELE-BAUME, 2nd I/C 7 Para

Was Major Eric Henry Steele-Baume, 2nd Ic 7 Para bn during the Normandy campaign the same as Lt Col Eric Henry Steele-Baume who was GSO (AIR) with 1st Airborne in September 1944? When did he join 7 Para and when did he left 7 Para ???

Or are these two different persons with the same name ??? Thanks in advance!

see also 1st British Airborne Division officers  --  S

 

I would think that a yes. Courtesy of The Pegasus Archive, on both counts.

1st Airborne Division

6th Airborne Division

Kind regards, always,

Jim.

 

Thank you Jim,

so he was downgrated to Major before he joined 7th Para ?

21-2-1943 Major Airborne Forces HQ
28-7-1943 Lt Col GSO1 GHQ India
16-11-1943 Lt Col GSO 1 ?? (21st?) Army Group
.... 1944 Major 2nd I/C 7 Para
20-8-1944 Lt Col GSO 1 (AIR) 1st Airborne Div
? Nov/Dec 1944 Lt Col GSO 1 (Ops) 1st Airborne (he replaced Mackenzie)

Seems the page about the 1st Airborne Officers seems to forget to mention the time he was with the 6th.... so is it the same men and somehow stept back in rank ? Has there ever been an Obituary publiced about him when he passed away (December 1968)?

 

This is the answer I think:

There is a full list of his postings too.
See: 1st British Airborne Division officers -- S

His retirement from active service is marked with a "gong" aka CBE on: https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/41404/supplement/3516/data.pdf

From: FamilySearch.org

No obituary found online or funeral notice.

 

Unfortunately the link to the list of his appointments in your first post does not accurately record the use of "temporary" or "acting" or substantive rank.

Images below are cropped screenshots from London Gazette entries from March 1944 and June 1958 respectively (full pages of same attached as .pdfs below) by way of examples.

Kind regards, always,

Jim.