William Foster MacNeece Foster

Air Vice-Marshal William Foster MacNeece Foster, CB, CBE, DSO, DFC (21 August 1889 - 28 March 1978) was a senior Royal Air Force officer who was a member of the Combined Chiefs of Staff from 1942 to 1943. He later became Lord Mayor of Oxford.

Early life
Born William Foster MacNeece on 21 August 1889 in Castlecary, County Donegal, Ireland, he was the eldest son of Colonel T. F. MacNeece. He was educated at Cheltenham College, an independent school located in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, England. He later assumed the surname of Foster by way of royal licence in 1927.

Military career
Having attended the Royal Military College, Foster was commissioned on 6 February 1909 into The Queen's Own (Royal West Kent Regiment) as a second lieutenant. He was promoted to lieutenant on 2 February 1912. Having trained as a pilot, on 31 October 1913, he was awarded Royal Aero Club (RAeC) Aviator Certificate number 671. On 28 April 1914, he was transferred to the reserve of the Royal Flying Corps.

With the outbreak of World War I, Foster would go on to serve in Europe. In 1914, he was a pilot in No. 3 Squadron RFC, conducting air reconnaissance over France. He was a captain when, on 9 September 1915, he was appointed a flight commander in the Royal Flying Corps. On 5 December 1916, as a temporary major, he was appointed wing commander and made a temporary lieutenant colonel.

On 16 January 1919, he joined the Air Ministry as a Staff Officer, 1st Class. Foster became Air Officer Commanding No. 1 Air Defence Group RAF in 1929 and Air Officer Commanding No. 6 (Bomber) Group RAF in 1939. He served in World War II in this role before becoming a member of the Combined Chiefs of Staff in 1942, Head of Inter-Service Liaison Committee in Washington D. C. in 1943 and Head of the RAF Training Mission in China in 1944.

Later life
After World War II, Foster settled in Oxford. He died on 28 March 1978.

Personal life
Foster married Jean Bruce in 1928. Together they had two daughters.

Honours and decorations
Foster was awarded the Distinguished Service Order (DSO) in the 1917 New Year Honours.