Squadron Leader Michael Casano, who has died aged 93, was one of the RAF's most colourful and dashing characters; he took part in the fighting in Iraq and Syria in 1941 before joining Glubb Pasha in the Arab Legion.
Casano was commanding the RAF's No 2 Armoured Car Company, guarding airfields in the Western Desert, when he was ordered, on May 5 1941, to proceed immediately to the fort at Rutbah, 1,000 miles distant on the main land route between Palestine and the large RAF airfield at Habbaniya, west of Baghdad.
Five days later he arrived to join HAB force, which had gathered to relieve Habbaniya, where the RAF flying training school had repulsed air and ground attacks led by the rabidly anti-British and pro-German Iraqi lawyer Rashid Ali.
On May 14 Casano's company was attached to Brigadier Joe Kingston's relief column, "Kingcol", whose task was to advance on Baghdad. Operating with the southern column during the move eastwards, he led his armoured cars to within 20 yards of enemy positions, although constricted by single-track and often flooded roads.
He came under continuous heavy fire, but progressed across the Fallujah Plain until he reached a canal 14 miles from Baghdad. The bridge had been demolished, and as his cars halted they came under intense machine-gun fire. Casano was forced to withdraw, but the following day was able to continue his advance when he once again came under heavy machine-gun and shell fire.
An armistice was declared on May 30, and Casano camped 10 miles from Baghdad to carry out escort and patrolling duties. On June 20 he moved with his three cars for operations on the Syrian border. He was used as the advance guard, and the following day was spotted by Vichy French aircraft.
For the next 10 days he made repeated attempts to advance towards Palmyra, and each day encountered heavy opposition. During this period he carried out forward reconnaissance sorties and cut the telephone line on the main oil pipeline near Homs.
Casano finally withdrew to Amman on July 5, having been in constant action for more than two months. It was later announced that he had been awarded the MC. The citation recorded: "The successes of the 'HAB' force, both in Iraq and Syria, were largely due to this officer; he operated virtually alone, and his zeal and devotion to duty deserves the highest praise. He displayed the greatest gallantry."
Somerset de Chair, the intelligence officer of "Kingcol", shared many experiences with Casano and wrote of him in his book The Golden Carpet: "His face was thin and sallow. He resembled Mephistopheles in every respect, with a thin pointed nose, arched black eyebrows and mocking dark eyes. After sharing every variety of adventure with him I see him now preparing for another campaign leaning forward in the lamplight as if he were the devil himself, and saying in a long drawn out whisper 'go the whole hog'."
Michael Peter Casano was born on June 7 1913 at Folkestone and educated at Dover College. He had always wanted to join the RAF, but failed the entrance examination to the RAF College, Cranwell; so he joined the East Kent Regiment as a private soldier. He purchased his release 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 returning from Syria Casano and his company went back to the Western Desert, and he led them during the Battle of Alamein and the offensive that followed. On March 6 1943, while the company was at an advanced landing ground, German aircraft attacked his position; he was badly wounded and had to be evacuated to hospital. While recovering from his wounds he met Major-General Sir John Glubb (Glubb Pasha), who persuaded him to join the Arab Legion and take command of their armoured cars, a role he filled until the end of the war.
Casano was inseparable from his dog, Butch, who accompanied his master everywhere. On one occasion Casano entered Shepheard's Hotel in Cairo with Butch to be told that dogs were not allowed. Casano responded: "Well, you had better put him out then", and the two marched off to the bar. Butch was later killed by enemy fire — his demise made news in the Egyptian Gazette.
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.
With his striking profile, roguish appearance and adventurous attitude, Casano gained a legendary reputation in the RAF; other units knew his company as "Cass's Boys".
His men found him an inspiring and courageous leader who led by example and never asked others to do what he was not prepared to do himself. On operations he would insist on taking his turn to "make a brew" for his men. At reunions many years later the respect and esteem in which he was held was clear — when he entered a room, every man would stand.
Casano was a keen cricketer and an avid supporter of Kent.
Michael Casano married, in 1943, Helen Czarnicka, an authoress and the daughter of a White Russian general. His wife predeceased him, and he is survived by a daughter.