Cheshire was a great leader of men. Unlike Guy Gibson, he was approachable, and made it a point to know the name and speak with every man on base, including his ground crews. He would speak with the men over technical matters about the aircraft, and would share a cigarette over their personal concerns. He knew all his men, and made them feel he knew them and liked them. He knew it was critical to the effectiveness of his squadron. He invoked great loyalty, as it was clear he was devoted to their needs and was willing to take practical steps to improve the safety and success of their missions. He always made a personal example of what was required, and relied on his example and the crews' determination not to let him down to lead them through some of the war's most difficult raids.