Denis Spotswood

Sir Denis Frank Spotswood GCB CBE DSO DFC FRAeS (born September 26, 1916 - November 11, 2001 ) was a British Marshal of the Royal Air Force , who was Chief of the Air Staff between 1971 and 1974 .

Life

Pilot training and time before World War II

Spotswood worked after visiting the Kingston Grammar School as a journalist for the evening newspaper London Evening Standard and completed in his spare time a three-year pilot training. On February 3, 1936, after his two-year commitment, he began basic aviation training at No. 8 Elementary and Reserve Flying Training School RAF (No 8 E & RFTS) in Reading , which he attended from April 18, 1936 at No. 6 Flying Training School RAF (No 6 FTS) on the RAF Cranwell military airfield . Subsequently, on January 10, 1937, he became a pilot at No. 220 Squadron RAF and promoted to lieutenant ( pilot officer ) there on February 3, 1937 .

After that, Spotswood took a navigation course at No. 1 between February 8 and October 8, 1937 . 206 Squadron RAF at RAF Calshot Air Force Base. After graduating, he first became a pilot at No. 201 Squadron RAF and on February 26, 1938 at No. 209 Squadron RAF . On September 3, 1938 he was promoted to first lieutenant ( flying officer ). Due to the Sudeten crisis , his squadron was relocated to Invergordon in September 1938 , before it was relocated to Stranraer on September 30, 1938 after the Munich Agreement had been signed . At that time, his two-year Short Service Commission was extended for a further six years.

Second World War

After Spotswood had completed the 13th Astronomical Extension Course on July 16, 1939 , he returned to No. 209 Squadron RAF and was relocated to Lerwick after the start of the Second World War . He stayed there until May 1941 and was promoted to captain ( Flight Lieutenant ) on September 3, 1940 . On July 21, 1941, he joined as chief flight instructor ( Chief Flying Instructor ) to the No. 6 RAF Operational Training Unit at RAF Sutton Bridge Air Force Base. On February 3, 1942, he left the training unit and was initially commissioned a Maritime Patrol Aircraft Type Consolidated PBY "Catalina" by Canada to fly, but then transferred actually a bomber of the type Lockheed Hudson . He stayed in Canada for almost two and a half months, where he trained pilots on this bomber.

Following Spotswood was born on April 18, 1942 Commander ( Commanding Officer ) of the Royal Auxiliary Air Force belonging No. 500 (County of Kent) Squadron AAF and carried out operations in the Mediterranean area with it, for example the attack on the German submarine U 595 north of Oran . He had to stop this attack after a fire on his aircraft, although the submarine was sunk by other aircraft of his squadron. For his services there he was first mentioned in the war report on September 24, 1941 ( Mentioned in dispatches ) and was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) on November 10, 1942 .

In the spring of 1943 he returned to Great Britain and on April 22, 1943 he was employed in the Operations Department for Air War Tactics in the Air Ministry's Air Force Staff , where he was able to contribute his experience in submarine hunting tactics. During this time he was mentioned for the second time in the war report on June 2, 1943 and also honored with the Distinguished Service Order (DSO) on September 28, 1943 . After attending the RAF Staff College in Bulstrode Park, he was appointed director of the planning staff at the headquarters of the Supreme Allied Commander in Southeast Asia ( South East Asia Command ), Admiral Louis Mountbatten , on April 11, 1944 , and remained there until February 12, 1946 On January 1, 1946, he became Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE).

Staff officer in the post-war period

After his return to Great Britain Spotswood took over on February 12, 1946 a position in the management staff of the RAF Staff College and received on March 26, 1946 his promotion to Major ( Squadron Leader ), which later on February 25, 1947 retroactive to June 1 1944 was pre-dated.

On July 1, 1947 he was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel ( Wing Commander ) and on December 19, 1947 took over the function of commander of the RAF Horsham St Faith Air Force Base, before Spotswood on January 30, 1948 as the successor of Wing Commander Robert Stanford Tuck Commanding Officer of the RAF Coltishall Air Force Base. He stayed in this post until March 13, 1950, during which time he attended an air defense course at the School of Land / Air Warfare in Old Sarum and pilot training for jet aircraft . On March 9, 1948, he was also awarded the Officer's Cross of the US Legion of Merit .

Spotswood changed to the command staff of the Imperial Defense College on March 13, 1950 and took part from June 21, 1952 in an exchange program in the unit for tactical operations planning at the headquarters of the US Air Force . On January 1, 1954, he was promoted to Colonel ( Group Captain ) and took on this rank on August 13, 1954 as commander of the RAF Linton-on-Ouse military airfield , an important pilot training center of the RAF, the RAF Topcliffe and RAF Dishforth two satellite airfields are subordinate. Subsequently, on October 15, 1956, he became Deputy Director of the Planning Department in the Air Force Staff ( Deputy Director of Plans ). At the same time, on June 18, 1958, he became aide-de-camp of Queen Elizabeth II and held this position as the Queen's adjutant until June 5, 1961.

On August 26, 1958, Spotswood also succeeded Air Commodore Thomas Parselle in command of the Royal Air Force College Cranwell , the officers' school of the British Air Force, and held this position until his replacement by Air Commodore Eric Nelson on June 5, 1961. During this Time he was promoted to Air Commodore on January 1, 1960 and on January 1, 1961 also appointed Companion of the Order of the Bath (CB).

Promotion to Chief of the Air Staff

On June 5, 1961, Spotswood became Vice Chief of Staff for Air Defense at the Supreme Headquarters of the Allied Forces in Europe SHAPE ( Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe ) in Mons and was promoted to Major General ( Air Vice Marshal ) less than a month later . During this time he served as chairman of the Pathfinder Studies from November 28, 1963, and completed pilot refresher courses after May 26, 1964. On August 5, 1964, Air Vice Marshal Brian Burnett's successor was appointed Air Officer Commanding of No. 3 Group RAF at the RAF Mildenhall Air Force Base . He held this command post until his replacement by Air Vice Marshal Denis Smallwood on December 6, 1965.

As the successor to Air Marshal Ronald Lees , Spotswood became Commander in Chief of the British Air Force in Germany ( RAF Germany ) on December 6, 1965 and held this position until he was replaced by Air Marshal Christopher Foxley-Norris on August 26, 1968. At the same time he was commander of the 2nd Tactical Air Fleet 2TAF ( RAF Second Tactical Air Force ) and was beaten on June 10, 1966 to Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath, so that from then on he carried the suffix "Sir". Three weeks later he was promoted to lieutenant general ( Air Marshal ) on July 1, 1966 .

Spotswood then took over on August 26, 1968, from Air Chief Marshal Wallace Kyle, the post of Commanding General ( Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief ) of the RAF Strike Command and in this role became a general himself on November 1, 1968 ( Air Chief Marshal ) promoted. On January 1, 1971, he was beaten to the Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath (GCB). He held this position until his replacement by Air Chief Marshal Andrew Humphrey on April 1, 1971, and also served as Air Force Adjutant to Queen Elizabeth II between July 7, 1970 and March 31, 1974.

Most recently, Spotswood became Chief of the Air Staff on April 1, 1971, succeeding Air Chief Marshal John Grandy . During this time he presented the pilot's badge ( wings ) to Charles, Prince of Wales on August 20, 1971 , after he had completed his flying training at the RAF Cranwell military airfield. He held this position until March 31, 1974 and was then replaced on April 1, 1974 by Air Chief Marshal Andrew Humphrey. On March 31, 1974, he was promoted to Marshal of the Royal Air Force , the highest rank in the Royal Air Force. He officially retired on April 29, 1974.

After retiring from active military service, he was involved from 1974 to 1980 as chairman of the advisory board of the Royal Air Force Museum in Barnet . In addition, Spotswood, who became a Fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society (FRAeS) in 1975, was active in business and, among other things, between 1975 and 1980 was CEO of the aerospace engine manufacturer Turbo-Union . He was also a member of the boards of directors of the engine manufacturer Rolls-Royce Group , the gas turbine company Turbomeca, and the aviation accessories manufacturers Dowty Group and Smiths Industries . Most recently, from 1981 to 1985, he was also Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Royal Star and Garter Home nursing home in Richmond .

His marriage to Margaret Ann Child in July 1942 resulted in a son.

Web links

• Biography on Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organization
• Marshal of the RAF Sir Denis Spotswood. From flying boats to V-bomber to chief of air staff . In: The Guardian of November 15, 2001

Individual evidence

1. ^ London Gazette  (Supplement). No. 35284, HMSO, London, September 23, 1941, p. 5571 ( PDF , accessed February 8, 2016, English).
2. ^ London Gazette  (Supplement). No. 35777, HMSO, London, November 6, 1942, p. 4868 ( PDF , accessed February 8, 2016, English).
3. ^ London Gazette  (Supplement). No. 36033, HMSO, London, May 28, 1943, p. 2454 ( PDF , accessed February 8, 2016, English).
4. ^ London Gazette  (Supplement). No. 36187, HMSO, London, September 24, 1943, p. 4307 ( PDF , accessed February 8, 2016, English).
5. ^ London Gazette  (Supplement). No. 38231, HMSO, London, March 5, 1948, p. 1743 ( PDF , accessed February 8, 2016, English).
6. ^ London Gazette  (Supplement). No. 42231, HMSO, London, December 27, 1960, p. 8891 ( PDF , accessed February 8, 2016, English).
7. ^ London Gazette  (Supplement). No. 44004, HMSO, London, June 3, 1966, p. 6531 ( PDF , accessed February 8, 2016, English).
8. ^ London Gazette  (Supplement). No. 45262, HMSO, London, December 31, 1970, p. 3 ( PDF , accessed February 8, 2016, English).

predecessor	Office	successor
Charles Elworthy	Chief of the Air Staff 1967-1971	Andrew Humphrey