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Air Commodore M J-C Burton (4077039)


Michel Jean-Claude      b: 12 Aug 1932                        r: 12 Aug 1987                    d: 1 Oct 2009

OBE – 12 Jun 1976, FRIN, FBIM.

Act Plt Off: 30 Jan 1952, Plt Off: 29 Oct 1952, Fg Off: 29 Nov 1953, Flt Lt: 29 May 1957, Sqn Ldr: 1 Jul 1963, Wg Cdr: 1 Jul 1971, Gp Capt: 1 Jan 1979, A/Cdre: 1 Jan 1985.

30 Jan 1952:        U/T Navigator

xx xxx xxxx:          Navigator, No 90 Sqn (Washington/Canberra)

 1 Oct 1954:         Granted a Permanent Commission in the rank of Flying Officer.

xx xxx 1956:          Navigator, No 138 Sqn.

xx xxx 1959:        Attended the Specialist Navigation Course.

xx xxx 1963:        Officer Commanding, Navigation Sqn, RAF College Cranwell

31 Mar 1965:       Air Staff, Directorate of Operations - Maritime, Navigation and ATC.

xx xxx xxxx:          Served in RAF Germany

23 Aug 1971:       Staff Officer, FTX Branch, HQ Allied Forces Central Europe.

18 Sep 1972:       Attended No 2 Course, National Defence College.

25 Sep 1973:       Chief Instructor, No 6 FTS, RAF Finningley.

xx xxx xxxx:          Acting Officer Commanding, No 6 FTS, RAF Finningley

15 Jan 1976:        Assistant Executive Officer, Plans and Policy Division, SHAPE.

25 Sep 1978:       Deputy Director of Operations (Navigation)

23 Sep 1979:       Deputy Director of Operations (Air Support).

22 Dec 1980:  

29 Mar 1983:       Air Attache, Paris.

 

He was born in France and came to Britain when his family escaped the German invasion in 1940.  He joined No 90 Squadron which was at that time equipped with the B-29, known as the Washing in RAF service, but soon converted to the Canberra jet bomber.   Shortly after converting a Canberra crashed on a night flight and when found the next day, he attempted to save the pilot, despite the ejector seats still being live, but sadly the pilot died from his injuries.  In 1956 he was selected to join the RAF's first V-Bomber unit, No 138 Squadron at Wittering  He was soon preparing to take part in 'Operation Muskateer', the Anglo-French invasion of Egypt. 

Selected to attends the Long Specialist Navigation Course he later commanded the Navigation Squadron at the RAF College at Cranwell before joining the Air Staff at the MoD.  Whilst serving at the MoD in 1982 he was involved with the planning of operations in the Falklands and the following year was appointed Air Attache in Paris. Following retirement set up Advanced Systems International and became UK director to the French Matra Defence.  He was elected a councillor in Peterborough in 1997 and in 2006 became the Mayor of the town.  He was also a Liveryman of the Guild of Air Pilots and Air Navigators and a Fellow of the Royal Institute of Navigation.

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