Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation


Home Page

Main Menu

Quick Menu

Members' Area

What New?

About this site

Reunions

Help Needed?

Glossary

Bibliography

Sign Guest Book

View Guest Book

Link to Amazon

Online Store

Contact Me


Air Chief Marshal Sir John Gingell (1609883/180545)


John                             b:   3 Feb 1925                        r:   22 Jun 1984        d: 10 Dec 2009

GBE – 31 Dec 1983 (CBE – 1 Jan 1973, MBE – 2 Jun 1962), KCB – 3 Jun 1978, KCVO - 31 Dec 1991.

(RAFVR): AC2: xx xxx 1943, Plt Off (P): 1 Apr 1945,

(RNVR): Sub Lt (A): 14 Jun 1945,

(RAF): Fg Off: 16 Apr 1951 [2 Jun 1950], Flt Lt: 2 Dec 1952, Sqn Ldr: 1 Jan 1958, Wg Cdr: 1 Jul 1962, Gp Capt: 1 Jul 1966, Act A/Cdre: 8 Dec 1970,  A/Cdre: 1 Jan 1971,  Act AVM: 3 Feb 1973, AVM: 1 Jul 1974, Act AM: 25 Feb 1978, AM: 1 Jul 1978, ACM: 1 Jan 1982,                          

xx xxx 1943:                 U/T Pilot, Terrill, Texas (1609883)

  1 Apr 1945:               Granted a commission in the RAFVR

14 Jun 1945:               Transferred to RNVR

16 Apr 1951:               Granted a Short Service Commission  (8 + 4) in the rank of Flying Officer

xx xxx 1951:                 Pilot, No 58 Sqn.

xx xxx 1954:                 QFI, Central Flying School.

xx xxx xxxx:                  QFI, No 231 OCU?

xx xxx 1957:                 Pilot, No 542 Sqn.

xx xxx 1959:                 Attended RAF Staff College.

 5 Jan 1960:                 Air Staff – Plans, HQ MEAF/NEAF

20 Jun 1963:                Officer Commanding, No 27 Sqn. (Vulcan B2)

xx xxx 1965:                 Attended Joint Services Staff College.

 3 Jan 1966:                 Air Staff, Directorate of Air Staff Plans & Programmes.

 7 Feb 1966:                Staff Officer to Chief of the Defence Staff.

 1 Jul 1966:                  Deputy Director, Defence Operations Staff.

21 May 1968:              Military Assistant to Chairman, NATO HQ Military Committee

24 Nov 1968 – 1 Jan 1971:      ADC to The Queen.

 8 Dec 1970:                AOA, HQ RAF Germany

 7 Jan 1973:                 Attended Royal College of Defence Studies.

 3 Mar 1974:                AOC, No 23 Group

 6 Jun 1975:                 Assistant Chief of the Defence Staff (Policy)

25 Feb 1978:               Air Member for Personnel

 3 May 1980:               AOC in C, RAF Support Command.

 9 Aug 1981:                Deputy C in C, Allied Forces Central Europe

Sir John Gingell has actually had two distinct periods to his RAF career separated by a spell in the Fleet Air Arm.  He originally joined the RAF in 1943 but transferred to the RNVR as a Sub Lieutenant (A) in 1945, leaving the FAA in 1946.  With the escalation in Korean War he found himself recalled for service in the RAF.  Joining No 58 Squadron at Benson, he was involved in photographic survey work with Mosquito PR Mk 34's and Anson C Mk 19's.  In 1953 the squadron moved to Wyton and began re-equipping with Canberra's. 

For seven years after his retirement from the RAF, he carried out the duties of Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod and Serjeant at Arms ('Black Rod') in the House of Lords (1985 –  13 Jan 1992) as well as being a member of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission until 1991. He was made a Honorary Bencher of the Inner Temple in 1990.

This page was last updated on 25/05/17 using FrontPage 2003©

Return to A D Gillmore A D Gillmore                                        [Top of Page]                     R W L Glenn Forward to R W L Glenn