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Air Chief Marshal Sir Jock Kennedy (4000831)


Thomas Lawrie ('Jock')           b:  19 May 1928                     r:  10 May 1986                        d:  18 Nov 2013

GCB – 31 Dec 1984 (KCB -31 Dec 1979, CB – 3 Jun 1978), AFC – 1 Jun 1953, Bar - 1 Jan 1960, ADC, DL (Leicestershire) – 9 Jan 1989. Lord Lt (Rutland) – 1 Apr 1997 - 2003

Fg Off: 8 Apr 1949, Flt Lt:  8 Oct 1951, Sqn Ldr: 1 Jul 1957, Wg Cdr: 1 Jul 1962, Gp Capt: 1 Jul 1967, A/Cdre: 1 Jan 1971,  Act AVM: 2 Apr 1977, AVM: 1 Jul 1977, AM: 1 Jul 1980, ACM: 1 Jul 1983

xx Apr 1946:            National Service Airman

xx Jan 1947:             Flight Cadet, 'B' Sqn, RAF College.

 8 Apr 1949:            Appointed to a Permanent Commission

xx xxx xxxx:             Advanced Flying Training, No ? FTS

xx xxx 1949:            Pilot, No 297 Sqn. (Hastings)

xx xxx xxxx:             Pilot, No 24 Sqn (Hastings)

xx xxx xxxx:             Pilot, No 53 Sqn

xx xxx xxxx:             Pilot, No 511 Sqn.

xx xxx 1953:            Exchange posting – No 36 Sqn RAAF.

xx xxx xxxx:             Attended Canberra Conversion Course

xx xxx 1955:            Flight Commander, No 27 Sqn. (Canberra)

xx xxx 1957:            Senior Pilot, Royal Radar Establishment.

xx xxx 1960:            RAF College Selection Board.

xx xxx 1962:            Attended RN Staff College.

 7 Sep 1962:            Air Staff - Operations, HQ Air Forces Middle East.

27 Dec 1965:           Officer Commanding, No 99 Sqn. (Britannia - Lyneham)

 4 Aug 1967:           Group Captain - Strategic Operations, HQ Air Support Command.

xx xxx 1970:            Officer Commanding, RAF Brize Norton.

 5 Apr 1971:            Assistant Commandant, RAF Staff College.

22 Dec 1973:           Director of Operations (Air Support) (RAF).

13 Jan 1976:            Attended Royal College of Defence Studies.

  2 Apr 1977:           Commander, HQ Northern Maritime Air Region/AOC, Scotland & N. Ireland.

15 Dec 1979:           Deputy C in C, Strike Command.

 2 Feb 1981:            C in C, RAF Germany/Commander, 2nd Allied Tactical Air Force.

 7 May 1983:           Air Member for Personnel.

22 Aug 1983 – 10 May 1986:     Air ADC to the Queen.

Educated at Hawick High School he initially joined the RAF as a National Service airman but six months later was selected for the second post-war intake to the RAF College at Cranwell in 1947.  During his time at Cranwell he represented the college at Fencing, attained the rank of Under Officer and was awarded the 'Philip Sassoon' Memorial Trophy.  On joining No 297 Squadron, he was soon flying in the Berlin Airlift and in 1965, as CO of No 99 Squadron, he was involved in the airlift into Zambia following Rhodesia's Unilateral Declaration of Independence in Southern Rhodesia.

During October 1952 he joined the goodwill tour of South America led by AVM Dermot Boyle, in which he flew a Hastings in support of the four Canberra jet bombers, for which he was awarded the AFC.  During an exchange tour with the RAAF, he was involved in the Korean War, flying supplies into the area.  On his return he converted to the Canberra and joined No 27 Squadron as a flight commander, taking part in operations over Suez in 1956.  The following year he converted to the Valiant and joined the Royal Radar Establishment as a senior pilot undertaking trials on bombing radars and electronics aids, for which he received a Bar to his AFC

Following his retirement from the RAF he accepted the post of Controller of the RAF Benevolent Fund.  From 1987 to 1992 he was a Director of the Dowty Group and became Deputy Lieutenant of Leicestershire in 1989 and Lord Lieutenant in Rutland from 1997, retiring from the post on 19 May 2003.  He was also a Vice Chairman of the East Midlands Reserve Forces’ and Cadets’ Association. He was made a Freeman of the City of London in 1987 and a Honorary Liveryman of the Fruiterers’ Company in the same year.

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