A Foord-Kelcey

Alick Foord-Kelcey Alick b: 6 Apr 1913 r: 7 Dec 1964 d: 26 Oct 1973

CBE – 2 Jan 1956, AFC – 31 Aug 1943, BA.

(RAFVR): Act Plt Off: 1 Jul 1934.

(RAF): Plt Off: 1 Oct 1935 [1 Jul 1934], Fg Off: 1 Apr 1936 [1 Jan 1936], Act Flt Lt: 1 Oct 1937, Flt Lt: 1 Apr 1938 [1 Jan 1938], Sqn Ldr: 1 Aug 1939, (T) Wg Cdr: 1 Sep 1941, Wg Cdr: 1 Oct 1946, Gp Capt: 1 Jan 1951, Act A/Cdre: 29 Jul 1955?, A/Cdre: 1 Jul 1957, Act AVM: 12 Jan 1959, AVM: 1 Jan 1960.

Photos courtesy of his son Nick Foord-Kelcey

1 Jul 1934: Granted a Commission in the RAFVR.

1 Oct 1935: Graduate Entrant, RAF College.

1 Oct 1935: Granted Permanent Commission in the rank of Pilot Officer.

1 Oct 1935: U/T Pilot, RAF College Cranwell

16 Mar 1936: Pilot, No 56 Sqn.

1 Oct 1937: 'A' Flight Commander, No 56 Sqn.

1 May 1938: Attended Instructor's Course, Central Flying School. (graded B)

29 Sep 1938 : QFI, No 4 FTS.

29 Jul 1940: Served in Western Desert

xx xxx 1941: Air Staff, HQ British Forces in Aden.

1 Aug 1941: Supernumerary, No 8 Sqn

6 Aug 1941: Officer Commanding, No 8 Sqn

12 Oct 1941: Staff Officer, HQ RAF Middle East

9 Nov 1941: Officer Commanding, No 55 Sqn

15 Aug 1942: CFI, RAF College (FTS), Cranwell.

25 Oct - 2 Nov 1943: Officer Commanding, RAF College (FTS), Cranwell. (Temporary)

xx xxx xxxx: Attended Staff Course, RAF Staff College

6 Mar 1944: Member, Future Planning Section, Joint Planning Staff, Directorate of Plans.

A group of Staff College students or Planning Staff (including A Foord-Kelcey) taken at Bulstrode Park

xx xxx 1947: Wing Commander - Flying, RAF Oakington?

xx xxx xxxx: Staff, British Joint Staffs Mission, Washington.

Group Captain Alick Foord-Kelcey, possibly whilst in Washington

xx Aug 1951: Officer Commanding, RAF Stradishall.

11 Jan 1954: SASO, HQ No 12 (Fighter) Group.

29 Jul 1955: Assistant Chief of Staff (Operations), HQ Allied Air Forces Central Europe.

29 Jul 1955: Assistant Chief of Staff (Intelligence), HQ Allied Air Forces Central Europe.

xx Jan 1958: Attended Imperial Defence College.

12 Jan 1959: AOC, No 11 Group.

14 Sep 1961: Assistant Chief of the Air Staff (Intelligence).

Born in Canada, he joined the RAFVR as a member of Cambridge University Air Squadron, whilst at Corpus Christi College. Retiring from the RAF at his own request, he was Deputy Director of the Foreign Office Arms Control and Disarmament Research Unit from 1964 to 1966. He retired at his own request and moved to Geneva where he became Executive Director of the Federation of World Health Foundations but was killed in Geneva whilst still serving in this post.

Wing Commander Foord-Kelsey has been Chief Instructor at this unit for the past nine months. He has been an outstanding success. Besides being a first class organizer, he is an exceptional pilot, and has found time to do a great deal of flying without detriment to his organization and supervision of the Flying wing. Perhaps his most admirable quality in his judgement and sound sense of proportion in allotting to each of the many items of the training syllabus its due amount of time and effort. I consider he has made a valuable contribution to our Training Effort, and well merits an award."

"I agree with the remarks of the Commanding Officer. An excellent Chief Instructor whose work is worthy of recognition."

"This officer has been chief flying instructor at the unit for the past nine months and has been an outstanding success. He is an exceptional pilot, but perhaps his most admirable qualities are his judgement and sense of proportion in allotting to each of the many items of the training syllabus its due amount of time and effort. He has made a valuable contribution to the training effort. He has made a valuable contribution to the training effort."

(Source - Air 2/8968 - recommended 21 May 1943 when he had flown 602 instructional hours, 218:25 in previous six months)

Air Vice-Marshal A Foord-Kelcey