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Marshal of the RAF Sir Keith Williamson (582252)


Keith Alec                   b:  25 Feb 1928                      r: 15 Oct 1985                d:  2 May 2018

GCB – 12 Jun 1982 (KCB – 30 Dec 1978), AFC – 8 Jun 1968. 

Plt Off:  13 Dec 1950, Fg Off: 13 Dec 1951 [13 Dec 1950], Flt Lt: 13 Jun 1953, Sqn Ldr: 1 Jul 1958, Wg Cdr: 1 Jan 1964, Gp Capt: 1 Jul 1968, Act A/Cdre: 13 Sep 1972, A/Cdre: 1 Jan 1973, Act AVM: 11 Aug 1975, AVM: 1 Jul 1975, Act AM:  30 Aug 1978, AM: 1 Jan 1979, Act ACM: 15 Sep 1980, ACM: 1 Mar 1981, MRAF: 15 Oct 1985.

13 Feb 1945:   Aircraft Apprentice, Radio School, Cranwell.

29 Apr 1948:   Flight Cadet, 'C' Sqn, RAF College.

16 Jan 1951:    Advanced Training, No 203 AFS.

15 May 1951:  Operational Training, No 229 OCU.

27 Jul 1951:     Pilot, No 112 Sqn.

25 May 1953:  Exchange posting, RAAF - Korea.

25 Jan 1954:    ADC to AOC in C, Home Command

22 Apr 1956:   Refresher Flying Course, No 7 FTS.

27 May 1956:  Conversion Course, No 229 OCU.

28 Aug 1956:  Pilot, No 112 Sqn.

29 May 1957:  Flight Commander, No 20 Sqn.

20 Mar 1958:   QFI Course, Central Flying School.

 8 Sep 1958:    Officer Commanding, No 1 Sqn, No 2 FTS.

21 Mar 1960:   Examining Officer, Central Flying School.

15 Jan 1962:    Attended RAF Staff College, Bracknell.

15 Dec 1962:   PA 3e, Air Secretary's Department.

16 Sep 1963:   PA 1, Air Secretary's Department.

15 Nov 1965:  Conversion Training, No 226 OCU.

23 May 1966:  Officer Commanding, No 23 Squadron

15 Jul 1968:     Officer Commanding, RAF Gutersloh.

11 Jan 1971:    Attended Royal College of Defence Studies.

14 Feb 1972:   Air Defence Study.

13 Sep 1972:   Director of Air Staff Plans.

16 Aug 1975:  Commandant, RAF Staff College/AO in C, HQ Command and Staff Training..

10 Mar 1977:   Assistant Chief of Staff (Plans & Policy), HQ SHAPE.

30 Aug 1978:  AOC in C, RAF Support Command

15 Sep 1980:   AOC in C, Strike Command

15 Oct 1982:   Chief of the Air Staff

15 Oct 1982 – xx xxx xxxx:   Air ADC to the Queen.

19 Jan 1986:    Placed on half pay.

Whilst a pupil at Market Harborough Grammar School he was also a member of No ? (Market Harborough) Sqn ATC.  He joined the RAF in 1944 as an Apprentice undertaking his training at RAF Cranwell.  On graduation from his apprenticeship, he was awarded a cadetship at the RAF College, thereby remaining at Cranwell for a further two years.  He represented the College at Cricket and Soccer and attained the rank of Flight Cadet Sergeant before graduating as a pilot in the rank of Pilot Officer in 1950, when he joined No ? Sqn flying Meteors?.   By 1953 he was undertaking an exchange tour with the Royal Australian Air Force during which he found himself flying Meteors with No 77 Sqn, RAAF in Korea.   On 31 October 1975, AVM Williamson was the reviewing officer for the parade to celebrate the handover of  No 23 Squadron's Standard from the 'old' 23 (equipped with Lightnings) to the 'new' 23 at Leuchars equipped with the Phantom.  The parade also commemorated the squadron's 60th anniversary.

This page was last updated on 26/05/18

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