N Cameron

Baron - 31 Dec 1982 (Conferred 17 Mar 1983), KT – 2 Dec 1983, GCB – 12 Jun 1976 (KCB – 1 Jan 1975, CB – 1 Jan 1971), CBE – 10 Jun 1967, DSO – 2 Oct 1945, DFC – 21 Nov 1944, AE - 1968, MiD - 2 Jun 1943, Fellow King's College - 1980, Hon LLD (King's College, London)

(RAFVR): Plt Off: 31 Jul 1941, Fg Off: 4 Mar 1942, Act Flt Lt: 4 Dec 1941, Flt Lt (WS): 4 Mar 1943, Act Sqn Ldr: 31 Mar 1943,

(RAF): Flt Lt: 1 Sep 1945, Act Sqn Ldr: 22 May 1949, Sqn Ldr: 1 Jan 1950, Act Wg Cdr: 8 Dec 1953, Wg Cdr: 1 Jan 1956, Gp Capt: 1 Jul 1960, A/Cdre: 1 Jul 1964, Act AVM: 1 Feb 1968, AVM: 1 Jul 1968, Act AM: 7 Dec 1973, AM: 1 Jul 1974, ACM: 1 Nov 1975, MRAF: 31 Jul 1977.

xx xxx xxxx: Appointed to Permanent Commission in the rank of Flight Lieutenant (retaining rank current at the time) [wef 1 Sep 1945]

1 Feb 1968 Assistant Chief of the Defence Staff (Policy).

1 Sep 1970 SASO, HQ Air Support Command/Chief of Staff, HQ No 46 Group.

9 Dec 1972 Deputy Commander, RAF Germany.

7 Dec 1973 AOC, No 46 Group

5 Oct 1974 Air Member for Personnel

6 Aug 1976 - 31 Jul 1977: Air ADC to the Queen.

7 Aug 1976 Chief of the Air Staff

31 Aug 1977 Chief of the Defence Staff

The son of a retired Company Sergeant Major in the Seaforth Highlanders and the Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders, his father died three weeks after his birth, Neil was brought up in Perth and educated at the Northern District School. In 1937 he gained a post with the Commercial Bank of Scotland in Newburgh, Fife. He joined the RAFVR and started his training in May 1939. Called up in September 1939, he completed his initial and flying training and was then selected to fly fighters. Converting to Hurricanes, he was posted to No 1 Sqn but soon moved to No 17. Taking part in the final stages of the Battle of Britain, after which the squadron then moved to Elgin. However his flight was detached to Leconfield where it provided the nucleus of a new squadron, No 134. Earmarked for operations with No 151 Wing in North Russia, it set in HMS Argus on 19 August 1941. In Russia, the Wing took part in operations with the Soviet Naval Air Arm as well as converting Russian pilots to the Hurricanes which 134 left with the Russians on returning to Catterick, where it re-equipped with Spitfires, flying convoy patrols over the North Sea.

134 was soon on the move again, this time to the Middle East. However on arrival they were informed that their aircraft had been lost in the Atlantic and instead they were sent to operate with No 213 Sqn in the Western Desert. During this period of his career, he took part in one of the few, if not the only RAF operation from a base behind enemy lines. Flying from a Landing Ground 200 miles south of the coast, they harassed German and Italian lines of communication in areas thought to be outside the range of single seat fighters. After two and a half years constant operations he was recalled and posted to train No 335 (Hellenic) Sqn.

He was next posted to India to command a Spitfire squadron but on arrival was informed that the squadron was still in transit and had a CO, he therefore, found himself at HQ No 224 Group working in the Operations Cell. It was not long before a squadron became available, No 258, initially flying Hurricanes and later Thunderbolts. The squadron took part in operations along the Arakan coast of Burma. As a result of his experiences, he became something of an Army Support specialist which led to his first post war posting to the School of Air Support at Old Sarum where he was offered and accepted a permanent commission. Attendance at the RAF Staff College was followed by a posting to the Air Ministry.

In he was taken ill with sub-acute bacterial endocarditis, a condition which could have been fatal had it not been for the development of anti-biotics. It was nearly two years before he was sufficiently recovered to resume his service career. Unfortunately, his illness resulted in the imposition of a restricted flying categorisation. Initially not allowed to fly as a passenger, he eventually regained his qualification as a co-pilot and then as a captain with an experienced co-pilot. Restricted to non jet aircraft types he was appointed CO of the University of London Air Squadron responsible for providing air experience and initial flying training to undergraduates.

At the last minute, his posting to Washington as a member of the NATO Standing Group, was changed to one at the Air Ministry as PSO to the CAS first ACM Sir Dermot Boyle and then ACM Sir Thomas Pike. He was then appointed Station Commander at RAF Abingdon, where he was responsible for two Beverley squadrons, No's 47 and 53 as well as No 1 Parachute Training School. Having completed a course at the Imperial Defence College he was requested to join his old 'boss', ACM Sir Tom Pike, now Deputy Supreme Allied Commander Europe as his PSO.

Promoted to Air Commodore, he took up the newly created appointment of Assistant Commandant (Cadets) at the RAF College, Cranwell. This post resulted from the upgrading of the Commandant to an AVM post following the amalgamation of the RAF College with the RAF Technical College from Henlow. Joining the Programme Evaluation Group, which was effectively a think tank for the then Minister of Defence, Mr Denis Healey, almost ended his RAF career prematurely. This Group composed of military, civil service and scientific members was tasked with looking at defence issues from all angles without any individual service bias. Unfortunately this post and his next post as ACDS (Policy), which was created for him, led to him being almost outcast by the traditional RAF establishment, resulting in him remaining in the rank of AVM for six years and sidelined into a number of posts with little likelihood of further advancement.

However, the appointment of ACM Sir Andrew Humphrey as CAS, ended his banishment to the wilderness and he was soon back on the promotion ladder moving through a number of posts in a reasonably short time until he was himself chosen as Sir Andrew’s successor as CAS when he was appointed Chief of the Defence Staff. However, the untimely illness and death of Sir Andrew, after only four months in office resulted in his own appointment as CDS. Sir Neil soon developed a reputation for speaking his mind as CDS and he raised the public image of the post considerably. During his tenure of the post, he became the first CDS to pay an official visit to the People's Republic of China as well as fighting for a substantial pay award for servicemen and he was not adverse to the 'leaking' of official retirement figures to strengthen the forces' case.

On retirement he accepted the post of Principle of King's College in London showing the same tenacity and dedication to this post as he had to his RAF/Defence Staff appointments. He was created a Life Peer in the 1983 taking the title Lord Cameron of Balhousie, in the District of Perth and Kinross. Unfortunately before his final retirement, he was taken seriously ill and was admitted to hospital, where he died of cancer.

CAMERON, Neil, S/L, DFC (102585, Royal Air Force) - No.258 Squadron - Distinguished Service Order - awarded as per London Gazette dated 2 October 1945. No citation in Gazette; following text from Flight, 18 October 1945.

"This officer has a long record of operational flying and has served in England, Russia, the Western Desert and Burma. Since the award of the Distinguished Flying Cross he has led his squadron on many sorties over Burma. An outstanding leader, Squadron Leader Cameron has always displayed keenness, determination and courage, setting an inspiring example to the other pilots in his squadron."

CAMERON, Neil, A/S/L (102585, RAFVR) - No.258 Squadron - Distinguished Flying Cross - awarded as per London Gazette dated 21 November 1944.

"Squadron Leader Cameron has a fine operational record. He has served in England, Russia, the Desert Air Force and more recently in the Far East theatre of war. He has built his squadron up to a very high standard of operational efficiency and has led them in numerous sorties, invariably displaying a fine fighting spirit, reliability and great devotion to duty."

Marshal of the RAF Lord Cameron of Balhousie (102585)