|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Colin Henry b: 10 Jun 1930 r: 14 Jul 1979 d: 14 Feb 2012
FIMgt, FIWM.
Plt Off: 12 Dec 1951, Fg Off: 12 Dec 1952 [12 Dec 1951], Flt Lt: 12 Jun 1954, Sqn Ldr: 1 Jan 1961, Wg Cdr: 1 Jan 1966, Act Gp Capt: 10 May 1971, Gp Capt: 1 Jan 1972, A/Cdre: 1 Jan 1977.
xx Apr 1949: Flight Cadet, 'A' Sqn, RAF College.
12 Dec 1951: Appointed to a Permanent Commission.
xx xxx 1951: Pilot, No 13 Sqn.
xx xxx xxxx: Flight Commander, No 32 Sqn.
xx xxx xxxx: Staff, Fighter Flight, RAF Flying College.
xx xxx xxxx: Staff, Officers and Aircrew Selection Centre.
xx xxx xxxx: Officer Commanding, No 73 Sqn.
xx xxx xxxx: Attended RAF Staff College, Bracknell.
24 May 1965: Air Staff - Air Plans and Intelligence, HQ RAF Germany.
xx xxx xxxx: Attended Joint Services Staff College.
6 Jun 1969: Officer Commanding, No 39 Sqn.
10 May 1971: Staff Officer - Flying, MOD(PE).
4 Nov 1974: Officer Commanding, RAF Luqa.
xx Jan 1977: Attended Royal College of Defence Studies.
27 Dec 1977: Director of Public Relations.
He must hold something of a record in that his entire operational flying career (except the last six months) was spent in the Near and Middle East. Graduating from Cranwell, where he attained the rank of Flight Cadet Sergeant and was awarded the King's Medal, he joined No 13 Squadron in Egypt flying Mosquito and Meteor photo-recce aircraft before moving to No 32, also in Egypt as a flight commander flying Vampires and later Venoms in the ground attack role. His next operational role was as CO of No 73 Squadron in Cyprus, which was part of the Akrotiri Strike Wing equipped with Canberra B2 and B15's. His final flying command was another Canberra (PR9) unit, No 39, which was based in Luqa, Malta. However, in October 1970 he was tasked with relocating his squadron to its new base at Wyton. His service in that part of the world did end there, however, for in 1974 he returned to Malta as CO of the RAF station at Luqa.
Retiring from the RAF at his own request, he became Training Advisor to the Chairman of the Conservative Party (1980 - 81) and then pilot to the Committee for Aerial Photography at Cambridge University (1980 - 91). His son Michael became an Astronaut and worked on the International Space Station.
This entry was last updated on 15/03/26©
C H Flinn
[Top of Page]
A Foden
