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Michael Stear
Air Chief Marshal Sir Michael James Douglas Stear, (11 October 1938 – 5 January 2020) was a senior commander of the Royal Air Force (RAF). He served as Deputy Commander in Chief, Allied Forces Central Europe from 1992 to 1996. Early life Stear was educated at Monkton Combe School in Somerset where he gained his private pilot's licence, and began his National Service in 1957. From 1959 he attended the University of Cambridge where he joined the Cambridge University Air Squadron (part of the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve), being commissioned as an acting pilot officer on 10 May 1961. After completing his degree, he joined the Royal Air Force, and was granted a permanent commission as a pilot officer on 1 October 1962, relinquishing his RAFVR commission the same day. RAF career Stear served as a pilot with No. 1 Squadron after completing flying training, and was promoted to flying officer on 1 April 1963, and to flight lieutenant on 1 January 1964. In 1967, he joined ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the United Kingdom's air and space force. It was formed towards the end of the First World War on 1 April 1918, becoming the first independent air force in the world, by regrouping the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) and the Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS). Following the Allied victory over the Central Powers in 1918, the RAF emerged as the largest air force in the world at the time. Since its formation, the RAF has taken a significant role in British military history. In particular, it played a large part in the Second World War where it fought its most famous campaign, the Battle of Britain. The RAF's mission is to support the objectives of the British Ministry of Defence (MOD), which are to "provide the capabilities needed to ensure the security and defence of the United Kingdom and overseas territories, including against terrorism; to support the Government's foreign policy objectives particularly in promoting international peace and security". The R ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Exchange Officer
An exchange officer is a commissioned officer in a country's armed forces who is temporarily seconded either to a unit of the armed forces of another country or to another branch of the armed forces of their own country. The exchange officer will usually perform all duties as if he or she were actually in the armed forces to which they are attached. This includes going to war, if required, although for international exchange officers this generally requires that permission be granted from their home government, and that other conditions may be attached. The stated purpose of an exchange officer programme is usually to help foster understanding of each other's operating methods. This provides valuable feedback so that any issues that crop up in joint operations, such as those done under NATO, would not impede the achievement of mission objectives. Exchange officers usually serve in similar roles to those that their career path would take if they were to remain in the armed forces o ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Devon
Devon ( , historically known as Devonshire , ) is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in South West England. The most populous settlement in Devon is the city of Plymouth, followed by Devon's county town, the city of Exeter. Devon is a coastal county with cliffs and sandy beaches. Home to the largest open space in southern England, Dartmoor (), the county is predominately rural and has a relatively low population density for an English county. The county is bordered by Somerset to the north east, Dorset to the east, and Cornwall to the west. The county is split into the non-metropolitan districts of East Devon, Mid Devon, North Devon, South Hams, Teignbridge, Torridge, West Devon, Exeter, and the unitary authority areas of Plymouth, and Torbay. Combined as a ceremonial county, Devon's area is and its population is about 1.2 million. Devon derives its name from Dumnonia (the shift from ''m'' to ''v'' is a typical Celtic consonant shift). During the Briti ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Royal Air Forces Association
The Royal Air Forces Association (also called the RAF Association or RAFA) is the largest single service membership organization and the longest standing registered service charity that provides welfare support to the family of RAF members. Their goal is to "provide friendship, help and support to current and former members of the Royal Air Force and their dependants." It was founded in 1929. As of 2018, the RAF Association had a membership of over 74,000 including active duty RAF personnel, veterans and non-service individuals. They have a UK-wide caseworker network of over 540 volunteer welfare caseworkers and over 500 befrienders, they undertake over 85,000 welfare contacts annually. Their help ranges from simply providing conversation and friendship to preparing and submitting application forms for financial assistance. History At the end of the First World War, a number of Squadron and Unit Associations were formed to enable those who had served together to maintain con ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve (Training Branch)
The Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve (Training Branch), often abbreviated to RAFVR(T), was a Volunteer Reserve element of the Royal Air Force specifically appointed in a cadet training role within the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. Members of the RAFVR(T) had no call-up liability and often operated part-time with the Air Experience Flights and Volunteer Gliding Squadrons, which provide flight experience for the Royal Air Force Air Cadets. In December 2017, the Air Force Board determined that RAFVR(T) ranks as part of the Royal Air Force Air Cadets would be removed. This was to make way for the introduction within all MOD-sponsored cadet forces of the Cadet Forces Commission (CFC), which was introduced in 2017 and restated in 2018. Recruitment and selection Initial selection The majority of the pilots who staff the Air Experience Flights (AEF) are former regular service aircrew (RAF, Army or RN), some of them at Air rank serving as supernumerary Flying Officers RAFVR(T); ad ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
1990 New Year Honours
The New Year Honours 1990 were appointments by most of the Commonwealth realms of Queen Elizabeth II to various orders and honours to reward and highlight good works by citizens of those countries, and honorary ones to citizens of other countries. They were announced on 30 December 1989 to celebrate the year passed and mark the beginning of 1990.Saint Christopher and Nevis lists: United Kingdom Life Peers * Admiral Sir John David Elliott Fieldhouse, GCB, GBE, former Chief of Defence Staff. * Daphne Margaret Sybil Desiree Park, CMG, OBE, lately Principal, Somerville College, Oxford. * Sir Francis Leonard Tombs, Chairman, T and N and Rolls-Royce; Chairman, ACOST. Privy Counsellors * Sir Nicholas Walter Lyell, QC, MP, Solicitor General; Member of Parliament, Mid-Bedfordshire. * John Haggitt Charles Patten, MP, Minister of State, Home Office; Member of Parliament, Oxford West and Abingdon. * The Honourable William Arthur Waldegrave, MP, Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwea ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
1982 Birthday Honours
Queen's Birthday Honours are announced on or around the date of the Queen's Official Birthday in Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the United Kingdom. The dates vary, both from year to year and from country to country. All are published in supplements to the ''London Gazette'' and many are conferred by the monarch (or her representative) some time after the date of the announcement, particularly for those service people on active duty. The 1982 Queen's Birthday Honours list for the United Kingdom was issued on 11 June 1982 and the lists for Australia, New Zealand, and Fiji were issued on 12 June 1982.Fiji: United Kingdom Life Barons and Baronesses * Miss Elizabeth Patricia Carnegy, Chairman, Manpower Services Commission, Committee for Scotland. * Joseph Gormley, O.B.E. Lately President, National Union of Mineworkers. *Sir Raymond William Pennock. Formerly President, Confederation of British Industry. Privy Counsellors * Robert Washington, The Earl Ferrers, Minister of State ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Falklands War
The Falklands War ( es, link=no, Guerra de las Malvinas) was a ten-week undeclared war between Argentina and the United Kingdom in 1982 over two British dependent territories in the South Atlantic: the Falkland Islands and its territorial dependency, South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands. The conflict began on 2 April, when Argentina invaded and occupied the Falkland Islands, followed by the invasion of South Georgia the next day. On 5 April, the British government dispatched a naval task force to engage the Argentine Navy and Air Force before making an amphibious assault on the islands. The conflict lasted 74 days and ended with an Argentine surrender on 14 June, returning the islands to British control. In total, 649 Argentine military personnel, 255 British military personnel, and three Falkland Islanders were killed during the hostilities. The conflict was a major episode in the protracted dispute over the territories' sovereignt ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Second Allied Tactical Air Force
Second Allied Tactical Air Force (2 ATAF) was a NATO military formation under Allied Air Forces Central Europe tasked with providing air support to NATO's Northern Army Group (NORTHAG). 2 ATAF commanded all flying units based within its sector and all reinforcements flying into its sector, as well as ground-based radar systems and stations, air defense units and the airfields in its sector. Second Allied Tactical Air Force was formed in 1958 with its area of responsibility covering the Netherlands, Belgium, and Germany north of the city of Kassel and south of the Elbe river. Commander of 2 ATAF was the commanding Air Chief Marshal of the British RAF Second Tactical Air Force, which was renamed RAF Germany on 1 January 1959. A Communication Squadron for 2 ATAF was established in February 1952, and disestablished on 1 January 1959 at RAF Wildenrath, by being redesignated RAF Germany Communication Squadron. The peacetime headquarters of 2 ATAF were at RAF Rheindahlen, the command ce ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
RAF Wattisham
Royal Air Force Station Wattisham or more simply RAF Wattisham is a former Royal Air Force station located in East Anglia just outside the village of Wattisham, south of Stowmarket in Suffolk, England. During the Cold War it was a major front-line air force base, operating Quick Reaction Alert (South), before closing in 1993 and is now operated by the British Army as Wattisham Airfield. History Royal Air Force use RAF Wattisham opened on 5 April 1939 as a medium bomber station, the squadrons there being equipped with Bristol Blenheim bombers. Part of No. 2 Group, No. 107 Squadron and No. 110 Squadron were stationed there on the outbreak of war as No. 83 Wing. On 4 September 1939, just 29 hours after the declaration of war, bombers from Wattisham took off on the first attack of the war, against enemy shipping in Wilhelmshaven harbour. In September 1942, the base was handed over to the United States Army Air Forces. United States Army Air Forces use Wattisham was assigne ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
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