Marshal of the Royal Air Force
Marshal of the Royal Air Force (MRAF) is the highest rank in the Royal Air Force (RAF). In peacetime it was granted to RAF officers in the appointment of Chief of the Defence Staff (CDS), and to retired Chiefs of the Air Staff (CAS), who were ...
David Brownrigg Craig, Baron Craig of Radley, (born 17 September 1929) is a retired
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) an ...
officer and member of the
House of Lords
The House of Lords, also known as the House of Peers, is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Membership is by appointment, heredity or official function. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminste ...
. He was a fast jet pilot in the 1950s, a squadron commander in the 1960s and a station commander in the 1970s. He served as
Chief of the Air Staff during the late 1980s, when the
Boeing Airborne early warning and control system was ordered and the
European Fighter programme was being developed. He then served as
Chief of the Defence Staff during the
Gulf War
The Gulf War was a 1990–1991 armed campaign waged by a Coalition of the Gulf War, 35-country military coalition in response to the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait. Spearheaded by the United States, the coalition's efforts against Ba'athist Iraq, ...
. He was granted a life peerage as Baron Craig of Radley after his retirement from active service in 1991, sitting as a
crossbencher. As of 2022, he is the last living officer in the
British Armed Forces to have held a
five-star rank
A five-star rank is the highest military rank in many countries.Oxford English Dictionary (OED), 2nd Edition, 1989. "five" ... "five-star adj., ... (b) U.S., applied to a general or admiral whose badge of rank includes five stars;" The rank is t ...
whilst on active service.
Early life
The son of
Major Francis Brownrigg Craig and his wife Olive Craig, Craig grew up in the Irish Free State, and was largely unaffected by the events of the
Second World War
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposi ...
.
[Probert, p. 95] In 1943 he came to Britain and started at
Radley College
Radley College, formally St Peter's College, Radley, is a public school (independent boarding school for boys) near Radley, Oxfordshire, England, which was founded in 1847. The school covers including playing fields, a golf course, a lake, an ...
where, in addition to his studies, he rowed, captained the school's first team at rugby and later became
Head of School
A head master, head instructor, bureaucrat, headmistress, head, chancellor, principal or school director (sometimes another title is used) is the staff member of a school with the greatest responsibility for the management of the school. In som ...
.
[ He gained a place at Lincoln College, Oxford, where he graduated with a degree in mathematics, and joined the Oxford University Air Squadron.][
]
RAF career
Craig was commissioned as a pilot officer on 19 September 1951 (with seniority from 19 December 1949). He was initially put through the pilot's course at No. 7 Flying Training School at RAF Cottesmore
Royal Air Force Station Cottesmore or more simply RAF Cottesmore is a former Royal Air Force station in Rutland, England, situated between Cottesmore and Market Overton. On 15 December 2009, Defence Secretary Bob Ainsworth announced that the ...
where he was promoted to flying officer on 19 March 1952 before earning his "wings" in April 1952.[ He went on to the Advanced Flying School at ]RAF Driffield
Royal Air Force Driffield or RAF Driffield is a former Royal Air Force station in the East Riding of Yorkshire, in England. It lies about south-west of Driffield and north-west of Beverley. It is now operated by the Defence Infrastructure Org ...
where he was promoted to flight lieutenant on 19 December 1952 and then to 209 Advanced Flying School at RAF Weston Zoyland
RAF Westonzoyland is one of the country's oldest airfields being established in the early 1920s. Somerset, England. The airfield is located approximately east-southeast of Bridgwater; about west-southwest of London.
It was opened in 1925 ...
where he was a jet conversion instructor.[ In 1955 he joined No. 247 squadron at ]RAF Odiham
RAF Odiham is a Royal Air Force station situated a little to the south of the village of Odiham in Hampshire, England. It is the home of the Royal Air Force's heavy lift helicopter, the Chinook, and of the King’s Helicopter Flight (TKHF) . ...
which was converting from Meteors
A meteoroid () is a small rocky or metallic body in outer space.
Meteoroids are defined as objects significantly smaller than asteroids, ranging in size from grains to objects up to a meter wide. Objects smaller than this are classified as mi ...
to Hunters
Hunting is the human activity, human practice of seeking, pursuing, capturing, or killing wildlife or feral animals. The most common reasons for humans to hunt are to harvest food (i.e. meat) and useful animal products (fur/hide (skin), hide, ...
.[ After attending the guided weapons course at the ]RAF Technical College
RAF Henlow is a Royal Air Force station in Bedfordshire, England, equidistant from Bedford, Luton and Stevenage. It houses the RAF Centre of Aviation Medicine, the Joint Arms Control Implementation Group (JACIG), elements of Defence Equipment a ...
at Henlow
Henlow is a village and civil parish in the Central Bedfordshire district of the county of Bedfordshire, England, about south-east of the county town of Bedford. The name Henlow is believed to derive from the old English ''henna hlaw'', meaning ...
, he was posted to a missile evaluation site at North Coates
North Cotes or North Coates is a village and civil parish in the East Lindsey district of Lincolnshire, England. It is situated close to the coast, to the east, and north-east from the town of Louth.
The Grade II* listed church is dedicated ...
.[ He was promoted to ]squadron leader
Squadron leader (Sqn Ldr in the RAF ; SQNLDR in the RAAF and RNZAF; formerly sometimes S/L in all services) is a commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many countries which have historical British influence. It is als ...
on 1 January 1959
and posted to the Air Ministry
The Air Ministry was a department of the Government of the United Kingdom with the responsibility of managing the affairs of the Royal Air Force, that existed from 1918 to 1964. It was under the political authority of the Secretary of State ...
later that year.[Probert, p.96] He attended RAF Staff College
The RAF Staff College may refer to:
*RAF Staff College, Andover (active: 1922 to 1940 and 1948 to 1970)
*RAF Staff College, Bulstrode Park
The RAF Staff College, Bulstrode Park, was a satellite staff college for the Royal Air Force based at Buls ...
in 1961 before joining No. 35 Squadron at RAF Coningsby
Royal Air Force Coningsby or RAF Coningsby , is a Royal Air Force (RAF) station located south-west of Horncastle, and north-west of Boston, in the East Lindsey district of Lincolnshire, England. It is a Main Operating Base of the RAF and ho ...
in January 1963 initially as a flight commander and then as Officer Commanding the Squadron flying Vulcan B2 aircraft.[Probert, p.96]
Promoted to wing commander
Wing commander (Wg Cdr in the RAF, the IAF, and the PAF, WGCDR in the RNZAF and RAAF, formerly sometimes W/C in all services) is a senior commissioned rank in the British Royal Air Force and air forces of many countries which have historical ...
on 1 January 1964, Craig was appointed Military Assistant to the then Chief of the Defence Staff, Field Marshal Sir Richard Hull
Field Marshal Sir Richard Amyatt Hull, (7 May 1907 – 17 September 1989) was a senior British Army officer. He was the last Chief of the Imperial General Staff (CIGS), holding the post from 1961 to 1964, and the first Chief of the General Staf ...
in June 1965.[ He was awarded the ]Queen's Commendation for Valuable Service in the Air
The Queen's Commendation for Valuable Service in the Air, formerly the King's Commendation for Valuable Service in the Air, was a merit award for flying service awarded by the United Kingdom between 1942 and 1994. It was replaced by the Queen’ ...
in the 1965 Birthday Honours
The Birthday Honours, in some Commonwealth realms, mark the reigning British monarch's official birthday by granting various individuals appointment into national or dynastic orders or the award of decorations and medals. The honours are prese ...
.
Craig was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire in the 1967 Birthday Honours
The Birthday Honours, in some Commonwealth realms, mark the reigning British monarch's official birthday by granting various individuals appointment into national or dynastic orders or the award of decorations and medals. The honours are prese ...
and, having been promoted to group captain on 1 January 1968, he became Station Commander at RAF Cranwell
Royal Air Force Cranwell or more simply RAF Cranwell is a Royal Air Force station in Lincolnshire, England, close to the village of Cranwell, near Sleaford. Among other functions, it is home to the Royal Air Force College (RAFC), which tra ...
later that year.['' Who's Who 2010'', A & C Black, 2010, ] He became Aide-de-Camp to the Queen
In the English-speaking world, The Queen most commonly refers to:
* Elizabeth II (1926–2022), Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 1952 until her death
The Queen may also refer to:
* Camilla, Queen Consort (born 1947), ...
in 1969.[ He was made Director (Plans and Operations) and Headquarters Far East Command in 1970,][ and having been promoted to air commodore on 1 January 1972, he became Station Commander at ]RAF Akrotiri
RAF Akrotiri ( el, Βασιλική Πολεμική Αεροπορία Ακρωτηρίου) is a large Royal Air Force base on the Mediterranean island of Cyprus. It is located in the Western Sovereign Base Area, one of two areas which compr ...
in Cyprus
Cyprus ; tr, Kıbrıs (), officially the Republic of Cyprus,, , lit: Republic of Cyprus is an island country located south of the Anatolian Peninsula in the eastern Mediterranean Sea. Its continental position is disputed; while it is ge ...
later that year.[ He attended the ]Royal College of Defence Studies
The Royal College of Defence Studies (RCDS) instructs the most promising senior officers of the British Armed Forces, His Majesty's Diplomatic Service and Civil Service in national defence and international security matters at the highest lev ...
in 1974.[Probert, p.97] Promoted to air vice-marshal
Air vice-marshal (AVM) is a two-star air officer rank which originated in and continues to be used by the Royal Air Force. The rank is also used by the air forces of many countries which have historical British influence and it is sometimes ...
on 1 January 1975, he became Assistant Chief of Air Staff (Operations) on 25 March 1975.
Appointed a Companion of the Order of the Bath in the 1978 Birthday Honours
The Birthday Honours, in some Commonwealth realms, mark the reigning British monarch's official birthday by granting various individuals appointment into national or dynastic orders or the award of decorations and medals. The honours are prese ...
, Craig became Air Officer Commanding No. 1 Group later that year.[ He went on to be Vice-Chief of the Air Staff in 1980 and advanced to ]Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate medieval ceremony for appointing a knight, which involved bathing (as a symbol of purification) as o ...
in the 1981 New Year Honours
The New Year Honours is a part of the British honours system, with New Year's Day, 1 January, being marked by naming new members of orders of chivalry and recipients of other official honours. A number of other Commonwealth realms also mark this ...
. He was promoted to air marshal on 1 January 1981, and appointed to the post of Commander-in-Chief RAF Strike Command
The Royal Air Force's Strike Command was the military formation which controlled the majority of the United Kingdom's bomber and fighter aircraft from 1968 until 2007 when it merged with Personnel and Training Command to form the single Air C ...
on 20 September 1982 with the acting rank of air chief marshal on 21 September 1982. He was promoted to the substantive rank of air chief marshal on 1 July 1983 and advanced to Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath in the 1984 Birthday Honours
The Birthday Honours, in some Commonwealth realms, mark the reigning British monarch's official birthday by granting various individuals appointment into national or dynastic orders or the award of decorations and medals. The honours are prese ...
.
Craig became Chief of the Air Staff on 15 October 1985 and appointed Air Aide-de-Camp to the Queen on the same date. As Chief of the Air Staff he advised the British Government on the ordering of the Boeing Airborne early warning and control system and the development of the European Fighter programme.[Probert, p.98] Having been promoted to the rank of Marshal of the Royal Air Force
Marshal of the Royal Air Force (MRAF) is the highest rank in the Royal Air Force (RAF). In peacetime it was granted to RAF officers in the appointment of Chief of the Defence Staff (CDS), and to retired Chiefs of the Air Staff (CAS), who were ...
on 14 November 1988, he became Chief of the Defence Staff on 9 December 1988. As Chief of the Defence Staff he advised the British Government on the deployment of 45,000 servicemen and women during the Gulf War
The Gulf War was a 1990–1991 armed campaign waged by a Coalition of the Gulf War, 35-country military coalition in response to the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait. Spearheaded by the United States, the coalition's efforts against Ba'athist Iraq, ...
. He retired from service in 1991.[
]
Later work
On 30 July 1991, following his retirement from the RAF, Craig was made a life peer as Baron Craig of Radley, ''of Helhoughton
Helhoughton is a village and civil parish in Norfolk, England. It is west-south-west of the town of Fakenham, west-northwest of Norwich and north-northeast of London. The nearest railway station is at Sheringham for the Bittern Line which run ...
in the County of Norfolk
Norfolk () is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in East Anglia in England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies no ...
''. In retirement he was a Director of ML Holdings plc from 1991 to 1992.[ He was the Convenor of the ]Crossbench
A crossbencher is an independent or minor party member of some legislatures, such as the British House of Lords and the Parliament of Australia. They take their name from the crossbenches, between and perpendicular to the government and oppositi ...
Peers in the House of Lords
The House of Lords, also known as the House of Peers, is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Membership is by appointment, heredity or official function. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminste ...
from December 1999 until July 2004 and Chairman of the Council of King Edward VII's Hospital from 1998 to 2004.[ He was awarded an honorary DSc. from Cranfield University in 1988.][
]
Personal life
Craig married Elisabeth June Derenburg in 1955; they have two children: The Hon. Christopher Craig (born 1957) and The Hon. Susan Craig (born 1960). His interests include fishing and shooting.[
]
Arms
Notes
References
Sources
*
External links
theyworkforyou.com – Lord Craig of Radley
The Public Whip – Voting Record – Lord Craig of Radley
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Craig, David
1929 births
Living people
Military personnel from Dublin (city)
Marshals of the Royal Air Force
Chiefs of the Air Staff (United Kingdom)
Crossbench life peers
Alumni of Lincoln College, Oxford
Knights Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath
Officers of the Order of the British Empire
Recipients of the Commendation for Valuable Service in the Air
People educated at Radley College
Chiefs of the Defence Staff (United Kingdom)
Alumni of the Royal College of Defence Studies
Life peers created by Elizabeth II