Air Chief Marshal Air chief marshal (Air Chf Mshl or ACM) is a high-ranking air officer originating from the Royal Air Force. The rank is used by air forces of many countries that have historical British influence. An air chief marshal is equivalent to an Admir ...

Sir Charles John Thomson, (7 June 1941 – 10 July 1994), usually Sir John Thomson, was a senior officer in the

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 ...

(RAF).

RAF service

Educated at

Campbell College Campbell College located in Belfast, Northern Ireland and founded in 1894 comprises a preparatory school department (junior age) and a senior Northern Ireland 'Voluntary Grammar' school, the latter meaning, in terms of provision of education, a ...

Belfast Belfast ( , ; from ga, Béal Feirste , meaning 'mouth of the sand-bank ford') is the capital and largest city of Northern Ireland, standing on the banks of the River Lagan on the east coast. It is the 12th-largest city in the United Kingdo ...

, Thomson entered

Royal Air Force College Cranwell The Royal Air Force College (RAFC) is the Royal Air Force military academy which provides initial training to all RAF personnel who are preparing to become commissioned officers. The College also provides initial training to aircrew cadets and ...

in 1959, and was commissioned into the Royal Air Force in 1962. Thomson was appointed

Officer Commanding The officer commanding (OC), also known as the officer in command or officer in charge (OiC), is the commander of a sub-unit or minor unit (smaller than battalion size), principally used in the United Kingdom and Commonwealth. In other countries, ...

(OC) No. 41 Squadron in 1976, Personal Staff Officer to the Chief of the Air Staff in 1979, and Station Commander at

RAF Bruggen Royal Air Force Brüggen, more commonly known as RAF Brüggen, in Germany was a major station of the Royal Air Force until 15 June 2001. It was situated next to the village of Elmpt, approximately west of Düsseldorf on the Dutch-German bo ...

in 1981.Air of Authority – A History of RAF Organisation – Air Chief Marshal Sir John Thomson
/ref> He went on to be Director of Defence Concepts at the

Ministry of Defence {{unsourced, date=February 2021 A ministry of defence or defense (see spelling differences), also known as a department of defence or defense, is an often-used name for the part of a government responsible for matters of defence, found in states ...

(MoD) in 1985, Air Officer Commanding (AOC) No. 1 Group in 1987 and Assistant Chief of the Air Staff in 1989. He became Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief (AOCinC) at Support Command in 1991, and Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief at Strike Command in 1992. In July 1994, Thomson became the first Commander in Chief of the new

NATO The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO, ; french: Organisation du traité de l'Atlantique nord, ), also called the North Atlantic Alliance, is an intergovernmental military alliance between 30 member states – 28 European and two No ...

command, Allied Forces North-Western Europe. However, only days after taking up this post, he became ill and was rushed to the

military hospital A military hospital is a hospital owned and operated by a military. They are often reserved for the use of military personnel and their dependents, but in some countries are made available to civilians as well. They may or may not be located on a ...

RAF Halton Royal Air Force Halton, or more simply RAF Halton, is one of the largest Royal Air Force stations in the United Kingdom. It is located near the village of Halton near Wendover, Buckinghamshire. The site has been in use since the First World W ...

where he died aged 53.

Family

In 1972, Thomson married Jan Bishop; they had two daughters, and one daughter who died aged 3.

Sir John Thomson Memorial Sword

The Sir John Thomson Memorial Sword commemorates his military life. Thomson was a leading member and strong supporter of the Air Squadron, and regularly flew cadets on Air Squadron Day and on

Air Experience Flight An Air Experience Flight (AEF) is a training unit of the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve (Training Branch) whose main purpose is to give introductory flying experience to cadets from the Air Training Corps and the Combined Cadet Force. As of 20 ...

s (AEFs). The Sword is awarded each year to the

cadet A cadet is an officer trainee or candidate. The term is frequently used to refer to those training to become an officer in the military, often a person who is a junior trainee. Its meaning may vary between countries which can include youths in ...

judged to be the Best in the Combined Cadet Force (RAF) (CCF). Cadets, who will commonly be the most senior in their schools contingent, will have to demonstrate the highest level of CCF commitment and involvement, during their time in the CCF and will also be highly regarded within their school/college. Nominations are called for in November of each year. Of those recommended by either their Contingent

Commander Commander (commonly abbreviated as Cmdr.) is a common naval officer rank. Commander is also used as a rank or title in other formal organizations, including several police forces. In several countries this naval rank is termed frigate captain. ...

or RAF

Section Section, Sectioning or Sectioned may refer to: Arts, entertainment and media * Section (music), a complete, but not independent, musical idea * Section (typography), a subdivision, especially of a chapter, in books and documents ** Section sign ...

Commander, six would be chosen for a final interview with

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 ...

CCF in either late January or early February; as a result of which a winner would be chosen. Results are made public in late March, and the Sword is awarded at the Air Squadron Day celebrations at the end of the

summer term Summer term is the summer academic term at many British schools and universities and elsewhere in the world. In the UK, 'Summer term' runs from the Easter holiday until the end of the academic year in June or July, and so corresponds to the Easter ...

. All six finalists, who would all attend the parade on Air Squadron Day, would be awarded a Geoffrey de Havilland Flying Foundation Medal for CCF Achievement in recognition of getting that far.

Other honours

On 10 July 2014, a wreath-laying ceremony was held at the

United States Air Force Memorial The United States Air Force Memorial honors the service of the personnel of the United States Air Force and its heritage organizations. The Memorial is located in Arlington County, Virginia, on the former grounds of the Navy Annex near The Penta ...

in Arlington, Virginia, to commemorate the 20th anniversary of his passing, and to honour Thomson's life and service to the Royal Air Force.

References

, - , - , - {{DEFAULTSORT:Thomson, John 1941 births People educated at Campbell College Graduates of the Royal Air Force College Cranwell British military personnel of the Aden Emergency Royal Air Force air marshals Recipients of the Air Force Cross (United Kingdom) Knights Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath Commanders of the Order of the British Empire 1994 deaths