Andrew Humphrey
Encyclopedia
Marshal of the Royal Air Force
Sir Andrew Henry Humphrey GCB
, OBE
, DFC
, AFC
, RAF
(10 January 1921 – 24 January 1977) was a senior commander in the British
Royal Air Force
. He served as the Chief of the Defence Staff
(CDS) of the United Kingdom and thus the professional head of the British Armed Forces.
, Humphrey joined the Royal Air Force College Cranwell
in 1939.
He served in World War II
flying spitfire
s with No. 266 Squadron
in the Battle of Britain
before becoming a Flight Commander with No. 175 Squadron
in March 1942 and then a Flight Commander with No. 6 Squadron
in July 1943.
In December 1953, Humphrey piloted "Aries IV" a Canberra B.2 from Cape Town
to London
in a then record 13 hours 16 minutes and 25 seconds.
Notably, he became Officer Commanding RAF Akrotiri
in 1959, Director of Defence Plans (Air) at the Ministry of Defence
in 1964 and Air Officer Commanding Air Forces Middle East in 1965. He went on to be Air Member for Personnel in 1968 and Commander-in-Chief
RAF Strike Command
in 1971.
He served in the RAF's most senior post, Chief of the Air Staff, between 1974 and 1976. Following promotion to Marshal of the Royal Air Force, Humphrey was appointed Chief of the Defence Staff
on 24 October 1976 however he only served for short time before becoming ill. He died in the RAF Hospital, at Halton
on 24 January 1977.
In 1978 his widow, Lady Humphrey, visited RAF Gütersloh
in the then West Germany
to open the newly-built Andrew Humphrey School in the village of Blankenhagen, a primary school for the children of RAF personnel.
Officer of the Order of the British Empire – 1 Jan 1951
Distinguished Flying Cross
– 30 May 1941
Air Force Cross
and 2 bars
– 1 Jun 1943, 1 Jan 1945, 9 Jun 1955
Mentioned in Despatches - 23 Jan 1968
Marshal of the Royal Air Force
Marshal of the Royal Air Force is the highest rank in the Royal Air Force. In peacetime it was granted to RAF officers in the appointment of Chief of the Defence Staff, and to retired Chiefs of the Air Staff, who were promoted to it on their last day of service. Promotions to the rank have ceased...
Sir Andrew Henry Humphrey GCB
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 mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
, OBE
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
, DFC
Distinguished Flying Cross (United Kingdom)
The Distinguished Flying Cross is a military decoration awarded to personnel of the United Kingdom's Royal Air Force and other services, and formerly to officers of other Commonwealth countries, for "an act or acts of valour, courage or devotion to duty whilst flying in active operations against...
, AFC
Air Force Cross (United Kingdom)
The Air Force Cross is a military decoration awarded to personnel of the United Kingdom Armed Forces, and formerly also to officers of the other Commonwealth countries, for "an act or acts of valour, courage or devotion to duty whilst flying, though not in active operations against the enemy"...
, RAF
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
(10 January 1921 – 24 January 1977) was a senior commander in the British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
. He served as the Chief of the Defence Staff
Chief of the Defence Staff (United Kingdom)
The Chief of the Defence Staff is the professional head of the British Armed Forces, a senior official within the Ministry of Defence, and the most senior uniformed military adviser to the Secretary of State for Defence and the Prime Minister...
(CDS) of the United Kingdom and thus the professional head of the British Armed Forces.
RAF career
Educated at Bradfield CollegeBradfield College
Bradfield College is a coeducational independent school located in the small village of Bradfield in the English county of Berkshire.The college was founded in 1850 by Thomas Stevens, Rector and Lord of the Manor of Bradfield...
, Humphrey joined the Royal Air Force College Cranwell
Royal Air Force College Cranwell
The Royal Air Force College is the Royal Air Force training and education academy which provides initial training to all RAF personnel who are preparing to be commissioned officers. The College also provides initial training to aircrew cadets and is responsible for all RAF recruiting along with...
in 1939.
He served in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
flying spitfire
Supermarine Spitfire
The Supermarine Spitfire is a British single-seat fighter aircraft that was used by the Royal Air Force and many other Allied countries throughout the Second World War. The Spitfire continued to be used as a front line fighter and in secondary roles into the 1950s...
s with No. 266 Squadron
No. 266 Squadron RAF
-World War I:The squadron was formed from No's 437 and 438 Flights at Mudros, Greece on 27 September 1918 to carry out anti-submarine patrols in that area, flying Short 184s and 320s along with Felixtowe F.3s. In February 1919 it was transferred to the Caucasus on HMS Engadine. It operated from...
in the Battle of Britain
Battle of Britain
The Battle of Britain is the name given to the World War II air campaign waged by the German Air Force against the United Kingdom during the summer and autumn of 1940...
before becoming a Flight Commander with No. 175 Squadron
No. 175 Squadron RAF
No. 175 Squadron RAF was a part of Second Tactical Airforce No. 83 Group RAF in support of World War II Normandy landings, and supported the allied advance through France Holland and Belgium on into Germany. The squadron was active from under canvas on temporary landing grounds in a matter of days...
in March 1942 and then a Flight Commander with No. 6 Squadron
No. 6 Squadron RAF
No. 6 Squadron of the Royal Air Force operates the Eurofighter Typhoon FGR4 at RAF Leuchars.It was previously equipped with the Jaguar GR.3 in the close air support and tactical reconnaissance roles, and was based at RAF Coltishall, Norfolk until April 2006, moving to RAF Coningsby until...
in July 1943.
Cape Town
Cape Town is the second-most populous city in South Africa, and the provincial capital and primate city of the Western Cape. As the seat of the National Parliament, it is also the legislative capital of the country. It forms part of the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality...
to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
in a then record 13 hours 16 minutes and 25 seconds.
Notably, he became Officer Commanding RAF Akrotiri
RAF Akrotiri
Royal Air Force Station Akrotiri, more commonly known as RAF Akrotiri , is a large Royal Air Force station, on the Mediterranean island of Cyprus. It is located in the Western Sovereign Base Area, one of two areas which comprise Akrotiri and Dhekelia, a British Overseas Territory, administered as a...
in 1959, Director of Defence Plans (Air) at the Ministry of Defence
Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom)
The Ministry of Defence is the United Kingdom government department responsible for implementation of government defence policy and is the headquarters of the British Armed Forces....
in 1964 and Air Officer Commanding Air Forces Middle East in 1965. He went on to be Air Member for Personnel in 1968 and Commander-in-Chief
Commander-in-Chief
A commander-in-chief is the commander of a nation's military forces or significant element of those forces. In the latter case, the force element may be defined as those forces within a particular region or those forces which are associated by function. As a practical term it refers to the military...
RAF Strike Command
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: it was merged with Personnel and Training Command to form the single Air Command. It latterly consisted of two formations - No. 1...
in 1971.
He served in the RAF's most senior post, Chief of the Air Staff, between 1974 and 1976. Following promotion to Marshal of the Royal Air Force, Humphrey was appointed Chief of the Defence Staff
Chief of the Defence Staff (United Kingdom)
The Chief of the Defence Staff is the professional head of the British Armed Forces, a senior official within the Ministry of Defence, and the most senior uniformed military adviser to the Secretary of State for Defence and the Prime Minister...
on 24 October 1976 however he only served for short time before becoming ill. He died in the RAF Hospital, at Halton
RAF Halton
RAF Halton is one of the largest Royal Air Force stations in the United Kingdom, located near the village of Halton near Wendover, Buckinghamshire.HRH The Duchess of Cornwall is the Honorary Air Commodore of RAF Halton.-History:...
on 24 January 1977.
In 1978 his widow, Lady Humphrey, visited RAF Gütersloh
Gütersloh
Gütersloh is a city in North Rhine-Westphalia, in the area of Westphalia and the administrative region of Detmold. Gütersloh is the administrative centre for a district of the same name and has a population of 96,320 people.- Geography :...
in the then West Germany
West Germany
West Germany is the common English, but not official, name for the Federal Republic of Germany or FRG in the period between its creation in May 1949 to German reunification on 3 October 1990....
to open the newly-built Andrew Humphrey School in the village of Blankenhagen, a primary school for the children of RAF personnel.
Honours and awards
Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath – 1 Jan 1974 (KCB – 8 Jun 1968, CB – 13 Jun 1959)Officer of the Order of the British Empire – 1 Jan 1951
Distinguished Flying Cross
Distinguished Flying Cross (United Kingdom)
The Distinguished Flying Cross is a military decoration awarded to personnel of the United Kingdom's Royal Air Force and other services, and formerly to officers of other Commonwealth countries, for "an act or acts of valour, courage or devotion to duty whilst flying in active operations against...
– 30 May 1941
Air Force Cross
Air Force Cross (United Kingdom)
The Air Force Cross is a military decoration awarded to personnel of the United Kingdom Armed Forces, and formerly also to officers of the other Commonwealth countries, for "an act or acts of valour, courage or devotion to duty whilst flying, though not in active operations against the enemy"...
and 2 bars
Medal bar
A medal bar or medal clasp is a thin metal bar attached to the ribbon of a military decoration, civil decoration, or other medal. It is most commonly used to indicate the campaign or operation the recipient received the award for, and multiple bars on the same medal are used to indicate that the...
– 1 Jun 1943, 1 Jan 1945, 9 Jun 1955
Mentioned in Despatches - 23 Jan 1968