Joseph Gilbert (RAF officer)
Encyclopedia
Air Chief Marshal
Sir Joseph Alfred Gilbert KCB
CBE
(born 15 June 1931) is a former Royal Air Force
officer who became Deputy Commander of RAF Strike Command
.
, Gilbert joined the Royal Air Force under a National Service
Commission in 1952. He was appointed Director of Forward Policy in January 1975, Assistant Chief of the Air Staff (Policy) in November 1975, Air Officer Commanding No. 38 Group
in 1977 and Assistant Chief of Defence Staff (Policy) in 1980. He then became Deputy Air Officer Commanding of RAF Strike Command
in 1984 and, having been promoted to Air Chief Marshal, he went on to be Deputy Commander-in-Chief Allied Forces Northern Europe in 1986 before retiring in 1989.
He was made an honorary graduate (LLD) of the University of Leeds
in 1989.
Air Chief Marshal
Air chief marshal is a senior 4-star air-officer rank which originated in and continues to be used by the Royal Air Force...
Sir Joseph Alfred Gilbert KCB
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...
CBE
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...
(born 15 June 1931) is a former 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...
officer who became Deputy Commander of 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...
.
RAF career
Educated at William Hulme's Grammar SchoolWilliam Hulme's Grammar School
William Hulme's Grammar School is an Academy in Whalley Range, Manchester, England.-History:WHGS was founded on 26 January 1887 as a grammar school. It ceased to be a direct grant school when the Labour government abolished the scheme, and was therefore forced to become private...
, Gilbert joined the Royal Air Force under a National Service
National service
National service is a common name for mandatory government service programmes . The term became common British usage during and for some years following the Second World War. Many young people spent one or more years in such programmes...
Commission in 1952. He was appointed Director of Forward Policy in January 1975, Assistant Chief of the Air Staff (Policy) in November 1975, Air Officer Commanding No. 38 Group
No. 38 Group RAF
No 38 Group RAF was formed on 6 November 1943 from nine squadrons as part of Fighter Command. It was finally disbanded on 1 April 2000.-History:...
in 1977 and Assistant Chief of Defence Staff (Policy) in 1980. He then became Deputy Air Officer Commanding of 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 1984 and, having been promoted to Air Chief Marshal, he went on to be Deputy Commander-in-Chief Allied Forces Northern Europe in 1986 before retiring in 1989.
He was made an honorary graduate (LLD) of the University of Leeds
University of Leeds
The University of Leeds is a British Redbrick university located in the city of Leeds, West Yorkshire, England...
in 1989.