Sandy Johnstone
Encyclopedia
Air Vice Marshal Alexander Vallance Riddell Johnstone CB
, DFC
, AE, RAF
, better known as Sandy Johnstone, (2 June 1916–13 December 2000) was a Royal Air Force
squadron, wing and station commander during World War II
and the commander of Commonwealth
forces operating in Borneo
during the Indonesia-Malaysia confrontation
.
Alexander Vallance Riddell Johnstone was born in Glasgow on 2 June 1916 and was educated at Kelvinside Academy. He worked in an Edinburgh footwear company when in 1934 he joined No 602 (City of Glasgow) Auxiliary Air Force Squadron as a weekend flier.
Early in 1938, Johnstone was a civilian navigation instructor at Scottish Aviation
, moving later to the Civil Air Navigation School at Prestwick
. In August 1939 he was called to full-time service with No. 602 Squadron. On 24 November 1939 George Pinkerton was promoted to Squadron Leader and given Command of 65 Squadron, with Sandy Johnstone taking over command of ‘B’ Flight from Pinkerton.
After participating in engagements with lone German raiders off the Scottish coast in late 1939-early 1940, he was given command of 602 in July 1940 at the age of 24. By this time Johnstone had already claimed a Heinkel He-111, a Junkers Ju-88 and a Dornier Do17 damaged. The squadron was transferred south to Westhampnett
in West Sussex, where it was stationed throughout the Battle of Britain
.
His tally after the battle ( and his final wartime score) was 7 (and 2 shared) aircraft destroyed, 1 probable, and 6 (and 1 shared) damaged.
After serving as operations controller at Turnhouse in Scotland in 1941, Johnstone was posted in April 1942 to Haifa
in Palestine as sector commander. He then went to Malta as station commander at Luqa
, before commanding a Spitfire wing. In the spring of 1943 he returned to Britain to attend staff college. In September 1943 he moved on to Fairwood Common, West Glamorgan, as sector commander.
In May 1944 Johnstone was promoted to acting Group Captain on the Allied Expeditionary Air Force operations staff preparing for the D-Day invasion. After the landings he moved to Normandy with General Eisenhower's headquarters staff.
Early in 1945 Johnstone joined the RAF delegation in Washington. He returned in June to Fighter Command No 12 Group HQ staff, receiving a permanent commission. In 1946 Johnstone was appointed air attache in Dublin, and went on to serve as station commander, Ballykelly. In 1953 he was made CO of the Air Sea Warfare Development Unit at Saint Mawgan. In 1954 he returned to No 12 Group as Senior Air Staff Officer (SASO).
In 1956 he was deputy air defence commander, Malaya and was then seconded to assist in the formation of the Royal Malayan Air Force. After spells as station commander at Middleton St George, the Imperial Defence College, and director of personnel at the Air Ministry, in 1964 he was posted to Borneo as Air Commodore, Commonwealth Air Forces.
In 1965 he returned to the UK to become an Air Vice-Marshal. He headed Coastal Command's No 18 Group, was Air Officer Scotland and Northern Ireland, and was NATO's North Atlantic maritime air commander.Johnstone retired in 1968.
1969 to 1979 Johnstone served as vice-chairman of the Territorial Auxiliary and Volunteer Reserve. He was also secretary of Glasgow Golf Club, and as head of the National Car Parks (NCP) and secretary of Denham Golf Club.From 1971 to 1994 he was deputy lieutenant for Glasgow.
He became a successful author and resided near Ipswich in Suffolk. Johnstone published 'One Man's War' (1964), 'Where no Angels Dwell' (1969), 'Enemy in the Sky' (1976), 'Spitfire into War' (1986), and 'Diary of an Aviator' (1993).
Johnstone married Margaret Croll in 1940. They had a son, Ian Johnstone, an Army officer, and two daughters. Sandy Johnstone died on 13 December 2000, aged 84.
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...
, 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...
, AE, 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...
, better known as Sandy Johnstone, (2 June 1916–13 December 2000) was a 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...
squadron, wing and station commander during 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...
and the commander of Commonwealth
Commonwealth of Nations
The Commonwealth of Nations, normally referred to as the Commonwealth and formerly known as the British Commonwealth, is an intergovernmental organisation of fifty-four independent member states...
forces operating in Borneo
Borneo
Borneo is the third largest island in the world and is located north of Java Island, Indonesia, at the geographic centre of Maritime Southeast Asia....
during the Indonesia-Malaysia confrontation
Indonesia-Malaysia confrontation
Indonesia–Malaysia confrontation during 1962–1966 was Indonesia’s political and armed opposition to the creation of Malaysia. It is also known by its Indonesian/Malay name Konfrontasi...
.
Alexander Vallance Riddell Johnstone was born in Glasgow on 2 June 1916 and was educated at Kelvinside Academy. He worked in an Edinburgh footwear company when in 1934 he joined No 602 (City of Glasgow) Auxiliary Air Force Squadron as a weekend flier.
Early in 1938, Johnstone was a civilian navigation instructor at Scottish Aviation
Scottish Aviation
Scottish Aviation Limited was a Scottish aircraft manufacturer, based at Prestwick in South Ayrshire.-History:Originally a flying school operator the company took on maintenance work in 1938....
, moving later to the Civil Air Navigation School at Prestwick
Prestwick
Prestwick is a town in South Ayrshire on the south-west coast of Scotland, about south-west of Glasgow. It adjoins the larger town of Ayr, the centre of which is about south...
. In August 1939 he was called to full-time service with No. 602 Squadron. On 24 November 1939 George Pinkerton was promoted to Squadron Leader and given Command of 65 Squadron, with Sandy Johnstone taking over command of ‘B’ Flight from Pinkerton.
After participating in engagements with lone German raiders off the Scottish coast in late 1939-early 1940, he was given command of 602 in July 1940 at the age of 24. By this time Johnstone had already claimed a Heinkel He-111, a Junkers Ju-88 and a Dornier Do17 damaged. The squadron was transferred south to Westhampnett
Westhampnett
Westhampnett is a village and civil parish in the district of Chichester in West Sussex, England located north-east of Chichester on the former A27 road, now by-passed.-History:...
in West Sussex, where it was stationed throughout 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...
.
His tally after the battle ( and his final wartime score) was 7 (and 2 shared) aircraft destroyed, 1 probable, and 6 (and 1 shared) damaged.
After serving as operations controller at Turnhouse in Scotland in 1941, Johnstone was posted in April 1942 to Haifa
Haifa
Haifa is the largest city in northern Israel, and the third-largest city in the country, with a population of over 268,000. Another 300,000 people live in towns directly adjacent to the city including the cities of the Krayot, as well as, Tirat Carmel, Daliyat al-Karmel and Nesher...
in Palestine as sector commander. He then went to Malta as station commander at Luqa
Luqa
Ħal Luqa is a village located in the south east of Malta. It is an old town that has a dense population, typical of the Maltese Islands. The population of Ħal Luqa is 6,028 . There is a church in its main square dedicated to St. Andrew. The traditional feast of St...
, before commanding a Spitfire wing. In the spring of 1943 he returned to Britain to attend staff college. In September 1943 he moved on to Fairwood Common, West Glamorgan, as sector commander.
In May 1944 Johnstone was promoted to acting Group Captain on the Allied Expeditionary Air Force operations staff preparing for the D-Day invasion. After the landings he moved to Normandy with General Eisenhower's headquarters staff.
Early in 1945 Johnstone joined the RAF delegation in Washington. He returned in June to Fighter Command No 12 Group HQ staff, receiving a permanent commission. In 1946 Johnstone was appointed air attache in Dublin, and went on to serve as station commander, Ballykelly. In 1953 he was made CO of the Air Sea Warfare Development Unit at Saint Mawgan. In 1954 he returned to No 12 Group as Senior Air Staff Officer (SASO).
In 1956 he was deputy air defence commander, Malaya and was then seconded to assist in the formation of the Royal Malayan Air Force. After spells as station commander at Middleton St George, the Imperial Defence College, and director of personnel at the Air Ministry, in 1964 he was posted to Borneo as Air Commodore, Commonwealth Air Forces.
In 1965 he returned to the UK to become an Air Vice-Marshal. He headed Coastal Command's No 18 Group, was Air Officer Scotland and Northern Ireland, and was NATO's North Atlantic maritime air commander.Johnstone retired in 1968.
1969 to 1979 Johnstone served as vice-chairman of the Territorial Auxiliary and Volunteer Reserve. He was also secretary of Glasgow Golf Club, and as head of the National Car Parks (NCP) and secretary of Denham Golf Club.From 1971 to 1994 he was deputy lieutenant for Glasgow.
He became a successful author and resided near Ipswich in Suffolk. Johnstone published 'One Man's War' (1964), 'Where no Angels Dwell' (1969), 'Enemy in the Sky' (1976), 'Spitfire into War' (1986), and 'Diary of an Aviator' (1993).
Johnstone married Margaret Croll in 1940. They had a son, Ian Johnstone, an Army officer, and two daughters. Sandy Johnstone died on 13 December 2000, aged 84.