Sir Peter Guy Wykeham | |
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Born | 13 September 1915 |
Died | 23 February 1995 | (aged 79)
Allegiance | United Kingdom |
Service/branch | Royal Air Force |
Years of service | 1932–1969 |
Rank | Air Marshal |
Commands held | No. 73 Squadron No. 257 Squadron No. 23 Squadron No. 140 Wing RAF North Weald RAF Wattisham No. 38 Group RAF Far East Air Force |
Battles/wars | Korean War |
Awards | Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath Distinguished Service Order & Bar Officer of the Order of the British Empire Distinguished Flying Cross & Bar Air Force Cross Mentioned in Despatches (3) Air Medal (United States) |
Air Marshal Sir Peter Guy Wykeham KCB, DSO & Bar, OBE, DFC & Bar, AFC, RAF (13 September 1915 – 23 February 1995), born Peter Guy Wykeham-Barnes was a World War II Royal Air Force fighter pilot and squadron commander.
Wykeham-Barnes joined the Royal Air Force as an apprentice in 1932.[1] He served in World War II as a Flight Commander with No. 274 Squadron and as Officer Commanding No. 73 Squadron before commanding the fighters at Headquarters Desert Air Force.[1] He continued his war service Officer Commanding No. 257 Squadron and then as Officer Commanding No. 23 Squadron before becoming Sector Commander at RAF Kenley and then commanding No. 140 Wing.[1]
Remaining in the RAF after the War, Wykeham-Barnes was employed as a test pilot before serving with the USAF Fifth Air Force in the Korean War.[1] On his return to Great Britain, Wykeham-Barnes served as station commander at RAF North Weald and then RAF Wattisham before becoming Assistant Chief of Staff (Operations) at Headquarters Allied Air Forces Central Europe in 1953.[1] He went on to join the Air Staff (Operations) at Headquarters RAF Fighter Command in 1956 and became Director of Fighter & Theatre Air Force Operations in 1958.[1] He served as Air Officer Commanding No. 38 Group from 1960, the Director of the Joint Warfare Staff from 1962, the Commander of the Far East Air Force from 1964 and the Deputy Chief of the Air Staff from 1967 before retiring in 1969.[1]
In 1949 he married Barbara Priestley; they had two sons and one daughter.[2]
Military offices | ||
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Preceded by Sir Hector McGregor |
Commander-in-Chief Far East Air Force 1964 – 1966 |
Succeeded by Sir Rochford Hughes |
Preceded by Sir Reginald Emson |
Deputy Chief of the Air Staff 1967 – 1960 |
Succeeded by Post Disbanded |