Peter Wykeham

Sir Peter Guy Wykeham
Born 13 September 1915
Died 23 February 1995(1995-02-23) (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

Second World War

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.

RAF career

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]

Family

In 1949 he married Barbara Priestley; they had two sons and one daughter.[2]

References

Military offices
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