Barry Thornton

For the two Australian sportsmen of the same name, see Barry Thornton (cricketer) and Barry Thornton (footballer).
Sir Barry Michael Thornton

Sir Barry Thornton
Allegiance  United Kingdom
Service/branch  Royal Air Force
Years of service 1976-2009
Rank Air Marshal
Commands held Personnel and Training Command
Battles/wars Gulf War
Awards Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath

Air Marshal Sir Barry Michael Thornton KCB, MSc, CEng, FIMechE, FCMI, FRAeS, RAF was a senior commander in the Royal Air Force.

Personal life

Thornton was educated at Baines Grammar School and the University of Nottingham.

He is married to Delia Thornton, a trained midwife and family law barrister. [1] The couple has two sons, Oliver and William. [2]

Military career

Thornton joined the Royal Air Force in 1976.[3] He was given command of the Engineering and Supply Wing at RAF Honington in 1988 and subsequently deployed to Tabuk Air Base during the Gulf War.[3] In 1991 he took command of the RAF's nuclear weapon inspection team.[3] Then in 1997 he joined the Defence Procurement Agency as the Director of Maritime Projects with responsibility for the Merlin and Nimrod programmes.[3] In 2000 he became Controller of Aircraft on the Air Force Board and in 2003 he was made Director General Equipment Support (Air) and then Director General Logistics (Strike) at the Defence Logistics Organisation.[3] He became the last Commander in Chief Personnel and Training Command in January 2006 serving until April 2007 when the command was merged into Air Command: he then took up the post of Chief of Defence Material (Air) at Defence Equipment & Support.[4] He retired in May 2009.[5]

References

External links

Media related to Barry Thornton at Wikimedia Commons

Military offices
Preceded by
Post Re-activated
Air Member for Logistics
20042006
Succeeded by
David Rennison
Preceded by
Sir Joe French
Air Member for Personnel
20062007
Succeeded by
Stephen Dalton
Commander-in-Chief Personnel and Training Command
20062007
Command Disestablished
New title
Post Established
Chief of Material (Air)
20072009
Succeeded by
Kevin Leeson