Patrick Dunn (RAF officer)

Sir Patrick Dunn
Born 31 December 1912
Died 17 June 2004 (aged 91)
Allegiance  United Kingdom
Service/branch  Royal Air Force
Years of service 1933–1967
Rank Air Marshal
Commands held No. 80 Squadron
No. 274 Squadron
RAF Amriya
RAF Flying College
No. 1 Group
Flying Training Command
Battles/wars World War II
Malayan Emergency
Awards Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire
Companion of the Order of the Bath
Distinguished Flying Cross

Air Marshal Sir Patrick Hunter Dunn KBE CB DFC (31 December 1912 – 17 June 2004) was a Royal Air Force officer who became Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief of Flying Training Command.

RAF career

Educated at Loretto School and the University of Glasgow, Dunn joined the Royal Air Force 1933.[1] He served in World War II as Officer Commanding No. 80 Squadron, Officer Commanding No. 274 Squadron and then a Station Commander at RAF Amriya.[1] He had a total of nine combat victories.[2] He continued his war service on the staff at Headquarters No. 203 Group before becoming Aide de Camp to Lord Trenchard in 1942.[1] He transferred to Headquarters RAF Fighter Command and became Group Captain, Operations at Headquarters No. 12 Group in 1944 and Sector Commander at RAF Coltishall in 1945.[1]

After the War he was appointed Deputy Director of Personal Services at the Air Ministry and then became Senior Air Staff Officer at AHQ Malaya in which role he used air power to combat the communist forces in the jungles on the ground during the Malayan Emergency.[2] He went on to be an Instructor at the NATO Defence College in 1951 before becoming Group Captain, Plans and then Air Commodore, Operations at Headquarters RAF Fighter Command in 1953.[1] He was made Commandant of the RAF Flying College at Manby in 1956, Deputy Air Secretary in 1958 and Air Officer Commanding No. 1 Group in 1961.[1] His final posting was as Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief of Flying Training Command in 1964 before retiring in 1967.[1]

In retirement he became Chairman of the airline British Eagle.[2]

Family

In 1939 he became married to Diana Ledward-Smith; they had two daughters.[3]

References

Military offices
Preceded by
Sir Augustus Walker
Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief Flying Training Command
19641966
Succeeded by
Sir John Davis