Andrew Humphrey

Sir Andrew Henry Humphrey
Sir Andrew Humphrey as an air chief marshal Crown Copyright
Born	10 January 1921(1921-01-10) Edinburgh, Scotland
Died	24 January 1977(1977-01-24) (aged 56) RAF Halton, Buckinghamshire
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Service/branch	Royal Air Force
Years of service	1939–1977
Rank	Marshal of the Royal Air Force
Commands held	Chief of the Defence Staff Chief of the Air Staff RAF Strike Command Air Member for Personnel RAF Akrotiri
Battles/wars	Second World War
Awards	Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath Officer of the Order of the British Empire Distinguished Flying Cross Air Force Cross

Marshal of the Royal Air Force Sir Andrew Henry Humphrey GCB, OBE, DFC, AFC, RAF (10 January 1921 – 24 January 1977) was a senior commander in the British Royal Air Force. He served as the Chief of the Defence Staff (CDS) of the United Kingdom and thus the professional head of the British Armed Forces.

RAF career

Educated at Bradfield College, Humphrey joined the Royal Air Force College Cranwell in 1939.

He served in World War II flying spitfires with No. 266 Squadron in the Battle of Britain before becoming a Flight Commander with No. 175 Squadron in March 1942 and then a Flight Commander with No. 6 Squadron in July 1943.

Humphrey (centre) with his two navigators after the flight from Cape Town to London

In December 1953, Humphrey piloted "Aries IV" a Canberra B.2 from Cape Town to London in a then record 13 hours 16 minutes and 25 seconds.

Notably, he became Officer Commanding RAF Akrotiri in 1959, Director of Defence Plans (Air) at the Ministry of Defence in 1964 and Air Officer Commanding Air Forces Middle East in 1965. He went on to be Air Member for Personnel in 1968 and Commander-in-Chief RAF Strike Command in 1971.

He served in the RAF's most senior post, Chief of the Air Staff, between 1974 and 1976. Following promotion to Marshal of the Royal Air Force, Humphrey was appointed Chief of the Defence Staff on 24 October 1976 however he only served for short time before becoming ill. He died in the RAF Hospital, at Halton on 24 January 1977.

In 1978 his widow, Lady Humphrey, visited RAF Gütersloh in the then West Germany to open the newly-built Andrew Humphrey School in the village of Blankenhagen, a primary school for the children of RAF personnel.

Honours and awards

Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath – 1 Jan 1974 (KCB – 8 Jun 1968, CB – 13 Jun 1959)
Officer of the Order of the British Empire – 1 Jan 1951
Distinguished Flying Cross – 30 May 1941
Air Force Cross and 2 bars – 1 Jun 1943, 1 Jan 1945, 9 Jun 1955
Mentioned in Despatches - 23 Jan 1968

References

• Probert, H. (1991). High Commanders of the Royal Air Force. HMSO. ISBN 0-11-772635-4

Military offices
Preceded by J E Johnson	Air Officer Commanding Air Forces Middle East 1965 – 1967	Absorbed into Air Forces Gulf
Preceded by Sir David Lee	Air Member for Personnel 1968 – 1970	Succeeded by Sir Lewis Hodges
Preceded by Sir Denis Spotswood	Commander-in-Chief RAF Strike Command 1971–1974	Succeeded by Sir Denis Smallwood
Preceded by Sir Denis Spotswood	Chief of the Air Staff 1974–1976	Succeeded by Sir Neil Cameron
Preceded by Lord Carver	Chief of the Defence Staff 1976–1977	Succeeded by Sir Edward Ashmore