Glenn Torpy
| Sir Glenn Torpy | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Sir Glenn Torpy |
|
| Born | 27 July 1953 Ely, Cambridgeshire |
| Allegiance |  United Kingdom |
| Service/branch |  Royal Air Force |
| Years of service | 1974–2009 |
| Rank | Air Chief Marshal |
| Battles/wars | Gulf War |
| Awards | Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath Commander of the Order of the British Empire Distinguished Service Order Legion of Merit (Degree of Officer) (US) |
Air Chief Marshal Sir Glenn Lester Torpy, GCB, CBE, DSO, ADC (born 27 July 1953, Ely) is a retired senior Royal Air Force commander. He was a fast jet pilot in the late 1970s and 1980s, a senior officer in the early 1990s and a senior commander in the late 1990s and the 2000s (decade). He served as Chief of the Air Staff, the professional head of the RAF, from 2006 to 2009.
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[edit] Military career
Glenn Torpy joined the Royal Air Force as a Pilot Officer on 8 September 1974[1] after obtaining a BSc degree in aeronautical engineering from Imperial College London.[2] His early career, after he left the RAF College Cranwell, involved flying duties on Jaguar aircraft before qualifying as a weapons instructor on Hawk aircraft. He was promoted to Flying Officer on 8 March 1975 with seniority backdated to 8 June 1973,[3], Flight Lieutenant on 8 December 1975[4] and Squadron Leader on 1 July 1983.[5]
His early commands included a tour as a Squadron Leader on Tornado aircraft before being appointed Officer Commanding No. 13 Squadron. Having been promoted to Wing Commander on 1 July 1989,[6] Torpy saw active service during the Gulf War with No. 13 Squadron and was subsequently awarded the Distinguished Service Order (DSO).[7]
Promoted to Group Captain on 1 July 1993,[8] Torpy was appointed Station Commander at RAF Bruggen in Germany in 1995.[9] He was then appointed Assistant Chief of Staff (Operations) at Permanent Joint Headquarters in Northwood. Promoted to Air Commodore on 1 January 1997[10] Torpy was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 2000 New Year Honours.[11]
From 2001 to 2003 he was Air Officer Commanding Number One Group[12] and he also served as the Air Component Commander on Operation Telic (British operations in Iraq).[2] Torpy was awarded the Legion of Merit (Degree of Officer) from the United States in 'recognition of gallant and distinguished services during coalition operations in Iraq' in 2003.[13] He was promoted to Air Vice-Marshal on 1 January 2001.[14] and to Air Marshal on 18 July 2003.[15]
From 2003 to 2004 he was Deputy Commander-in-chief at RAF Strike Command. On 26 July 2004 he was appointed Chief of Joint Operations at the Permanent Joint Headquarters in Northwood.[16] He was appointed Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath (KCB) in the 2005 New Year Honours[17] and, with promotion to Air Chief Marshal on 13 April 2006,[18] made Chief of the Air Staff and an Air Aide-de-Camp to Her Majesty the Queen on 13 April 2006.[19]
He was appointed Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath (GCB) in the 2008 Birthday Honours.[20]
[edit] Personal life
He married Christine Jackson in 1977 in Witney.
[edit] References
- ^ London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 46440. p. 13199. 24 December 1974. Retrieved 2012-02-05.
- ^ a b Brief biographical details of the senior UK commanders involved in Operation Telic
- ^ London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 46513. p. 3291. 11 March 1975. Retrieved 2012-02-05.
- ^ London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 46757. p. 15648. 8 December 1975. Retrieved 2012-02-05.
- ^ London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 49406. p. 8833. 4 July 1983. Retrieved 2012-02-05.
- ^ London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 51799. p. 7803. 3 July 1989. Retrieved 2012-02-05.
- ^ London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 52588. p. 16. 28 June 1991. Retrieved 2012-02-05.
- ^ London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 53363. p. 11374. 5 July 1993. Retrieved 2012-02-05.
- ^ RAF Station Commanders - 2 TAF, BAFO & RAF Germany
- ^ London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 54642. p. 217. 6 January 1997. Retrieved 2012-02-05.
- ^ London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 55711. p. 42. 31 December 1999. Retrieved 2012-02-05.
- ^ Group No's 1 - 9
- ^ London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 57100. p. 12. 31 October 2003. Retrieved 2012-02-05.
- ^ London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 56078. p. 14622. 2 January 2001. Retrieved 2012-02-05.
- ^ London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 57018. p. 9733. 5 August 2003. Retrieved 2012-02-05.
- ^ Joint Defence Commands
- ^ London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 57509. p. 2. 31 December 2004. Retrieved 2012-02-05.
- ^ London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 57965. p. 5686. 25 April 2006. Retrieved 2012-02-05.
- ^ London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 57965. p. 5686. 25 April 2006. Retrieved 2012-02-05.
- ^ London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 58729. p. 2. 14 June 2008. Retrieved 2012-02-05.
[edit] External links
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| Military offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by R A Wright |
Station Commander RAF Bruggen 1995 – 1996 |
Succeeded by N D A Maddox |
| Preceded by P V Harris |
Air Officer Commanding No 1 Group 2001 – 2003 |
Succeeded by C H Moran |
| Preceded by Sir Brian Burridge |
Deputy Commander-in-Chief Strike Command 2003 – 2004 |
Succeeded by Sir Clive Loader |
| Preceded by Sir John Reith |
Chief of Joint Operations 2004 – 2006 |
Succeeded by J N R Houghton |
| Preceded by Sir Jock Stirrup |
Chief of the Air Staff 2006 – 2009 |
Succeeded by Sir Stephen Dalton |
- 1953 births
- Commanders of the Order of the British Empire
- Knights Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath
- Companions of the Distinguished Service Order
- Officers of the Legion of Merit
- Royal Air Force air marshals
- Chiefs of the Air Staff (United Kingdom)
- Fellows of the Royal Aeronautical Society
- Living people
- Graduates of the Royal Air Force College Cranwell
- Alumni of Imperial College London
- People from Ely, Cambridgeshire
- Royal Air Force personnel of the Gulf War
- Royal Air Force personnel of the Iraq War
- British military leaders of the Iraq War
