Peter Squire

Peter Ted Squire
Air Chief Marshal Sir Peter Squire
Born	7 October 1945 (age 64)
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Service/branch	Royal Air Force
Years of service	1966–2003
Rank	Air Chief Marshal
Commands held	No. 1 Group Strike Command
Battles/wars	Falklands War Operation Veritas Operation Telic
Awards	Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath Distinguished Flying Cross Air Force Cross

Air Chief Marshal Sir Peter Ted Squire GCB, DFC, AFC, FRAeS, RAF (born 7 October 1945) is a retired senior Royal Air Force commander. He was a fast jet pilot in the 1970s and a senior officer in the 1980s. He was a squadron commander during the Falklands War and a senior commander in the 1990s. Squire was Chief of the Air Staff from 2000 to 2003 during which time both Operation Veritas and Operation Telic were initiated.

RAF career

Born the son of Wing Commander Frank Squire, Peter Squire attended the independent King's School, Bruton in Somerset and was commissioned into the Royal Air Force in 1966. Following initial officer training at the RAF College Cranwell and subsequent flying training, Squire flew Hunters and later, Harriers.

He was appointed Commanding Officer of No. 1 (F) Squadron based at RAF Wittering flying Harriers in 1981. In 1982 Squire led members of his squadron in action in the Falklands campaign where he was awarded the DFC. He flew with his squadron to CFB Goose Bay in Canada on 13 April 1982, on a six-hour flight using air-to-air refuelling (AAR), for an exercise. He departed for the Falklands on 3 May with his squadron from RAF St Mawgan to RAF Ascension Island where a few days later they boarded the Atlantic Conveyor. On 13 June, he was the first member of the RAF to launch a laser-guided bomb (LGB), with the target being illuminated by Major Mike Howes, in combat on Mount Longdon flying a Harrier GR3 with No. 1 (F) Squadron when a Wing Commander. The first Paveway 1000 lb bomb missed, but the second was a direct hit. He had transferred from the Atlantic Conveyor a few days before it was sunk by two Exocet missiles to HMS Hermes. Four Harriers from his squadron of ten were lost, three to ground fire and one after an engine failure led to a heavy landing. His squadron was also the first to operate in a combat role from a British aircraft carrier since the Second World War. Later in the year he was forced to eject on 6 November near Cape Pembroke in the Falklands due to a Harrier's engine failure.

He became Leader of the Command Briefing and Presentation Team in 1984 and then went on to be Personal Staff Officer to the Air Officer Commanding RAF Strike Command. Promoted to Group Captain in 1985, Squire took up the appointment of Station Commander of RAF Cottesmore in 1986.

Promoted to Air Commodore in 1989, he became Director Air Offensive at the Ministry of Defence in 1989, and following his promotion to Air Vice-Marshal, he became Senior Air Staff Officer at HQ Strike Command and Deputy Chief of Staff Operations UK Air Forces in 1991. He then became Air Officer Commanding No. 38 Group.

He was appointed Air Officer Commanding No. 1 Group in February 1993; however, after only a few months he was replaced by Air Vice-Marshal John Day. Squire served as Assistant Chief of the Air Staff from 1994, as Deputy Chief of Defence Staff (Programmes and Personnel) from 1996 and as Commander-in-Chief RAF Strike Command from 1999. He served as Chief of the Air Staff from 2000 to 2003.

Later life

Squire is currently Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Imperial War Museum and the Vice-Chairman of the Board of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission. He is also the Senior Warden of Governors at King's School, Bruton and a Deputy Lieutenant of Devon.

Personal life

In 1970 he married Carolyn Joynson. They have three sons.

External links

• The air combat in the Falklands War
• RAF history of the Falklands

Military offices
Preceded by P J Goddard	Station Commander RAF Cottesmore 1986–1988	Succeeded by R D Elder
Preceded by R E Johns	Air Officer Commanding No 1 Group 1993	Succeeded by J R Day
Preceded by A J C Bagnall	Assistant Chief of the Air Staff 1994–1996	Succeeded by T I Jenner
Preceded by Sir John Allison	Commander-in-Chief Strike Command 1999–2000	Succeeded by Sir Anthony Bagnall
Preceded by Sir Richard Johns	Chief of the Air Staff 2000–2003	Succeeded by Sir Jock Stirrup
Honorary titles
Preceded by Sir John Allison	Air Aide de Camp to Her Majesty The Queen 1999–2003	Succeeded by Sir Jock Stirrup
Preceded by Sir Jock Slater	Chairman Board of Trustees, Imperial War Museum 2006 – present	Incumbent