Air Vice-Marshal Glenn Torpy

Sir Glenn Torpy
Born 27 July 1953 (1953-07-27) (age 56)
Sir Glenn Torpy
Place of birth	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, BSc, RAF (born 27 July 1953, Ely) was a senior commander in the Royal Air Force who served as Chief of the Air Staff from 2006 to 2009.

Military career

Torpy joined the Royal Air Force as a Pilot Officer on 8 September 1974 after obtaining a BSc degree^[1] in Aeronautical engineering from Imperial College London.

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.

His early commands included a tour as a Squadron Commander on Tornado aircraft before being appointed Officer Commanding No. 13 Squadron. During the Gulf War, Torpy saw active service with No. 13 Squadron and was subsequently awarded the Distinguished Service Order (DSO).^[2]

After several staff office appointments he became Station Commander at RAF Bruggen in Germany.^[3] He was then appointed Assistant Chief of Staff (Operations) at Permanent Joint Headquarters in Northwood.

From 2001 to 2003 he was Air Officer Commanding Number One Group.^[4] 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.^[5]

Honours

Torpy was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 1999 New Year Honours^[6], and a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath (KCB) in the 2005 New Year Honours^[7]. He was appointed as Chief of the Air Staff and an Air Aide-de-Camp to Her Majesty the Queen on 13 April 2006^[8] in succession to Air Chief Marshal Sir Jock Stirrup. He was appointed Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath (GCB) in the 2008 Birthday Honours^[9]. In addition to his British honours, 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'.^[10]

Personal life

He married Christine Jackson in 1977 in Witney.

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Glenn Torpy

• Debrett's - Air Chief Marshal Sir Glenn Torpy
• RAF Web Site - Chief of the Air Staff

v • d • e Chiefs of the Air Staff of the Royal Air Force Sir Hugh Trenchard • Sir Frederick Sykes • Sir Hugh Trenchard • Sir John Salmond • Sir Geoffrey Salmond • Sir John Salmond • Sir Edward Ellington • Sir Cyril Newall • Lord Portal • Lord Tedder • Sir John Slessor • Sir William Dickson • Sir Dermot Boyle • Sir Thomas Pike • Sir Charles Elworthy • Sir John Grandy • Sir Denis Spotswood • Sir Andrew Humphrey • Sir Neil Cameron • Sir Michael Beetham • Sir Keith Williamson • Sir David Craig • Sir Peter Harding • Sir Michael Graydon • Sir Richard Johns • Sir Peter Squire • Sir Jock Stirrup • Sir Glenn Torpy • Sir Stephen Dalton