Andrew Humphrey

Sir Andrew Henry Humphrey
10 January 1921(1921-01-10) – 24 January 1977 (aged 56)
Sir Andrew Humphrey as an air chief marshal Crown Copyright
Place of birth	Edinburgh, Scotland
Place of death	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.

RAF career

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

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, Air Officer Commanding Air Forces Middle East in 1965 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.

References

• Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation - MRAF Humphrey
• Probert, H. (1991). High Commanders of the Royal Air Force. HMSO. ISBN 0-11-772635-4

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