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Michael Graydon

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Sir Michael Graydon
Born(1938-10-24)24 October 1938(age 85)
Kew,Surrey
AllegianceUnited Kingdom
Service/branchRoyal Air Force
Years of service1957–1997
RankAir Chief Marshal
Commands heldChief of the Air Staff(1992–97)
RAF Strike Command(1991–92)
RAF Support Command(1989–91)
RAF Stanley(1983–84)
RAF Leuchars(1981–83)
No. 11 Squadron(1977–79)
Battles/warsGulf War
AwardsKnight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath
Commander of the Order of the British Empire
Queen's Commendation for Valuable Service in the Air

Air Chief MarshalSir Michael James Graydon,GCB,CBE(born 24 October 1938) is a retiredRoyal Air Force(RAF) officer. He was a fast jet pilot in the 1960s, a squadron commander in the 1970s and a station commander in the 1980s before serving as Air Officer Commanding-in-ChiefRAF Strike Commandduring theGulf War.He wasChief of the Air Stafffrom 1992 to 1997, in which role he advised the British Government on the implementation of No Fly Zones inIraqandBosniaand implemented theFront Line Firstinitiative.

RAF career

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The son of James Julian Graydon and Rita Mary Graydon (née Alkan), Graydon was educated atWycliffe College,in the town ofStonehouseinGloucestershire,and became a flight cadet at theRoyal Air Force College Cranwellin January 1957[1]before being commissioned into the Royal Air Force on 15 December 1959.[2]His potential as a flying instructor was noticed early in his career and, after completing hisQualified Flying Instructorcourse at theCentral Flying School,he was posted toNo. 1 Flying Training SchoolatRAF Linton-on-Ousein Yorkshire in 1960.[3]Promoted toflying officeron 15 December 1960,[4]he attended No. 229 Operational conversion unit where he gained experience on theHunters[1]before being sent toNo. 56 SquadronatRAF Wattisham,from where he flewLightnings,in 1962.[3]

English Electric Lightning,a type flown by Graydon in the 1960s

Graydon was promoted toflight lieutenanton 15 June 1962.[5]He became a qualified flying instructor at No. 226 Operational conversion unit in November 1964.[3]He became a flight commander at No. 56 Squadron in April 1967,[3]based atRAF AkrotiriinCyprus.[6]Having been awarded theQueen's Commendation for Valuable Service in the Airin the 1967Birthday Honours,[7]he was promoted tosquadron leaderon 1 January 1968.[8]

Graydon attendedRAF Staff Collegein 1970 and became Personal Staff Officer to the Deputy Commander-in-ChiefAllied Forces Central Europein 1971 before joining the Air Staff in the Directorate of Operations at theMinistry of Defencein 1973.[3]Promoted towing commanderon 1 July 1975,[9]he attended theNational Defence CollegeatLatimerin 1976.[3]

Graydon became Officer CommandingNo. 11 SquadronatRAF Binbrookin July 1977[3]and military advisor to theChief of the Defence Staffin 1979.[3]Promoted togroup captainon 1 July 1980,[10]he became Station Commander atRAF Leucharsin 1981 and atRAF Stanleyin theFalkland Islandsin 1983.[3]He was appointedCommander of the Order of the British Empirein the 1984New Year Honours[11]and attended theRoyal College of Defence Studieslater that year.[3]

Promoted toair commodoreon 1 July 1984,[12]Graydon became Senior Air Staff Officer at HeadquartersNo. 11 GroupatRAF Bentley Prioryin January 1985.[3]He went on to be Assistant Chief of Staff at the Policy Division at HeadquartersSHAPEin June 1986[3]and was promoted toair vice marshalon 1 July 1986.[13]Promoted toair marshalon 5 April 1989,[14]he was appointed Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief atRAF Support Commandthat month[3]and appointedKnight Commander of the Order of the Bathin the 1989Birthday Honours.[15]Promoted toair chief marshalon 31 May 1990,[16]he became Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief atRAF Strike Commandserving in that role during theGulf Warin 1991.[3]

Graydon becameChief of the Air Staffin November 1992, was appointedAir Aide-de-Campon 15 December 1992[17]and advanced toKnight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bathin the 1993New Year Honours.[18]As Chief of the Air Staff he advised the British Government on the implementation of No Fly Zones inIraqandBosnia.[19]He also implemented theFront Line Firstinitiative launched in July 1994 which contributed to reducing the RAF manpower from around 75,000 to around 53,000.[20]He retired from the Royal Air Force in April 1997.[3]

Later life

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In retirement, Graydon has been a non-executive director ofThales plcand Symbiotics.[3]He has also been member of the council of theAir Leaguesince 2007, Vice-Patron of theAir Cadet Councilsince 1999, President of the Battle of Britain Memorial Trust since 1999, Chairman of theAir Squadronsince 2005 and Deputy Chairman of theChurch Schools Companysince 2003.[3]Additionally he has been Vice-Chairman of the Governors of Wycliffe College since 1992.[3]

In 2006, Graydon expressed his belief that action was required to end the isolation ofNorthern Cyprus.[21]As a trustee of the British Cyprus Memorial Trust, he provided support for the campaign for a memorial, erected on 8 November 2009, to all British servicemen who died in service inCyprusduring the conflict in between 1956 and 1960.[22]Then in 2010/11, Graydon won approval from the North Cyprus government and theRoyal British Legionto establish a branch of the Royal British Legion in North Cyprus: on 1 October 2011 the branch was officially formed with Graydon as president.[23]He is currently the chairman of the board of trustees for theInternational Bomber Command Centre.[24]

Personal life

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In 1963 he married Margaret Elizabeth Clark; they have no children.[25]His interests include golf, flying and reading.[3]

References

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  1. ^ab"Air Chief Marshal Graydon".Air of Authority – A History of RAF Organisation.Retrieved2 June2012.
  2. ^"No. 41950".The London Gazette(Supplement). 5 February 1960. p. 1012.
  3. ^abcdefghijklmnopqrsWho's Who2010,A & C Black,2010,ISBN978-1-4081-1414-8
  4. ^"No. 42223".The London Gazette(Supplement). 16 December 1960. p. 8721.
  5. ^"No. 42707".The London Gazette(Supplement). 15 June 1962. p. 4933.
  6. ^"At the end of a long road".Britain's small wars. Archived fromthe originalon 18 December 2011.Retrieved2 June2012.
  7. ^"No. 44326".The London Gazette(Supplement). 2 June 1967. p. 6301.
  8. ^"No. 44493".The London Gazette(Supplement). 29 December 1967. p. 82.
  9. ^"No. 46621".The London Gazette(Supplement). 30 June 1975. p. 8378.
  10. ^"No. 48294".The London Gazette(Supplement). 1 September 1980. p. 12376.
  11. ^"No. 49583".The London Gazette(Supplement). 30 December 1983. p. 7.
  12. ^"No. 49800".The London Gazette(Supplement). 9 July 1984. p. 9435.
  13. ^"No. 50583".The London Gazette(Supplement). 30 June 1986. p. 8719.
  14. ^"No. 51696".The London Gazette(Supplement). 10 April 1989. p. 4296.
  15. ^"No. 51772".The London Gazette(Supplement). 16 June 1989. p. 2.
  16. ^"No. 52548".The London Gazette(Supplement). 3 June 1991. p. 8596.
  17. ^"No. 53135".The London Gazette(Supplement). 14 December 1992. p. 21065.
  18. ^"No. 53153".The London Gazette(Supplement). 16 June 1989. p. 2.
  19. ^"Stephen Nolan".BBC. 15 May 2011.Retrieved2 June2012.
  20. ^"Parliamentary questions".Hansard. 23 April 1998.Retrieved2 June2012.
  21. ^"AGM keynote speaker Sir Michael Graydon says" Action not words needed on North Cyprus isolation "".Embargoed. 1 December 2006.Retrieved2 June2012.
  22. ^"Wo we are".British Cyprus Memorial.Retrieved2 June2012.
  23. ^"Royal British Legion Kyrenia Branch".Royal British Legion.Retrieved2 June2012.
  24. ^"Out trustees".International Bomber Command Centre.Retrieved7 November2022.
  25. ^"How much does he earn?: No 5: Air Chief Marshal Sir Michael Graydon, Chief of Air Staff".The Independent.14 November 1993.Archivedfrom the original on 12 May 2022.Retrieved2 June2012.
Military offices
Preceded by Commander-in-ChiefSupport Command
1989–1991 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Commander-in-ChiefStrike Command
1991–1992
Preceded by Chief of the Air Staff
1992–1997 		Succeeded by
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