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{{Short description|Royal Air Force officer}} |
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{{other people|Joseph French}} |
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|name= Sir Joe French |
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|image= <!-- Deleted image removed: [[Image:Joefrench.jpg]] --> |
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|caption= Air Chief Marshal Sir Joe French<br>Photo Crown Copyright |
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|birth_date= {{birth date and age|1949|07|15|df=yes}} |
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|branch= {{air force|United Kingdom}} |
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|branch= [[Royal Air Force]] |
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|battles= [[The Troubles]] |
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[[Air Chief Marshal]] |
[[Air Chief Marshal]] '''Sir Joseph Charles French''', {{post-nominals|country=GBR|size=100%|sep=,|KCB|CBE|FRAeS|ADC}} (born 15 July 1949), often known as '''Sir Joe French''', is a retired senior [[Royal Air Force]] officer who was the last [[Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief]] [[RAF Strike Command]] (2006–07). |
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==RAF career== |
==RAF career== |
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French joined the RAF in 1967 |
French joined the [[Royal Air Force]] (RAF) in 1967 and qualified as a helicopter pilot, flying [[Westland Wessex|Wessex]], [[Aérospatiale SA 330 Puma|Puma]] and [[Boeing CH-47 Chinook|Chinook]].<ref name=bbc>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/3103826.stm BBC News – Profile: Air Chief Marshal Sir Joe French]</ref> Postings included [[Sharjah (city)|Sharjah]], Hong Kong, Germany and an operational tour of Northern Ireland in 1972, for which he was [[Mentioned in Despatches]].<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=45965|date=1 May 1973|page=5464|supp=y}}</ref> He was commanding officer of [[No. 7 Squadron RAF|No. 7 Squadron]] (Chinook) at [[RAF Odiham]], where he was later station commander (1989–91).<ref name=bbc/> |
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French attended the [[Staff College|RAF Staff College]] and the [[Royal College of Defence Studies]].<ref name=bbc/> Staff postings included [[aide-de-camp]] to the [[Chief of the Defence Staff (United Kingdom)|Chief of the Defence Staff]], and Personal Staff Officer to the Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief Strike Command. He served on the staff of the Central Trials and Tactics Organisation, and was Head of the RAF Presentation Team.<ref name=bbc/> |
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French served as Director of Air Force Staff Duties,<ref name=bbc/> and as Assistant Chief of Defence Staff (Policy),<ref name=bbc/> before being appointed Director-General of Intelligence Collection.<ref name=bbc/> He was [[Defence Intelligence|Chief of Defence Intelligence]] (CDI) from 2000,<ref name=bbc/> and it was while he was CDI that the controversial [[September Dossier]] was drafted which attempted to assess the state of Iraq's weapons of mass destruction.<ref name=bbc/> He was appointed Commander-in-Chief [[Personnel and Training Command]] and Air Member for Personnelin 2003<ref name=bbc/> and [[Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief]] [[RAF Strike Command]] in 2006.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.gov.uk/government/news/sir-joe-french-unveils-visitor-information-panels-at-kanchanaburi-war-grave-cemetery |title=Sir Joe French unveils Visitor Information Panels at Kanchanaburi war grave cemetery|date=17 October 2014|publisher=Ministry of Defence|access-date=15 October 2021}}</ref> |
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Staff postings included [[aide-de-camp]] to the [[Chief of the Defence Staff (United Kingdom)|Chief of the Defence Staff]], and Personal Staff Officer to the Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief Strike Command. He served on the staff of the Central Trials and Tactics Organisation, and was Head of the RAF Presentation Team. |
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French was appointed a [[Commander of the Order of the British Empire]] in the [[1991 New Year Honours]],<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=52382|page=6|supp=y|date=28 December 1990}}</ref> and a [[Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath]] in the [[2003 New Year Honours]].<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=56797|page=2|supp=y|date=31 December 2002}}</ref> |
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French served as Director of Air Force Staff Duties,<ref name=bbc/> and as Assistant Chief of Defence Staff (Policy),<ref name=bbc/> before being appointed Director-General of Intelligence Collection.<ref name=bbc/> |
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He was [[Defence Intelligence Staff|Chief of Defence Intelligence]] (CDI) from 2000<ref name=bbc/> and it was whilst he was CDI that the controversial [[September Dossier]] was drafted which attempted to assess the state of [[Iraq]]'s weapons of mass destruction.<ref name=bbc/> |
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| ⚫ | Upon his retirement in 2007, French became President of the RAF Servicing Commando and Tactical Supply Wing Association.<ref>[http://www.tswscdoassn.co.uk/Documents/Autumn%202009%20Newsletter%20lo-res%20FINAL_web.pdf The President's Award] The Royal Air Force Servicing Commando and Tactical Supply Wing Association Newsletter, Autumn 2009</ref> |
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In April 2003 he was appointed Commander-in-Chief [[Personnel and Training Command]] and Air Member for Personnel.<ref name=bbc/> |
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French was made a [[Order of the British Empire|CBE]] in 1991, and a [[Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath|KCB]] in 2003.<ref name=bbc/> |
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| ⚫ | Upon his retirement in |
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==References== |
==References== |
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{{s-bef | before = [[Alan West, Baron West of Spithead|Sir Alan West]]}} |
{{s-bef | before = [[Alan West, Baron West of Spithead|Sir Alan West]]}} |
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{{s-ttl | title = [[Defence Intelligence |
{{s-ttl | title = [[Defence Intelligence|Chief of Defence Intelligence]]| years = 2000–2003}} |
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{{s-aft | after = [[Andrew Ridgway]]}} |
{{s-aft | after = [[Andrew Ridgway]]}} |
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{{s-bef | before = [[Christopher Coville|Sir Christopher Colville]]}} |
{{s-bef | before = [[Christopher Coville|Sir Christopher Colville]]}} |
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{{s-ttl | title = Commander-in-Chief [[RAF Personnel and Training Command|Personnel and Training Command]] |
{{s-ttl | title = Commander-in-Chief [[RAF Personnel and Training Command|Personnel and Training Command]] and [[Air Member for Personnel]]| years = 2003–2006}} |
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{{s-aft | after = [[Barry Thornton]]}} |
{{s-aft | after = [[Barry Thornton]]}} |
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{{s-bef | before = [[Brian Burridge|Sir Brian Burridge]]}} |
{{s-bef | before = [[Brian Burridge|Sir Brian Burridge]]}} |
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{{s-ttl | title = Commander-in-Chief [[RAF Strike Command]]| years = |
{{s-ttl | title = Commander-in-Chief [[RAF Strike Command]]| years =2006–2007}} |
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{{s-non | reason = Command merged with [[RAF Personnel and Training Command|PTC]] |
{{s-non | reason = Command merged with [[RAF Personnel and Training Command|PTC]] to form [[RAF Air Command|Air Command]]<br/>with [[Clive Loader|Sir Clive Loader]] as CinC}} |
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{{s-hon}} |
{{s-hon}} |
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{{s-bef | before = [[Brian Burridge|Sir Brian Burridge]]}} |
{{s-bef | before = [[Brian Burridge|Sir Brian Burridge]]}} |
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{{s-ttl | title = [[Air Aide |
{{s-ttl | title = [[Air Aide-de-Camp]] to Her Majesty The Queen| years = 2006–2007}} |
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{{s-aft | after = [[Sir Clive Loader]]}} |
{{s-aft | after = [[Sir Clive Loader]]}} |
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{{s-end}} |
{{s-end}} |
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{{DEFAULTSORT:French, |
{{DEFAULTSORT:French, Joe}} |
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[[Category:1949 births]] |
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[[Category:Royal Air Force air marshals]] |
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Latest revision as of 22:03, 22 January 2023
Sir Joe French | |
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| Born | 15 July 1949 |
| Allegiance | United Kingdom |
| Service | Royal Air Force |
| Years of service | 1967–2007 |
| Rank | Air chief marshal |
| Commands | RAF Strike Command (2006–07) Personnel and Training Command (2003–06) Chief of Defence Intelligence (2000–03) RAF Odiham (1989–91) No. 7 Squadron |
| Battles / wars | The Troubles |
| Awards | Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath Commander of the Order of the British Empire Mentioned in Despatches |
Air Chief Marshal Sir Joseph Charles French, KCB, CBE, FRAeS, ADC (born 15 July 1949), often known as Sir Joe French, is a retired senior Royal Air Force officer who was the last Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief RAF Strike Command (2006–07).
RAF career
[edit]French joined the Royal Air Force (RAF) in 1967 and qualified as a helicopter pilot, flying Wessex, Puma and Chinook.[1] Postings included Sharjah, Hong Kong, Germany and an operational tour of Northern Ireland in 1972, for which he was Mentioned in Despatches.[2] He was commanding officer of No. 7 Squadron (Chinook) at RAF Odiham, where he was later station commander (1989–91).[1]
French attended the RAF Staff College and the Royal College of Defence Studies.[1] Staff postings included aide-de-camp to the Chief of the Defence Staff, and Personal Staff Officer to the Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief Strike Command. He served on the staff of the Central Trials and Tactics Organisation, and was Head of the RAF Presentation Team.[1]
French served as Director of Air Force Staff Duties,[1] and as Assistant Chief of Defence Staff (Policy),[1] before being appointed Director-General of Intelligence Collection.[1] He was Chief of Defence Intelligence (CDI) from 2000,[1] and it was while he was CDI that the controversial September Dossier was drafted which attempted to assess the state of Iraq's weapons of mass destruction.[1] He was appointed Commander-in-Chief Personnel and Training Command and Air Member for Personnelin 2003[1] and Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief RAF Strike Command in 2006.[3]
French was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire in the 1991 New Year Honours,[4] and a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath in the 2003 New Year Honours.[5]
Retirement
[edit]Upon his retirement in 2007, French became President of the RAF Servicing Commando and Tactical Supply Wing Association.[6]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d e f g h i j BBC News – Profile: Air Chief Marshal Sir Joe French
- ^ "No. 45965". The London Gazette (Supplement). 1 May 1973. p. 5464.
- ^ "Sir Joe French unveils Visitor Information Panels at Kanchanaburi war grave cemetery". Ministry of Defence. 17 October 2014. Retrieved 15 October 2021.
- ^ "No. 52382". The London Gazette (Supplement). 28 December 1990. p. 6.
- ^ "No. 56797". The London Gazette (Supplement). 31 December 2002. p. 2.
- ^ The President's Award The Royal Air Force Servicing Commando and Tactical Supply Wing Association Newsletter, Autumn 2009