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{{Short description|Royal Air Force officer}}
{{otherpeople|Joseph French}}
{{other people|Joseph French}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2012}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2021}}
{{Infobox military person
{{Infobox military person
|name= Sir Joseph Charles French
|name= Sir Joe French
|image=
|image=
|image_size=
|alt=
|caption=
|caption=
|nickname=
|nickname=
|birth_date= {{birth date and age|1949|07|15|df=yes}}
|birth_date= {{birth date and age|1949|07|15|df=yes}}
⚫
|death_date=
|birth_place=
|birth_place=
⚫
|death_date=
|death_place=
|death_place=
|placeofburial=
|allegiance= United Kingdom
|allegiance= United Kingdom
|branch= [[Royal Air Force]]
|branch= [[Royal Air Force]]
|serviceyears= 1967–2007
|serviceyears= 1967–2007
|rank= [[Air Chief Marshal]]
|rank= [[Air chief marshal]]
|servicenumber=
|unit=
|unit=
|commands= [[RAF Strike Command]] (2006–07)<br/>[[RAF Personnel and Training Command|Personnel and Training Command]] (2003–06)<br/>[[Defence Intelligence|Chief of Defence Intelligence]] (2000–03)<br/>[[RAF Odiham]] (1989–91)<br/>[[No. 7 Squadron RAF|No. 7 Squadron]]
|commands= [[RAF Strike Command]] (2006–07)<br/>[[RAF Personnel and Training Command|Personnel and Training Command]] (2003–06)<br/>[[Defence Intelligence|Chief of Defence Intelligence]] (2000–03)<br/>[[RAF Odiham]] (1989–91)<br/>[[No. 7 Squadron RAF|No. 7 Squadron]]
|battles=
|battles= [[The Troubles]]
|awards= [[Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath]]<br/>[[Commander of the Order of the British Empire]]
|awards= [[Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath]]<br/>[[Commander of the Order of the British Empire]]<br/>[[Mentioned in Despatches]]
|relations=
|relations=
|laterwork=
|laterwork=
}}
}}
[[Air Chief Marshal]] '''Sir Joseph Charles French''', {{post-nominals|country=GBR|size=100%|sep=,|KCB|CBE|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)
[[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).


==RAF career==
==RAF career==
French joined the 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 and Germany. 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/>
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/>


He 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/>
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/>


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/> In April 2003 he was appointed Commander-in-Chief [[Personnel and Training Command]] and Air Member for Personnel.<ref name=bbc/> and [[Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief]] [[RAF Strike Command]] in 2006.
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>


French was made a [[Commander of the Order of the British Empire]] in 1991, and a [[Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath]] in 2003.<ref name=bbc/>
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>


==Retirement==
==Retirement==
Upon his retirement in the spring of 2007, he 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>
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>


==References==
==References==
{{reflist|30em}}
{{reflist}}


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[[Category:Knights Commander of the Order of the Bath]]
[[Category:Knights Commander of the Order of the Bath]]
[[Category:Living people]]
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[[Category:Graduates of the Royal College of Defence Studies]]
[[Category:Royal Air Force air marshals]]
[[Category:Royal Air Force air marshals]]

Latest revision as of 22:03, 22 January 2023

For other people named Joseph French, see Joseph French (disambiguation).

Sir Joe French
Born (1949-07-15) 15 July 1949 (age 75)
AllegianceUnited Kingdom
Service / branchRoyal Air Force
Years of service1967–2007
RankAir chief marshal
CommandsRAF Strike Command (2006–07)
Personnel and Training Command (2003–06)
Chief of Defence Intelligence (2000–03)
RAF Odiham (1989–91)
No. 7 Squadron
Battles / warsThe Troubles
AwardsKnight 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]
  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j BBC News – Profile: Air Chief Marshal Sir Joe French
  2. ^ "No. 45965". The London Gazette (Supplement). 1 May 1973. p. 5464.
  3. ^ "Sir Joe French unveils Visitor Information Panels at Kanchanaburi war grave cemetery". Ministry of Defence. 17 October 2014. Retrieved 15 October 2021.
  4. ^ "No. 52382". The London Gazette (Supplement). 28 December 1990. p. 6.
  5. ^ "No. 56797". The London Gazette (Supplement). 31 December 2002. p. 2.
  6. ^ The President's Award The Royal Air Force Servicing Commando and Tactical Supply Wing Association Newsletter, Autumn 2009
Military offices
Preceded by Chief of Defence Intelligence
2000–2003 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Commander-in-Chief Personnel and Training Command and Air Member for Personnel
2003–2006 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Commander-in-Chief RAF Strike Command
2006–2007 		Command merged with PTC to form Air Command
with Sir Clive Loader as CinC
Honorary titles
Preceded by Air Aide-de-Camp to Her Majesty The Queen
2006–2007 		Succeeded by
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