Peter Le Cheminant
British Royal Air Force officer (1920–2018)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Air Chief Marshal Sir Peter de Lacy Le Cheminant, GBE, KCB, DFC & Bar (17 June 1920 – 8 April 2018) was a senior commander of the Royal Air Force (RAF), who served as Vice-Chief of the Defence Staff from 1974 to 1976 and Deputy Commander-in-Chief of Allied Forces Central Europe from 1976 until his retirement in 1979.
Sir Peter Le Cheminant | |
|---|---|
Wing Commander Le Cheminant briefs aircrews for a bombing raid on La Fauconnerie South, Tunisia (scene reconstructed after the event). | |
| Born | 17 June 1920 |
| Died | 8 April 2018 (aged 97) |
| Allegiance | United Kingdom |
| Branch | Royal Air Force |
| Service years | 1939–1979 |
| Rank | Air Chief Marshal |
| Commands | Vice-Chief of the Defence Staff (1974–76) Joint Warfare Establishment (1968–71) RAF Geilenkirchen (1961–63) No. 223 Squadron (1949–51) No. 223 Squadron (1943–44) |
| Conflicts | Second World War Korean War Indonesia–Malaysia confrontation |
| Awards | Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the British Empire Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath Distinguished Flying Cross & Bar |
Military career
Educated at Elizabeth College (Guernsey) and the Royal Air Force College Cranwell, Le Cheminant was commissioned into the Royal Air Force (RAF) as a pilot officer (on probation) on 23 December 1939, shortly after the outbreak of the Second World War.[1] He was confirmed in his rank and promoted to flying officer (war-substantive) on 23 December 1940.[2] He was promoted to flight lieutenant (war-substantive) on 23 December 1941 and to the substantive rank of flight lieutenant on 23 June 1943.[3][4] An acting squadron leader by 1943, he was promoted to squadron leader (war-substantive) on 4 August 1943.[5]
Also in 1943, Le Cheminant was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC).[6] He was promoted to the permanent rank of squadron leader on 1 August 1947.[7] He also served in the Korean War and was awarded a Bar to his DFC in 1951.[8] He was promoted to wing commander on 1 July 1951 and to group captain on 1 July 1958.[9][10]
Promoted to air commodore on 1 January 1964, Le Cheminant was appointed Senior Air Staff Officer, Far East Air Force on 16 May 1966 with the acting rank of air vice marshal.[11][12] He was promoted to the permanent rank of air vice marshal on 1 January 1967,[13] and became Commandant of the Joint Warfare Establishment at Old Sarum on 20 November and Assistant Chief of the Air Staff (Policy) on 1 May 1971.[14][15] Promoted air marshal on 4 July 1972,[16] he then became Vice-Chief of the Defence Staff in 1974.[8] He was promoted to air chief marshal on 2 February 1976 and appointed Deputy Commander-in-Chief of Allied Forces Central Europe on 5 February.[17][18] He relinquished the command on 1 June 1979 and retired from the RAF on 27 August.[19][20]
Le Cheminant was appointed a Companion of the Order of the Bath in the 1968 Birthday Honours,[21] and knighted as a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath in the 1972 Birthday Honours.[22] He was appointed a Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the British Empire in the 1978 Birthday Honours.[23]
