Chris Moran
Encyclopedia
Air Chief Marshal
Sir Christopher Hugh "Chris" Moran, KCB
, OBE
, MVO
, ADC
, FRAeS
(28 April 1956 – 26 May 2010), was a fast jet pilot and later a senior commander in the Royal Air Force
. He died unexpectedly on 26 May 2010 and at the time of his death he was Commander-in-Chief
of Air Command
.
in the late sixties and early seventies before attending the University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology to study Mechanical Engineering. In 1974, whilst studying at university, Moran became a university cadet in the Royal Air Force
. Moran graduated from UMIST in 1977 with a BSc and went to RAF College Cranwell for his initial training with the RAF. He was later to earn an MA
from King's College London
. In 1980 he married Elizabeth Jane Goodwin.
. Promoted to squadron leader
in 1986, Moran was appointed as a flight commander on No. IV Squadron, serving in Belize
, the Falkland Islands
, and on HMS Illustrious
. In 1985, He was also an exchange officer with the United States Marine Corps
at Cherry Point
, North Carolina
.
Moran commanded the Harrier squadron in the Harrier Operational Conversion Unit at RAF Wittering
, and then attended the Advanced Staff Course in 1991. After a brief posting to the Ministry of Defence
he was appointed Equerry
to HRH The Duke of Edinburgh.
In 1994 Moran became the commanding officer of No. IV Squadron which was based in Germany
. The same year Moran led his squadron to the Middle East for duties on Operation Warden which involved enforcing the no-fly zone
over northern Iraq
. In 1995 Moran and No. IV Squadron flew missions against the Bosnian Serbs as part of Operation Deliberate Force.
in 1996, he was appointed Staff Officer HQ 1 Group, and in the following year, station commander of RAF Wittering
. After attending the Higher Command and Staff Course
in 1999 Moran became Divisional Director at the Joint Services Command and Staff College
, where he also completed an MA. As an Air Commodore
he was then Director of Air Staff until 2002, and then the Chief of Defence Staff
's liaison officer to the US Joint Staff in Washington
. In the following year he became Air Officer Commanding
1 Group as an Air Vice-Marshal
. In 2005 he became Assistant Chief of Air Staff.
In 2005, Moran was appointed to the board of the Civil Aviation Authority.
He was promoted Air Marshal and became Deputy Commander Allied Joint Force Command Brunssum in May 2007, in succession to Lieutenant General D. L. Judd CB. Air Chief Marshal Moran was appointed Commander-in-Chief
of Air Command
on 3 April 2009. Moran was appointed a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath (KCB) in the 2009 New Year Honours.
Moran's death was announced on the evening of 26 May 2010; he had collapsed following a triathlon
at RAF Brize Norton
that afternoon. He was taken to the John Radcliffe Hospital
in Oxford
by air ambulance
, but was pronounced dead on arrival. Moran was survived by his wife Elizabeth, Lady Moran, two daughters and a son.
Air Chief Marshal
Air chief marshal is a senior 4-star air-officer rank which originated in and continues to be used by the Royal Air Force...
Sir Christopher Hugh "Chris" Moran, KCB
Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
, OBE
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
, MVO
Royal Victorian Order
The Royal Victorian Order is a dynastic order of knighthood and a house order of chivalry recognising distinguished personal service to the order's Sovereign, the reigning monarch of the Commonwealth realms, any members of her family, or any of her viceroys...
, ADC
Aide-de-camp
An aide-de-camp is a personal assistant, secretary, or adjutant to a person of high rank, usually a senior military officer or a head of state...
, FRAeS
Royal Aeronautical Society
The Royal Aeronautical Society, also known as the RAeS, is a multidisciplinary professional institution dedicated to the global aerospace community.-Function:...
(28 April 1956 – 26 May 2010), was a fast jet pilot and later a senior commander in the Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
. He died unexpectedly on 26 May 2010 and at the time of his death he was Commander-in-Chief
Commander-in-Chief
A commander-in-chief is the commander of a nation's military forces or significant element of those forces. In the latter case, the force element may be defined as those forces within a particular region or those forces which are associated by function. As a practical term it refers to the military...
of Air Command
RAF Air Command
Air Command is the only Command currently active in the Royal Air Force. It was formed by the merger of Royal Air Force Strike and Personnel and Training Commands on 1 April 2007, and has its headquarters at RAF High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire....
.
Early and family life
Moran was born in Urmston, Lancashire, and educated at Bishop Ullathorne School in CoventryCoventry
Coventry is a city and metropolitan borough in the county of West Midlands in England. Coventry is the 9th largest city in England and the 11th largest in the United Kingdom. It is also the second largest city in the English Midlands, after Birmingham, with a population of 300,848, although...
in the late sixties and early seventies before attending the University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology to study Mechanical Engineering. In 1974, whilst studying at university, Moran became a university cadet in the Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
. Moran graduated from UMIST in 1977 with a BSc and went to RAF College Cranwell for his initial training with the RAF. He was later to earn an MA
Master of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
from King's College London
King's College London
King's College London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and a constituent college of the federal University of London. King's has a claim to being the third oldest university in England, having been founded by King George IV and the Duke of Wellington in 1829, and...
. In 1980 he married Elizabeth Jane Goodwin.
Early career
After completing pilot training, Moran converted onto the Harrier with No. 233 Operational Conversion Unit. In 1980 Moran entered productive service, flying Harriers with No. IV Squadron. In 1983 he returned to No. 233 Operational Conversion Unit, attending a weapons instructors' course before returning to No. IV Squadron as a Qualified Weapons InstructorQualified Weapons Instructor
Qualified Weapons Instructor is a qualification given to graduates of the Royal Air Force or Royal Navy Qualified Weapons Instructor courses...
. Promoted to squadron leader
Squadron Leader
Squadron Leader is a commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many countries which have historical British influence. It is also sometimes used as the English translation of an equivalent rank in countries which have a non-English air force-specific rank structure. In these...
in 1986, Moran was appointed as a flight commander on No. IV Squadron, serving in Belize
Belize
Belize is a constitutional monarchy and the northernmost country in Central America. Belize has a diverse society, comprising many cultures and languages. Even though Kriol and Spanish are spoken among the population, Belize is the only country in Central America where English is the official...
, the Falkland Islands
Falkland Islands
The Falkland Islands are an archipelago in the South Atlantic Ocean, located about from the coast of mainland South America. The archipelago consists of East Falkland, West Falkland and 776 lesser islands. The capital, Stanley, is on East Falkland...
, and on HMS Illustrious
HMS Illustrious (R06)
HMS Illustrious is the second of three Invincible-class light aircraft carriers built for the Royal Navy in the late 1970s and early 1980s. She is the fifth warship and second aircraft carrier to bear the name Illustrious, and is affectionately known as "Lusty" to her crew...
. In 1985, He was also an exchange officer with the United States Marine Corps
United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...
at Cherry Point
Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point
Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point or MCAS Cherry Point is a United States Marine Corps airfield located in Havelock, North Carolina, USA, in the eastern part of the state...
, North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
.
Moran commanded the Harrier squadron in the Harrier Operational Conversion Unit at RAF Wittering
RAF Wittering
RAF Wittering is a Royal Air Force station within the unitary authority area of Peterborough, Cambridgeshire. Although Stamford in Lincolnshire is the nearest town, the runways of RAF Wittering cross the boundary between Cambridgeshire and Northamptonshire....
, and then attended the Advanced Staff Course in 1991. After a brief posting to the Ministry of Defence
Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom)
The Ministry of Defence is the United Kingdom government department responsible for implementation of government defence policy and is the headquarters of the British Armed Forces....
he was appointed Equerry
Equerry
An equerry , and related to the French word "écuyer" ) is an officer of honour. Historically, it was a senior attendant with responsibilities for the horses of a person of rank. In contemporary use, it is a personal attendant, usually upon a Sovereign, a member of a Royal Family, or a national...
to HRH The Duke of Edinburgh.
In 1994 Moran became the commanding officer of No. IV Squadron which was based in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. The same year Moran led his squadron to the Middle East for duties on Operation Warden which involved enforcing the no-fly zone
Iraqi no-fly zones
The Iraqi no-fly zones were a set of two separate no-fly zones , and were proclaimed by the United States, United Kingdom and France after the Gulf War of 1991 to protect the Kurdish people in northern Iraq and Shiite Muslims in the south. Iraqi aircraft were forbidden from flying inside the zones...
over northern Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
. In 1995 Moran and No. IV Squadron flew missions against the Bosnian Serbs as part of Operation Deliberate Force.
Later career
Promoted to Group CaptainGroup Captain
Group captain is a senior commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many other Commonwealth countries. It ranks above wing commander and immediately below air commodore...
in 1996, he was appointed Staff Officer HQ 1 Group, and in the following year, station commander of RAF Wittering
RAF Wittering
RAF Wittering is a Royal Air Force station within the unitary authority area of Peterborough, Cambridgeshire. Although Stamford in Lincolnshire is the nearest town, the runways of RAF Wittering cross the boundary between Cambridgeshire and Northamptonshire....
. After attending the Higher Command and Staff Course
Higher Command and Staff Course
The Higher Command and Staff Course is a staff course for senior military officers of the United Kingdom armed forces and allies. It is taught at the Defence Academy of the United Kingdom in Shrivenham, Oxfordshire, United Kingdom....
in 1999 Moran became Divisional Director at the Joint Services Command and Staff College
Joint Services Command and Staff College
Joint Services Command and Staff College is a British military academic establishment providing training and education to experienced officers of the Royal Navy, Army, Royal Air Force, Ministry of Defence Civil Service, and serving officers of other states.-History:JSCSC combined the single...
, where he also completed an MA. As an Air Commodore
Air Commodore
Air commodore is an air-officer rank which originated in and continues to be used by the Royal Air Force...
he was then Director of Air Staff until 2002, and then the Chief of Defence Staff
Chief of the Defence Staff (United Kingdom)
The Chief of the Defence Staff is the professional head of the British Armed Forces, a senior official within the Ministry of Defence, and the most senior uniformed military adviser to the Secretary of State for Defence and the Prime Minister...
's liaison officer to the US Joint Staff in Washington
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
. In the following year he became Air Officer Commanding
Air Officer Commanding
Air Officer Commanding is a title given in the air forces of Commonwealth nations to an air officer who holds a command appointment. Thus, an air vice marshal might be the AOC 38 Group...
1 Group as an Air Vice-Marshal
Air Vice-Marshal
Air vice-marshal is a two-star air-officer rank which originated in and continues to be used by the Royal Air Force. The rank is also used by the air forces of many countries which have historical British influence and it is sometimes used as the English translation of an equivalent rank in...
. In 2005 he became Assistant Chief of Air Staff.
In 2005, Moran was appointed to the board of the Civil Aviation Authority.
He was promoted Air Marshal and became Deputy Commander Allied Joint Force Command Brunssum in May 2007, in succession to Lieutenant General D. L. Judd CB. Air Chief Marshal Moran was appointed Commander-in-Chief
Commander-in-Chief
A commander-in-chief is the commander of a nation's military forces or significant element of those forces. In the latter case, the force element may be defined as those forces within a particular region or those forces which are associated by function. As a practical term it refers to the military...
of Air Command
RAF Air Command
Air Command is the only Command currently active in the Royal Air Force. It was formed by the merger of Royal Air Force Strike and Personnel and Training Commands on 1 April 2007, and has its headquarters at RAF High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire....
on 3 April 2009. Moran was appointed a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath (KCB) in the 2009 New Year Honours.
Moran's death was announced on the evening of 26 May 2010; he had collapsed following a triathlon
Triathlon
A triathlon is a multi-sport event involving the completion of three continuous and sequential endurance events. While many variations of the sport exist, triathlon, in its most popular form, involves swimming, cycling, and running in immediate succession over various distances...
at RAF Brize Norton
RAF Brize Norton
RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire, about west north-west of London, is the largest station of the Royal Air Force. It is close to the settlements of Brize Norton, Carterton and Witney....
that afternoon. He was taken to the John Radcliffe Hospital
John Radcliffe Hospital
The John Radcliffe Hospital is a large tertiary teaching hospital in Oxford, England.It is the main teaching hospital for Oxford University and Oxford Brookes University. As such, it is a well-developed centre of medical research. It also incorporates the Medical School of the University of Oxford....
in Oxford
Oxford
The city of Oxford is the county town of Oxfordshire, England. The city, made prominent by its medieval university, has a population of just under 165,000, with 153,900 living within the district boundary. It lies about 50 miles north-west of London. The rivers Cherwell and Thames run through...
by air ambulance
Air ambulance
An air ambulance is an aircraft used for emergency medical assistance in situations where either a traditional ambulance cannot reach the scene easily or quickly enough, or the patient needs to be transported over a distance or terrain that makes air transportation the most practical transport....
, but was pronounced dead on arrival. Moran was survived by his wife Elizabeth, Lady Moran, two daughters and a son.