John Aiken
Encyclopedia
Air Chief Marshal
Sir John Alexander Carlisle Aiken KCB
(22 December 1921 – 31 May 2005) was Commander of British forces in Cyprus
at the time of the Turkish invasion
of the island in 1974.
, Aitken joined the Royal Air Force
in 1941, serving in World War II
in North-West Europe, flying Spitfires
with No. 611 Squadron
from 1942 and in the Far East as a flight commander with No. 548 Squadron
flying Spitfires out of Darwin
from 1944.
In 1948 he became an instructor at the RAF College Cranwell
before becoming Officer Commanding
Birmingham University Air Squadron
in 1950. He was made Personal Staff Officer to the Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief at Fighter Command
in 1954, Officer Commanding No. 29 Squadron
in 1956 and a Staff Officer at Headquarters Allied Forces Northern Europe
in 1958. He went on to be Deputy Director, Intelligence (Air) at the Air Ministry
in 1960 before being appointed Station Commander at RAF Finningley
in 1962. His next series of appointments were as Air Commodore
(Intelligence) at the Ministry of Defence
in 1964, Deputy Commander-in-Chief at RAF Germany in 1969 and Director-General of RAF Training in 1971. He was appointed as Commander-in-Chief Near East Air Force
(including responsibility for British Forces Cyprus
and Administration of the Sovereign Base Areas
) in 1973. He remained there throughout the period of the Turkish invasion of Cyprus
, during which time he was responsible for organising the evacuation of several thousand foreign nationals from Nicosia
and Limassol
. He returned to the UK in 1976 and became Air Member for Personnel
. He retired in March 1978.
On retirement, he was appointed Director General of Intelligence at the Ministry of Defence from 1978 to 1981. He was also President of the Royal Air Force Association from 1984–85 and 1987–88.
Aiken was appointed a Companion of the Order of the Bath
in 1967, and was knighted (KCB) in 1973.
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 John Alexander Carlisle Aiken 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...
(22 December 1921 – 31 May 2005) was Commander of British forces in Cyprus
British Forces Cyprus
British Forces Cyprus is the name given to the British Armed Forces stationed in the UK sovereign base areas of Dhekelia and Akrotiri on the island of Cyprus...
at the time of the Turkish invasion
Turkish invasion of Cyprus
The Turkish invasion of Cyprus, launched on 20 July 1974, was a Turkish military invasion in response to a Greek military junta backed coup in Cyprus...
of the island in 1974.
RAF career
Educated at Birkenhead SchoolBirkenhead School
Birkenhead School is an independent, selective, co-educational school located on the Wirral Peninsula in the northwest of England. It is a member of the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference.-Overview:The school is subdivided into...
, Aitken joined 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...
in 1941, serving in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
in North-West Europe, flying Spitfires
Supermarine Spitfire
The Supermarine Spitfire is a British single-seat fighter aircraft that was used by the Royal Air Force and many other Allied countries throughout the Second World War. The Spitfire continued to be used as a front line fighter and in secondary roles into the 1950s...
with No. 611 Squadron
No. 611 Squadron RAF
No. 611 Squadron was a British Auxiliary Air Force later Royal Auxiliary Air Force squadron first formed in 1936 and lastly disbanded in 1957.-Early years:...
from 1942 and in the Far East as a flight commander with No. 548 Squadron
No. 548 Squadron RAF
No. 548 Squadron RAF was a fighter squadron of the Royal Air Force from 1943 to 1945.-History:The squadron was formed at Lawnton, near Brisbane, Queensland, Australia on 15 December 1943 to provide air defence duties with Spitfires, as the RAAF Kittyhawks were inadequate for interception missions...
flying Spitfires out of Darwin
Darwin, Northern Territory
Darwin is the capital city of the Northern Territory, Australia. Situated on the Timor Sea, Darwin has a population of 127,500, making it by far the largest and most populated city in the sparsely populated Northern Territory, but the least populous of all Australia's capital cities...
from 1944.
In 1948 he became an instructor at the RAF College Cranwell
Royal Air Force College Cranwell
The Royal Air Force College is the Royal Air Force training and education academy which provides initial training to all RAF personnel who are preparing to be commissioned officers. The College also provides initial training to aircrew cadets and is responsible for all RAF recruiting along with...
before becoming Officer Commanding
Officer Commanding
The Officer Commanding is the commander of a sub-unit or minor unit , principally used in the United Kingdom and Commonwealth. In other countries, the term Commanding Officer is applied to commanders of minor as well as major units.Normally an Officer Commanding is a company, squadron or battery...
Birmingham University Air Squadron
Birmingham University Air Squadron
The University of Birmingham Air Squadron, commonly known as UBAS, is a squadron within the Royal Air Force established in 1942. It is based at RAF Cosford, Shropshire, and flies a fleet of five Grob Tutors. In 2009 the squadron upgraded the aircraft to the Grob Tutor EA which has an advanced...
in 1950. He was made Personal Staff Officer to the Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief at Fighter Command
RAF Fighter Command
RAF Fighter Command was one of three functional commands of the Royal Air Force. It was formed in 1936 to allow more specialised control of fighter aircraft. It served throughout the Second World War, gaining recognition in the Battle of Britain. The Command continued until 17 November 1943, when...
in 1954, Officer Commanding No. 29 Squadron
No. 29 Squadron RAF
No. 29 Squadron of the Royal Air Force was first raised in 1915, and is one of the world's oldest fighter squadrons. The second British squadron to receive the Eurofighter Typhoon, it is currently the Operational Conversion Unit for the RAF's newest fighter.-Service in World War I:This unit was...
in 1956 and a Staff Officer at Headquarters Allied Forces Northern Europe
Allied Forces Northern Europe
Allied Forces Northern Europe was the most northern NATO command located at Kolsås outside Oslo. It was part of Allied Command Europe from around 1952 to 2003...
in 1958. He went on to be Deputy Director, Intelligence (Air) at the Air Ministry
Air Ministry
The Air Ministry was a department of the British Government with the responsibility of managing the affairs of the Royal Air Force, that existed from 1918 to 1964...
in 1960 before being appointed Station Commander at RAF Finningley
RAF Finningley
RAF Finningley is a former Royal Air Force station at Finningley, South Yorkshire, partly within the traditional county boundaries of Nottinghamshire and partly in the West Riding of Yorkshire, now wholly within the Metropolitan Borough of Doncaster....
in 1962. His next series of appointments were as Air Commodore
Air Commodore
Air commodore is an air-officer rank which originated in and continues to be used by the Royal Air Force...
(Intelligence) at 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....
in 1964, Deputy Commander-in-Chief at RAF Germany in 1969 and Director-General of RAF Training in 1971. He was appointed as Commander-in-Chief Near East Air Force
Near East Air Force (Royal Air Force)
The former Royal Air Force Near East Air Force, more simply known as RAF Near East Air Force, was the Command organisation that controlled all Royal Air Force assets in the Western Mediterranean .-History:...
(including responsibility for British Forces Cyprus
British Forces Cyprus
British Forces Cyprus is the name given to the British Armed Forces stationed in the UK sovereign base areas of Dhekelia and Akrotiri on the island of Cyprus...
and Administration of the Sovereign Base Areas
Sovereign Base Areas
The Sovereign Base Areas are military bases located on territory in which the United Kingdom is sovereign, but which are separated from the ordinary British territory....
) in 1973. He remained there throughout the period of the Turkish invasion of Cyprus
Turkish invasion of Cyprus
The Turkish invasion of Cyprus, launched on 20 July 1974, was a Turkish military invasion in response to a Greek military junta backed coup in Cyprus...
, during which time he was responsible for organising the evacuation of several thousand foreign nationals from Nicosia
Nicosia
Nicosia from , known locally as Lefkosia , is the capital and largest city in Cyprus, as well as its main business center. Nicosia is the only divided capital in the world, with the southern and the northern portions divided by a Green Line...
and Limassol
Limassol
Limassol is the second-largest city in Cyprus, with a population of 228,000 . It is the largest city in geographical size, and the biggest municipality on the island. The city is located on Akrotiri Bay, on the island's southern coast and it is the capital of Limassol District.Limassol is the...
. He returned to the UK in 1976 and became Air Member for Personnel
Air Member for Personnel
The Air Member for Personnel is the senior Royal Air Force officer who is responsible for personnel matters and is a member of the Air Force Board...
. He retired in March 1978.
On retirement, he was appointed Director General of Intelligence at the Ministry of Defence from 1978 to 1981. He was also President of the Royal Air Force Association from 1984–85 and 1987–88.
Aiken was appointed a Companion of the Order of the Bath
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...
in 1967, and was knighted (KCB) in 1973.