John Nicholls (RAF officer)
Encyclopedia
Air Marshal
Sir John Moreton Nicholls KCB
, CBE
, DFC
, AFC
(5 July 1926 – 17 May 2007) was a senior commander in the Royal Air Force
.
and St Edmund Hall, Oxford
, Nicholls joined the Royal Air Force in June 1945 and served as a pilot during the later stages of World War II
. During the Korean War
he was seconded to the United States Air Force
where he saw active service as a pilot and shot down a MiG 15
. In 1959 he was seconded to English Electric
to test fly the new supersonic Lightning
. He was appointed Officer Commanding the Air Fighting Development Squadron in 1962, Deputy Director of Air Staff Briefing in 1965 and Station Commander at RAF Leuchars
in 1967. He went on to be Senior Air Staff Officer at Headquarters No. 11 Group
in 1971, Personal Staff Officer to the Chief of the Defence Staff
in November 1971 and Senior Air Staff Officer at Headquarters RAF Strike Command
in 1973. He was then made Assistant Chief of the Air Staff (Operational Requirements) in 1976, Air Member for Supply and Organisation
in 1977 and Vice Chief of the Air Staff
in 1979 before retiring in 1980.
Air Marshal
Air marshal is a three-star air-officer rank which originated in and continues to be used by the Royal Air Force...
Sir John Moreton Nicholls 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...
, CBE
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...
, DFC
Distinguished Flying Cross (United Kingdom)
The Distinguished Flying Cross is a military decoration awarded to personnel of the United Kingdom's Royal Air Force and other services, and formerly to officers of other Commonwealth countries, for "an act or acts of valour, courage or devotion to duty whilst flying in active operations against...
, AFC
Air Force Cross (United Kingdom)
The Air Force Cross is a military decoration awarded to personnel of the United Kingdom Armed Forces, and formerly also to officers of the other Commonwealth countries, for "an act or acts of valour, courage or devotion to duty whilst flying, though not in active operations against the enemy"...
(5 July 1926 – 17 May 2007) was 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...
.
RAF career
Educated at the Liverpool Collegiate InstitutionLiverpool Collegiate Institution
The Liverpool Collegiate Institution is a former school in Liverpool, England.It opened its doors to pupils on 6 January 1843. The Institution was a day school for boys, sons of middle class Liverpudlians, and aimed to provide them with a suitable education encompassing instruction in the...
and St Edmund Hall, Oxford
St Edmund Hall, Oxford
St Edmund Hall is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. Better known within the University by its nickname, "Teddy Hall", the college has a claim to being "the oldest academical society for the education of undergraduates in any university"...
, Nicholls joined the Royal Air Force in June 1945 and served as a pilot during the later stages of 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...
. During the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
he was seconded to the United States Air Force
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
where he saw active service as a pilot and shot down a MiG 15
Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-15
The Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-15 was a jet fighter developed for the USSR by Artem Mikoyan and Mikhail Gurevich. The MiG-15 was one of the first successful swept-wing jet fighters, and it achieved fame in the skies over Korea, where early in the war, it outclassed all straight-winged enemy fighters in...
. In 1959 he was seconded to English Electric
English Electric
English Electric was a British industrial manufacturer. Founded in 1918, it initially specialised in industrial electric motors and transformers...
to test fly the new supersonic Lightning
English Electric Lightning
The English Electric Lightning is a supersonic jet fighter aircraft of the Cold War era, noted for its great speed and unpainted natural metal exterior finish. It is the only all-British Mach 2 fighter aircraft. The aircraft was renowned for its capabilities as an interceptor; Royal Air Force ...
. He was appointed Officer Commanding the Air Fighting Development Squadron in 1962, Deputy Director of Air Staff Briefing in 1965 and Station Commander at RAF Leuchars
RAF Leuchars
RAF Leuchars is the most northerly air defence station in the United Kingdom. It is located in Leuchars, Fife, on the east coast of Scotland, near to the university town of St Andrews.-Operations:...
in 1967. He went on to be Senior Air Staff Officer at Headquarters No. 11 Group
No. 11 Group RAF
No. 11 Group was a group in the Royal Air Force for various periods in the 20th century, finally disbanding in 1996. Its most famous service was during 1940 when it defended London and the south-east against the attacks of the Luftwaffe during the Battle of Britain.-First World War:No. 11 Group was...
in 1971, Personal Staff Officer to the Chief of the 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...
in November 1971 and Senior Air Staff Officer at Headquarters RAF Strike Command
RAF Strike Command
The Royal Air Force's Strike Command was the military formation which controlled the majority of the United Kingdom's bomber and fighter aircraft from 1968 until 2007: it was merged with Personnel and Training Command to form the single Air Command. It latterly consisted of two formations - No. 1...
in 1973. He was then made Assistant Chief of the Air Staff (Operational Requirements) in 1976, Air Member for Supply and Organisation
Air Member for Supply and Organisation
The Air Member for Supply and Organisation was the senior Royal Air Force officer responsible for procurement matters: he was a member of the Air Force Board...
in 1977 and Vice Chief of the Air Staff
Vice-Chief of the Air Staff (United Kingdom)
The British Vice-Chief of the Air Staff was the post occupied by the senior Royal Air Force officer who served as a senior assistant to the Chief of the Air Staff. The post was created during World War II on 22 April 1940 and its incumbement sat on the Air Council...
in 1979 before retiring in 1980.