Joseph Gilbert (RAF officer)

Air Chief Marshal Sir Joseph Alfred Gilbert KCB CBE (born 15 June 1931) is a former Royal Air Force officer who became Deputy Commander of RAF Strike Command.

RAF career
Educated at William Hulme's Grammar School and the University of Leeds, Gilbert joined the Royal Air Force under a National Service Commission in 1952. Gilbert served in fighter squadrons until 1961 when he joined the Air Secretary's Department. He attended RAF Staff College in 1964 and became Commanding Officer of No. 92 Squadron RAF flying Lightnings from RAF Geilenkirchen in 1965. He attended Joint Services Staff College in 1968. He then joined the Defence Policy Staff ultimately becoming Assistant Director of Defence Policy before he left. In 1971 he became Station Commander at RAF Coltishall before attending the Royal College of Defence Studies in 1974.

He was appointed Director of Forward Policy in January 1975, Assistant Chief of the Air Staff (Policy) in November 1975, Air Officer Commanding No. 38 Group in 1977 and Assistant Chief of Defence Staff (Policy) in 1980. He then became Deputy Air Officer Commanding of RAF Strike Command in 1984 and, having been promoted to Air Chief Marshal, he went on to be Deputy Commander-in-Chief Allied Forces Northern Europe in 1986 before retiring in 1989.

He was made an honorary graduate (LLD) of the University of Leeds in 1989. He is also a life Vice-President of the Royal Air Forces Association and was Vice-Chairman of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission from 1993 to 1998 and the Prime Minister's trustee of the Imperial War Museum from 1997 to 2002.