Sir Peter Bairsto | |
---|---|
Born | 3 June 1926 | (age 98)
Allegiance | United Kingdom |
Service/branch |
Royal Navy Royal Air Force |
Years of service | 1944–1984 |
Rank | Air Marshal |
Service number | 202703 |
Awards |
Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire (KBE) Companion of the Order of the Bath (CB) Air Force Cross (AFC) |
Air Marshal Sir Peter Edward Bairsto, KBE, CB, AFC, DL (born 3 August 1926) is a former Royal Air Force officer who became Deputy Commander of RAF Strike Command.
Early life[]
Bairsto was born on 3 August 1926. He was educated at Rhyl Grammar School.
Military career[]
Bairsto joined the Royal Navy in 1944 and transferred to the Royal Air Force in 1946[1] as an Aircraftman. He was commissioned into the RAF Regiment with the rank of pilot officer (on probation) on 10 May 1946.[2] On 10 November 1946, his commission was confirmed and he was promoted to flying officer (war substantive).[3]
On 17 July 1947, with the end of World War II active service, he reverted to pilot officer with seniority from 10 May 1946.[4] On 1 November 1947, he was promoted to flying officer.[5] He transferred to the General Duties Branch, the branch containing navigators and pilots, on 12 December 1951 as a flying officer with seniority from that date.[6] He was promoted to flight lieutenant on 1 August 1953.[7] In the half-yearly promotions of 1958, on 1 July, he was promoted to squadron leader.[8]
He was promoted to group captain on 1 January 1969,[9] and to air commodore on 1 July 1973 in the half-yearly promotions.[10] He became Director of Operational Requirements in 1973,[11] Senior Air Staff Officer at RAF Support Command in 1977[12] (retitled Air Officer, Training Group at RAF Support Command in 1978[13]) and Commander of the Northern Maritime Air Region in 1980.[14] He went on to be Deputy Commander of RAF Strike Command in 1981[15] and retired in 1984.[16]
Later life[]
In retirement, Bairsto became an advisor to Ferranti Group.[1] He also served as Deputy Lieutenant of Fife.[17]
Personal life[]
In 1947, he married Kathleen Clarbour; they had two sons and one daughter.[1] Following the death of his first wife in 2008,[18] he married Pamela Braid (née Gibson) on 15 May 2010 at Hope Park Parish Church, St Andrews.[19]
Honours and decorations[]
Bairsto was awarded the Queen's Commendation for Valuable Service in the Air in the 1955 New Year Honours.[20] He was awarded the Air Force Cross in the 1957 New Year Honours.[21] In the 1960 Queen's Birthday Honours, he was awarded a further Queen's Commendation for Valuable Service in the Air.[22]
By July 1973, he was a Member of the British Institute of Management (MBIM).[10] He was Honorary Colonel of the 79 Engineer Regiment (Volunteers) until 3 August 1992.[23]
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Debrett's People of Today 1994
- ↑ "No. 37605". 7 June 1946. https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/37605/page/
- ↑ "No. 37804". 29 November 1946. https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/37804/page/
- ↑ "No. 38142". 5 December 1947. https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/38142/page/
- ↑ "No. 38194". 30 January 1948. https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/38194/page/
- ↑ "No. 39499". 21 March 1952. https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/39499/page/
- ↑ "No. 39935". 7 August 1953. https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/39935/page/
- ↑ "No. 41433". 1 July 1958. https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/41433/page/
- ↑ "No. 44760". 3 January 1969. https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/44760/page/
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 "No. 46029". 17 July 1973. https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/46029/page/
- ↑ Senior Royal Air Force Appointments
- ↑ Whitaker's Almanack 1978
- ↑ Whitaker's Almanack 1979
- ↑ Whitaker's Almanack 1981
- ↑ Whitaker's Almanack 1982
- ↑ Whitaker's Almanack 1985
- ↑ Burke's Peerage
- ↑ Walker, Tim; Richard Eden (1 December 2009). "Strike for love at 83". http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/film/jamesbond/6702465/Deborah-Moore-requests-licence-to-kill-James-Bond.html. Retrieved 16 August 2012.
- ↑ "Air Marshal Sir Peter Bairsto and Mrs L.D.P. Braid". http://announcements.telegraph.co.uk/marriages/117234/air-marshal-sir-peter-bairsto-and-mrs-l.d.p.-braid. Retrieved 16 August 2012.
- ↑ "No. 40366". 31 December 1954. https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/40366/page/
- ↑ "No. 40960". 28 December 1956. https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/40960/page/
- ↑ "No. 42051". 3 June 1960. https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/42051/page/
- ↑ "No. 53008". 3 August 1992. https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/53008/page/
The original article can be found at Peter Bairsto and the edit history here.