British NATO Commander. He enlisted as a pilot officer in Bomber Command in the Royal Air Force in 1938. In September 1940, he crashed in France after a raid. After trying to escape to Spain, he was captured by the Vichy police near Marseilles. He later escaped from custody and crossed the Pyrenees into Spain, reaching Gibraltar and returning to England in June 1941. In 1942 he was presented with the Distinguished Flying Cross in for his part in attacks on the German battle cruisers "Scharnorst" and "Gneicenau". He then joined a special duties squadron, and was promoted to squadron leader in 1943. He flew in parachute drops, and made several landings in occupied France to bring Vincent Auriol and Francois Mitterrand back to England. They later rewarded him by making him a Grand Officer of the Legion d'Honneur and awarding him the French Croix de Guerre. He then attended the Staff College, before serving in the Far East. He felt compelled to return to active service when his brother was killed, and took command of a Special Duties Squadron near Calcutta. After the war he took several college posts until 1947 when he joined the Air Ministry, being promoted to wing commander in 1950. He was in charge of the British team in the London to New Zealand Air Race in 1953, finishing fourth due to engine trouble. He was given the Order of the British Empire in 1953, and became a group captain in 1957. He was a pioneer of the V-bomber force, advising on the development of the Vickers Valiant and commanding the V-bomber unit at RAF Gaydon. During his time at Gaydon he hosted an official visit by the Soviet Leaders Nikolai Bulganin and Nikita Krushchev. Later he was promoted to air vice marshal, and made a Companion of the Order of the Bath. From 1973 until 1976 he served with NATO in the post of Deputy Commander-in-Chief, Allied Forces Central Europe, and his friendly but firm disposition helped to hold the various NATO forces together. At the same time he held the position of Aide-de-Camp to Queen Elizabeth II. When he retired from the Royal Air Force in 1976 he pursued a business career. A history of his wartime service was published in "Royal Air Force at War" in 1983.