Michael Graydon

Michael James Graydon
Air Chief Marshal Sir Michael Graydon Crown Copyright
Born	24 October 1938 (1938-10-24) (age 73) Kew, Surrey, England
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Service/branch	Royal Air Force
Years of service	1957–1997
Rank	Air Chief Marshal
Commands held	Chief of the Air Staff RAF Strike Command RAF Support Command No. 11 Squadron
Battles/wars	Gulf War
Awards	Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath Commander of the Order of the British Empire

Air Chief Marshal Sir Michael James Graydon GCB, CBE, ADC (born 24 October 1938) is a retired RAF officer. He was a fast jet pilot in the 1960s and 1970s and a senior RAF commander in the 1980s until his retirement in 1997. He was Chief of the Air Staff from 1992 to 1997.

RAF career

Educated at Wycliffe College and the Royal Air Force College Cranwell,^[1] Michael Graydon joined the Royal Air Force in January 1957 and was commissioned in 1959.^[2] His potential as a flying instructor was noticed early in his career and, after completing his Qualified Flying Instructor course at the Central Flying School, he was posted to No 1 Flying Training School at RAF Linton-on-Ouse in Yorkshire.^[3] Graydon later gained experience on the Hunter and the Lightning.^[3]

Notably he served as Officer Commanding 11 Squadron at RAF Binbrook in 1977^[2] and of the bases at RAF Leuchars in 1981^[2] and at RAF Stanley in the Falkland Islands in 1983.^[2]

He was appointed Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief at RAF Support Command in 1989^[2] and Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief at RAF Strike Command in 1991.^[2] He served as served as Chief of the Air Staff from 1992 to 1997.^[2] He retired from the Air Force in Spring 1997.^[4]

Later life

He was appointed President of the Battle of Britain Memorial Trust in 1999.^[2] He is also President of the Officers' Association, a member of the Air Cadet Council and Chairman of the Royal Aeronautical Society Air Power Group.

In 2006, Graydon spoke at the pressure group Embargoed's annual general meeting, stating his belief that action was required to end the isolation of Northern Cyprus.^[5]

In 2009, he helped to erect a memorial to all British servicemen who died in service in Cyprus during the conflict in between 1956 and 1960. The memorial was dedicated on Remembrance Sunday, 8 November 2009. Sir Michael Graydon is a trustee of the British Cyprus Memorial Trust.^[6]

In 2010/11, Graydon spearheaded a committee to win approval from the North Cyprus government and the Royal British Legion to establish a branch of the RBL in North Cyprus, which at the time was not recognised by the British government. On 1 October 2011 the branch was officially formed with Graydon as President.^[7]

Family

He married Margaret Elizabeth Clark (later Lady Graydon) in 1963.^[1]

References

1. ^ ^{a b} How much does he earn?: No 5: Air Chief Marshal Sir Michael Graydon, Chief of Air Staff
2. ^ ^{a b c d e f g h} Debrett's People of Today
3. ^ ^{a b} Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation - Air Chief Marshal Graydon
4. ^ Hansard February 1997 vol 289
5. ^ Embargoed - Press release
6. ^ British Cyprus Memorial
7. ^ Royal British Legion Kyrenia Branch

Military offices
Preceded by Unknown	Station Commander RAF Leuchars 1981 – 1983	Succeeded by Hon T C Elworthy
Preceded by Sir John Sutton	Commander-in-Chief Support Command 1989–1991	Succeeded by Sir John Thomson
Preceded by Sir Patrick Hine	Commander-in-Chief Strike Command 1991–1992	Succeeded by Sir John Thomson
Preceded by Sir Peter Harding	Chief of the Air Staff 1992–1997	Succeeded by Sir Richard Johns

Persondata
Name	Graydon, Michael
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	24 October 1938
Place of birth	Kew, Surrey, England
Date of death
Place of death