- Thomas Pike
Infobox Military Person
name= Thomas Geoffrey Pike
lived=29 June 1906 –1 June 1983
placeofbirth=Lewisham ,London ,England
placeofdeath=RAF Halton ,Buckinghamshire ,England
caption= Sir Thomas Pike with the Luftwaffe GeneralJosef Kammhuber (Pike is shown on the right)
nickname=
allegiance= flag|United Kingdom
serviceyears=1924–1967
rank=Marshal of the Royal Air Force
branch= air force|United Kingdom
commands=
unit=
battles=World War II
awards=Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath Commander of the Order of the British Empire
Distinguished Flying Cross & BarMention in Despatches
laterwork=Marshal of the Royal Air Force Sir Thomas Geoffrey Pike GCB CBE DFC & Bar DLRAF (29 June 1906 –1 June 1983 ) was a senior officer in theRoyal Air Force .RAF career
Educated at
Bedford School he joined theRoyal Air Force in 1924.Notably, he commanded No. 219 Squadron in 1941 and RAF
North Weald in 1942. He was appointed Air Officer Commanding No. 11 Group in 1950, Deputy Chief of the Air Staff in 1953 andCommander-in-Chief Fighter Command in 1956. He was Chief of the Air Staff from1 January 1960 to31 August 1963 and then Deputy Supreme Commander Allied Powers Europe until his retirement in 1967, when he was succeeded by General Sir Robert Bray.Later life
Following his retirement, Pike was made a
Deputy Lieutenant of Essex in 1973. He continued in the post until 1981.References
* [http://www.rafweb.org/Biographies/Pike_TG.htm Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation - MRAF Pike]
*Probert, H. (1991). "High Commanders of the Royal Air Force". HMSO. ISBN 0-11-772635-4-
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