Draft:Sir John Fitzpatrick

Sir John Fitzpatrick is a retired senior Royal Air Force officer who started his service career as an Aircraft Apprentice and ended it as an Air Marshal commanding No 18 (Maritime) Group. In the 1960s and 70s  he was the commanding officer of two frontline squadrons and RAF Scampton.

John Bernard Fitzpatrick was born and raised in Dungannon, Northern Ireland. Aged 17 he enlisted in the Royal Air Force, joining the No 56 Entry of Aircraft Apprentices at RAF Halton in May 1947. After completing the three year course as an airframe fitter, he was awarded a Cadetship at the RAF College Cranwell where he trained as a pilot. On graduating from the College in July 1953 he was posted to No 34 Squadron at RAF Tangmere flying Meteors and Hunters. In 1956, flying from RAF Nicosia in Cyprus, he was part of the fighter escort to the airborne forces landing paratroopers along the Suez Canal. When British forces were withdrawn from the Canal area he returned to the UK to become the Training Officer on No 612 Auxiliary Air Force Squadron, located at Dyce in Aberdeenshire. When the Auxiliary Squadrons were disbanded in 1957 he returned to regular service to become an advanced flying instructor on Vampires at RAF Oakington in Cambridgeshire. A three year staff appointment at HQs Flying Training Command soon followed.

In 1964 he attended the RAF Staff College course at Bracknell before taking command of No 81(PR) Squadron based at RAF Tengah in Singapore. On promotion to Wing Commander in July 1968 he returned to the United Kingdom to complete the Joint Services Staff College course before entering the Ministry of Defence as an Assistant Secretary within the Chief of Staff Secretariat. After two busy but informative years he returned to flying duties, completing a Vulcan conversion course before taking command of No 35 Squadron at RAF Akrotiri, Cyprus, in August 1971. On promotion to Group Captain in January 1973 he took up a NATO staff appointment at HQs 18 Group at Northwood, near London, and completed an educational 15 months in charge of a mix of National and Allied staff officers. In March 1974 he was appointed as Station Commander at RAF Scampton, the (then) home of the famous No 617 Squadron.

John Fitzpatrick attended the 1976 course at the Royal College of Defence Studies, during which he was promoted to Air Commodore. On completion of the course he returned to the Ministry of Defence for three years as Director of Operations (Strike).

A further promotion to Air Vice-Marshal led to his appointment in March 1971 as Senior Air Staff Officer at HQs Strike Command at RAF High Wycombe. In this capacity, over the next two years he served 3 different Commanders-in-Chief before yet another, short, MOD tour as Director-General of Organisation (RAF). His final service appointment, beginning in March 1983, took him back to Northwood, this time as Air Officer Commanding No 18 Group, an appointment which carried with it the additional NATO posts of ComAirChan/ComAirEastlant. His time in this sensitive dual post, working alongside Royal Naval and Allied staffs, ended in April 1986, completing a RAF career of just under 39 Years.

Later Work
Following his Service career John Fitzpatrick joined the Lord Chancellor's Panel of Independent Inspectors. Over the next 15 years he conducted more than 45 Public Inquiries into major road and planning schemes on behalf of the Departments of Transport and the Environment, and for County Councils in England and Wales. A high spot of his work for the Panel was his chairmanship of a group of Inspectors appointed to conduct the public enquiry into the then proposed Birmingham Northern Relief Road (BNRR). After Ministerial approval and construction the BNRR became what is today known as the M6 Toll road.

Personal Life
In June 1954 he married Gwendoline Mary Abbott (b. 26 June 1932 - d. 22 April 2023) in Lincoln. They had 3 children; Gail Davis nee Fitzpatrick (b. 25 August 1955), Dr Adam Paul Fitzpatrick (b. 28 December 1956 - d. 18 January 2020) and Neil James Fitzpatrick (b. 6 September 1961)

Sir John Fitzpatrick
Born                            15 December 1929

Allegiance                   United Kingdom

Service/Branch           Royal Air Force

Years of service         1947-1986

Rank                            Air Marshal

Commands                 No 18 Group (1983-86)

RAF Scampton (1974 -1975)

No 35 Squadron  (1971-72)

No 81 (PR) Squadron (1966-68)

Awards                       Knight Commander of the  Order of the British Empire

Companion of the Order of the Bath