Английская Википедия:Christopher Foxley-Norris

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Шаблон:Short description Шаблон:Redirect-distinguish Шаблон:Use British English Шаблон:Use dmy dates Шаблон:Infobox military person Air Chief Marshal Sir Christopher Neil Foxley-Norris, Шаблон:Postnominals (16 March 1917 – 28 September 2003) was a senior commander in the Royal Air Force (RAF). A squadron commander during the Second World War, he later served as Commander-in-Chief RAF Germany in the late 1960s.

Early life

Christopher Neil Foxley-Norris was born on 16 March 1917, a younger son of Major John Percivall Foxley-Norris (1886–1924) and his wife, Dorothy Brabant Smith. His paternal grandfather was the clergyman William Foxley Norris, who served as Dean of Westminster.[1][2] He was educated at Winchester College and then Trinity College, Oxford, where he read law.[3] He joined the Oxford University Air Squadron in 1936.[3] Foxley-Norris was awarded a Harmsworth scholarship (worth £200) to read for the Bar.[3] The outbreak of war prevented him from taking his final exams. The Bar Council requested the money back, but Foxley-Norris made an arrangement with them that he would leave it to them in his will.[3]

Second World War

Foxley-Norris was commissioned in the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve after graduating and was called up for active service in 1939.[3] He undertook initial flying training at No. 9 Flying Training School at RAF Hullavington and completed the training at No 1 School of Army Co-operation. His first posting on completion of training was to No. 13 Squadron RAF flying Lysanders in the Battle of France.[3]

Following the fall of France and the start of the Battle of Britain, the need for Army Co-operation pilots was greatly reduced while that for fighter pilots was increased. As such, Foxley-Norris was posted to No. 3 Squadron flying Hurricanes from RAF Turnhouse.[3]

He was awarded the Distinguished Service Order for his actions, published in the London Gazette on 29 May 1945:[4]

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Post-war RAF career

After the war, Foxley-Norris became station commander at RAF Stradishall and then at RAF West Malling.[3] He undertook the Senior Officers' War Course at the Royal Naval College, Greenwich, and a course at the Imperial Defence College (now the Royal College of Defence Studies) in Belgrave Square in 1961.[3] He went on to be Director of Organisation at the Air Ministry in 1962, Assistant Chief of the Defence Staff in 1963 and Air Officer Commanding No. 224 Group in 1964.[3]

In 1967, Foxley-Norris was appointed Director-General of RAF Organisation at the newly unified Ministry of Defence.[3] He was promoted to air marshal and took command of RAF Germany and of the 2nd Tactical Air Force in 1968.[3] Foxley-Norris was knighted in the 1969 New Year Honours.[3] His final post, with the rank of air chief marshal, was Chief of Personnel and Logistics in 1971.[3] He retired from active service in 1974.[3]

Foxley-Norris was one of the umpires for the 1974 Sandhurst wargame on Operation Sea Lion.[5]

UK pro-smoking lobby organisation FOREST was launched on 19 June 1979,[6] with Foxley-Norris as its chairman. Foxley-Norris retired as the organisation's public figurehead in 1989, and was replaced by Lord Harris of High Cross.

Family

Foxley-Norris married Joan (née Lovell Hughes, now Lady Foxley-Norris) in 1948. They had no children. Joan served as a nurse during the war, and worked with injured pilots. Following his death, she took his place at many Battle of Britain events which were held and was also a regular visitor to RAF Benson.

His funeral took place at St Mary Devoted at Turville, near Stokenchurch, on 7 October 2003. Memorial services were held at Westminster Abbey on 29 January 2004[7] and at St. Clement Danes, the Central Church of the Royal Air Force, London in April 2004.

References

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Bibliography

External links

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