Brian Reynolds (RAF officer)

Summary

Air Marshal Sir Brian Vernon Reynolds, KCB, CBE, DL (4 June 1902 – 6 December 1965) was a Royal Air Force officer who became Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief at RAF Coastal Command.

Sir Brian Reynolds
Born(1902-06-04)4 June 1902
Died6 December 1965(1965-12-06) (aged 63)
AllegianceUnited Kingdom
Service/branchRoyal Air Force
Years of service1922–59
RankAir Marshal
Commands heldCoastal Command (1956–59)
AHQ Malta (1952–53)
No. 22 Group (1950–52)
No. 67 (Northern Ireland) Group (1950)
RAF Northern Ireland (1948–50)
No. 64 (Northern) Group (1946–48)
No. 801 Squadron (1936–38)
No. 43 Squadron (1936)
Battles/warsSecond World War
AwardsKnight Commander of the Order of the Bath
Commander of the Order of the British Empire
Mentioned in Despatches (2)
Commander of the Order of Orange-Nassau (Netherlands)

RAF career edit

Educated at St Olave's Grammar School, Reynolds served with the 28th London Regiment (Artists' Rifles) before joining the Royal Air Force in 1922.[1] Having served as Adjutant at RAF Leuchars he was appointed Officer Commanding No. 43 Squadron in January 1936 before moving on to be Officer Commanding No. 801 Squadron in June 1936.[1] He served in the Second World War as Senior Air Staff Officer at Headquarters No. 247 Group and then at No. 222 Group.[1]

After the war he became Chief of Staff to the Commander British Forces in Hong Kong before being appointed Air Officer Commanding No. 64 (Northern) Group in 1946, Air Officer Commanding RAF Northern Ireland in 1948 and Air Officer Commanding No. 67 (Northern Ireland) Group in March 1950.[1] After that he was made Air Officer Commanding No. 22 Group in July 1950, Air Officer Commanding AHQ Malta in 1952 and Deputy Commander-in-Chief (Air) at Allied Forces Mediterranean in 1953 before becoming Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief at RAF Coastal Command in 1956 and retiring in 1959.[1]

In retirement he became Chairman of Malta Metropolitan Airlines.[2]

References edit

  1. ^ a b c d e Air of Authority – A History of RAF Organisation – Air Marshal Sir Brian Reynolds
  2. ^ Malta Metropolitan Airlines Flight International, 2 April 1964
Military offices
Preceded by
Percy Maitland
Air Officer Commanding No. 22 Group
1950–1952
Succeeded by
Preceded by Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief Coastal Command
1956 – 1959
Succeeded by