Peter J. M. Squires

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His Excellency Air Vice-Marshal

Peter Squires

OBE ADC
Squires' official portrait
AllegianceUnited Kingdom
Service/branchRoyal Air Force
Years of service1989–present
RankAir Vice-Marshal
Commands held
Battles/wars
AwardsQueen's Commendation for Valuable Service in the Air

Air Vice-Marshal Peter James Murray Squires, OBE, ADC is a senior Royal Air Force officer, who currently serves as the Commander of British Forces Cyprus. From August 2016 to October 2019 he served as Commandant of RAF College Cranwell. He was formerly a Harrier pilot and served as commander of No. 100 Squadron RAF, flying BAE Systems Hawks.[1][2]

Early life and education[edit]

From 1975 to 1986, Squires was educated at Warwick School, an all-boys public school in Warwick.[3] He learned to fly at Wellesbourne Mountford Airfield, passing his junior flying test at the age of sixteen.[4] Having received a bursary, he studied aeronautics and astronautics at the University of Southampton.[2][5]

RAF career[edit]

On 1 October 1989, Squires was granted a short service commission in the General Duties Branch of the Royal Air Force (RAF).[6] On 1 April 1990, he was promoted to flying officer, with seniority in that rank from 1 October 1988.[7] He was promoted to flight lieutenant on 1 April 1992.[8] Squires transferred to a permanent commission in the RAF on 2 May 1997.[9] Flying Harrier IIs, in the same year he took part in the No. 1 Squadron RAF display, before in 1998 he deployed for five months in Operation Bolton.[5] He was promoted to squadron leader on 1 July 1999.[10]

Having been promoted to wing commander on 1 January 2005,[11] Squires served as Wing Commander Joint Combat Aircraft Requirements' Manager before attending the Advanced Command and Staff Course to study for a master's degree in Defence Studies. He then joined 3rd (United Kingdom) Division, commanding the Divisional Air Cell and serving as the senior air advisor to the general officer commanding the division. He deployed with the division in the Iraq War in 2008 as Chief Air Plans for the Multi-National Division (South-East).[5]

From April 2009 to April 2011, Squires commanded No. 100 Squadron RAF, a Hawk squadron based at RAF Leeming.[5] He was Commanding Officer of the 906 Expeditionary Air Wing during Operation Unified Protector, the NATO-enforced no-fly zone over Libya, from June 2011.[5][12] He left the command towards the end of the year.[13] He was promoted to group captain on 1 January 2012 and,[14] in the 2012 New Year Honours, was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire for his services with No. 100 Squadron.[15][5] In the Spring he was appointed Director of Defences Studies for the RAF.[5]

It was announced in December 2015 that Squires would be the next Commandant of Royal Air Force College Cranwell.[16] He then studied at Royal College of Defence Studies to prepare for the command.[2] In August 2016, he succeeded Chris Luck as commandant and was made an Aide-de-Camp to The Queen.[1][17] In October 2019 he left Cranwell to take up the post of Head Directorate Operational Capability in the Ministry of Defence.[18]

Squires was promoted to air vice-marshal on 1 September 2022, when he was appointed Commander of British Forces Cyprus and Administrator of the Sovereign Base Areas.[19]

Personal life[edit]

Squires is married with three children.[4]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b "New Commandant of RAF College Cranwell". RAF College Cranwell. RAF. 19 August 2016. Retrieved 2 July 2017.
  2. ^ a b c "Air Commodore P J M Squires OBE ADC MA BEng (Hons) RAF" (PDF). Welbeck. Retrieved 2 July 2017.
  3. ^ "OBE for Peter Squires" (PDF). The Old Warwickian. No. 13. Summer 2012. p. 6. Retrieved 2 July 2017.
  4. ^ a b Woodings, Simon (20 January 2022). "Mum's pride as son joins RAF's top officers". Stratford Herald. Stratford.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g "Biography: Group Captain Peter J M Squires" (PDF). Air Power Review. 15 (1): vii. Spring 2012. Retrieved 2 July 2017.
  6. ^ "No. 51962". The London Gazette (Supplement). 11 December 1989. p. 14352.
  7. ^ "No. 52125". The London Gazette. 30 April 1990. p. 8568.
  8. ^ "No. 52910". The London Gazette (Supplement). 1 May 1992. p. 7753.
  9. ^ "No. 54881". The London Gazette (Supplement). 1 September 1997. p. 9958.
  10. ^ "No. 55543". The London Gazette. 6 July 1999. p. 7308.
  11. ^ "No. 57521". The London Gazette (Supplement). 4 January 2005. p. 16360.
  12. ^ "RAF imagery wing helps identify Gaddafi targets". GOV.UK. Ministry of Defence. 5 September 2011. Retrieved 2 July 2017.
  13. ^ "In Pictures: Remembrance 2011". GOV.UK. Retrieved 7 May 2024.
  14. ^ "No. 60038". The London Gazette (Supplement). 24 January 2012. p. 1274.
  15. ^ "No. 60009". The London Gazette (Supplement). 31 December 2011. p. 6.
  16. ^ "Senior Appointments". Royal Air Force. 5 April 2017. Retrieved 2 July 2017.
  17. ^ "No. 61684". The London Gazette (Supplement). 23 August 2016. p. 18051.
  18. ^ "Senior Appointments". Royal Air Force. Retrieved 3 March 2021.
  19. ^ "No. 63825". The London Gazette (Supplement). 27 September 2022. p. 18258.
Military offices
Preceded by Commandant of Royal Air Force College Cranwell
2016–2019 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Commander British Forces Cyprus
2022–present 		Incumbent
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