Richard Johns

RAF career

The son of Lieutenant Colonel Herbert Edward Johns and Marjory Harley Johns (née Everett), Johns was educated at Portsmouth Grammar School and RAF College Cranwell, and commissioned into the Royal Air Force on 15 December 1959. After completing flying training on Piston Provost and Meteor aircraft, Johns spent his early career as a fighter pilot serving in the UK, in Cyprus and in Aden. He was promoted to flying officer on 15 December 1960, flight lieutenant on 15 August 1962 and to squadron leader on 1 January 1969.

A Qualified Flying Instructor, in 1971 Johns trained the Prince of Wales to wings standard on the Jet Provost. He was appointed a Lieutenant of the Royal Victorian Order in the 1972 New Year Honours. He attended Staff College in 1972 and then undertook a tour as Personal Staff Officer to the Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief Near East Air Force in Cyprus. Promoted to wing commander on 1 January 1974, he was appointed commanding officer of No. 3(F) Squadron flying Harriers from RAF Wildenrath and RAF Gütersloh in 1975.

Johns was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire in the 1978 New Year Honours. He was promoted to group captain on 1 July 1979 and became Director of Air Staff Briefing that year.

In 1982 Johns became Station Commander and Harrier Force Commander at RAF Gütersloh and was made Aide-de-Camp to the Queen on 10 December 1982. Promoted to air commodore on 1 January 1985, he was advanced to a Commander of the Order of the British Empire in the 1985 New Year Honours and attended the Royal College of Defence Studies later that year before becoming Senior Air Staff Officer at RAF Germany.

Promoted to air vice marshal on 1 January 1989, Johns went on to be Senior Air Staff Officer at RAF Strike Command in 1989 before he took up the appointment of Air Officer Commanding No 1 Group in 1991. He was appointed a Companion of the Order of the Bath in the 1991 Birthday Honours. It was also in 1991 that Johns served as one of three British directors of operations on the senior planning staff for Operation Granby (the British contribution to the Gulf War). Promoted to air marshal on 24 February 1993, Johns's next appointment was as Chief of Staff and Deputy Commander-in-Chief RAF Strike Command later that year. Advanced to Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath in 1994 New Year Honours and promoted to air chief marshal on 30 June 1994, Johns was appointed Commander-in-Chief Strike Command also on 30 June 1994. However, on 10 July 1994, Sir John Thomson who had just been appointed Commander-in-Chief of Allied Forces North West Europe died and Johns was transferred from Strike Command to the NATO command. In this role he acted as a supporting commander for joint operations in the Balkans. He became Honorary Colonel of 73 Engineer Regiment (Volunteers) on 29 November 1994.

Johns became Chief of the Air Staff (CAS) in 1997 and was advanced to Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath in the 1997 Birthday Honours. He was also appointed Air Aide-de-Camp to The Queen on 9 April 1997. As CAS he advised the British Government on the air force aspects of the Strategic Defence Review and on NATO's air campaign in Kosovo claiming that air power had been highly accurate during the 11-week air campaign against the Serbs. He retired from the RAF in 2000.

Later life

Johns became Constable and Governor of Windsor Castle in 2000: he was advanced to Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order on relinquishing that appointment on 17 December 2007. He also became honorary air commodore of the Royal Air Force Regiment on 22 April 2000. He was Chairman of the Trustees of the RAF Museum from 2000 to 2006 and has been President of Hearing Dogs for Deaf People since 2005.

Personal life

In 1965 he married Elizabeth Naomi Anne Manning; they have one son and two daughters. His interests include military history, rugby, cricket and equitation.