Air Marshal Sir Richard John Kemball, KCB, CBE, DL (31 January 1939 – 13 June 2021) was a Royal Air Force officer who served as Deputy Commander of Strike Command.

Sir John Kemball
Born(1939-01-31)31 January 1939
Died13 June 2021(2021-06-13) (aged 82)
AllegianceUnited Kingdom
Service / branchRoyal Air Force
Years of service1957–1993
RankAir Marshal
CommandsBritish Forces on the Falkland Islands
Central Flying School
RAF Laarbruch
No. 54 Squadron
AwardsKnight Commander of the Order of the Bath
Commander of the Order of the British Empire

RAF career

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Kemball was commissioned into the Royal Air Force in 1957.[1] He was appointed Officer Commanding No. 54 Squadron in 1976 and became Station Commander at RAF Laarbruch in 1978.[1] He went on to be Commandant of the RAF Central Flying School in 1983 and Commander of British Forces on the Falkland Islands in 1985 before becoming Chief of Staff and Deputy Commander-in-Chief of Strike Command in 1989.[1] During the First Gulf War, Kemball was chief of staff and deputy commander-in-chief at the British Joint Force Headquarters.[2] He retired in 1993.[1]

In retirement, he became Chief Executive of the Racing Welfare Charity,[3] Chairman of Essex Rivers NHS Healthcare Trust[1] and High Sheriff of Suffolk in 2007.[4] He died on 13 June 2021.[2]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e "Debrett's People of Today".
  2. ^ a b "Air Marshal Sir John Kemball, pilot on ground-attack missions over Aden who took senior roles in defence intelligence and during the Gulf War – obituary". The Telegraph. 16 June 2021.
  3. ^ "Death of John Winter, aged 70; Trainer of Balidar and Double-U-Jay cared deeply for the welfare of racing. - Free Online Library". www.thefreelibrary.com.
  4. ^ Deputy Lieutenants of the County of Suffolk Archived 8 March 2012 at the Wayback Machine Suffolk County Council
Military offices
Preceded by Deputy Commander-in-Chief Strike Command
1989–1993
Succeeded by