Peter Latham (RAF officer)

Royal Air Force Air Vice-Marshal (1925-2016)

Air Vice Marshal Peter Anthony Latham, CB, AFC (18 June 1925 – 4 December 2016) was a senior Royal Air Force officer. From 1977 to 1981, he served as Air Officer Commanding No. 11 Group.^[1][2] Earlier in his career, from 1958 to 1960, he was leader of the Black Arrows (predecessor of the current RAF aerobatic team, the Red Arrows).^[1] In 1999, he was made an Honorary President of the Royal International Air Tattoo.^[3]

Honours

In the 1954 New Year Honours, Latham was awarded the Queen's Commendation for Valuable Service in the Air.^[4] In the 1960 Queen's Birthday Honours, he was awarded the Air Force Cross (AFC).^[5] In the 1961 Queen's Birthday Honours, he was awarded the Queen's Commendation for Valuable Service for a second time.^[6] In the 1980 New Year Honours, he was appointed a Companion of the Order of the Bath (CB).^[7]

References

1. "LATHAM, Air Vice-Marshal Peter Anthony". Who's Who 2017. Oxford University Press. November 2016. Retrieved 9 December 2016.
2. "Air Vice-Marshal Peter Latham, leader of the Black Arrows – obituary". The Daily Telegraph. 8 December 2016. Retrieved 9 December 2016.
3. "Trustees". Royal Air Force Heraldry Trust. Retrieved 9 December 2016.
4. "No. 40053". The London Gazette (Supplement). 29 December 1953. pp. 34–35.
5. "No. 42051". The London Gazette (Supplement). 3 June 1960. p. 4007.
6. "No. 42370". The London Gazette (Supplement). 2 June 1961. p. 4177.
7. "No. 48041". The London Gazette (Supplement). 28 December 1979. p. 2.