Peter Squires
Squires' official portrait
AllegianceUnited Kingdom
Service/branchRoyal Air Force
Years of service1989–present
RankAir Vice-Marshal
Commands held
Battles/warsThe Troubles
Iraq War
Operation Unified Protector
AwardsOfficer of the Order of the British Empire
Queen'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

From 1975 to 1986, Squires was educated at Warwick School, an all-boys public school in Warwick.[3] Having received a bursary, he studied aeronautics and astronautics at the University of Southampton.[2][4]

RAF career

On 1 October 1989, Squires was granted a short service commission in the General Duties Branch of the Royal Air Force (RAF).[5] On 1 April 1990, he was promoted to flying officer, with seniority in that rank from 1 October 1988.[6] He was promoted to flight lieutenant on 1 April 1992.[7]

From April 2009 to April 2011, Squires commanded No. 100 Squadron RAF, a Hawk squadron is based at RAF Leeming.[4] He was Commanding Officer of the 906 Expeditionary Air Wing during Operation Unified Protector, the NATO-enforced no-fly zone over Libya in 2011.[4][8] He was promoted to group captain on 1 January 2012 and,[9] in the 2012 New Year Honours, Squires was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire.[10]

It was announced in December 2015 that Squires would be the next Commandant of Royal Air Force College Cranwell.[11] 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][12] In October 2019 he left Cranwell to take up the post of Head Directorate Operational Capability in the Ministry of Defence.[13]

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.[14]

References

  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 c "Biography: Group Captain Peter J M Squires" (PDF). Air Power Review. 15 (1): vii. Spring 2012. Retrieved 2 July 2017.
  5. ^ "No. 51962". The London Gazette (Supplement). 11 December 1989. p. 14352.
  6. ^ "No. 52125". The London Gazette. 30 April 1990. p. 8568.
  7. ^ "No. 52910". The London Gazette (Supplement). 1 May 1992. p. 7753.
  8. ^ "RAF imagery wing helps identify Gaddafi targets". GOV.UK. Ministry of Defence. 5 September 2011. Retrieved 2 July 2017.
  9. ^ "No. 60038". The London Gazette (Supplement). 24 January 2012. p. 1274.
  10. ^ "No. 60009". The London Gazette (Supplement). 31 December 2011. p. 6.
  11. ^ "Senior Appointments". Royal Air Force. 5 April 2017. Retrieved 2 July 2017.
  12. ^ "No. 61684". The London Gazette (Supplement). 23 August 2016. p. 18051.
  13. ^ "Senior Appointments". Royal Air Force. Retrieved 3 March 2021.
  14. ^ "No. 63825". The London Gazette (Supplement). 27 September 2022. p. 18258.
Military offices Preceded byChris Luck Commandant of Royal Air Force College Cranwell 2016–2019 Succeeded bySuraya Marshall Preceded byRobert Thomson Commander British Forces Cyprus 2022–present Incumbent
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