Hector McGregor
Encyclopedia
Air Marshal
Sir Hector Douglas McGregor, KCB
, CBE
, DSO
, RAF, (15 February 1910 – 11 April 1973) was a senior Royal Air Force
commander.
and educated at Napier Boys' High School
, McGregor joined the Royal Air Force in 1928 he served as a pilot but in 1931 he attended the Aircraft Engineering Course and he subsequently undertook several engineering-related tours. He served in World War II
as Officer Commanding
No. 33 Squadron
at Heliopolis
in Egypt
and then at Lydda
in Palestine
where he earned the DSO
for his leadership during policing duties. He went on to be Officer Commanding No. 213 Squadron
at RAF Biggin Hill in 1940, Station Commander at RAF Ballyhalbert
in 1941 and then Senior Air Service Officer at No. 82 Group later the same year before being made Officer Commanding, Tangmere Sector in 1942. He became Deputy Director, Operations, Intelligence and Plans at Headquarters Mediterranean Air Command
in 1943 and Air Officer Commanding Air Headquarters Levant in 1944.
After the War he became Air Officer Commanding No. 2 Group
in 1951 before being appointed Director of Guided Missile Development at the Ministry of Supply
in 1953. He went on to be Assistant Controller, Aircraft at the Ministry of Supply in 1956, Chief of Staff (Air Defence) at Headquarters SHAPE
in 1957 and Commander-in-Chief of Fighter Command
in 1959. His last appointment was as Commander-in-Chief of the Far East Air Force in 1962 before he retired in 1964.
In retirement McGregor became Chairman of the New Zealand News Consultative Board in 1964.
Air Marshal
Air marshal is a three-star air-officer rank which originated in and continues to be used by the Royal Air Force...
Sir Hector Douglas McGregor, KCB
Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
, CBE
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
, DSO
Distinguished Service Order
The Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...
, RAF, (15 February 1910 – 11 April 1973) was a senior Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
commander.
RAF career
Born in New ZealandNew Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
and educated at Napier Boys' High School
Napier Boys' High School
Napier Boys High School is a state secondary school on Chambers St, in Te Awa, Napier, New Zealand. It currently has a school roll of 1200 pupils.- Sport :...
, McGregor joined the Royal Air Force in 1928 he served as a pilot but in 1931 he attended the Aircraft Engineering Course and he subsequently undertook several engineering-related tours. He served in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
as Officer Commanding
Officer Commanding
The Officer Commanding is the commander of a sub-unit or minor unit , principally used in the United Kingdom and Commonwealth. In other countries, the term Commanding Officer is applied to commanders of minor as well as major units.Normally an Officer Commanding is a company, squadron or battery...
No. 33 Squadron
No. 33 Squadron RAF
No. 33 Squadron of the Royal Air Force operates the Puma HC.1 from RAF Benson, Oxfordshire.-Current role:The squadron is part of the RAF Support Helicopter force, which reports into the Joint Helicopter Command....
at Heliopolis
Heliopolis
-Placenames:*Heliopolis , the ancient city in Egypt*Heliopolis , a suburb in modern Cairo, Egypt* Heliopolis of Phoenicia, modern Baalbek, Lebanon...
in Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
and then at Lydda
Lod
Lod is a city located on the Sharon Plain southeast of Tel Aviv in the Center District of Israel. At the end of 2010, it had a population of 70,000, roughly 75 percent Jewish and 25 percent Arab.The name is derived from the Biblical city of Lod...
in Palestine
Palestine
Palestine is a conventional name, among others, used to describe the geographic region between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River, and various adjoining lands....
where he earned the DSO
Distinguished Service Order
The Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...
for his leadership during policing duties. He went on to be Officer Commanding No. 213 Squadron
No. 213 Squadron RAF
No. 213 Squadron was a squadron of the Royal Air Force. The squadron was formed on 1 April 1918 from No. 13 Squadron of the Royal Naval Air Service...
at RAF Biggin Hill in 1940, Station Commander at RAF Ballyhalbert
RAF Ballyhalbert
RAF Ballyhalbert was a Royal Air Force station at Ballyhalbert on the Ards Peninsula, County Down. RAF Kirkistown was a satellite to the larger Ballyhalbert....
in 1941 and then Senior Air Service Officer at No. 82 Group later the same year before being made Officer Commanding, Tangmere Sector in 1942. He became Deputy Director, Operations, Intelligence and Plans at Headquarters Mediterranean Air Command
Mediterranean Air Command
The Mediterranean Air Command was the official Allied air force command organization in the North African and Mediterranean Theater of Operations between February 18 and December 10, 1943. MAC was commanded by Air Chief Marshal Sir Arthur Tedder whose headquarters were established next to those...
in 1943 and Air Officer Commanding Air Headquarters Levant in 1944.
After the War he became Air Officer Commanding No. 2 Group
No. 2 Group RAF
Number 2 Group is a Group of the Royal Air Force which was first activated in 1918, served from 1918–20, from 1936 through the Second World War to 1947, from 1948 to 1958, from 1993 to 1996, was reactivated in 2000, and is today part of Air Command....
in 1951 before being appointed Director of Guided Missile Development at the Ministry of Supply
Ministry of Supply
The Ministry of Supply was a department of the UK Government formed in 1939 to co-ordinate the supply of equipment to all three British armed forces, headed by the Minister of Supply. There was, however, a separate ministry responsible for aircraft production and the Admiralty retained...
in 1953. He went on to be Assistant Controller, Aircraft at the Ministry of Supply in 1956, Chief of Staff (Air Defence) at Headquarters SHAPE
Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe
Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe is the central command of NATO military forces. It is located at Casteau, north of the Belgian city of Mons...
in 1957 and Commander-in-Chief of Fighter Command
RAF Fighter Command
RAF Fighter Command was one of three functional commands of the Royal Air Force. It was formed in 1936 to allow more specialised control of fighter aircraft. It served throughout the Second World War, gaining recognition in the Battle of Britain. The Command continued until 17 November 1943, when...
in 1959. His last appointment was as Commander-in-Chief of the Far East Air Force in 1962 before he retired in 1964.
In retirement McGregor became Chairman of the New Zealand News Consultative Board in 1964.