Raymond Offord
Encyclopedia
Air Commodore
Raymond John Offord AFC
RAF R'td
was a British Royal Air Force
pilot
, a senior Royal Air Force
officer in the 1970s and 1980s and the seventeenth Commandant Royal Observer Corps
. Offord was Station Commander of RAF Lossiemouth
from 1974 to 1975 and later held the dual appointments of Air Officer Commanding
Air Headquarters Cyprus and Deputy Commander, British Forces Near East / Cyprus.
on the 57th entry at the No. 1 School of Technical Training
at RAF Halton
. In February 1952 he transferred as a Cadet Pilot and was granted a short service commission on 27 February 1952 in a rank of Acting Pilot Officer
that was made substantive in June 1953.
In June 1954 he was promoted to Flying Officer
while serving with No. 56 Squadron RAF
where he was the ground commentator for the RAF’s Firebirds air display team who flew English Electric Lightning
s. In June 1957 he transferred to a permanent direct commission. Promotion to Flight Lieutenant
arrived five months later in December 1957. In September 1962 he was posted as a headquarters staff officer with the Special Projects Division of Headquarters Military Air Traffic Organisation, during which period he was promoted to Squadron Leader
.
On the 19 July 1968 Offord was promoted to Wing Commander
and he returned to flying duties as Officer Commanding No. 80 Squadron RAF
flying English Electric Canberra
s. In October of the following year he was transferred as Officer Commanding No. 31 Squadron RAF
also on Canberra operations. After a short tour as a Staff Officer, with the Air Secretariat Division of the Directorate of Air Personnel, Offord was promoted to Acting Group Captain
and appointed as the Station Commander of RAF Lossiemouth
.
His rank as a Group Captain was made substantive in 1975 and he was posted as the Operations Officer with RAF Germany. In December 1977 he was appointed as Assistant Chief of Staff (Offensive Operations) at Headquarters 2nd Allied Tactical Air Force.
and assumed the position of Commandant Royal Observer Corps
, taking over from Air Commodore John Howe
. Offord inherited an organization that was vastly more efficient and professional after sweeping changes introduced by his predecessor, but one whose communications infrastructure was creaking at the seams with outdated equipment and unprotected telephone links.
Offord pressed for the improvements identified and recommended by a Home Defence Review to be implemented. The Emergency Control Network was woefully outdated and improvements were essential. The national air raid and nuclear fallout warning systems were given priority and the whole system was revitalized and re-equipped. Inter group radio communications were introduced. Offord was stunned by the primitive facilities and the stark environment in the underground monitoring posts and during 1981 he arranged for a HQ working party to re-examine the possible improvements with regard to future heating, lighting, ventilation and feeding provision that would eventually start to filter through over coming years.
On behalf of the whole ROC, Air Commodore Offord presented an engraved Caithness Glass rosebowl to Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer
to mark their wedding on 29 July 1981.
Offord oversaw the final closing of the last ROC secondary training base at Derby, the only remaining such facility that had survived since the 1953 reorganisation. By the end of Offord’s tenure as Commandant the upgrade of the warning system and post communications was all but completed. On 20 February 1983 Offord handed over control of the ROC to Air Commodore George Black.
Air Commodore
Air commodore is an air-officer rank which originated in and continues to be used by the Royal Air Force...
Raymond John Offord AFC
Air Force Cross (United Kingdom)
The Air Force Cross is a military decoration awarded to personnel of the United Kingdom Armed Forces, and formerly also to officers of the other Commonwealth countries, for "an act or acts of valour, courage or devotion to duty whilst flying, though not in active operations against the enemy"...
RAF R'td
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...
was a British 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...
pilot
Aviator
An aviator is a person who flies an aircraft. The first recorded use of the term was in 1887, as a variation of 'aviation', from the Latin avis , coined in 1863 by G. de la Landelle in Aviation Ou Navigation Aérienne...
, 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...
officer in the 1970s and 1980s and the seventeenth Commandant Royal Observer Corps
Commandant Royal Observer Corps
The Commandant of the Royal Observer Corps was the Royal Air Force commander of the Royal Observer Corps. All the holders of the post were RAF officers in the rank of Air Commodore, initially retired reserve officers then Auxiliary officers and, since the end of World War II, serving officers...
. Offord was Station Commander of RAF Lossiemouth
RAF Lossiemouth
RAF Lossiemouth is a Royal Air Force station to the west of the town of Lossiemouth in Moray, Scotland. It is one of the RAF's biggest bases and is currently Britain's main base for Tornado GR4s. From 2013 the Northern QRA force of Typhoon F2 will relocate to Lossiemouth following the closure of...
from 1974 to 1975 and later held the dual appointments of Air Officer Commanding
Air Officer Commanding
Air Officer Commanding is a title given in the air forces of Commonwealth nations to an air officer who holds a command appointment. Thus, an air vice marshal might be the AOC 38 Group...
Air Headquarters Cyprus and Deputy Commander, British Forces Near East / Cyprus.
Early RAF career
Offord first joined the RAF as an Aircraft ApprenticeAircraft Apprentice
The Aircraft Apprentice Scheme was a training programme for Royal Air Force ground crew personnel.-Formation:World War I saw the beginning of aerial combat. By 1 April 1918 the Royal Flying Corps and the Royal Naval Air Service had amalgamated into the Royal Air Force...
on the 57th entry at the No. 1 School of Technical Training
No. 1 School of Technical Training
No.1 School of Technical Training is the Royal Air Force's aircraft engineering school, based at RAF Halton from 1919 to 1993, as the Home of the Aircraft Apprentice scheme...
at RAF Halton
RAF Halton
RAF Halton is one of the largest Royal Air Force stations in the United Kingdom, located near the village of Halton near Wendover, Buckinghamshire.HRH The Duchess of Cornwall is the Honorary Air Commodore of RAF Halton.-History:...
. In February 1952 he transferred as a Cadet Pilot and was granted a short service commission on 27 February 1952 in a rank of Acting Pilot Officer
Pilot Officer
Pilot officer is the lowest commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many other Commonwealth countries. It ranks immediately below flying officer...
that was made substantive in June 1953.
In June 1954 he was promoted to Flying Officer
Flying Officer
Flying officer is a junior commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many countries which have historical British influence...
while serving with No. 56 Squadron RAF
No. 56 Squadron RAF
Number 56 Squadron is one of the oldest and most successful squadrons of the Royal Air Force, with battle honours from many of the significant air campaigns of both World War I and World War II...
where he was the ground commentator for the RAF’s Firebirds air display team who flew English Electric Lightning
English Electric Lightning
The English Electric Lightning is a supersonic jet fighter aircraft of the Cold War era, noted for its great speed and unpainted natural metal exterior finish. It is the only all-British Mach 2 fighter aircraft. The aircraft was renowned for its capabilities as an interceptor; Royal Air Force ...
s. In June 1957 he transferred to a permanent direct commission. Promotion to Flight Lieutenant
Flight Lieutenant
Flight lieutenant is a junior commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many Commonwealth countries. It ranks above flying officer and immediately below squadron leader. The name of the rank is the complete phrase; it is never shortened to "lieutenant"...
arrived five months later in December 1957. In September 1962 he was posted as a headquarters staff officer with the Special Projects Division of Headquarters Military Air Traffic Organisation, during which period he was promoted to Squadron Leader
Squadron Leader
Squadron Leader is a commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many countries which have historical British influence. It is also sometimes used as the English translation of an equivalent rank in countries which have a non-English air force-specific rank structure. In these...
.
On the 19 July 1968 Offord was promoted to Wing Commander
Wing Commander (rank)
Wing commander is a commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many other Commonwealth countries...
and he returned to flying duties as Officer Commanding No. 80 Squadron RAF
No. 80 Squadron RAF
No. 80 Squadron RAF was a Royal Flying Corps and Royal Air Force squadron active from 1917 until 1969. It was operative during both World War I and World War II.-Establishment and early service:...
flying English Electric Canberra
English Electric Canberra
The English Electric Canberra is a first-generation jet-powered light bomber manufactured in large numbers through the 1950s. The Canberra could fly at a higher altitude than any other bomber through the 1950s and set a world altitude record of 70,310 ft in 1957...
s. In October of the following year he was transferred as Officer Commanding No. 31 Squadron RAF
No. 31 Squadron RAF
No. 31 Squadron of the Royal Air Force, known as the 'Goldstars', currently operates the Tornado GR4 from RAF Marham, Norfolk.-History:The squadron was formed at Farnborough on October 11, 1915. Its first deployment was to Risulpur, India with its BE2Cs and Farmans, and during this time it took...
also on Canberra operations. After a short tour as a Staff Officer, with the Air Secretariat Division of the Directorate of Air Personnel, Offord was promoted to Acting Group Captain
Group Captain
Group captain is a senior commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many other Commonwealth countries. It ranks above wing commander and immediately below air commodore...
and appointed as the Station Commander of RAF Lossiemouth
RAF Lossiemouth
RAF Lossiemouth is a Royal Air Force station to the west of the town of Lossiemouth in Moray, Scotland. It is one of the RAF's biggest bases and is currently Britain's main base for Tornado GR4s. From 2013 the Northern QRA force of Typhoon F2 will relocate to Lossiemouth following the closure of...
.
His rank as a Group Captain was made substantive in 1975 and he was posted as the Operations Officer with RAF Germany. In December 1977 he was appointed as Assistant Chief of Staff (Offensive Operations) at Headquarters 2nd Allied Tactical Air Force.
Royal Observer Corps
On 12 April 1980 Offord was promoted to Air CommodoreAir Commodore
Air commodore is an air-officer rank which originated in and continues to be used by the Royal Air Force...
and assumed the position of Commandant Royal Observer Corps
Commandant Royal Observer Corps
The Commandant of the Royal Observer Corps was the Royal Air Force commander of the Royal Observer Corps. All the holders of the post were RAF officers in the rank of Air Commodore, initially retired reserve officers then Auxiliary officers and, since the end of World War II, serving officers...
, taking over from Air Commodore John Howe
John F. G. Howe
Air Vice Marshal John Frederick George Howe CB CBE AFC RAF was a senior Royal Air Force officer in the 1970s and 1980s, flying combat missions in the Korean War and North Sea interceptor air patrols during the Cold War and finishing his distinguished career as the Commandant General RAF Regiment...
. Offord inherited an organization that was vastly more efficient and professional after sweeping changes introduced by his predecessor, but one whose communications infrastructure was creaking at the seams with outdated equipment and unprotected telephone links.
Offord pressed for the improvements identified and recommended by a Home Defence Review to be implemented. The Emergency Control Network was woefully outdated and improvements were essential. The national air raid and nuclear fallout warning systems were given priority and the whole system was revitalized and re-equipped. Inter group radio communications were introduced. Offord was stunned by the primitive facilities and the stark environment in the underground monitoring posts and during 1981 he arranged for a HQ working party to re-examine the possible improvements with regard to future heating, lighting, ventilation and feeding provision that would eventually start to filter through over coming years.
On behalf of the whole ROC, Air Commodore Offord presented an engraved Caithness Glass rosebowl to Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer
Diana, Princess of Wales
Diana, Princess of Wales was the first wife of Charles, Prince of Wales, whom she married on 29 July 1981, and an international charity and fundraising figure, as well as a preeminent celebrity of the late 20th century...
to mark their wedding on 29 July 1981.
Offord oversaw the final closing of the last ROC secondary training base at Derby, the only remaining such facility that had survived since the 1953 reorganisation. By the end of Offord’s tenure as Commandant the upgrade of the warning system and post communications was all but completed. On 20 February 1983 Offord handed over control of the ROC to Air Commodore George Black.