June 23, 2022
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Air Chief Marshal Sir Patrick "Paddy" Bardon Hine, GCB, GBE (born 14 July 1932) is a former senior Royal Air Force commander. Most notably, he was joint commander of all British forces during the first Gulf War.

Hine was born near Southampton, England, and was educated at Peter Symonds School in Winchester. He was an amateur golfer, winning the 1949 Brabazon Trophy.

As a junior officer, Hine flew the Gloster Meteor and then the Hawker Hunter. From 1957 to 1959 he performed on the Black Arrows, then the RAF’s aerobatics display team. In 1962 he was appointed Officer Commanding No. 92 Squadron.

In 1975 he was appointed Director of Public Relations for the RAF. He was made Senior Air Staff Officer at HQ RAF Germany in 1979 and Assistant Chief of the Air Staff (Policy) at the Ministry of Defence in 1981. He became Commander of the Second Tactical Air Force and Commander - in - Chief of RAF Germany in 1983.

He became Vice Chief of the Defence Staff in 1985 and in late 1987 he was appointed Air Member for Supply and Organisation.

Hine was appointed Air Officer Commanding - in - Chief Strike Command in 1988. He was Joint Commander of all British forces during the first Gulf War.He was the officer who allowed experimental vaccines on the forces during the gulf war.

Hine retired from the RAF in 1991 and subsequently became a military advisor to British Aerospace from which he retired in April 1999. Two years earlier, in 1997, Hine was made the King of Arms of the Order of the British Empire, making him the herald to the Order of the British Empire.


Air Chief Marshal Sir Ronald Andrew Fellowes Wilson KCB AFC FRAes RAF (born 27 February 1941) often known as Sir Andrew Wilson and sometimes known informally as Sir Sandy Wilson is a retired senior Royal Air Force officer.

Educated at Tonbridge School, Wilson joined the Royal Air Force in 1962. From 1976 to 1978 Wilson served as the Commanding Officer of No. II (AC) Squadron. During this time the Squadron took delivery of the Jaguar which Wilson oversaw, flying practice reconnaissance missions. In 1980 Wilson was made Station Commander of RAF Lossiemouth.

In 1990 Wilson was appointed the Commander British Forces Middle East, making him the in - theater commander for Operation Granby, the British contribution to the Gulf War. He was knighted in 1991 and in 1993 he was appointed Air Member for Personnel and the following year, on 1 April 1994, Wilson became the first Air Officer Commander - in - Chief of Personnel and Training Command.

He retired prematurely on 26 August 1995. He was accused of using government funds to refurnish his home.