Marshal of the Royal Air Force Sir John Slessor GCB DSO MC (deceased)

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Born in India in 1897 he joined the Royal Flying Corps in 1915 serving with No.17 Sqn in Egypt and Soudan. Awarded the Military Cross, he the flew RE8s on the Western Front with No.5 Sqn. After the war he flew Bristol Fighters with No.20 Sqn and No.4 Sqn before taking on more senior roles in the service. Before the Second World War he had been awarded the Distinguished Service Order and had been appointed Air Aide-de-Camp to King George VI. During World War Two he was involved in planning and decision making, credited with influencing the use of night and day bombing of German targets by US and UK forces as well as stifling the threat of U-boats in the Battle of the Atlantic using long range bombers. He continued in the RAF after the war becoming Chief of Air Staff in 1951. A key proponent of nuclear armed bomber, he coined the term V-Force for the jet bombers in the RAF at this time. He retired from the Air Force in 1953, writing two books on his experiences. He died on 12th July 1979.

Items Signed by Marshal of the Royal Air Force Sir John Slessor GCB DSO MC (deceased)

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