Air Vice-Marshal Peter James Murray Squires, OBE, ADC (born 1968) 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]
Peter Squires | |
|---|---|
 Squires' official portrait | |
| Born | 1968 (age 55–56) |
| Allegiance | United Kingdom |
| Service | Royal Air Force |
| Years of service | 1989–present |
| Rank | Air Vice-Marshal |
| Commands | |
| Battles / wars | |
| Awards | Queen's Commendation for Valuable Service in the Air |
Early life and education
editSquires was born in 1968 in the United Kingdom.[3] From 1975 to 1986, he was educated at Warwick School, an all-boys public school in Warwick.[4] He learned to fly at Wellesbourne Mountford Airfield, passing his junior flying test at the age of sixteen.[5] Having received a bursary, he studied aeronautics and astronautics at the University of Southampton,[2][6] graduating with a Bachelor of Engineering (BEng) degree in 1989.[3] He later undertook a Master of Arts (MA) degree in defence studies, which he completed in 2006.[3]
RAF career
editOn 1 October 1989, Squires was granted a short service commission in the General Duties Branch of the Royal Air Force (RAF).[7] On 1 April 1990, he was promoted to flying officer, with seniority in that rank from 1 October 1988.[8] He was promoted to flight lieutenant on 1 April 1992.[9] He completed the Qualified Weapons Instructor course in 1995.[3] Squires transferred to a permanent commission in the RAF on 2 May 1997.[10] Flying Harrier IIs, in the same year he took part in the No. 1 Squadron RAF display, before in 1998 he deployed for five months in Operation Bolton.[6] He was promoted to squadron leader on 1 July 1999.[11]
Having been promoted to wing commander on 1 January 2005,[12] Squires served as Wing Commander Joint Combat Aircraft Requirements' Manager before attending the Advanced Command and Staff Course to study for a master's degree in Defence Studies. He then joined 3rd (United Kingdom) Division, commanding the Divisional Air Cell and serving as the senior air advisor to the general officer commanding the division. He deployed with the division in the Iraq War in 2008 as Chief Air Plans for the Multi-National Division (South-East).[6]
From April 2009 to April 2011, Squires commanded No. 100 Squadron RAF, a Hawk squadron based at RAF Leeming.[6] He was Commanding Officer of the 906 Expeditionary Air Wing during Operation Unified Protector, the NATO-enforced no-fly zone over Libya, from June 2011.[6][13] He left the command towards the end of the year.[14] He was promoted to group captain on 1 January 2012 and,[15] in the 2012 New Year Honours, was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire for his services with No. 100 Squadron.[16][6] In the Spring he was appointed Director of Defences Studies for the RAF.[6]
It was announced in December 2015 that Squires would be the next Commandant of Royal Air Force College Cranwell.[17] 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][18] In October 2019 he left Cranwell to take up the post of Head Directorate Operational Capability in the Ministry of Defence.[19]
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.[20] He will take up the appointment of Director of the Military Aviation Authority in March 2025.[21]
Personal life
editSquires is married and has three children.[5]
References
edit- ^ a b "New Commandant of RAF College Cranwell". RAF College Cranwell. RAF. 19 August 2016. Retrieved 2 July 2017.
- ^ a b c "Air Commodore P J M Squires OBE ADC MA BEng (Hons) RAF" (PDF). Welbeck. Retrieved 2 July 2017.
- ^ a b c d "Squires, Air Vice-Marshal Peter James Murray, (born 1968), Administrator, Sovereign Base Areas, and Commander, British Forces Cyprus, since 2022". Who's Who 2024. Oxford University Press. 1 December 2023.
- ^ "OBE for Peter Squires" (PDF). The Old Warwickian. No. 13. Summer 2012. p. 6. Retrieved 2 July 2017.
- ^ a b Woodings, Simon (20 January 2022). "Mum's pride as son joins RAF's top officers". Stratford Herald. Stratford.
- ^ a b c d e f g "Biography: Group Captain Peter J M Squires" (PDF). Air Power Review. 15 (1): vii. Spring 2012. Retrieved 2 July 2017.
- ^ "No. 51962". The London Gazette (Supplement). 11 December 1989. p. 14352.
- ^ "No. 52125". The London Gazette. 30 April 1990. p. 8568.
- ^ "No. 52910". The London Gazette (Supplement). 1 May 1992. p. 7753.
- ^ "No. 54881". The London Gazette (Supplement). 1 September 1997. p. 9958.
- ^ "No. 55543". The London Gazette. 6 July 1999. p. 7308.
- ^ "No. 57521". The London Gazette (Supplement). 4 January 2005. p. 16360.
- ^ "RAF imagery wing helps identify Gaddafi targets". GOV.UK. Ministry of Defence. 5 September 2011. Retrieved 2 July 2017.
- ^ "In Pictures: Remembrance 2011". GOV.UK. Retrieved 7 May 2024.
- ^ "No. 60038". The London Gazette (Supplement). 24 January 2012. p. 1274.
- ^ "No. 60009". The London Gazette (Supplement). 31 December 2011. p. 6.
- ^ "Senior Appointments". Royal Air Force. 5 April 2017. Retrieved 2 July 2017.
- ^ "No. 61684". The London Gazette (Supplement). 23 August 2016. p. 18051.
- ^ "Senior Appointments". Royal Air Force. Retrieved 3 March 2021.
- ^ "No. 63825". The London Gazette (Supplement). 27 September 2022. p. 18258.
- ^ "Senior Appointments 2024". raf.mod.uk. Royal Air Force. 15 August 2024. Retrieved 21 August 2024.