Air Chief Marshal Sir Peter Le Cheminant
Former bomber pilot who found himself in the thick of postwar battles over front-line defence cuts
AIR CHIEF MARSHAL SIR PETER LE CHEMINANT, who has died aged 97, saw active service in the Second World War as a bomber pilot, for which he was awarded a DFC; he later flew on postwar operations in Korea, where he acquired a Bar to his DFC, as well as in Malaya and during the Indonesian Confrontation.
His promotion to air commodore in January 1964 heralded the beginning of a series of key policy and command posts, including international appointments in Cento and Nato. He arrived at the Air Ministry to be the Director of Air Staff Briefing and found himself involved in the aftermath of the cancellation of the TSR 2 aircraft and the attempts to replace it with the American-built F-111.
He also witnessed the acrimonious debate with the Royal Navy on the future aircraft carrier programme, the CVA 01, and had harsh words for Denis Healey, the Secretary of State for Defence, who in Le Cheminant’s view “enjoyed the intellectual argument and who seemed even more to enjoy watching the two services destroying one another”. The Navy lost their CVA 01 and within weeks Healey cancelled the F-111.
Throughout his two years in the post, Le Cheminant witnessed the political debates about Britain’s defence roles for the late 1960s and 1970s, an era of radical reductions in capabilities including the withdrawal from east of Suez and the RAF’S role as part of the nation’s independent nuclear force. These experiences sowed the seeds of his long-lasting distrust of politicians.
In May 1966 Le Cheminant became the Senior Air Staff Officer at the HQ of the Far East Air Force. He knew the region – it was his third tour – and he inherited a large parish, with RAF airfields in Singapore, Borneo and Hong Kong, together with substantial contingents from the air forces of Australia and New Zealand. On his arrival, the Indonesian Confrontation was coming to a close and he made frequent visits to fly on the front line in Sarawak and Borneo.
In the latter part of his tour Le Cheminant had to plan the withdrawal of British forces from the region. The short notice provided him and his senior colleagues with a number of delicate diplomatic issues, in particular with Lee Kuan Yew of Singapore who, at a private dinner as the guest of the RAF, did not hide his bitterness towards Harold Wilson’s government.
For two years Le Cheminant was the Assistant Chief of the Air Staff (Policy), one of the most important RAF posts in the MOD. He described some of his meetings with his Navy and Army opposite numbers in the Two Star Policy Group on the department’s long-term costings programme as “bruising”, although his personal relationships remained intact.
In November 1972 he was sent “for a rest” to Ankara as the UK Permanent Military Deputy to the Central Treaty Organisation (Cento), where he had the opportunity to work with fellow deputies from Turkey, Iran, Pakistan and the US. National pride was an important issue and many of the military exercises were carefully scripted to ensure that there were no losers. It was not a healthy environment for making changes to improve operational effectiveness, but Le Cheminant recognised the need for diplomacy. Much progress was achieved on visits to each member country and on the social scene.
Le Cheminant returned to the centre of defence policy when he was appointed Vice-chief of the Defence Staff in January 1974. His responsibilities were wide-ranging on paper but somewhat less so in practice. Power still resided in the single services and he described his position as “having influence rather than executive responsibility”.
In July 1974 he faced one of his more testing situations, one which culminated in the invasion of northern Cyprus by Turkish forces. The Greek Cypriot leader Archbishop Makarios had been airlifted to the RAF base at Akrotiri and Le Cheminant gave authority for him to be flown to Malta in an RAF aircraft. This led to an acrimonious discussion with the staff of the Foreign Secretary James Callaghan, who accused him of disobeying Callaghan’s orders. Le Cheminant, never afraid to stand firm, remonstrated with the private secretaries and offered to recall the transport aircraft, which was in flight. No such instruction was given.
Le Cheminant’s final appointment was in February 1976, when he became Deputy Commander-in-chief, Allied Forces Central Europe, with his headquarters in the Netherlands. His role here was to ensure that the fighting elements in the Central Region of Nato had the appropriate directives, reinforcements and logistical support. He approached the post with mixed feelings, but enjoyed the opportunity to travel widely as well as the stimulus of debating with military leaders, politicians and commentators.
Peter de Lacey Le Cheminant was born in Guernsey on June 17 1920 and educated at Elizabeth College, Guernsey, before gaining a cadetship to the RAF College Cranwell, graduating as a pilot in late 1939.
He joined No 4 Squadron flying Lysanders in the Army co-operation role and spent a brief time supporting the British Expeditionary Force in France. For the next two years, serving with No 614 Squadron, he flew on anti-invasion patrols and later converted to the Blenheim. In May 1942 he flew in support of two of the three Thousand Bomber raids. A few weeks later he flew on the ill-fated raid on Dieppe, when he laid smoke screens over the beach. His aircraft came under intense anti-aircraft fire, during what he described as “a brisk and energising few moments”.
Appointed as a flight commander on No 114 Squadron in late 1942, he left for North Africa to support Operation Torch in Algeria. Flying the Bisley, he led many formation attacks in support of the 1st Army as it advanced towards Tunisia. His formations encountered stiff opposition from Luftwaffe fighters and casualties were high.
During February the Germans made strong armoured thrusts towards the Kasserine Pass, which threatened the Allied advance. Despite the poor weather, Le Cheminant led formations on bombing sorties and the advance was checked.
On May 2, and aged only 22, he was promoted to wing commander and given command of No 223 Squadron equipped with the Baltimore medium bomber. After two flights in the aircraft he attacked the island of Pantelleria and on the 18th he led the last bombing raid of the North African campaign, when remnants of the 90th Light Division were attacked near Bou Ficha to such good effect that they surrendered.
In June the squadron started bombing Sicilian airfields in preparation for the amphibious landings and in July he was awarded the DFC “for his courage and devotion to duty which was an inspiration to all aircrews”.
Le Cheminant supported the landings at Salerno and continued intensive operations in support of Montgomery’s 8th Army, when he bombed lines of communication and gun positions. By the end of December 1943 he had completed 83 operations. He returned to England to be the RAF’S intelligence officer for Tiger Force, the bomber force to be based in the Pacific region for attacks against Japan. But the atom bombs brought the war to an end and the force never deployed.
In August 1949 he assumed command of No 209 Squadron at Seletar, Singapore, flying Sunderland flying boats. Twelve months later he commenced anti-shipping and anti-submarine operations in the Korean War, often in atrocious weather conditions. He flew 22 operational sorties over enemy waters, invariably undertaking the most difficult sorties himself; in 1951 he was awarded a Bar to his DFC.
In 1961 Le Cheminant took command of RAF Geilenkirchen, one of four large airfields on the Dutchgerman border and the home to a Canberra nuclear strike squadron and a Javelin all-weather fighter squadron. He took every opportunity to fly both aircraft. This happy period was followed by his appointment as Director of Air Staff Briefing.
Le Cheminant, a caring man with a deep affection and loyalty for the RAF, retired from the service in August 1979. A few months later he was appointed Lieutenant Governor of Guernsey, becoming the only native Guernseyman to hold the post. Immensely popular, he enjoyed the social life on the island, where he was known for his generosity, sense of humour and the twinkle in his eye.
A prolific writer, Le Cheminant gained a reputation as an essayist and won several prizes in servicesponsored competitions as well as two gold medals from the Royal United Services Institute for essays on military subjects. He published The Royal Air Force, A Personal Experience (2001) and, as Desmond Walker, wrote Bedlam in the Bailiwicks (1987) and Task Force Channel Islands (1989).
Le Cheminant was appointed GBE (1978), KCB (1972) and CB (1968) and a Knight of St John (1980). He was elected a Fellow of the Royal United Services Institute (2001).
In 1940 Peter Le Cheminant married Sylvia van Bodegom. She died in 1998 and in 2007 he married Norma Gardner, who survives him with a son and two daughters from his first marriage.
Air Chief Marshal Sir Peter Le Cheminant, born June 17 1920, died April 8 2018