John Ponsonby (RAF)

John Ponsonby
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Service/branch	British Army (1975–83) Royal Air Force (1983–2007)
Years of service	1975–2007
Rank	Air Vice Marshal
Service number	498938 (Army) 5205086M (RAF)
Commands held	No. 22 (Training) Group Training Group Air Cadets RAF Aldergrove Support Helicopter Force No. 27 Squadron No. 78 Squadron
Battles/wars	Operation Banner
Awards	Officer of the Order of the British Empire Queen's Commendation for Valuable Service
Other work	Senior Vice President Training, AgustaWestland

Air Vice Marshal John Maurice Maynard Ponsonby, OBE is a British businessman and a retired senior officer of the Royal Air Force.

After graduating from the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, he was commissioned into the Royal Green Jackets as a second lieutenant on 8 March 1975. He was promoted to lieutenant on 8 March 1977, and to captain on 8 September 1981. He relinquished his commission on 7 March 1983, therefore retiring from the British Army.

Ponsonby was commissioned into the Royal Air Force in April 1983, after nine years service in the British Army. On 10 April 1983, he was appointed to a permanent commission and promoted to flight lieutenant with seniority from 10 March 1980. On 1 July 1988, he was promoted to squadron leader, and then to wing commander on 1 January 1994. As a group captain, he was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire in the 1998 New Year Honours, and was made an Aide-de-camp to Queen Elizabeth II on 1 August 2001. He relinquished this appointment on 3 May 2002, being promoted to air commodore on 1 July that year. Ponsonby was also awarded the Queen's Commendation for Valuable Service in the 2002 Operational Honours List "in recognition of gallant and distinguished services in Northern Ireland during the period 1 October 2001 to 31 March 2002". He was promoted to his final rank of air vice marshal on 4 January 2005.