Peter Townsend (RAF officer)
| Peter Townsend | |
|---|---|
Flight Lieutenant Townsend (left) with Flight Lieutenant Caesar Hull in 1940
|
|
| Birth name | Peter Wooldridge Townsend |
| Born |
22 November 1914 Rangoon, Burma, British Raj (now Yangon, Myanmar) |
| Died | 19 June 1995 (aged 80) Saint-Leger-en-Yvelines, France |
| Allegiance |
 United Kingdom
|
| Service/branch |
 Royal Air Force
|
| Years of service | 1933–1956 |
| Rank | Group Captain |
| Commands held |
RAF West Malling (1943–44) No. 605 Squadron RAF (1942) RAF Drew (1942) No. 85 Squadron RAF (1940–41) |
| Battles/wars | |
| Awards |
Commander of the Royal Victorian Order Distinguished Service Order Distinguished Flying Cross & Bar |
| Spouse(s) |
Rosemary Pawle (1941–52) Marie-Luce Jamagne (1959–95) |
Group Captain Peter Wooldridge Townsend, CVO, DSO, DFC & Bar (22 November 1914 – 19 June 1995) was a British Royal Air Force officer, flying ace, courtier and author. He was Equerry to King George VI 1944–1952 and held the same position for Queen Elizabeth II 1952–1953. Townsend also had a romance with Princess Margaret.
Townsend was born on 22 November 1914 in Rangoon, Burma, to Lieutenant Colonel E. C. Townsend. From 1928 to 1932, he was educated at Haileybury College, then an all-boys independent school.
Townsend joined the Royal Air Force in 1933 and trained at RAF Cranwell. He was commissioned a pilot officer on 27 July 1935. On graduation, he joined No. 1 Squadron RAF at RAF Tangmere flying the Hawker Fury biplane fighter. In 1936 he was posted to No. 36 Squadron RAF in Singapore, flying the Vickers Vildebeest torpedo bomber. He was promoted to flying officer on 27 January 1937, and returned to Tangmere that year as a member of No. 43 Squadron RAF. Townsend was promoted to flight lieutenant on 27 January 1939.
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