AVM Les Phipps - In Memoriam

His return to the UK saw him appointed to command 29 Squadron flying the supersonic high-altitude interceptor, the Lightning from Wattisham in Suffolk. He formed the Lightning Display Team to impress potential buyers with the aircraft’s spectacular rate of climb and performance at high level. In 1970 he was promoted to group captain and served on the senior staff at the RAF Staff College at Bracknell, an appointment which gave him the opportunity on most weekends to fly air cadets in Chipmunk aircraft at nearby White Waltham. By early 1973, Phipps had gained wide experience as a fighter pilot and operational service in the Middle East. His appointment as Commander of the Sultan of Oman’s Air Force (SOAF) saw him in action again. His aircraft and helicopters supported ground forces and the attack squadrons of Hunters and Strikemasters were often scrambled to support them. One of his British officers, and a veteran of SOAF operations, wrote; “The SOAF Commander, Group Captain Les Phipps frequently visited the squadron from his office in the north. He flew operational sorties in the Strikemaster and would put himself on standby during his visits’.

After attending the Royal College of Defence Studies (RCDS) in 1975 he spent a year in Saudi Arabia in command of the UK MOD Team supporting the introduction of the Lightning into Royal Saudi Air Force service. After two years in MoD as the Director of Air Defence and Overseas Operations, he was promoted in March 1980 to be the Director General of Personnel Management when he focussed on the recruitment, training and retention of frontline aircrew. He encouraged his staff to conduct effective talent spotting and career development of young servicemen and women. He was appointed CB. After two years as the RAF Director at the RCDS, he left the RAF to join British Aerospace, first as Deputy Director of the Saudi Project, supplying Tornado and Hawk aircraft to the Royal Saudi Air Force before he became Head of Training Systems, providing training programmes and support to countries acquiring British military aircraft.

He retired a second time in 1991 and invested his vast experience and talents in charitable work. These included the Prince’s Youth Business Trust; Camberley Association for the Disabled; Berkshire Association of Young People’s Clubs; Slough YMCA Job Club; President of 459 (Windsor) Squadron Air Training Corps and Associate of St George’s House, College of St George, Windsor Castle. He taught sailing and navigation and was an RYA Yachtmaster. He owned several boats until his seventies when he gave up single-handed sailing and acquired a fast ‘gin palace’, or ‘stink boat’ as he called it. Most years he sailed from the Solent to the River Deben for two weeks where he entertained on board, and in some style, his many friends in the area.

He was a religious man, with a small ‘r’ who found peace as a communicant and Friend of St George’s Chapel, Windsor.  His instruction to his family and friends concerning his memorial service was, ‘Have a good wake and move on’.

Les Phipps died on March 3 2019.  He never married.

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