Neville Stack

{{Short description|Royal Air Force Air Chief Marshal (1919-1994)}}

{{Infobox military person

|name= Sir Thomas Neville Stack

|image=

|image_size=

|alt=

|caption=

|nickname=

|birth_date= {{birth date|1919|10|19|df=yes}}

|birth_place=

|death_date= {{death date and age|1994|01|26|1919|10|19|df=yes}}

|death_place= London, England

|placeofburial=

|allegiance= United Kingdom

|branch= Royal Air Force

|serviceyears= 1935–1978

|rank= Air Chief Marshal

|unit=

|commands= Air Secretary (1976–78)
RAF Training Command (1972–76)
RAF College Cranwell (1967–70)

|battles= Second World War

|awards= Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath{{London Gazette |issue=45554 |date=1 January 1972 |page=3 |supp=y }}
Commander of the Royal Victorian Order{{London Gazette |issue=42870 |date=1 January 1963 |page=5 |supp=y }}
Commander of the Order of the British Empire{{London Gazette |issue=43667 |date=12 June 1965 |page=5478 |supp=y }}
Air Force Cross{{London Gazette |issue=40960 |date=1 January 1957 |page=36 |supp=y }}
Mentioned in Despatches
Knight of the Order of Leopold with Palms (Belgium){{London Gazette |issue=37998 |date=24 June 1947 |page=2937 |supp=y }}
Croix de guerre (Belgium)

|relations=

|laterwork= Gentleman Usher

}}

Air Chief Marshal Sir Thomas Neville Stack {{postnominals|country=GBR|KCB|CVO|CBE|AFC}} (19 October 1919 – 26 January 1994) was a senior Royal Air Force commander.

Early life

Stack was born on 19 October 1919, the son of aviation pioneer T. Neville Stack. He joined the Royal Air Force in 1935 as a flight cadet at RAF College Cranwell.[http://www.rafweb.org/Biographies/Stack_TN.htm Air of Authority – A History of RAF Organisation – Air Chief Marshal Sir Neville Stack] He gained a permanent commission on 29 July 1939{{London Gazette |issue=34700 |date=3 October 1939 |page=6657 }} and passed out of the college with the Sword of Honour. He spent his war service with Coastal Command serving on flying boats until transferring to Transport Command in the late 1950s including a tour as Deputy Captain of the Queen's Flight.

Air Staff officer

In 1967 Stack became commandant of the RAF College Cranwell before moving on in 1970 as a representative with CENTO. In December 1972 he was appointed as Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief of Training Command{{London Gazette |issue=45867|date=2 January 1973 |page=98 |supp=y }} then moved in the same role at RAF Strike Command. Between 1976 and 1978 he was Air ADC to the Queen. From February 1976{{London Gazette |issue=46839 |date=2 March 1976 |page=3191 |supp=y }} he was Air Secretary before he retired at his own request in 1978.{{London Gazette |issue=47474 |date=28 February 1978 |page=2586 |supp=y }}

Civil life

On retirement from the air force, Stack became a Gentleman Usher to the Queen{{London Gazette |issue=47466 |date=17 February 1978 |page=2131 }} and from 1989 Extra Gentleman Usher.{{London Gazette |issue=51910 |date=20 October 1989 |page=12079 }} He also became a Freeman of the City of London. Stack died in London on 26 January 1994, aged 74.