Robert Freer (RAF officer)
{{Short description|Royal Air Force Air Chief Marshal (1923-2012)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2021}}
{{Infobox military person
|name= Sir Robert Freer
|image=
|image_size=
|alt=
|caption=
|nickname=
|birth_date= {{birth date|1923|09|01|df=yes}}
|birth_place= Darjeeling, India
|death_date= {{Death date and age|2012|01|15|1923|09|01|df=yes}}
|death_place= Farnham, Surrey, England
|placeofburial=
|allegiance= United Kingdom
|branch= Royal Air Force
|serviceyears= 1942–1982
|rank= Air Chief Marshal
|servicenumber=
|unit=
|commands= Royal College of Defence Studies (1980–82)
No. 18 Group (1975–78)
No. 11 Group (1972–75)
RAF Seletar (1963–66)
No. 92 Squadron (1955–57)
|battles= Second World War
Indonesia–Malaysia confrontation
|awards= Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the British Empire
Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath
Queen's Commendation for Valuable Service in the Air
|relations=
|laterwork=
}}
Air Chief Marshal Sir Robert William George Freer, {{postnominals|country=GBR|size=100%|sep=,|GBE|KCB|FRAeS|FRSA}} (1 September 1923 – 15 January 2012) was a Royal Air Force (RAF) officer who served as Deputy Commander of Strike Command from 1978 to 1979.
RAF career
Educated at Gosport Grammar School, Freer joined the Royal Air Force during the Second World War and became a flying instructor.{{cite book|title=Debrett's People of Today 1994|last=Parker|first= Jonathan |isbn= 978-1870520195}} He was given command of No. 92 Squadron in 1955, and became Station Commander of RAF Seletar in Singapore in 1963 during the Indonesia–Malaysia confrontation.[http://www.rafmuseum.org.uk/research/documents/Journal%2013%20-%20Seminar%20-%20Confrontation%20with%20Indonesia.pdf Proceedings of the Royal Air Force Historical Society, Issue No.13, 1994, p. 27] He was made deputy director of Defence Plans in 1966, Deputy Commandant of the RAF Staff College, Bracknell in 1969 and Senior Air Staff Officer at Headquarters Near East Air Force in 1971. He went on to be Air Officer Commanding No. 11 Group in 1972, Air Officer Commanding No. 18 Group in 1975 and Deputy Commander of Strike Command in 1978. His last appointment was as Commandant of the Royal College of Defence Studies in 1980 before he retired in 1982.
In retirement he became a Director of Rediffusion. He died at home on 15 January 2012.[https://web.archive.org/web/20160203020358/http://announcements.telegraph.co.uk/deaths/144207/freer Telegraph announcements]
Family
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/military-obituaries/air-force-obituaries/9055130/Air-Chief-Marshal-Sir-Robert-Freer.html Obituary in The Telegraph]
- [http://www.rafweb.org/Biographies/Freer_RWG.htm Air of Authority – A History of RAF Organisation – Air Chief Marshal Sir Robert Freer]
{{s-start}}
{{s-mil}}
{{s-bef|before=Sir David Fraser}}
{{s-ttl|title=Commandant of the Royal College of Defence Studies|years=1980–1982}}
{{s-aft|after=Sir William Pillar}}
|-
{{s-bef|before=Sir Alfred Ball}}
{{s-ttl|title=Deputy Commander-in-Chief Strike Command|years=1978–1979}}
{{s-aft|after=Sir Thomas Kennedy}}
|-
{{s-bef|before=Douglas Lowe}}
{{s-ttl|title=Air Officer Commanding No. 18 Group|years=1975–1978}}
{{s-aft|after=Philip Lagesen}}
|-
{{s-bef|before=Ivor Broom}}
{{s-ttl|title=Air Officer Commanding No. 11 Group|years=1972–1975}}
{{s-aft|after=William Harbison}}
{{s-end}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Freer, Robert}}
Category:British military personnel of the Indonesia–Malaysia confrontation
Category:Fellows of the Royal Aeronautical Society
Category:Knights Commander of the Order of the Bath
Category:Knights Grand Cross of the Order of the British Empire
Category:Recipients of the Commendation for Valuable Service in the Air
Category:Royal Air Force air marshals
Category:Royal Air Force personnel of World War II