Gordon Linacre

Sir John Gordon Seymour Linacre, (23 September 1920 – 5 February 2015) was a British press baron, journalist, and decorated Royal Air Force officer.

Early life Linacre was born on 23 September 1920 in Sheffield, Yorkshire, England. His father was a steelworks foreman. He was educated at Firth Park Grammar School, a grammar school in Sheffield. He is credited with starting its school newspaper.

Career

Military service With the outbreak of World War II in 1939, Linacre joined the Royal Air Force as an airman. On 1 October 1942, he was promoted to flying officer on probation (war substantive). When he was mentioned in despatches in June 1944, he held the acting rank of squadron leader. He left the newspaper in 1939 to serve in the Royal Air Force during World War II.

Though he was offered a permanent commission to continue serving with the RAF after the war, he decided to return to journalism. In 1985, he negotiated the acquisition of the Daily Express, the Sunday Express and the Daily Star.

Linacre died on 5 February 2015, aged 94. He was mentioned in despatches on 8 June 1944. In the 1945 King's Birthday Honours, he was awarded the Air Force Cross (AFC).

In the 1979 New Year Honours, he was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) "for services to journalism". In the 1986 Queen's Birthday Honours, he was appointed Knight Bachelor and therefore granted the title sir. On 5 November 1986, he was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace.

In 1991, the University of Leeds awarded him an honorary Doctor of Laws (LLD) degree in recognition of "his contribution to journalism and the support of the arts and education".