Joseph Gilbert

Air Chief Marshal Sir Joseph Alfred Gilbert, (born 15 June 1931) is a former Royal Air Force officer who served as Deputy Commander of Strike Command from 1984 to 1986.

RAF career Educated at William Hulme's Grammar School and the University of Leeds, Gilbert joined the Royal Air Force under a National Service Commission in 1952. Gilbert served in fighter squadrons until 1961 when he joined the Air Secretary's Department. Assistant Chief of the Air Staff (Policy) in November 1975, and Assistant Chief of Defence Staff (Policy) in 1980. He then became Deputy Air Officer Commanding of Strike Command in 1984 and, having been promoted to air chief marshal, he went on to be Deputy Commander-in-Chief Allied Forces Northern Europe in 1986 before retiring in 1989.

He was made an honorary graduate (LLD) of the University of Leeds in 1989. He is also a life Vice-President of the Royal Air Forces Association and was Vice-Chairman of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission from 1993 to 1998 and the Prime Minister's trustee of the Imperial War Museum from 1997 to 2002.