Neil Cameron, Baron Cameron of Balhousie

Marshal of the Royal Air Force Neil Cameron, Baron Cameron of Balhousie, (8 July 1920 – 29 January 1985) was a senior officer in the Royal Air Force. He fought in the Second World War as a fighter pilot taking part in the Battle of Britain, the Battle of Alam el Halfa, the First Battle of El Alamein and the Second Battle of El Alamein and then in operations in Burma. He served as Chief of the Air Staff in the late 1970s advising the British Government on the reinforcement of the British garrison in Belize which was under threat from Guatemala at the time. He also served as the Chief of the Defence Staff at the end of the 1970s in which role he secured pay comparability for services personnel involved in civil support during the firemen's strike, visited the People's Republic of China and lectured extensively on the Soviet air threat.

Early life The only son and younger child of Neil Cameron (a retired company sergeant major in the Seaforth Highlanders) and his wife, Isabella Cameron (née Stewart), Cameron was brought up by his mother and grandfather in Perth, his father having died when he was three weeks old. Cameron attended the Northern District School and took up employment with the Commercial Bank of Scotland in the Fife town of Newburgh in 1937.

Cameron joined No. 134 Squadron at Murmansk in northern Russia in July 1941 Off the coast of northern Russia, he was required to take-off from a Royal Navy aircraft carrier without practice. he joined No. 213 Squadron, part of the Desert Air Force, in August 1942, In this role, he took part in the Battle of Alam el Halfa in September 1942, the First Battle of El Alamein in July 1942 and the Second Battle of El Alamein in October 1942. he joined the Air Staff responsible for Fighter Operations at Headquarters No. 224 Group in October 1943. Most missions were ground attack in support of the army, but on 11 February 1945 Cameron shot down a Nakajima Ki-44 fighter, while escorting bombers over Rangoon. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross on 21 November 1944 and appointed a Companion of the Distinguished Service Order on 2 October 1945.

Cameron transferred from the RAF Volunteer Reserve to the Royal Air Force after the War ended and was given a permanent commission as a flight lieutenant on 1 September 1945. He became an instructor at the School of Air Support at Old Sarum in October 1945 and went on to be RAF Liaison Officer at Headquarters Rhine Army in April 1948. but spent much of that year and the next incapacitated because of a severe case of infective endocarditis. but still recovering from illness, he became Officer Commanding the University of London Air Squadron in August 1956. he became Officer Commanding RAF Abingdon in November 1960. Cameron joined the Staff at the RAF College Cranwell in February 1965 becoming Assistant Commandant there a few months later. he became Assistant Chief of Defence Staff in February 1968. he became Senior Air Staff Officer at Headquarters Air Support Command in September 1970. Cameron became Deputy Commander RAF Germany in December 1972 he became Air Member for Personnel in October 1974. He was promoted to air chief marshal on 1 November 1975 and advanced to Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath in the 1976 Birthday Honours.

Chief of Air Staff Cameron was appointed Air Aide-de-Camp to the Queen on 6 August 1976 and Chief of the Air Staff on 7 August 1976. As Chief of the Air Staff, he advised the British Government on the reinforcement of the British garrison in Belize which was under threat from Guatemala at the time. He was promoted to Marshal of the Royal Air Force on 31 July 1977.

Chief of Defence Staff Cameron became Chief of the Defence Staff on 31 August 1977. In that role, he secured pay comparability for services personnel involved in civil support during the firemen's strike, visited the People's Republic of China and lectured extensively on the Soviet air threat. which awarded him an honorary LLD degree. He was appointed a Knight of the Order of the Thistle on 30 November 1983. He also became Chairman of the trustees of the RAF Museum.