Graduation Reviewing Officer
Commandant






76 Entry 9 January 1957 - 15 December 1959
No 76 Entry mustered on 9 January 1957 69 strong. It was augmented with 5 that were transferred from the 75th at which point the roster stood at:

This occasion was marking the Entry's 6oth Anniversary of Formation was its tenth reunion. The first in 1994 was for both its 35th of Graduation and the appointment of one of its members as CAS (the first one that is!). The eight in between have been for every other fifth anniversary of Formation and of Graduation.
16 that were 76 Entry graduates,
2 joined with 76 but graduated with the 77th,
1 graduated from Air Navigation School,
1 did not graduate,
plus Simon Johnson IOT 83 son of Martin Johnson
The Entry is accordingly looking forward to its Diamond Anniversary of Graduation at the Annual Reunion in 2019.
Entry Coordinator:Peter Symes PJSymes@aol.com
A Squadron: 25
Barringer Mike
Billinge Paul
Coriat Hugh
Evans Mal
Geach Robin
Graydon Michael
Horsley Chris
Howells Steve
Hulland Johnny
Jennings Paul
Kennedy Mike
Kingston Tony
Lawrence David
Littlefair David
Pelling Johnny
Porteous Tom
Porter Mike
Potter Brian
Read Larry
Sinclair Ian
Smith Mike
Styles Frank
Taylor Nigel
Tavender Ian
Wood Chris
C Squadron: 23
Colwell Pat
Davis Jim
Dorrett Ian
Harrington Paul
Herbertson John
Herd Duncan
Hooper Tony
Horsfall John
Hunter Ewan
Johnston Ben
Keeling Peter
Laver John
Maden Bruce
Maitland Peter
Maxwell Tony
Nowell Jerry
O’Herlihy Mike
Phillips Alan
Phillipson Don
Pope Roger
Preston Roger
Trowern Bob
Waddington Dick
B Squadron: 26
Baird Peter
Ballands David
Coulson Tony
Cunliffe David
Gardner Bob
Glennie Gordon
Green Chris
Holmes Roy
Hutchinson Ian
Johns Dick
Johnson Martin
Jones Andy
Lucking Rick
Martin Ian
Maule Malcolm
Packman David
Parkin Colin
Pearson Tony
Perreaux Euan
Price Jeremy
Simmonds Peter
Stoner Richard
Symes Peter
Walters Jon
Weddle Ian
Wigmore “Walter”/Ian
Then, over time, 6, mainly retreading specialisations, filtered into the 77th. Peter Baird was tragically killed solo in a Piston Provost on 21 Jul 58 and Peter Keeling dual in a Vampire T11 (mid-air in the Cranwell circuit) on 31 Jan 59. 7 were commissioned elsewhere eg at Air Navigation Schools, 20 were, or self, 'chopped', leaving 39 to graduate on 15 Dec 59.
Of this 39, 23 were Pilots and 6 Navigators in the General Duties Branch, 6 were in the Equipment Branch and 4 in the Secretarial. In their service they reached the following ranks: 2 of Flying Officer, 8 Flight Lieutenant, 13 Squadron Leader, 8 Wing Commander, 5 Group Captain, 1 Air Commodore, 2 Air Chief Marshal (Sir Michael Graydon Chief of the Air Staff from November 1992 to April 1997 being succeeded by Sir Richard Johns who was in post until April 2000).
For their services to the Royal Air Force they were each awarded a KGCB and a CBE, the latter honour being accorded to 3 others. One OBE was bestowed and 3 AFCs.
The Entry’s total commissioned service was in the order of 1020 years.
Since graduation the Entry has lost the following 12 :
In operational flying accidents (both also mid-airs):
Johnny Hulland (Canberra in Germany) on 15 Jan 62 and Ewan Perreaux (Red Arrows Gnat at Kemble) on 20 Jan 71
And through natural causes:
Ewan Hunter: 03 Jan 87 Bob Gardner: 15 Jun 91 Mike O’Herlihy: 06 Oct 99 Steve Howells: 05 Sep 06 Paul Billinge: 03 Feb 11
Mike Porter: 13 Aug 11 Peter Maitland: 21 Mar 13 Brian Potter: 18 Oct 13 John Horsfall: 09 Jul 15 Frank Styles 20 Aug 16
Tony Pearson 17 Nov 2020
Which leaves 27 survivors. With the addition of those that commissioned elsewhere together with “Associate” Members ie mostly those that did not graduate nor commission at all (including an Emeritus Professor of a renowned University) the total on the cards for Entry Reunions totals 37 – 1 living in Australia, 2 in the United States, 1 in Italy.
So representative of that continuing contact:


RIP
Martin Johnson 8 September 2017
Ian Weddle 2 April 2018
Tony Maxwell 25 Sept 2018

Jack Holt



Air Cdre D. F Spotswood CBE, DSO DFC ADC
General Sir Francis Festing GCB KBE DSO ADC

CS Parkin, D Lawrence, MJ Porter, PJ Symes, C Green, D Herd and VB Howells.
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1959