Christopher Coville

Air Marshal Sir Christopher Charles Cotton Coville, KCB FRAeS (born 2 June 1945) is a British retired senior Royal Air Force commander.[1]

Sir Christopher Coville
Birth name	Christopher Charles Cotton Coville
Born	(1945-06-02) 2 June 1945 Liverpool, England
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Service/branch	Royal Air Force
Years of service	1964–2003
Rank	Air Marshal
Commands held	Personnel and Training Command Training Units RAF Coningsby No. 111 (Fighter) Squadron
Awards	Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath

Early life and education

Coville was born in Liverpool to Henry Coville and Anna Moss. He was educated at De La Salle Grammar School for Boys in Liverpool, followed by Royal Air Force College Cranwell and Open University.[1]

RAF career

Coville joined the Royal Air Force in 1964, at the height of the Cold War.[2] Early in his career he flew Lightnings and F4 Phantoms.[2] He assumed command of No. 111 (Fighter) Squadron in 1983,[3] and then became Group Captain Air at Headquarters No. 11 Group.[2] In 1986 he became Station Commander at RAF Coningsby,[4] where he flew Tornado F3 and displayed Hurricanes and Spitfires on the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight.[2] Promoted to air vice marshal, he became Air Officer Commanding Training Units in 1992, Assistant Chief of Defence Staff Operational Requirements (Air Systems) in 1994 and Deputy Commander-in-Chief, Allied Forces Central Europe in 1998.[2] In 2000 his NATO command was absorbed into the Regional Headquarters Allied Forces North Europe of which Coville became the Deputy Commander-in-Chief.[5] In March 2001 he became the Air Member for Personnel and Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief Personnel and Training Command.[2] He retired in 2003.[2]

Coville was appointed a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath in the 2000 New Year Honours.[2]

In retirement he was appointed Chairman of Westland Helicopters.[2]

Personal life

He married Irene Johnson in 1967, and they have one son and two daughters.[2][1]

References

1. Mosley, Charles, ed. (2003). Burke's Peerage, Baronetage & Knighthood (107 ed.). Burke's Peerage & Gentry. p. 933. ISBN 0-9711966-2-1.
2. Speakers Archived 11 September 2011 at the Wayback Machine Bridge Cruises
3. About the Author: "Coville, C. (2007) Target – The Queen, Canada: Trafford Publishing
4. Air of Authority – A History of RAF Organisation – RAF Station Commanders – Lincolnshire and East Midlands
5. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 18 February 2012. Retrieved 28 May 2012.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)

Military offices
Preceded by M B Elsam	Station Commander RAF Coningsby 1986 – c. 1988	Succeeded by Martin Widdowson
Preceded by Sir Michael Stear	Deputy Commander-in-Chief Allied Forces Central Europe 1998–2000	None (Command absorbed into Regional HQ Allied Forces North Europe)
Preceded by Sir John Day	Commander-in-Chief Personnel and Training Command Air Member for Personnel 2001–2003	Succeeded by Sir Joe French