Peter Terry

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Sir Peter Terry
Born(1926-10-18)18 October 1926
Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath
Air Force Cross
Other workGovernor of Gibraltar (1985–89)

GCB, AFC (18 October 1926 – 19 December 2017)[1] was a senior Royal Air Force commander who held a number of high-level British and NATO posts. Terry was Governor of Gibraltar
from 1985 to 1989.

Royal Air Force career

Terry joined the Royal Air Force in the ranks as an

El Adem and Tobruk
in March 1970.

Terry was appointed the Assistant Chief of Staff in the Plans and Policy Division of the

RAF Germany. Following promotion to air chief marshal,[7] he was appointed Deputy Supreme Allied Commander Europe at SHAPE on 9 April 1981. Terry remained as Deputy SACEUR until 16 July 1984 and he retired from the RAF several months later.[8]

Governor of Gibraltar

Terry was Governor of Gibraltar from 19 November 1985 to December 1989.[9] During his tenure as governor, Terry authorised the Special Air Service (SAS) to pursue Provisional IRA members as part of Operation Flavius, which the European Court of Human Rights would find had been in violation of Article 2 of the European Convention on Human Rights

IRA shooting

On 18 September 1990 the Provisional Irish Republican Army attempted to kill Terry at his home in Main Road, Milford, Staffordshire. The attack took place at 9 pm, while Terry was sitting reading. The shooter(s) opened fire through a window, hitting him at least nine times. His wife, Betty, Lady Terry, was also shot and injured, near her eye.[10] The couple's daughter, Liz, was found suffering from shock. Terry's face had to be rebuilt as the shots shattered his face and two high-velocity bullets lodged a fraction of an inch from his brain.[11] The then prime minister, Margaret Thatcher, said that she "was utterly appalled and deeply grieved" by the shooting.[12]

Honours

In 1983 Terry was made as a

Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath.[15]

Later life and death

In later life, Terry and his wife moved to Stoke Mandeville in Buckinghamshire.[16] He was a strong supporter of his local church and also a keen golfer until his old leg wound began to give him trouble and restrict his mobility.[14] Terry died on 19 December 2017, aged 91. He is survived by his wife Betty, daughter Liz, and son Stephen.[16]

References

  1. ^ "Index Ta-Ti".
  2. ^ "No. 37758". The London Gazette (Supplement). 11 October 1946. p. 5086.
  3. ^ "No. 38035". The London Gazette (Supplement). 1 August 1947. p. 3670.
  4. ^ "No. 40998". The London Gazette (Supplement). 8 February 1957. p. 971.
  5. ^ "No. 46526". The London Gazette (Supplement). 25 March 1975. p. 3973.
  6. ^ Air of Authority – A History of RAF Organisation – Air Council Appointments Archived 10 October 2007 at the Wayback Machine
  7. ^ "No. 48547". The London Gazette (Supplement). 9 March 1981. p. 3444.
  8. ^ "No. 49939". The London Gazette (Supplement). 26 November 1984. p. 16026.
  9. ^ Michael Brufal. "Governors of Gibraltar (1945 onwards)". rockjottings.com. Archived from the original on 28 September 2007. Retrieved 9 May 2007.
  10. ^ Rule, Sheila (20 September 1990). "I.R.A. Raid Wounds an Ex-British Aide". The New York Times. New York City. Retrieved 7 December 2012.
  11. ^ "IRA gun attack on ex Governor". westmidlands.com. Retrieved 9 May 2007.
  12. ^ "Remarks condemning IRA attack on Sir Peter Terry ("deeply grieved")". MargaretThatcher.org. Retrieved 10 May 2007.
  13. ^ Who's Who 1985,page 1900
  14. ^ a b Air Chief Marshal Sir Peter Terry - obituary
  15. bbc.co.uk
    . 17 May 2006. Retrieved 26 December 2017.
  16. ^ a b Obituary – Air Chief Marshal Sir Peter Terry
Military offices
Preceded by Assistant Chief of Staff (Plans and Policy Division)
Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe
1975–1977 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Vice-Chief of the Air Staff
1977–1979 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Commander-in-Chief RAF Germany
Also Commander of the Second Tactical Air Force
1979–1981 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Deputy Commander-in-Chief
Allied Forces Central Europe

1981 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Deputy Supreme Allied Commander Europe
With Günter Luther (to 1982), Günter Kießling (1982–84) and Hans-Joachim Mack (1984)
1981–1984 		Succeeded by
Government offices
Preceded by Governor of Gibraltar
1985–1989 		Succeeded by
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Peter_Terry&oldid=1176303067"