Edward Gordon Jones Air Marshal Sir Edward ( " Tap " ) Gordon Jones KCB , CBE , DSO , DFC ( 31 August 1914 – 20 February 2007 ) was an officer in the Royal Air Force for 34 years , from 1935 to 1969 . He commanded a squadron of obsolescent biplane Gladiator fighters during the Greek Campaign in the Second World War , where he shot down five Italian Fiat CR . 42 fighters . He served in mainly operational posts in Europe until he retired in 1969 . Unusually , he never served a post in the Air Ministry or the UK Ministry of Defence . Early life . Jones was born in Widnes , the third of four sons of Lt . Col . Dr Albert Jones DSO , MC . His father was the borough medical officer . Jones spent time in India as a child , where his brothers nicknamed him " Doolally Tap " ( meaning " slightly mad " ) . He retained the nickname " Tap " for the rest of his life . After grammar school , he studied medicine at Liverpool University , where he met his future wife . His three brothers all became doctors , like their father , but Jones soon switched to veterinary science . He was a keen sportsman , representing Liverpool University and Lancashire at rugby union . He also enjoyed shooting and the outdoor life , but he showed little interest in his studies . RAF . Edward joined the RAF in 1935 . He trained as a pilot at Netheravon and joined " B " Flight of No . 17 Squadron in Kenley , flying Gauntlet fighters . His flight was detached to form No . 80 Squadron in March 1937 , which flew the Gladiator , the RAF ' s last biplane fighter . As a Pilot Officer , he was its adjutant from May 1937 . He also played rugby for the RAF . Promoted to Flying Officer , his squadron deployed to Egypt in April 1938 . He became commander of " A " Flight of No . 80 Squadron in March 1940 , while he was based in Amriya in Egypt . Second World War . After Italy declared war on the United Kingdom and France on 10 June 1940 , Jones took charge of a flight armed with modern Hurricane fighters . He took charge of a flight of Gladiator when it moved to Trikala in central Greece in November 1940 . He was in action within days , engaging a formation of more modern Fiat CR . 42 fighters , also biplanes , of the Italian Regia Aeronautica to the north of Yanina . He shot down one on 27 November , then two more the next day over Delvinakion , but was injured in the dogfight and spent a month recovering from a bullet wound in his neck . He returned to duty on 21 December , and took command of No . 80 Squadron on 27 December , after its commander , Squadron Leader Bill Hickey , was killed in action . Jones shot down two further Fiats on 28 February 1941 , and was awarded an immediate DFC . He also received a DFC from the Greek government . After leave in Egypt , Jones returned to No . 80 Squadron . It had been re - equipped with modern Hurricane fighter s shortly before Germany invaded Greece on 6 April 1941 . His battered squadron withdrew to Crete , then back to Egypt . Finally , it moved to RAF Aqir in Palestine to regroup , where it fought against the Vichy French in Syria . He left No . 80 Squadron in 1942 , and was awarded the DSO . He spent a year with the Rhodesian Air Training Group , then took command of the RAF fighter base at Hawkinge in Kent . He was promoted to Acting Group Captain in May 1943 , and joined the staff preparing tactical fighter operations for D - Day . His group , No . 83 Group , transferred to France shortly after D - Day , and moved eastwards with the front line . He was appointed OBE in December 1944 , when he returned to operational duties , taking command of No . 121 Wing with its four squadrons of Typhoon fighters , based at Volkel in the Netherlands . Post - war career . Jones had a succession of mainly operational appointments in Europe after the War . Unusually , he never served a post in the Air Ministry or the Ministry of Defence . He served at the School of Land / Air Warfare , and then commanded a jet flying school . He was appointed CBE in 1956 . He served at the Headquarters of the Second Tactical Air Force and with the Air Task Force during the Suez Crisis . He took command of RAF Wyton in 1957 , the home base of the RAF ' s strategic reconnaissance forces . He was promoted to Acting Air Commodore in January 1959 , and took command of the Central Reconnaissance Establishment . He was appointed CB in 1960 . He commanded RAF forces in Germany from 1961 to 1963 , then spent two years as Senior RAF Officer at the Imperial Defence College . He took command of air forces in Malta as Deputy Commander - in - Chief ( Air ) of Allied Forces in the Mediterranean in 1965 . He was promoted to Air Marshal in November 1966 , and took up the position of Air Officer Commanding - in - Chief Near East Air Force ( including responsibility for British Forces Cyprus and Administration of the Sovereign Base Areas ) . He was appointed KCB in 1967 and retired from the RAF in August 1969 . He continued to enjoy sport in his retirement . Family . He married Margery Thurston Hatfield in 1938 . His wife died in 2002 . He was survived by their two sons .