Christopher Foxley - Norris Air Chief Marshal Sir Christopher Neil Foxley - Norris GCB , DSO , OBE , FRSA ( 1917 – 2003 ) was a squadron commander during World War II and , later , the RAF ' s commander - in - chief in Germany . Early life . Foxley - Norris was educated at Winchester College and then Trinity College , Oxford where he read Law . He joined the Oxford University Air Squadron in 1936 . Foxley - Norris was awarded a Harmsworth scholarship ( worth £200 ) to read for the Bar . However , the outbreak of war prevented him from taking his final exams . The Bar Council requested the money back , but Foxley - Norris made an arrangement with them that he would leave it to them in his will . His father had served in the First World War and had been gassed at Loos in 1915 ; he died in 1923 of cancer . His grandfather , William Foxley Norris , had been the Dean of Westminster . Second World War . Foxley - Norris was commissioned in the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve after graduating and was called up for active service in 1939 . He undertook initial flying training at No . 9 Flying Training School at RAF Hullavington and completed the training at No 1 School of Army Co - operation . His first posting on completion of the training was to No . 13 Squadron RAF flying Lysanders in the Battle of France . Following the fall of France and the start of the Battle of Britain , the need for Army Co - operation pilots was greatly reduced whilst that for fighter pilots was increased . As such , Foxley - Norris was posted to No . 3 Squadron flying Hurricanes from RAF Turnhouse . He was awarded the Distinguished Service Order for his actions - published in the " London Gazette " on 29 May 1945 : Post - war RAF career . After the war , Foxley - Norris became Station Commander at RAF Stradishall and then at RAF West Malling . He undertook the Senior Officers ' War Course at the Royal Naval College at Greenwich and a course at the Imperial Defence College ( now the Royal College of Defence Studies ) in Belgrave Square in 1961 . He went on to be Director of Organisation at the Air Ministry in 1962 , Assistant Chief of the Defence Staff in 1963 and Air Officer Commanding No . 224 Group in 1964 . He was appointed Director - General of RAF Organisation at the newly unified Ministry of Defence in 1967 . He was promoted to Air Marshal and took command of RAF Germany and of the 2nd Tactical Air Force in 1968 . Foxley - Norris was knighted in the 1969 New Year Honours . His final post , with the rank of Air Chief Marshal , was Chief of Personnel and Logistics in 1971 . He retired from active service in 1974 . Foxley - Norris was one of the umpires for the 1974 on Operation Sea Lion . UK pro - smoking lobby organisation FOREST was launched on 19 June 1979 , with Foxley - Norris as its chairman . Foxley - Norris retired as the organisation ' s public figurehead in 1989 , and was replaced by Lord Harris of High Cross . Family . Foxley - Norris married Joan ( née Lovell Hughes now Lady Foxley - Norris ) in 1948 . They had no children . Joan served as a nurse during the war , and worked with injured pilots . His widow survives him and takes his place at the many Battle of Britain events which are held . She is also a regular visitor to RAF Benson . His funeral took place at St Mary Devoted at Turville , near Stokenchurch , on 7 October 2003 . Memorial services were held at Westminster Abbey on 29 January 2004 and at St . Clement Danes , the Central Church of the Royal Air Force , London in April 2004 . Bibliography .