Air Vice Marshal John Maurice Maynard Ponsonby, OBE 1955-2022

 Air Vice Marshal John Ponsonby, OBE, who has died aged 67, was a scion of the Barons De Mauley.

John Maurice Maynard Ponsonby was born 8 August, 1955, son of Myles Walter Ponsonby (1924-1999), and his wife the former Ann Veronica Theresa Maynard; and married 1980, Marie Jose Antoinette Van Huizen-Husselson, by whom he had issue, a son, Luke (born 1986), and two daughters, Charlotte (born 1982), and Francesca (born 1986).

Ponsonby was commissioned into the Royal Air Force in April 1983 as a pilot, after nine years service as an infantry in the British Army. On 10 April 1983, he was appointed to a permanent commission and promoted to flight lieutenant with seniority from 10 March 1980.On 1 July 1988, he was promoted to squadron leader, and then to wing commander on 1 January 1994. As a group captain, he was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire in the 1999 New Year Honours, and was made an aide-de-camp to Queen Elizabeth II on 1 August 2001. He relinquished this appointment on 3 May 2002,being promoted to air commodore on 1 July that year. Ponsonby was also awarded the Queen's Commendation for Valuable Service in the 2002 Operational Honours List "in recognition of gallant and distinguished services in Northern Ireland during the period 1 October 2001 to 31 March 2002". He was promoted to his final rank of air vice marshal on 4 January 2005.

He has served as a support helicopter pilot throughout his career, and as a helicopter and tactics instructor. He commanded No. 78 Squadron in the Falkland Islands, No. 27 Squadron in the UK, the Support Helicopter Force in Bosnia and RAF Aldergrove/Joint Helicopter Force in Northern Ireland.

He has held staff appointments at group, command and ministry level, including as deputy principal staff officer to the Chief of the Defence Staff (General Sir Charles Guthrie), and most recently as air officer plans at Headquarters Strike Command. He was a graduate of the RAF Staff College and the Joint Service Command and Staff College. He was appointed air officer commanding Training Group on 4 January 2005 and became air officer commanding No. 22 (Training) Group on 30 October 2006.

The 2nd Baron De Mauley > Hon Edwin Ponsonby > Victor Coope Ponsonby > Myles Walter Ponsonby > John Maurice Maynard Ponsonby

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