Air Vice Marshal Air vice-marshal (AVM) is a two-star air officer rank which originated in and continues to be used by the Royal Air Force. The rank is also used by the air forces of many countries which have historical British influence and it is sometimes u ...

Sir Alan Hunter Cachemaille Boxer, (1 December 1916 – 26 April 1998) was a senior Royal Air Force officer.

Early life

Boxer was born in

Hastings, New Zealand Hastings (; mi, Heretaunga) is an inland city of New Zealand and is one of the two major urban areas in Hawke's Bay, on the east coast of the North Island. The population of Hastings (including Flaxmere) is (as of with a further people in H ...

, on 1 December 1916, and was educated at Nelson College from 1927 to 1935.''Nelson College Old Boys' Register, 1856–2006'', 6th edition

RAF career

Boxer joined the Royal Air Force in January 1939 and saw service during the Second World War as a pilot with No. 161 Squadron at RAF Tempsford, as a flight commander with No. 138 Squadron and then as Commanding Officer of No. 161 Squadron from 1943.Air of Authority – A History of RAF Organisation – Air Vice-Marshal Sir Alan Boxer
/ref> He continued his war service on the staff in the Directorate of Intelligence at the Air Ministry from September 1943 and then on the staff at Headquarters

RAF Bomber Command RAF Bomber Command controlled the Royal Air Force's bomber forces from 1936 to 1968. Along with the United States Army Air Forces, it played the central role in the strategic bombing of Germany in World War II. From 1942 onward, the British bo ...

from February 1945. Boxer remained in the Royal Air Force after the war. Boxer flew B-29s over Korea while on secondment to the USAF.Newton, Dennis ''Kiwis over Korea'' article ''Fly Past'' magazine February 2006 pp. 61–2 He became Officer Commanding No. 7 Squadron in 1956, Station Commander at RAF Wittering in 1958 and Group Captain responsible for Plans at Headquarters Bomber Command in 1959. He went on to be Senior Air Staff Officer at Headquarters No. 1 Group in 1963, Senior Air Staff Officer at Headquarters RAF Bomber Command in 1965 and

Defence Services Secretary The Defence Services Secretary is a senior member of the Royal Household of the Sovereign of the United Kingdom. Responsibilities The Defence Services Secretary is the senior member of the Royal Household responsible for liaison between the Sover ...

in 1967 before retiring in 1970.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Boxer, Alan 1916 births 1998 deaths New Zealand Companions of the Distinguished Service Order New Zealand Companions of the Order of the Bath New Zealand Knights Commander of the Royal Victorian Order People educated at Nelson College People from Hastings, New Zealand Recipients of the Distinguished Flying Cross (United Kingdom) Recipients of the Air Medal Royal Air Force air marshals Royal Air Force pilots of World War II Recipients of the Silver Cross of the Virtuti Militari