The Royal Air Force Chaplains Branch provides

military chaplain A military chaplain ministers to military personnel and, in most cases, their families and civilians working for the military. In some cases they will also work with local civilians within a military area of operations. Although the term '' ...

s for the

Royal Air Force The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the United Kingdom's air and space force. It was formed towards the end of the First World War on 1 April 1918, becoming the first independent air force in the world, by regrouping the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) an ...

of the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the European mainland, continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...

Mission

The Mission of the Royal Air Force Chaplains Branch is to serve the RAF Community through: Prayer, Presence and Proclamation. The motto of the branch ''Ministrare Non Ministrari'' translates as ''..To serve, not to be served'' and is derived from Mark chapter 10: verse 45.

History

The Reverend Harry Viener was invested as the first Chaplain-in-Chief on 11 October 1918 with the Chaplaincy branch officially established in December 1918. Reverend Viener had been a Naval Chaplain and was 'lent' to the Air Force by the Admiralty. A Chaplaincy school was established at Magdalene College, Cambridge University in November 1943 with the motto of 'Truth'. The Chaplaincy School was moved to Dowdeswell Court in Gloucestershire in February 1945. Thereafter it moved to

Amport House Amport House is a country house near the village of Amport, Andover, Hampshire, England. It is a Grade II listed building. The house was built in 1857 by John Paulet, 14th Marquess of Winchester. After being requisitioned during the Second Worl ...

in Hampshire in December 1961. In September 2016, the Ministry of Defence announced that Amport House would be put up for sale as part of a programme of defence estate rationalisation. A Better Defence Estate, published in November 2016, indicated that the Armed Forces Chaplaincy would close by 2020, which it subsequently did, to be relocated to Shrivenham, near Swindon.

Training

RAF chaplains and candidates receive training at the Armed Forces Chaplaincy Centre, this was located at

until 2020.

Endorsing authorities

To serve in the Chaplains Branch, chaplains and candidates must be endorsed by a religious body. RAF commissioned chaplains are accepted from the various Christian denominations. The British military forces are also served by "tri-service chaplains" from other world faiths, including Buddhist, Hindu, Muslim, and Sikh. The RAF also has an honorary Jewish chaplain, Rabbi Malcolm Weisman, who holds the position of Senior Jewish Chaplain to HM Forces.
RAF Chaplains Branch official website. Retrieved 2 February 2015. In 2018, the first Sikh and Muslim military chaplains to join the British armed forces passed out from the

Royal Air Force College Cranwell The Royal Air Force College (RAFC) is the Royal Air Force military academy which provides initial training to all RAF personnel who are preparing to become commissioned officers. The College also provides initial training to aircrew cadets and ...

to join the RAF Chaplain's Branch.

Noncombatant status

:''See: ''

Chaplain-in-Chief

The RAF Chaplains Branch is led by a Chaplain-in-Chief.About Us: Welcome
webpage. RAF Chaplains Branch official website. Retrieved 10 September 2010. Harry Viener was the first ''Chaplain-in-Chief''. When the Chaplain-in-Chief is an Anglican, he or she is also the ''

Archdeacon for the Royal Air Force The most senior Anglican chaplain in each branch of the British Armed Forces (Royal Navy, British Army, and Royal Air Force) is made an archdeacon in the Church of England. Respectively they are titled the Archdeacon for the Royal Navy, the Archde ...

'' – otherwise, the most senior Anglican chaplain takes that title along with that of ''Principal Anglican Chaplain''. *11 October 1918 – 1926: Harry Viener *25 October 1926 – 1930: Robert Hanson *11 December 1930 – 11 December 1933: Sidney Clarke *11 December 1933 – 10 April 1940: James Walkey *10 April 1940 – 1944:

Maurice Edwards Maurice Henry Edwards, OBE (17 May 1886 – 26 April 1961) was a British Anglican priest. During World War II, from 1940 to 1944, he was Chaplain-in-Chief of the Royal Air Force. Early life Edwards was born on 17 May 1886. He was educated ...

*1944–1949: John Jagoe *31 March 1949 – 1953: Leslie Wright *17 April 1953 – 1959:

Alan Giles Alan James Giles OBE is a British businessman and currently a non-executive director of the Competition and Markets Authority. He is also a non-executive director of Rentokil Initial plc and a member of OFT's Audit and Risk Remuneration committe ...

*19 March 1959 – 1965:

Francis Cocks Francis William Cocks, (5 November 1913 – 20 August 1998) was a British Anglican bishop and military chaplain. He was the Bishop of Shrewsbury from 1970 to 1980. Early life and education Cocks was born on 5 November 1913 into an ecclesiastic ...

(first ''Archdeacon for the RAF'') *13 March 1965 – 1969

Wilfred Payton Wilfred Richard Daniel Payton (3 February 1882 – 2 May 1943) was an English first-class cricketer who played for Nottinghamshire County Cricket Club Nottinghamshire County Cricket Club is one of eighteen first-class county clubs wit ...

*14 March 1969 – 1973: Leonard Ashton *3 June 1973 – 1980:

Hewitt Wilson The Venerable (John) Hewitt Wilson CB, MA (14 February 1924 – 29 June 2008) was an eminent Anglican priest in the second half of the 20th century. He was born on 14 February 1924 and educated at Kilkenny College and Trinity College, Dublin. ...

*28 June 1980 – 1983 Herbert Stuart *1983–1988:

Glyndwr Renowden The Venerable Glyndwr Rhys Renowden CB (13 August 1929 – 17 August 2002) was an eminent Anglican priest in the second half of the 20th century. Biography He was born into an ecclesiastical family on 13 August 1929. He was educated at Llan ...

*30 June 1988 – 1991:

Brian Halfpenny Brian Norman Halfpenny, CB, QHC, FRSA (born 7 June 1936) is a British Anglican priest and retired military chaplain. From 1988 to 1991, he served as Chaplain-in-Chief, and thereby head of the Royal Air Force Chaplains Branch, and Archdeacon ...

*26 July 1991 – 1995:

Brian Lucas Brian Humphrey Lucas (born 20 January 1940) is a British Anglican priest and retired military chaplain. From 1991 to 1995, he served as Chaplain-in-Chief, and thereby head of the Royal Air Force Chaplains Branch, and Archdeacon for the Royal Ai ...

*26 August 1995 – 1998: Robin Turner *1998–2001:

Peter Bishop Peter Bishop is a fictional character of the Fox television series ''Fringe''. He is portrayed by Joshua Jackson. Fictional character biography Peter Bishop was born in 1978, in the alternate universe, to parents Walter Bishop, also known as "W ...

*21 September 2001 – 2006:

Ron Hesketh Ronald David Hesketh, (born 16 June 1947) is a British Anglican priest and retired military chaplain. From 2001 to 2006, he served as Chaplain-in-Chief, and thereby head of the Royal Air Force Chaplains Branch, and Archdeacon for the Royal Air ...

*20062009: Peter Mills ''(

Church of Scotland The Church of Scotland ( sco, The Kirk o Scotland; gd, Eaglais na h-Alba) is the national church in Scotland. The Church of Scotland was principally shaped by John Knox, in the Scottish Reformation, Reformation of 1560, when it split from t ...

)'' **Archdeacons for the Royal Air Force: ***2006 onwards:

Ray Pentland Raymond Jackson Pentland, (born 14 July 1957) is a British Church of England priest. He is a retired military chaplain, having served as Chaplain-in-Chief of the Royal Air Force and head of its Chaplains Branch from 2009 to 2014. Early life ...

Who's Who 2012 – PENTLAND, Raymond Jackson
/ref>RAF Chaplains – Ven Ray Pentland
(Retrieved 7 June 2012) *1 October 2009July 2014 (ret.): Ray Pentland *July 2014July 2018: Jonathan Chaffey *July 20182022 (ret.): John Ellis *2022present: Giles Legood

World faith chaplains

The Royal Air Force Chaplains Branch has 5 world faith chaplains as of October 2021: *

Flt Lt Flight lieutenant is a junior commissioned rank in air forces that use the Royal Air Force (RAF) system of ranks, especially in Commonwealth countries. It has a NATO rank code of OF-2. Flight lieutenant is abbreviated as Flt Lt in the India ...

. Mandeep Kaur (Sikh) *Mr Krishan Attri (Hindu) *

Sqn Ldr Squadron leader (Sqn Ldr in the RAF ; SQNLDR in the RAAF and RNZAF; formerly sometimes S/L in all services) is a commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many countries which have historical British influence. It is also ...

. Imam Ali Omar (Muslim) *Dr Sunil Kariyakarawana (Buddhist) *Rabbi Reuben Livingstone CF (Jewish)

Central Church of the Royal Air Force

St Clement Danes Church St Clement Danes is an Anglican church in the City of Westminster, London. It is situated outside the Royal Courts of Justice on the Strand. Although the first church on the site was reputedly founded in the 9th century by the Danes, the current ...

is the Central Church of the Royal Air Force located in the

City of Westminster The City of Westminster is a city and borough in Inner London. It is the site of the United Kingdom's Houses of Parliament and much of the British government. It occupies a large area of central Greater London, including most of the West En ...

, London. For generations, members of the Royal Air Force family have enjoyed services of Holy Matrimony and Baptisms. Memorial and funeral serves have taken special place. These remain a strong feature today. The church holds the Books of Remembrance to all those who have died in service in the Royal Air Force. The Friends of St Clement Danes support the work and ministry of the Central Church of the Royal Air Force. The Friend’s Patron-in-Chief is

Prince Richard, Duke of Gloucester Prince Richard, Duke of Gloucester, (Richard Alexander Walter George; born 26 August 1944) is a member of the British royal family. He is the second son of Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester and Princess Alice, Duchess of Gloucester, as well ...

. The Resident Chaplain is The Reverend Mark Perry 2022 - present https://stclementdanesraf.org/st-clement-danes-church-resident-chaplain-air-marshall-alan-gillespie// RAF St Clement Danes official website. Retrieved 22 August 2022.

Gallery

RAF Padre Phil.jpg, A padre in combat uniform Archbishop of Canterbury with military chaplains (Ray Pentland cropped).jpg,

in service dress

Footnotes

Bibliography

External links

RAF Chaplains
official website
Careers: Jobs: Chaplain
RAF Careers official website
RAF MOD St Clement Danes Church
RAF MOD official website for St Clement Danes
St Clement Danes Church
RAF St Clement Danes official website {{RAF Chaplains-in-Chief RAF Chaplain Military chaplains Military in Hampshire Religion in the military Religion in the United Kingdom Military units and formations established in 1918 Test Valley 1918 establishments in the United Kingdom