Squadron Leader honoured by the Queen

8:07pm Sunday 13th July 2008

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A former Hove schoolboy who led a Royal Air Force squadron on operations in Iraq and Afghanistan has been honoured by the Queen.

Squadron Leader Tony Brown became an MBE in the Queen's Birthday Honours list.

Sqn Ldr Brown, 36, who went to Blatchington Mill and BHASVIC, commanded 51 Squadron RAF Regiment for two years. In that time the squadron, based at RAF Lossiemouth in Scotland, served in Basra in Iraq in 2006 and at the Nato base at Kandahar in Afghanistan last year.

The dangers were brought home when one of the gunners under Sqn Ldr Brown was killed in action and two others were wounded during their six-month stint in Afghanistan.

Sqn Ldr Brown was praised for displaying inspirational leadership during the deployment.

He said: "I'm obviously extremely pleased to receive the honour but it is very much an honour for all the officers and men of 51 Squadron RAF Regiment as without their inspirational endeavour and sheer hard work we would not have been so successful.

"The squadron was very much a team, including the support of all the families, without whom we would not achieve nearly as much.

"The squadron collectively performed magnificently and I remain extremely proud of them."

Sqn Ldr Brown left 176 (Hove) Squadron Air Training Corps to join the RAF at the age of 18. His most recent posting is to Cyprus where he is serving as the military assistant to the Commander of British Forces Cyprus.

When he returns to Britain, he can look forward to a trip to Buckingham Palace, perhaps with his mother Vanessa Brown, deputy leader of Brighton and Hove City Council.