John Ellis (chaplain)

Air Vice-Marshal John Raymond Ellis, CB, QHC (born 3 November 1963) is a British Anglican priest and former police officer. Between July 2018 and July 2022 he served as Chaplain-in-Chief of the Royal Air Force Chaplains Branch and Archdeacon for the Royal Air Force. He had worked as a police officer and then in parish ministry in the Diocese of St Edmundsbury and Ipswich from 1997, before joining the Royal Air Force Chaplains Branch in 2004.

The Venerable

John Ellis

CB QHC
Ellis in 2018
Born (1963-11-03) 3 November 1963
Republic of Malta
AllegianceUnited Kingdom
Service/branchRoyal Air Force
Years of service2004–2022
RankAir Vice-Marshal
Commands heldRoyal Air Force Chaplains Branch
Battles/warsIraq War
War in Afghanistan
AwardsCompanion of the Order of the Bath
Spouse(s)
Amanda
​
(m. 1985)​

Early life and education

Ellis was born on 3 November 1963 in Malta. He was educated at Hamond's Grammar School in Swaffham, Norfolk, England: the school became a comprehensive school as Hamond's High School while he was there. He worked as a police constable with Suffolk Constabulary from 1983 to 1995.[1]

Ordained ministry

Having trained for Holy Orders at St Stephen's House, Oxford, he was ordained in the Church of England as a deacon in 1997 and as a priest in 1998.[2][3] From 1997 to 2000, he served his curacy in the multi-church benefice of Clare in the Diocese of St Edmundsbury and Ipswich.[4] Then, from 2000 to 2002, he was priest-in-charge of St John's and St George's, Bury St Edmunds, two Anglo-Catholic churches in the town.[5][6] In 2002, the churches merged with a neighbouring church to form one benefice, and he became team vicar of All Saints with St John's and St George's, Bury St Edmunds.[4]

Military service

Following training,[7] he was commissioned into the Royal Air Force Chaplains Branch on 5 August 2004.[8] He then served as chaplain to several RAF stations, and served tours in Iraq and Afghanistan.[7] He was promoted to the relative rank of squadron leader on 5 August 2006,[9] and to the relative rank of wing commander on 1 January 2011.[10] He then served as Joint Force Senior Chaplain in Afghanistan.[7] He was promoted to the relative rank of group captain on 23 March 2015.[11] He then served as Deputy Chaplain-in-Chief (Personnel) and was based at Headquarters Air Command.[7]

From 2017 to 2018, Ellis attended the Royal College of Defence Studies.[5] On 23 July 2018, he was appointed Chaplain in Chief (head of the RAF Chaplains Branch) and promoted to the relative rank of air vice-marshal.[12][13] As the most senior Anglican chaplain, he also served as Archdeacon for the Royal Air Force.[5] In December 2018, he was made an honorary canon of Lincoln Cathedral.[14] He retired from the RAF in July 2022.[15]

Personal life

In 1985, Ellis married Amanda. Together they have one son and one daughter.[5]

Honours

In 2017, Ellis was made an Honorary Chaplain to the Queen (QHC).[5] In 2019, he was awarded the Royal Air Force Long Service and Good Conduct Medal.[16] He is also a recipient of the Operational Service Medal for Afghanistan, the Iraq Medal, and Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal.[7] He was appointed a Companion of the Order of the Bath in the 2022 Birthday Honours.[17]

References
  1. "Ellis, John Raymond". Who's Who. Vol. 2019 (1 December 2018 online ed.). A & C Black. Retrieved 6 January 2019. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
  2. "John Raymond Ellis". Crockford's Clerical Directory (online ed.). Church House Publishing. Retrieved 8 August 2018.
  3. "Address by The Reverend (Group Captain) John Ellis RAF Deputy Chaplain in Chief" (PDF). Welbeck Defence Sixth Form College. 8 July 2017. Retrieved 8 August 2018.
  4. "John Raymond Ellis". Crockford's Clerical Directory (online ed.). Church House Publishing. Retrieved 4 June 2021.
  5. "Ellis, Ven. John Raymond, (born 3 Nov. 1963), Director General Chaplaincy Services, Headquarters Air Command, and Chaplain-in-Chief and Archdeacon, Royal Air Force, since 2018". Who's Who 2021. Oxford University Press. 1 December 2020. Retrieved 4 June 2021.
  6. "Bury St Edmunds St John the Evangelist". Explore Churches. Retrieved 4 June 2021.
  7. "Chaplain in Chief and Archdeacon for the Royal Air Force: The Venerable (Air Vice-Marshal) John R Ellis QHC RAF". Royal Air Force. Retrieved 4 June 2021.
  8. "No. 57453". The London Gazette (Supplement). 2 November 2004. p. 13824.
  9. "No. 58076". The London Gazette (Supplement). 22 August 2006. p. 11475.
  10. "No. 59692". The London Gazette (Supplement). 8 February 2011. p. 2150.
  11. "No. 61245". The London Gazette (Supplement). 2 June 2015. p. 10085.
  12. "No. 62375". The London Gazette (Supplement). 7 August 2018. p. 14040.
  13. "Senior Appointments". Royal Air Force. 21 June 2018. Retrieved 8 August 2018.
  14. "Appointments". Church Times. 21 December 2018. Retrieved 4 June 2021. ELLIS. The Ven. John Ellis, Chaplain-in-Chief of the RAF (Royal Air Force Chaplaincy Service), now also Hon. Canon of Lincoln Cathedral (Lincoln).
  15. "Appointments". Church Times. No. 8314. 22 July 2022. p. 23. ISSN 0009-658X. Retrieved 6 October 2022.
  16. "No. 62797". The London Gazette (Supplement). 15 October 2019. p. 18451.
  17. "No. 63714". The London Gazette (Supplement). 1 June 2022. p. B3.
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