He fought in the Second World War as a flying boat pilot and then as a coastal reconnaissance squadron commander during Operation Torch, the invasion of North Africa.

As the Chief of the Air Staff in the early 1970s he had a major role in implementing the defence savings demanded by the Heath Government in the face of economic difficulties at the time.

[2] He decided to change career and joined the Royal Air Force, being commissioned as an acting pilot officer on 14 April 1936[3] and, after completing flying training, he was confirmed in the appointment on 6 January 1937.

[5] He was sent on an exchange posting to the Tactical Operations Plans Branch at Headquarters United States Air Force in June 1952,[5] and having been promoted to group captain on 1 January 1954,[20] he became Station Commander at RAF Linton-on-Ouse in August 1954.

[5] He went on to be deputy director of Plans at the Air Ministry in October 1956 and, having been appointed Aide-de-Camp to the Queen on 18 June 1957,[21] he became Commandant at the RAF College Cranwell in August 1958.

[22] Appointed a Companion of the Order of the Bath in the 1961 New Year Honours,[23] Spotswood became Assistant Chief of the Staff (Air Defence) at SHAPE in June 1961.

[5] Promoted to air vice-marshal on 1 July 1961,[24] he became Chairman of the Pathfinder Study Group in November 1963, charged with determining the shape, size and cost of the RAF front line.

[33] As Chief of the Air Staff he had a major role in implementing the defence savings demanded by the Heath Government in the face of economic difficulties at the time.