George Brian Sinclair

During this time Sinclair served on the Falkland Islands in the aftermath of the 1982 war and was responsible for persuading the government to construct a new runway (that became RAF Mount Pleasant) rather than improving the existing Stanley airfield.

In civilian life he worked for Tarmac Group on the construction of the Channel Tunnel and was a member of the Smeatonian Society of Civil Engineers.

[1] He attended Christ's College, Finchley and, from 1945, the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst to train as a British Army officer.

Upon reporting to his unit, 28 Field Engineer Regiment, he found his arrival was unexpected and, with no military tasks requiring his attention, he was put to work designing a sewerage system for a civilian village.

[1] Sinclair found more conventional military employment after his appointment as adjutant when the previous incumbent was dismissed for unsuitable behaviour.

[2][5] In 1956 Sinclair was appointed a staff officer to Major-General John Woollett, the chief engineer of Operation Grapple, the first attempted detonation of a British-made thermonuclear weapon (hydrogen bomb).

[1] He disputed orders from the Ministry of Defence (MoD), requiring him to arrange for the island's entire 100-mile (160 km) coastline to be patrolled against landings by Soviet spies.

Sinclair considered that five infantry battalions would be required to achieve this; this was disputed by the MoD who sent out a Royal Air Force group captain to investigate.

[2] Sinclair directly witnessed a number of nuclear tests during Operation Grapple, and in the late 1970s was asked to provide evidence in the case of a sergeant who died from leukaemia.

Sinclair supported the widow and provided evidence that the sergeant had been in close proximity to the test sites, despite pressure from an MoD permanent under-secretary not to become involved in the case.

[2] Sinclair was promoted colonel on 30 June 1972 and by 1 January 1975, when he was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire in the 1975 New Year Honours, held a position at the MoD.

British prime minister Margaret Thatcher was keen for the army to carry out the necessary works so that the money would come from the defence budget.

[1] Heseltine asked Sinclair to clear the current runway of mines and install metal matting to allow temporary use by Phantoms of No.

[1] He was appointed honorary colonel of the Airfield Damage Repair Squadrons, Royal Engineers (Volunteers) of the Territorial Army on 1 May 1984.