Military Personnel Receive Honours At Buckingham Palace

Military personnel have received honours at Buckingham Palace.

The first Commanding Officer of HMS Queen Elizabeth, Vice Admiral Jerry Kyd was given an OBE, after overseeing the aircraft carrier's maiden sea trials and her first-ever deck landings of F-35B fighter jets.

Wing Commander Sebastian Kendall, from RAF Air Command, also received an OBE for "services to military capability delivery" as part of the UK's Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) defence area.

Speaking to Forces News outside the Palace, he said: "It means everything.

"It's an incredible recognition." 

Brigadier Ian Gibb, head of the UK's Group Maneouvre capability, was also presented with an OBE.

Meanwhile, movie director Christoper Nolan was awarded a CBE.

He directed blockbuster hits including the Dark Knight and the Oscar award-winning Dunkirk. 

"It was a bit surreal, really," Mr Nolan told Forces News after receiving the honour.

"It's a tremendous thrill to be here at Buckingham Palace and to meet the Duke of Cambridge and have him talk about my work.

"That was an amazing thing, really, I'm still processing it."

After the success of World War Two-set Dunkirk, Mr Nolan refused to ruled out directing another military film.

"You never know, I had a tremendous time making Dunkirk," he said.

"[I am] starting to edit the film I shot in the summer, which is not a military film, but as for the future, I have no idea."

Other people to receive honours at the Palace included England netball star Ama Agbeze, comedian Griff Rhys Jones and author Joanna Trollope.

Cover Image: Wing Commander Sebastian Kendall with his family.