Captain Rorrison is an exceptionally experienced and talented pilot who has been involved in a broad spectrum of Army Aviation roles, on multiple types, worldwide. This citation marks 28 years and 6400 flying hours of dedicated service in the air.

Capt Rorrison joined the Army as a cavalry soldier in 1987, was awarded Wings on Army Pilot Course 349 in 1994, qualified as an aircraft commander in 1998 and completed the Qualified Helicopter Instructor (QHI) Course in 2013.  During a wide and varied career in Army Aviation he has flown Gazelle, Agusta 109, Bell 212, Lynx and Squirrel aircraft types. He has been deployed on exercises and operations in N Ireland, the Balkans, the Middle East, Asia and embarked with approximately half of his career to date in direct support of Special Forces (SF).

Prior to qualification as a QHI, Rorrison was an extremely effective operationally focused pilot delivering in a broad spectrum of roles across Army Aviation from covert operations in Northern Ireland, Detention of Persons Indited for War Crimes in the Balkans, war fighting as a Patrol Commander in Iraq, as a Trials Pilot, domestic Counter Terrorist (CT) and SF roles based from Hereford, Casevac and Jungle Aviation in Brunei and as Flight Lead with 657 Sqn AAC on global CT SF operations. Notable achievements include flying prime ministers, senior royals, Service chiefs along with foreign Service chiefs and senior politicians.

During the 2003 Gulf War, Rorrison commanded aviation patrols, leading the spearhead advance of British forces across the Iraqi border towards Basrah and onwards towards Bagdad. He was the first coalition aircraft patrol into Basrah airport, once it had been secured by ground troops. He enabled, from the air, the safe deconfliction of Police, Air Ambulance and Military aircraft in poor weather during the immediate response to the 2005 London bombings.  He has flown numerous missions to save life, extracting injured individuals from the jungle in Brunei or casualties on the Brecon Beacons. A testament to his skill and tenacity, is that once tasked he has never failed to extract a casualty, day or night, despite encountering horrendous weather and the most challenging conditions at times.

As the 8 Flight Operations Officer, he was instrumental in the development of SOPs in the Domestic CT role to mirror the global SF capability, whilst ensuring he and his pilots retained the ability to move unobtrusively around the UK on business.  He led missions in Afghanistan to deny the insurgency freedom of movement, interdicting narcotics trafficked out of the country and lethal aid reaching the end user.

As a QHI, Capt Rorrison’s instructional and supervisory skills came to the fore as a QHI delivering the operational training phase of the Army Pilot Course. He became the Sqn QHI of an independent Sqn 8000 miles from home and latterly as an Officer Commanding, delivering Flying training on the Army’s two legacy platforms at Middle Wallop.  A poacher turned gamekeeper, he has utilised his experience and knowledge garnered over nearly 20 years of operational flying to train the next generation of Army pilots and mentor his charges, supervise and assure safe flying. His ability to actively identify and manage risk whilst advising superiors on effective measures to deliver aviation safely has been key to his performance.  His time as the Sqn QHI in Brunei was particularly successful; his calm and measured approach to the task combined with an innate flying ability was fundamental to his successful tour which saw the Sqn twice graded above average during the biennial Standards inspection.  On return to the UK, he then guided his team through another biennial Standards inspection again achieving an Above Average grade.

Captain Rorrison’s military aviation career is an exemplary display of selfless commitment and dedication, executed safely, efficiently and without fuss or fanfare. An experienced, highly capable and truly professional aviator, his service record and personal contribution to Army Aviation and wider Defence has been outstanding.  For his long and outstanding service and devotion to duty in the air, Captain Rorrison is a deserving recipient of the Master’s Commendation.

1977/78   Sqn Ldr R Penny

1978/79   Mr Asad Nasr on behalf of Middle East Airlines

1979/80  awarded twice:
      Charles Nicholas Hoy Esq
      Hikmat M Ghosn

1981 - 1982  not awarded

1982/83  awarded to: 
      Alan Bramson Esq
      Arthur E Gibson Esq
      Eric H Woods Esq

1984  not awarded

1984/85   J R Kilner Esq & P Bonhomme Esq

1986 - 1987  not awarded

1987/88   First Officer Mimi Tompkins

1988/89  awarded to:
      First Officer G Slader & Second Officer M Thomas of United Airlines
      Wing Commander M C Brooke RAF
      Captain T F P Frizell

1989/90   A E Donlan Esq

1990/91  awarded twice:
       G P Sanctuary Esq
       Captain J Sirley

1991/92   Robert Legg Esq

1992/93   Mrs Constance E Fricker

1994  not awarded

1994/95   awarded to:
      Professor Angus Wallace & Dr Tom Wong
      Miss Tracey Leigh Signal

1995/96   Captain Peter Bugge & Captain John Robinson AFC*

1996/97   Flight Lieutenant Michael J Chatterton

1997/98   Malcolm Mason Esq

1998/99   Wing Commander Simon Meade RAF

1999/2000 Captain Neville Grady

2000/01 awarded twice:
      Flight Lieutenant Rodney Leigh
      Captain John Savage

2001/02   Andrew Digby Esq

2002/03   Roger H Beazley Esq

2003/04   Squadron Leader Malcolm Hunt RAF

2005  not awarded

2005/06   Captain Ralph Kohn

2006/07   Victor Lockwood

2007/08   Squadron Leader Warwick Creighton MBE RAF

2008/09  awarded twice:
      Squadron Leader Alastair Pinner MBE RAF
      Captain Roland "Rolie" James DSM(Oman) BA(Hons)

2009/10   The Air Cadet Organisation

2010/11. awarded twice:
      656 Squadron Group AAC
      Miss Mandy Pantall

2011/12  awarded twice:
      Flight Lieutenant D J "Jack" Hawkins RAFR               
      Garry Stanfield Smith

2012/13  The British Helicopter Team 2012

2013/14  awarded twice: 
      Major Mark Martin AAC
      Royal Australian Air Force Air Mobility Group

2014/15 awarded twice:
      Lieutenant Commander Chris Götke AFC RN
      Royal Air Force Air Traffic Management Force

2016  Major Jean G R Leroux CD

2017 awarded twice:
      Captain Rosella Bjornson
      Lieutenant Colonel Kevin M Hall USAF

2018  awarded to:
      Group Captain John Middleton OBE RAF 
      Squdron Leader Mike Ling MBE RAF
      Major Dennis W Sharf CD

2019  Flight Lieutenant Christopher Stradling RAF

2020  Master Aircrew Tudor Haines

2021  Major Kevin Anderson AAC

2022  Major Terry Campbell AAC

2023  Captain Alastair Rorrison AAC