Sir Beresford Peter Torrington Horsley

Biographical Information
Sir Beresford Peter Torrington Horsley (1921-2001) After a plane crash at sea Horsley became "convinced he had hovered between this world and the next. He also believed that he had received messages from two officers he knew to be dead...

"These experiences engendered a future interest in the supernatural. ...

"In July 1949, he was promoted squadron leader and appointed equerry to Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip. Following King George VI's death on February 6 1952 he became equerry to the Queen and, from 1953 until 1956, equerry to the Duke of Edinburgh...

"He also became interested in Unidentified Flying Objects and began a prolonged investigation into the more credible reports of sightings. Horsley concluded that whereas the majority could be eliminated by natural occurrences, there were some RAF and British Overseas Airways sightings which defied explanation...

"From 1971, Horsley was commander of No 1 Group's nuclear deterrent bomber force. After two years he became Deputy C-in-C, Strike Command, where he remained until retirement in 1975.

"Horsley, who had a lifelong interest in stamp collecting, was then appointed chairman of Robson Lowe, the stamp auction house. For a time he also realised a childhood dream by serving as managing director of Stanley Gibbons, the philately business.

"Other directorships included ML Holdings, a defence related company, National Printing Ink, Osprey Aviation and Horsley Holdings...

"A fluent and readable writer, Horsley published an autobiography, Sounds From Another Room (1997), which recounted his experiences of planes, princes and the paranormal...

"Horsley married, first, Phyllis Phinney, by whom he had a son and a daughter. After the marriage was dissolved in 1976 he married Ann Mackinnon (nee Crwys-Williams)."

Related Sourcewatch

 * Peter Caddy