Air Commodore Witts led the first bombing operation by four Tornados of the Dharhan detachment on the first night of Gulf War One in January 1991.  He had joined the RAF in September 1968 and, after two tours as a pilot on Vulcans, he trained on the Buccaneer spending five years in Germany flying the low-level strike/attack bomber.  After a staff appointed he took command in early 1990 of No 31 Squadron based RAF Bruggen in Germany.  In early January 1991 he became the detachment commander at Dharhan with 22 Tornados, 33 crews and 400 ground personnel.  In the early hours of January 16 he attacked the airfield at Mudaysis with the JP 233 airfield denial weapon dropped from very low level at night in the face of intense anti-aircraft fire.  He went on to complete 14 operations and was awarded the DSO for his “Consummate courage and outstanding flying skills.”  He later commanded RAF Northolt and his final posting was as air attache in Washington.  He died aged 69.

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