despatches again on 2 June 1943 and awarded the Distinguished Service Order on 28 September 1943. He was appointed Director of Plans at the Headquarters of the Supreme Allied Commander South East Asia in February 1944 and became a wing commander on a temporary basis on 1 July 1944 and on a war substantive basis on 11 August 1944. He was promoted to squadron leader on a permanent basis on 1 September 1945. Appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire in the 1946 New Year Honours, Spotswood joined the Directing Staff at the RAF Staff College, Bracknell in February 1946 and was promoted to wing commander on 1 July 1947. After becoming Station Commander at RAF Horsham St Faith in December 1947 and then Station Commander at RAF Coltishall in January 1948, he was made an Officer of the Legion of Merit by the President of the United States on 9 March 1948. After attending the Air Defence Course at the School of Land/Air Warfare as well as the jet conversion course, Spotswood joined the Directing Staff at the Imperial Defence College in March 1950. He was sent on an exchange posting to the Tactical Operations Plans Branch at Headquarters United States Air Force in June 1952, and having been promoted to group captain on 1 January 1954, he became Station Commander at RAF Linton-on-Ouse in August 1954. He went on to be deputy director of Plans at the Air Ministry in October 1956 and, having been appointed Aide-de-Camp to the Queen on 18 June 1957, he became Commandant at the RAF College Cranwell in August 1958. He was promoted to air commodore on 1 January 1960. Appointed a Companion of the Order of the Bath in the 1961 New Year Honours, Spotswood became Assistant Chief of the Staff (Air Defence) at SHAPE in June 1961. Promoted to air vice-marshal on 1 July 1961, he became Chairman of the Pathfinder Study Group in November 1963, charged with determining the shape, size and cost of the RAF front line. His main recommendation, which was implemented, was to merge RAF Fighter Command and RAF Bomber Command to form RAF Strike Command. He went on to be Air Officer Commanding No. 3 Bomber Group in August 1964 and Commander-in-Chief RAF Germany as well as Commander of the Second Tactical Air Force on 6 December 1965. Having been advanced to Knight