List of Royal Flying Corps generals
The following is a list of general officers are not considered to belong to any regiment or corps (simply being "late" of their erstwhile regiment), in practice almost all the general officers to hold a Royal Flying Corps-related appointment gained their promotion to the general officer ranks in that appointment and remained in such appointments until the creation of the Royal Air Force on 1 April 1918. Royal Flying Corps generals then became Royal Air Force generals.
Two officers took up Royal Flying Corps related appointments while holding general officer rank: David Henderson was already a brigadier-general when the Royal Flying Corps was established, and Edward Ellington was promoted to brigadier-general while serving on the General Staff of the British VIII Corps in France, prior to taking up appointment as Deputy Director-General of Military Aeronautics. Conversely, Duncan MacInnes gained his promotion to brigadier-general while serving at the Military Aeronautics Directorate but subsequently served with the Royal Engineers.
Senior generals
Ranks indicated are the highest rank the officer obtained while in the RFC.
| Portrait | General | Highest rank | Promoted Brig-Gen | Promoted Maj-Gen | Promoted Lt-Gen | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
Sir David Henderson | Lieutenant-General | 4 April 1908 | 26 October 1914 | 24 March 1916[1] | Promoted to brigadier-general before creation of Royal Flying Corps. Temporary promotion to lieutenant-general 24 March 1916, substantive promotion 1 January 1917.[2] |
 |
Sir Hugh Trenchard | Major-General |
25 August 1915 | 24 March 1916[1] | N/A | Temporary promotion to major-general 24 March 1916, substantive promotion 1 January 1917. Subsequently promoted to Marshal of the Royal Air Force.[3] |
 |
W S Brancker | Major-General |
18 December 1915 | 22 June 1917 | N/A | Temporary promotion to major-general 22 June 1917, rank made substantive in the RAF on 3 January 1918. Subsequently granted the equivalent rank of air vice-marshal.[4] |
 |
J M Salmond | Major-General |
1 February 1916[5] | 22 June 1917 | N/A | Temporary promotion to major-general 22 June 1917, rank made substantive in the RAF on 1 April 1918. Subsequently promoted to Marshal of the Royal Air Force.[6] |
.png) |
E B Ashmore | Major-General |
30 January 1916 | 30 July 1917 | N/A | Temporary promotion to major-general 30 July 1917, later regraded to air vice marshal in the RAF before being substantively promoted to major-general in the British Army on 1 January 1924.[7]
|
| C A H Longcroft | Major-General |
28 August 1916 | 18 October 1917 | N/A | Temporary promotion to major-general on 18 October 1917, reverted to temporary brigadier-general on 29 April 1918, substantively promoted to air-vice marshal 1 July 1925.[8] | |
| W G H Salmond | Major-General |
1 July 1916 | 3 January 1918 | N/A | Temporary promotion to major-general 3 January 1918.[9] Later promoted to air chief marshal.[10] | |
| T I Webb-Bowen | Brigadier-General |
1 February 1916[5] | N/A | N/A | Temporary promotion to brigadier-general. Promotion to acting major-general in the RAF on 1 February 1919, substantively promoted to air vice-marshal 1 July 1925.[11] | |
.jpg) |
H R M Brooke-Popham | Brigadier-General |
12 March 1916 | N/A | N/A | Temporary promotion to brigadier-general. Later promoted to air chief marshal.[12] |
| D S MacInnes | Brigadier-General |
27 March 1916 | N/A | N/A | Temporary promotion to brigadier-general on 27 March 1916.[13] Departed Royal Flying Corps duties in early 1917. Killed on the Western Front while holding the rank of brigadier-general on 23 May 1918. | |
.png) |
D le G Pitcher | Brigadier-General |
1 April 1916 | N/A | N/A | Temporary promotion to brigadier-general. Permanent promotion to air commodore on 5 August 1919.[14] |
J F A Higgins |
Brigadier-General |
25 August 1916 | N/A | N/A | Temporary promotion to brigadier-general followed by temporary promotion to major-general on 29 April 1918 in the RAF. Permanent promotion to air vice-marshal on 1 August 1919.[15] | |
| P W Game | Brigadier-General |
16 October 1916 | N/A | N/A | Temporary promotion to brigadier-general followed by temporary promotion to major-general on 14 October 1918 in the RAF. Permanent promotion to air vice-marshal on 1 January 1922.[16] | |
 |
J H W Becke | Brigadier-General |
20 December 1916 | N/A | N/A | Temporary promotion to brigadier-general. Retired on 29 February 1920 with the honorary rank of brigadier-general in the RAF.[17] |
| E. L. Ellington | Brigadier-General |
14 January 1917 | N/A | N/A | Temporary promotion to brigadier-general on 14 January 1917 but not appointed to Royal Flying Corps duties until 20 November 1917. Temporary promotion to major-general in the RAF on 10 April 1918. Permanent promotion to air-vice marshal the following year. Subsequently promoted to Marshal of the Royal Air Force.[18] | |
| G S Shephard | Brigadier-General |
8 February 1917 | N/A | N/A | Temporary promotion to brigadier-general on 8 February 1917. Killed in a flying accident 19 January 1918.[19] | |
 |
L E O Charlton | Brigadier-General |
28 February 1917 | N/A | N/A | Temporary promotion to brigadier-general on 28 February 1917. Permanent promotion to air commodore on 5 August 1919.[20] |
| W B Caddell | Brigadier-General |
4 April 1917 | N/A | N/A | Temporary promotion to brigadier-general on 4 April 1917. Retired from the RAF on 28 May 1919 with the honorary rank of brigadier-general.[21] | |
H C T Dowding |
Brigadier-General |
23 June 1917 | N/A | N/A | Temporary promotion to brigadier-general on 23 June 1917. Later promoted to air chief marshal.[22] | |
| C G Hoare | Brigadier-General |
1 August 1917 | N/A | N/A | Temporary promotion to brigadier-general on 1 August 1917. Relinquished his commission on 24 May 1919 when hold the rank of brigadier-general.[23] | |
| P L W Herbert | Brigadier-General |
5 August 1917 | N/A | N/A | Temporary promotion to brigadier-general on 5 August 1917. Retired from the RAF on 3 December 1929 as an honorary air commodore.[24] | |
| R E T Hogg | Brigadier-General |
5 August 1917 | N/A | N/A | Temporary promotion to brigadier-general on 5 August 1917. Retired from the RAF on 1 September 1919 as an honorary brigadier-general.[25] | |
 |
G Livingston | Brigadier-General |
9 August 1917 | N/A | N/A | Temporary promotion to brigadier-general on 9 August 1917. Retired from the RAF on 14 February 1919 as an honorary brigadier-general.[26] |
| T C R Higgins | Brigadier-General |
1 September 1917 | N/A | N/A | Temporary promotion to brigadier-general on 1 September 1917. Substantive promotion to air commodore on 30 June 1922 and retired from the RAF on 1 November 1929 in that rank.[27] | |
| F L Festing | Brigadier-General |
10 October 1917 | N/A | N/A | Temporary promotion to brigadier-general on 10 October 1917.[28] Retired from the RAF after the war. | |
| E R Ludlow-Hewitt | Brigadier-General |
17 October 1917 | N/A | N/A | Temporary promotion to brigadier-general on 17 October 1917. Substantive promotion to air commodore on 30 June 1923. Later promoted to air chief marshal.[29] | |
| J G Hearson | Brigadier-General |
28 October 1917 | N/A | N/A | Temporary promotion to brigadier-general on 28 October 1917. Substantive promotion to air commodore on 30 June 1923.[30] | |
 |
A E Borton | Brigadier-General |
14 December 1917 | N/A | N/A | Temporary promotion to brigadier-general on 14 December 1917. Substantive promotion to air commodore on 1 October 1922. Later promoted to air vice-marshal.[31] |
| A Huggins | Brigadier-General |
22 December 1917 | N/A | N/A | Temporary promotion to brigadier-general on 22 December 1917. Retired from the RAF, retaining the rank, on 20 March 1919.[32] | |
| C L N Newall | Brigadier-General |
28 December 1917 | N/A | N/A | Temporary promotion to brigadier-general on 28 December 1917. Substantive promotion to air commodore on 1 January 1925. Later promoted to marshal of the RAF.[33] | |
| R R Smith-Barry | Brigadier-General |
27 January 1918 | N/A | N/A | Temporary promotion to brigadier-general on 27 January 1918.[34] Rank relinquished on 23 February 1918.[35] Promoted to substantive colonel in the RAF on 17 April 1918.[36] | |
 |
A C Critchley | Brigadier-General |
4 March 1918 | N/A | N/A | Temporary promotion to brigadier-general on 4 March 1918.[37] Retired from the RAF after the war. Rejoined during World War II and was promoted to air commodore on 1 June 1943.[38] |
| C F De S Murphy | Brigadier-General |
6 March 1918 | N/A | N/A | Temporary promotion to brigadier-general on 6 March 1918. Retired from the RAF after the war.[39] |
In addition to the above generals, Brigadier-General N J G Cameron was a member of the Royal Flying Corps reserve who had qualified as a military pilot. Unlike the above generals, Cameron never held a Royal Flying Corps appointment.[40]
General officer appointments and incumbents
War Office
- Director-General of Military Aeronautics
- Sir David Henderson (1913–17)
- J M Salmond (1917–18)
- E. L. Ellington (1918)
- Deputy Director-General of Military Aeronautics
- W S Brancker (1917)
- E. L. Ellington (1917–18)
- Director of Air Organization
- W S Brancker (1916–17)
- L E O Charlton (1917)
- G Livingston (1917–18)
- Director of Aircraft Equipment
- D S MacInnes (1916–17)
- W B Caddell (1917)
- A Huggins (1917–18)
Commands
- General Officer Commanding the Royal Flying Corps in the Field (for France and Belgium)
- Sir David Henderson (1914)
- F H Sykes (1914) – did not hold general officer rank
- Sir David Henderson (1914–15)
- H M Trenchard (1915–18)
- J M Salmond (1918) – continued to hold equivalent post in the RAF until 1919
- General Officer Commanding, Training Division
- J M Salmond (1917)
- C A H Longcroft (1917–1918)
- E R Ludlow-Hewitt (1918)
- General Officer Commanding, London Air Defence Area
- E B Ashmore (1917–1918)
- General Officer Commanding, Royal Flying Corps Middle East
- W S Brancker (1917–1918)
- W G H Salmond (1918)
Staff Officers
- Brigadier General General Staff, Royal Flying Corps in the Field
- P W Game (1916–1918)
- Deputy Adjutant and Quartermaster General, Royal Flying Corps in the Field
- H R M Brooke-Popham (1916–1917)
- Deputy Quartermaster General, Royal Flying Corps in the Field
- H R M Brooke-Popham (1917–1918)
- Deputy Adjutant General, Royal Flying Corps in the Field
- F L Festing (1917–1918)
- Brigadier General Royal Flying Corps Staff, Training Division
- G Livingston (1917)
- J G Hearson (1917–1918)
- Inspector of Training, Training Division
- E R Ludlow-Hewitt (1917–1918)
Brigades
In late 1915 brigades started to be established in the RFC and so brigadier-generals were created. A list of brigade command appointments is at List of Royal Flying Corps brigades.
References
- ^ a b "No. 29534". The London Gazette. 4 April 1916. p. 3559.
- ^ "Lieutenant General Sir David Henderson". Air of Authority – A History of RAF Organisation. Retrieved 9 October 2015.
- ^ "Marshal of the RAF The Viscount Trenchard of Wolfeton". Air of Authority – A History of RAF Organisation. Retrieved 9 October 2015.
- ^ "Air Vice-Marshal Sir Sefton Brancker". Air of Authority – A History of RAF Organisation. Retrieved 9 October 2015.
- ^ a b "No. 29476". The London Gazette (Supplement). 15 February 1916. p. 1777.
- ^ "Marshal of the RAF Sir John Salmond". Air of Authority – A History of RAF Organisation. Retrieved 9 October 2015.
- ^ "Major-General E. B. Ashmore". Air of Authority – A History of RAF Organisation. Retrieved 9 October 2015.
- ^ "No. 30375". The London Gazette (Supplement). 9 November 1917. p. 11640.
- ISBN 9780850529807.
- ^ "Air Chief Marshal Sir Geoffrey Salmond". Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation. Retrieved 9 October 2015.
- ^ "Air Vice-Marshal Sir Tom Webb-Bowen". Air of Authority – A History of RAF Organisation. Retrieved 9 October 2015.
- ^ "Air Chief Marshal Sir Robert Brooke-Popham". Air of Authority – A History of RAF Organisation. Retrieved 9 October 2015.
- ^ "No. 29543". The London Gazette. 11 April 1916. p. 3804.
- ^ "Air Commodore D. le G. Pitcher". Air of Authority – A History of RAF Organisation. Retrieved 9 October 2015.
- ^ "Air Marshal Sir John Higgins". Air of Authority – A History of RAF Organisation. Retrieved 9 October 2015.
- ^ "Air Vice-Marshal Sir Philip Game". Air of Authority – A History of RAF Organisation. Retrieved 9 October 2015.
- ^ "Brigadier-General J. H. W. Becke". Air of Authority – A History of RAF Organisation. Retrieved 9 October 2015.
- ^ "Marshal of the RAF Sir Edward Ellington". Air of Authority – A History of RAF Organisation. Retrieved 9 October 2015.
- ^ "Brigadier-General G. S. Shephard". Air of Authority – A History of RAF Organisation. Retrieved 9 October 2015.
- ^ "Air Commodore L. E. O. Charlton". Air of Authority – A History of RAF Organisation. Retrieved 9 October 2015.
- ^ "Brigadier-General W. B. Caddell". Air of Authority – A History of RAF Organisation. Retrieved 9 October 2015.
- ^ "Air Chief Marshal Lord Dowding of Bentley Priory". Air of Authority – A History of RAF Organisation. Retrieved 9 October 2015.
- ^ "Brigadier-General C G Hoare". Air of Authority – A History of RAF Organisation. Retrieved 29 April 2017.
- ^ "Air Commodore P. L. W. Herbert". Air of Authority – A History of RAF Organisation. Retrieved 9 October 2015.
- ^ "Brigadier-General R. E. T. Hogg". Air of Authority – A History of RAF Organisation. Retrieved 9 October 2015.
- ^ "Brigadier-General G. Livingston". Air of Authority – A History of RAF Organisation. Retrieved 9 October 2015.
- ^ "Air Commodore T. C. R. Higgins". Air of Authority – A History of RAF Organisation. Retrieved 9 October 2015.
- ^ "No. 30411". The London Gazette. 30 November 1917. p. 12650.
- ^ "Air Chief Marshal Sir Edgar Ludlow-Hewitt". Air of Authority – A History of RAF Organisation. Retrieved 9 October 2015.
- ^ "Air Commodore J. G. Hearson". Air of Authority – A History of RAF Organisation. Retrieved 9 October 2015.
- ^ "Air Vice-Marshal A. E. Borton". Air of Authority – A History of RAF Organisation. Retrieved 9 October 2015.
- ^ "Brigadier-General A. Huggins". Air of Authority – A History of RAF Organisation. Retrieved 9 October 2015.
- ^ "Marshal of the RAF The Lord Newall of Clifton upon Dunsmoor". Air of Authority – A History of RAF Organisation. Retrieved 9 October 2015.
- ^ "No. 30515". The London Gazette (Supplement). 5 February 1918. p. 1805.
- ^ "No. 30582". The London Gazette (Supplement). 15 March 1918. p. 3400.
- ^ "No. 30640". The London Gazette. 19 April 1918. p. 4743..
- ^ "No. 30582". The London Gazette (Supplement). 15 March 1918. p. 3405.
- ^ "Air Commodore A. C. Critchley". Air of Authority – A History of RAF Organisation. Retrieved 9 October 2015.
- ^ "Brigadier-General C. F. De S. Murphy". Air of Authority – A History of RAF Organisation. Retrieved 9 October 2015.
- ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 23 January 2018. Retrieved 23 January 2018.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
| Command structure |  | |
|---|---|---|
| Airfields | ||
| Aircraft | ||
| Personnel |
| |
| World War I | ||