Andrew George Board
Encyclopedia
Air Commodore Andrew George Board (1878–1973) CMG
DSO
DL
was an English
soldier and airman, a pioneer aviator
first gaining a licence in 1910 who later became an Royal Air Force
Air Commodore
.
in the South Wales Borderers. In 1910 at his own expense he learned to fly at Hendon. On 29 November 1910 flying a Bleriot monoplane at Hendon he was awarded the Royal Aero Club
Aviators Certificate No. 36.
In the 1911 Census he was listed as a Captain of the 2nd Battalion South Wales Borderersat at the Artillery Barracks Pretoria, South Africa.
at Netheravon, Wiltshire. On 28 Sep 1914 he became the officer commanding 7 Squadron RFC
at Netheravon before moving to the western front in April 1915 as officer comings 5 Squadron RFC
. He later commanded the 10th Wing RFC before taking over the control of a 20th (Reserve) Wing in Egypt.
With the formation of the Royal Air Force
in 1918 Broad was awarded a permanent commission as a Lieutenant Colonel
, rising to the rank of Air Commodore
before he retired in 1931. In 1939 he re-joined the RAF as a Group Captain
before retiring again in 1941. In 1943 he became a Deputy Lieutenant
in Caernarvon.
, Kent
on 11 May 1878 the third son of Major John Board and his wife Mary, his father was a Magistrate
. In 1932 he married Mrs Phyllis Agnew at St James's Picadilly on the 18 August 1932.
Order of St Michael and St George
The Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George is an order of chivalry founded on 28 April 1818 by George, Prince Regent, later George IV of the United Kingdom, while he was acting as Prince Regent for his father, George III....
DSO
Distinguished Service Order
The Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...
DL
Deputy Lieutenant
In the United Kingdom, a Deputy Lieutenant is one of several deputies to the Lord Lieutenant of a lieutenancy area; an English ceremonial county, Welsh preserved county, Scottish lieutenancy area, or Northern Irish county borough or county....
was an English
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
soldier and airman, a pioneer aviator
Aviator
An aviator is a person who flies an aircraft. The first recorded use of the term was in 1887, as a variation of 'aviation', from the Latin avis , coined in 1863 by G. de la Landelle in Aviation Ou Navigation Aérienne...
first gaining a licence in 1910 who later became an Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
Air Commodore
Air Commodore
Air commodore is an air-officer rank which originated in and continues to be used by the Royal Air Force...
.
South Wales Borderers
Following a time in the militia Board was commissioned as a Second LieutenantSecond Lieutenant
Second lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces.- United Kingdom and Commonwealth :The rank second lieutenant was introduced throughout the British Army in 1871 to replace the rank of ensign , although it had long been used in the Royal Artillery, Royal...
in the South Wales Borderers. In 1910 at his own expense he learned to fly at Hendon. On 29 November 1910 flying a Bleriot monoplane at Hendon he was awarded the Royal Aero Club
Royal Aero Club
The Royal Aero Club is the national co-ordinating body for Air Sport in the United Kingdom.The Aero Club was founded in 1901 by Frank Hedges Butler, his daughter Vera and the Hon Charles Rolls , partly inspired by the Aero Club of France...
Aviators Certificate No. 36.
In the 1911 Census he was listed as a Captain of the 2nd Battalion South Wales Borderersat at the Artillery Barracks Pretoria, South Africa.
Royal Flying Corps
By 1914 he had become a flying instructor at the Central Flying SchoolCentral Flying School
The Central Flying School is the Royal Air Force's primary institution for the training of military flying instructors. Established in 1912 it is the longest existing flying training school.-History:...
at Netheravon, Wiltshire. On 28 Sep 1914 he became the officer commanding 7 Squadron RFC
No. 7 Squadron RAF
No. 7 Squadron of the Royal Air Force operates the Boeing Chinook HC.2 from RAF Odiham, Hampshire.-Formation and early years:No. 7 Squadron was formed at Farnborough Airfield on 1 May 1914 as the last squadron of the RFC to be formed before the First World War, but has been disbanded and reformed...
at Netheravon before moving to the western front in April 1915 as officer comings 5 Squadron RFC
No. 5 Squadron RAF
No. 5 Squadron of the Royal Air Force is the operator of the new Sentinel R1 Airborne STand-Off Radar aircraft and is based at RAF Waddington.-History:As No...
. He later commanded the 10th Wing RFC before taking over the control of a 20th (Reserve) Wing in Egypt.
With the formation of the Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
in 1918 Broad was awarded a permanent commission as a Lieutenant Colonel
Lieutenant colonel
Lieutenant colonel is a rank of commissioned officer in the armies and most marine forces and some air forces of the world, typically ranking above a major and below a colonel. The rank of lieutenant colonel is often shortened to simply "colonel" in conversation and in unofficial correspondence...
, rising to the rank of Air Commodore
Air Commodore
Air commodore is an air-officer rank which originated in and continues to be used by the Royal Air Force...
before he retired in 1931. In 1939 he re-joined the RAF as a Group Captain
Group Captain
Group captain is a senior commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many other Commonwealth countries. It ranks above wing commander and immediately below air commodore...
before retiring again in 1941. In 1943 he became a Deputy Lieutenant
Deputy Lieutenant
In the United Kingdom, a Deputy Lieutenant is one of several deputies to the Lord Lieutenant of a lieutenancy area; an English ceremonial county, Welsh preserved county, Scottish lieutenancy area, or Northern Irish county borough or county....
in Caernarvon.
Honours and award
- 1 January 1918 Distinguished Service OrderDistinguished Service OrderThe Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...
to Maj (T /Lt -Col.) Andrew George Board, S W Borderers and RFC for distinguished service in the Field.
- 1 January 1919 Companion of the Order of St Michael and St GeorgeOrder of St Michael and St GeorgeThe Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George is an order of chivalry founded on 28 April 1818 by George, Prince Regent, later George IV of the United Kingdom, while he was acting as Prince Regent for his father, George III....
to Lt.-Col. (A./Col.) Andrew George Board, DSO, in recognition of distinguished services rendered during the War.
Family
Board was born in WesterhamWesterham
Westerham is a town and civil parish in the Sevenoaks District of Kent, in South East England with 5,000 people. The parish is south of the North Downs, ten miles west of Sevenoaks. It covers 5800 acres . It is recorded as early as the 9th century, and was mentioned in the Domesday Book in a...
, Kent
Kent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
on 11 May 1878 the third son of Major John Board and his wife Mary, his father was a Magistrate
Magistrate
A magistrate is an officer of the state; in modern usage the term usually refers to a judge or prosecutor. This was not always the case; in ancient Rome, a magistratus was one of the highest government officers and possessed both judicial and executive powers. Today, in common law systems, a...
. In 1932 he married Mrs Phyllis Agnew at St James's Picadilly on the 18 August 1932.