Edward Masterman
Encyclopedia
Air Commodore
Edward Alexander Dimsdale Masterman CB
CMG
CBE
AFC
RAF
(15 April 1880 – 26 August 1957) was a senior officer in the Royal Air Force
in the first half of the 20th century. After retiring from the RAF, he served as the first ever Commandant of the Observer Corps
.
, attending the Britannia Naval College around 1894. After serving on HMS Revenge
in the late 1890s and early 1900s, he attended Torpedo Specialist Course and in 1907 he worked as a Russia interpreter on HMS Vernon
.
By 1911 Masterman had become involved in the Navy's efforts to built an experimental airship
and the following year he was appointed Officer Commanding the Naval Airship Section.
During World War I
, Masterman served in the Royal Naval Air Service
, commanding the Farnborough Airship Station and working in several technical posts. With the establishment of the Royal Air Force
on 1 April 1918, Masterman transferred to the new service. Just before the end of the war, he was promoted to brigadier-general and appointed General Officer Commanding
No. 22 Group
. His rank was commuted to Air Commodore when current RAF ranks were introduced. In 1922 Masterman was appointed as Commandant of the RAF's Central Flying School
.
and was the first former RAF officer to hold this appointment. Headquarters Royal Observer Corps was located at Hillingdon House
, RAF Uxbridge
, only relocating to RAF Bentley Priory
after Masterman retired. He was succeeded as Commandant Observer Corps by Air Commodore Warrington-Morris
.
Following his retirement as Commandant, Air Commodore Masterman immediately rejoined the Royal Observer Corps as a civilian part time volunteer with the rank of Observer Captain and served as the ROC's Western Area Commandant between 1937 and 1942, although by special permission of Warrington-Morris, he was permitted to wear his RAF Air Commodore's uniform and rank braid after April 1941 when the Observer Corps became the Royal Observer Corps and part of RAF Fighter Command
.
Air Commodore
Air commodore is an air-officer rank which originated in and continues to be used by the Royal Air Force...
Edward Alexander Dimsdale Masterman CB
Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
CMG
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....
CBE
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
AFC
Air Force Cross (United Kingdom)
The Air Force Cross is a military decoration awarded to personnel of the United Kingdom Armed Forces, and formerly also to officers of the other Commonwealth countries, for "an act or acts of valour, courage or devotion to duty whilst flying, though not in active operations against the enemy"...
RAF
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...
(15 April 1880 – 26 August 1957) was a senior officer in 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 the first half of the 20th century. After retiring from the RAF, he served as the first ever Commandant of the Observer Corps
Royal Observer Corps
The Royal Observer Corps was a civil defence organisation operating in the United Kingdom between 29 October 1925 and 31 December 1995, when the Corps' civilian volunteers were stood down....
.
Service career
Masterman started his service career in the Royal NavyRoyal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
, attending the Britannia Naval College around 1894. After serving on HMS Revenge
HMS Revenge (1892)
HMS Revenge was a pre-dreadnought battleship of the Royal Sovereign class of the British Royal Navy. She was renamed HMS Redoubtable in 1915. HMS Revenge notably served as the flagship of the Flying Squadron and bombarding the coast of Flanders during World War I before being refitted as an...
in the late 1890s and early 1900s, he attended Torpedo Specialist Course and in 1907 he worked as a Russia interpreter on HMS Vernon
HMS Vernon
Two ships and a training establishment of the Royal Navy have borne the name HMS Vernon, possibly after Admiral Edward Vernon:*HMS Vernon was a 14-gun armed ship listed between 1781 and 1782....
.
By 1911 Masterman had become involved in the Navy's efforts to built an experimental airship
Airship
An airship or dirigible is a type of aerostat or "lighter-than-air aircraft" that can be steered and propelled through the air using rudders and propellers or other thrust mechanisms...
and the following year he was appointed Officer Commanding the Naval Airship Section.
During World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, Masterman served in the Royal Naval Air Service
Royal Naval Air Service
The Royal Naval Air Service or RNAS was the air arm of the Royal Navy until near the end of the First World War, when it merged with the British Army's Royal Flying Corps to form a new service , the Royal Air Force...
, commanding the Farnborough Airship Station and working in several technical posts. With the establishment 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...
on 1 April 1918, Masterman transferred to the new service. Just before the end of the war, he was promoted to brigadier-general and appointed General Officer Commanding
General Officer Commanding
General Officer Commanding is the usual title given in the armies of Commonwealth nations to a general officer who holds a command appointment. Thus, a general might be the GOC II Corps or GOC 7th Armoured Division...
No. 22 Group
No. 22 Group RAF
Number 22 Group is one of only three groups currently active in the Royal Air Force, falling under the responsibility of Deputy Commander-in-Chief in Air Command. Its current full title is Number 22 Group and it is responsible for RAF training policy and controlling the Royal Air Force College...
. His rank was commuted to Air Commodore when current RAF ranks were introduced. In 1922 Masterman was appointed as Commandant of the RAF's Central Flying School
Central 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:...
.
Observer Corps
Between 1 March 1929 when he retired from the RAF and 1 April 1936, Masterman was the Commandant of the Observer CorpsRoyal Observer Corps
The Royal Observer Corps was a civil defence organisation operating in the United Kingdom between 29 October 1925 and 31 December 1995, when the Corps' civilian volunteers were stood down....
and was the first former RAF officer to hold this appointment. Headquarters Royal Observer Corps was located at Hillingdon House
Hillingdon House
Hillingdon House is a Grade II listed mansion in Hillingdon, Greater London. The original house was built in 1717 as a hunting lodge for the Duke of Schomberg. It was destroyed by fire and the present house was built in its place in 1844....
, RAF Uxbridge
RAF Uxbridge
RAF Uxbridge was a Royal Air Force station in Uxbridge within the London Borough of Hillingdon. Its grounds covered originally belonging to the Hillingdon House estate, which was purchased by the British Government in 1915, three years before the founding of the RAF...
, only relocating to RAF Bentley Priory
RAF Bentley Priory
RAF Bentley Priory was a non-flying Royal Air Force station near Stanmore in the London Borough of Harrow. It was famous as the headquarters of Fighter Command during the Battle of Britain and the Second World War. The RAF Bentley Priory site includes a Grade II* listed Officers' Mess and Italian...
after Masterman retired. He was succeeded as Commandant Observer Corps by Air Commodore Warrington-Morris
Alfred Warrington-Morris
Air Commodore Alfred Drummond Warrington-Morris CB CMG OBE AFC RAF was a senior officer in the Royal Air Force during the first half of the 20th century....
.
Following his retirement as Commandant, Air Commodore Masterman immediately rejoined the Royal Observer Corps as a civilian part time volunteer with the rank of Observer Captain and served as the ROC's Western Area Commandant between 1937 and 1942, although by special permission of Warrington-Morris, he was permitted to wear his RAF Air Commodore's uniform and rank braid after April 1941 when the Observer Corps became the Royal Observer Corps and part of RAF Fighter Command
RAF Fighter Command
RAF Fighter Command was one of three functional commands of the Royal Air Force. It was formed in 1936 to allow more specialised control of fighter aircraft. It served throughout the Second World War, gaining recognition in the Battle of Britain. The Command continued until 17 November 1943, when...
.