John Frederick Andrews Higgins
Encyclopedia
Air Marshal
Sir John Frederick Andrews Higgins KCB
, KBE
, DSO
, AFC
, RAF
(1 September 1875 – 1 June 1948) was a senior officer in the Royal Flying Corps
and a senior commander in the Royal Air Force
in the first half of the 20th century.
in 1895 before serving in the Second Boer War
. He served as Officer Commanding No. 5 Squadron
from July 1913 and then at the start of November 1914, Higgins was selected to head up the RFC's training wing which was based at Netheravon. He went on to command II Brigade RFC, VI Brigade RFC and then III Brigade RFC during the course of World War I
. In the closing stages of the War he was General Officer Commanding
No. 3 Area and then General Officer Commanding Midland Area.
After the War he was appointed General Officer Commanding RAF forces of the Rhine and then Air Officer Commanding Northern Area before becoming Director of Personnel at the Air Ministry
in 1920. He went on to be Air Officer Commanding Inland Area in 1922, Air Officer Commanding Iraq Command
in 1924 and Air Member for Supply and Research in 1926. He retired to India
in 1930 but was recalled as Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Air Forces in India
in October 1939 at the start of World War II
before retiring again in August 1940.
Air Marshal
Air marshal is a three-star air-officer rank which originated in and continues to be used by the Royal Air Force...
Sir John Frederick Andrews Higgins KCB
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...
, KBE
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...
, 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...
, 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...
(1 September 1875 – 1 June 1948) was a senior officer in the Royal Flying Corps
Royal Flying Corps
The Royal Flying Corps was the over-land air arm of the British military during most of the First World War. During the early part of the war, the RFC's responsibilities were centred on support of the British Army, via artillery co-operation and photographic reconnaissance...
and a senior commander 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.
RAF career
Higgins became a cadet at the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich and was commissioned into the Royal Field ArtilleryRoyal Field Artillery
The Royal Field Artillery of the British Army provided artillery support for the British Army. It came into being when the Royal Artillery was divided on 1 July 1899, it was reamalgamated back into the Royal Artillery in 1924....
in 1895 before serving in the Second Boer War
Second Boer War
The Second Boer War was fought from 11 October 1899 until 31 May 1902 between the British Empire and the Afrikaans-speaking Dutch settlers of two independent Boer republics, the South African Republic and the Orange Free State...
. He served as Officer Commanding No. 5 Squadron
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...
from July 1913 and then at the start of November 1914, Higgins was selected to head up the RFC's training wing which was based at Netheravon. He went on to command II Brigade RFC, VI Brigade RFC and then III Brigade RFC during the course of 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...
. In the closing stages of the War he was 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. 3 Area and then General Officer Commanding Midland Area.
After the War he was appointed General Officer Commanding RAF forces of the Rhine and then Air Officer Commanding Northern Area before becoming Director of Personnel at the Air Ministry
Air Ministry
The Air Ministry was a department of the British Government with the responsibility of managing the affairs of the Royal Air Force, that existed from 1918 to 1964...
in 1920. He went on to be Air Officer Commanding Inland Area in 1922, Air Officer Commanding Iraq Command
RAF Iraq Command
Iraq Command was the RAF commanded inter-service command in charge of British forces in Iraq in the 1920s and early 1930s, during the period of the British Mandate of Mesopotamia. It continued as British Forces in Iraq until 1941 when it was replaced by AHQ Iraq...
in 1924 and Air Member for Supply and Research in 1926. He retired to India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
in 1930 but was recalled as Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Air Forces in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
in October 1939 at the start of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
before retiring again in August 1940.