Sefton Brancker
Encyclopedia
Air Vice-Marshal
Sir William Sefton Brancker KCB
AFC
(22 March 1877 – 5 October 1930), commonly known as Sir Sefton Brancker, was a pioneer in British
civil
and military aviation
.
in Kent. His parents were Colonel William Godefroy Brancker and Hester Adelaide, the daughter of Major-General Henry Charles Russel. The Branckers were a long-established Anglo-German family which had lived in England for several generations.
Sefton Brancker grew up as the elder of two brothers and their father died in 1885. From 1891 to 1894, the young Brancker attended Bedford School
.
at Woolwich, joining the Royal Artillery
in 1896. He served in the Second Boer War
and later for a number of years in India
, where he made his first flight in 1910. On 18 June 1913 he was awarded the Royal Aero Club
's
Aviator's Certificate no. 525.
During World War I
, he held important administrative posts in the Royal Flying Corps
and later the Royal Air Force
including Director of Air Organisation and Director of Military Aeronautics. In 1917, Brancker briefly served as the General Officer Commanding Royal Flying Corps's Palistine Headquarters and then its Middle East headquarters. Promoted to major general
in 1918, he became Controller-General of Equipment in January of that year and Master-General of Personnel in August 1918. The following year, he was appointed KCB and with the introduction of RAF-specific ranks, he became an Air Vice-Marshal.
Sir Sefton was chairman of the Royal Aero Club
's (RAeC) Racing Committee from 1921 to 1930 and his dynamic leadership led to the RAeC forming the Light Aero Club scheme in 1925, which helped provide the UK clubs with examples of such new and improved aircraft types as the de Havilland Moth
and Avro Avian
.
Together with Lord Thomson, the Air Minister, Brancker was killed in the disastrous wreck of the R101 airship near Beauvais
France
early on 5 October 1930, during its maiden voyage to India.
named its 'Pionair' (Douglas DC-3
) G-AKNB “Sir Sefton Brancker” to mark his substantial contribution to the development of British Aviation.
In 1996 British Airways (BA) named one of its newly delivered Boeing 777
's "Sir William Sefton Brancker" in recognition of his work. Other 777s in the BA fleet were named after aviation pioneers, for example "Wilbur and Orville Wright" and "Sir Frank Whittle." The aircraft (G-ZZZB) no longer carries Sir Sefton's name, aircraft names having been removed from the BA fleet since the short-lived 1997 Utopia re-branding.
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Air Vice-Marshal
Air vice-marshal is a two-star air-officer rank which originated in and continues to be used by the Royal Air Force. The rank is also used by the air forces of many countries which have historical British influence and it is sometimes used as the English translation of an equivalent rank in...
Sir William Sefton Brancker 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...
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"...
(22 March 1877 – 5 October 1930), commonly known as Sir Sefton Brancker, was a pioneer in British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
civil
Civil aviation
Civil aviation is one of two major categories of flying, representing all non-military aviation, both private and commercial. Most of the countries in the world are members of the International Civil Aviation Organization and work together to establish common standards and recommended practices...
and military aviation
Military aviation
Military aviation is the use of aircraft and other flying machines for the purposes of conducting or enabling warfare, including national airlift capacity to provide logistical supply to forces stationed in a theater or along a front. Air power includes the national means of conducting such...
.
Early life
Sefton Brancker was born on 22 March 1877, at WoolwichWoolwich
Woolwich is a district in south London, England, located in the London Borough of Greenwich. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London.Woolwich formed part of Kent until 1889 when the County of London was created...
in Kent. His parents were Colonel William Godefroy Brancker and Hester Adelaide, the daughter of Major-General Henry Charles Russel. The Branckers were a long-established Anglo-German family which had lived in England for several generations.
Sefton Brancker grew up as the elder of two brothers and their father died in 1885. From 1891 to 1894, the young Brancker attended Bedford School
Bedford School
Bedford School is not to be confused with Bedford Modern School or Bedford High School or Old Bedford School in Bedford, TexasBedford School is an HMC independent school for boys located in the town of Bedford, England, United Kingdom...
.
Military career
Brancker was trained for the British ArmyBritish Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
at Woolwich, joining the Royal Artillery
Royal Artillery
The Royal Regiment of Artillery, commonly referred to as the Royal Artillery , is the artillery arm of the British Army. Despite its name, it comprises a number of regiments.-History:...
in 1896. He served 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...
and later for a number of years 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...
, where he made his first flight in 1910. On 18 June 1913 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...
's
Aviator's Certificate no. 525.
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...
, he held important administrative posts 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 later 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...
including Director of Air Organisation and Director of Military Aeronautics. In 1917, Brancker briefly served as the General Officer Commanding Royal Flying Corps's Palistine Headquarters and then its Middle East headquarters. Promoted to major general
Major General
Major general or major-general is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. A major general is a high-ranking officer, normally subordinate to the rank of lieutenant general and senior to the ranks of brigadier and brigadier general...
in 1918, he became Controller-General of Equipment in January of that year and Master-General of Personnel in August 1918. The following year, he was appointed KCB and with the introduction of RAF-specific ranks, he became an Air Vice-Marshal.
Civil aviation
In 1922 he was made Director of Civil Aviation, and worked assiduously to stimulate UK interest in the subject with both local authorities and flying clubs. He encouraged Manchester and other cities to construct municipal airports and airfields. He participated in several long-distance survey flights.Sir Sefton was chairman of 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...
's (RAeC) Racing Committee from 1921 to 1930 and his dynamic leadership led to the RAeC forming the Light Aero Club scheme in 1925, which helped provide the UK clubs with examples of such new and improved aircraft types as the de Havilland Moth
De Havilland Moth
The de Havilland Moths were a series of light aircraft, sports planes and military trainers designed by Geoffrey de Havilland. In the late 1920s and 1930s they were the most common civil aircraft flying in Britain and during that time every light aircraft flying in the UK was commonly referred to...
and Avro Avian
Avro Avian
The Avro Avian was a series of British light aircraft designed and built by Avro in the 1920s and '30s. While the various versions of the Avian were sound aircraft, they were comprehensively outsold by the de Havilland Moth and its descendants....
.
Death
Beauvais
Beauvais is a city approximately by highway north of central Paris, in the northern French region of Picardie. It currently has a population of over 60,000 inhabitants.- History :...
France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
early on 5 October 1930, during its maiden voyage to India.
Legacy
In 1952 British European AirwaysBritish European Airways
British European Airways or British European Airways Corporation was a British airline which existed from 1946 until 1974. The airline operated European and North African routes from airports around the United Kingdom...
named its 'Pionair' (Douglas DC-3
Douglas DC-3
The Douglas DC-3 is an American fixed-wing propeller-driven aircraft whose speed and range revolutionized air transport in the 1930s and 1940s. Its lasting impact on the airline industry and World War II makes it one of the most significant transport aircraft ever made...
) G-AKNB “Sir Sefton Brancker” to mark his substantial contribution to the development of British Aviation.
In 1996 British Airways (BA) named one of its newly delivered Boeing 777
Boeing 777
The Boeing 777 is a long-range, wide-body twin-engine jet airliner manufactured by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. It is the world's largest twinjet and is commonly referred to as the "Triple Seven". The aircraft has seating for over 300 passengers and has a range from , depending on model...
's "Sir William Sefton Brancker" in recognition of his work. Other 777s in the BA fleet were named after aviation pioneers, for example "Wilbur and Orville Wright" and "Sir Frank Whittle." The aircraft (G-ZZZB) no longer carries Sir Sefton's name, aircraft names having been removed from the BA fleet since the short-lived 1997 Utopia re-branding.
Further reading
- Sir Sefton Brancker, Norman MacMillan, William Heinemann Ltd, London, 1935
- Air Days, John F. Leeming, Harrap, London, 1936
- Raleigh, Walter. The War In The Air: Being the Story of The part played in the Great War by The Royal Air Force: Vol I. Oxford:Clarendon Press, 1922.
- Oxford Dictionary of National Biography - Brancker, Sir William Sefton (requires login)
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