Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation

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Air Commodore P R C Groves

Percy Robert Clifford b: 26 Mar 1878 r: 3 Feb 1922 d: 12 Aug 1959

CB - 10 Oct 1919, CMG - 3 Jun 1919, DSO - xx xxx 1917, WE4S - 15 Feb 1917.

For a list of foreign decoration abbreviations, click here

(Militia): - 2 Lt: 4 May 1898, Lt: 27 Jun 1899.

(Territorial Army): - 2 Lt: 17 Oct 1899, Lt: 16 Jul 1901 [antedated to 9 Mar 1901 on 20 Sep 1901], (T) Capt: 11 Jun 1907, Capt: 29 Mar 1909, Maj: 1 Sep 1915, (T) Lt Col: 8 Jul 1916,

(RAF): - (T) Lt Col [Maj]: 1 Apr 1918, Act Brig-Gen: xx xxx xxxx, Col: 1 Jan 1919, Act Brig-Gen: 1 May 1919, Gp Capt: 1 Aug 1919 [1 Jan 1919], (H) Brig-Gen: 1 Aug 1919 - xx xxx xxxx, (H) A/Cdre: Retained

(RAFVR (ASD Branch)): Gp Capt: 21 Sep 1939, (H) A/Cdre: 21 Sep 1939.

4 May 1898: Militia Officer, 3rd Yorkshire and Lancashire Regiment

16 Jul 1901: Seconded to The King's (Shropshire Light Infantry).

20 Aug 1901: Seconded to Staff.

11 Jun 1907: Adjutant, 1st (Volunteer) Queen's (Royal West Surrey Regiment)

1 Apr 1908: Adjutant, 4th Queen's (Royal West Surrey Regiment)

19 Aug 1913: Restored to the Establishment of The King's ( Shropshire Light Infantry).

xx xxx xxxx: Served in Middle East.

22 Apr 1915: Staff Officer 3rd Grade

8 Jul 1916: Chief Staff Officer, Middle East Brigade.

15 Sep 1917: Officer Commanding, 38th (Reserve) Wing RFC. (Egypt)

27 May 1918: Director of Flying Operations.

22 Apr 1919: Member, British Delegation, Air Section, Paris.

1 Aug 1919: Resigned his commission in the Shropshire Light Infantry on appointment to a Permanent Commission in the RAF.

1 Aug 1919: Awarded Permanent Commission as a Colonel

16 Jan 1920: British Air Advisor to Council of Ambassadors, Paris.

3 Feb 1922: Placed on Retired List and granted the Honorary rank of Brigadier General.

21 Sep 1939: Appointed to Commission in Administrative and Special Duties Branch

Trained as a Lawyer before World War One passing his Criminal Law examinations as a member of Gray's Inn in 1910. Whilst serving in France as a Staff Officer, he qualified for his French Pilots Certificate, No 1917Fr on 29 Apr 1915.

One of his first tasks on taking up his appointment in Middle East Brigade, was to go to Salonika to survey the country and hold discussions with the Army commanders regarding their air requirements. In April 1916 he led the RFC contingent involved in supporting the military force acting against the Sultan of Darfur, the success of which was largely credited to Groves' organisation and leadership. After the war he was to be very critical of the lack of training received by pilots before being sent to the Western Front during WW1. He died in Mombasa

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