Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation

Text links are shown below

- Home Page -

- About this site -

- Quick Menu -

- Main Menu -

- Members' Area -

- What's New -

- Help Needed -

- Online Store -

- Reunions -

- Contact Me -

- Sign Guest Book -

- View Guest Book -

- Glossary -

- Bibliography -

Lieutenant General Sir David Henderson

Photograph of Sir David Henderson David

b: 11 Aug1862,

r: xx xxx xxxx,

d: 17 Aug 1921

KCB - 22 Jun 1914, KCVO - 17 Dec 1918, DSO - 22 Aug 1902, K St J: 9 Jul 1920, LoH, Cdr - 8 Nov 1915, Cwn GO - 24 Sep 1917, WES - 14 Jan 1918, Cwn, Gr Off - 8 Nov 1918, ST, GC - 9 Nov 1918, LoH, GO - 1 Apr 1920

For a list of foreign decoration abbreviations, click here

(Army): - Lt: 25 Aug 1883, Capt: 26 Feb 1890, (B) Maj: 16 Feb 1898, (B) Lt Col: 29 Nov 1900, Maj: 12 Dec 1903, (B) Col: 22 Nov 1905, Lt Col: 1 Jan 1907, Col: 27 Nov 1907, (T) Brig-Gen: 4 Apr 1908 - xx xxx xxxx, 1 Jul 1912, Maj-Gen: 26 Oct 1914, (T) Lt Gen: 24 Mar 1916, Lt-Gen: 1 Jan 1917.

(RAF): - Lt-Gen: 3 Jan 1918, (H) Lt Gen: 1 Jan 1919.

xx xxx xxxx: Attended RMC Sandhurst.

25 Aug 1883: Officer, Princess Louise's (Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders).

1 Dec 1897: Staff Captain - Intelligence, Army HQ Sudan

xx xxx 1898: ADC to Brigadier-General Commanding, Nile Expedition

xx xxx 1901: Director of Military Intelligence

xx xxx 1902: Supernumerary Captain, Princess Louise's (Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders)

26 Sep 1903: Reverted to establishment of Princess Louise's (Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders)

xx xxx xxxx: Deputy Assistant Quartermaster-General

22 Nov 1905: Assistant Adjutant General

1 Jan 1907: Promoted to Lieutenant Colonel on half pay.

xx xxx xxxx: GSO I, 1st Division

4 Jan 1908: Staff Officer to the Commander-in-Chief, Mediterranean

4 Apr 1908: Staff Officer to the Inspector-General of Forces.

12 Sep 1912: Appointed to the RFC Reserve

1 Sep 1913: Director of Military Aeronautics.

5 Aug 1914: GOC, RFC in the Field.

xx xxx 1914: GOC, 1st Infantry Division.

20 Dec 1914: GOC, RFC in the Field.

19 Aug 1915: Director-General of Military Aeronautics.

18 Oct 1917: ?

3 Jan 1918: Member of Air Council

10 Aug 1918: Area Commandant (Class S)

He took part in the Nile Expedition of 1898 and was wounded later at the Defence of Ladysmith, during the South African War. Learning to fly, he gained RAeC Certificate No 118 on 17 Aug 1911. He assumed responsibility for all aspects of aviation within the Army when the Department of Military Aeronautics took over control from the Master-General of Ordnance. He assisted General Jan Smuts in his review of the British Air Services in 1917 and wrote much of the 'Smut's Report', which ultimately led to the formation of the RAF. His only so was killed in 1918, whilst flying as a pilot in the RFC. On retiring from the RAF, he became Director-General of Red Cross Societies in Geneva, where he died in 1921.

A H McM Hely [Top of Page] M Henderson