Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation


Home Page

Main Menu

Quick Menu

Members' Area

What New?

About this site

Reunions

Help Needed?

Glossary

Bibliography

Sign Guest Book

View Guest Book

Link to Amazon

Online Store

Contact Me


Air Vice-Marshal F V Holt


F V Holt - 1912Felton Vesey HoltFelton Vesey               

b: 23 Feb 1886                d: 23 Apr 1931

CMG - 1 Jan 1919, DSO - 18 Feb 1915, MiD - 31 Dec 1918, MiD - 11 Jul 1919.

(Army): - 2 Lt:  16 Aug 1905, Lt: 11 Jan 1908, (T) Capt: 1 May 1914, Capt: 25 Jul 1914, (T) Maj: 8 Feb 1915,  (T) Lt Col: 20 Mar 1916, (B) Maj: 1 Jan 1917.  

(RAF): - Lt Col: 1 Apr 1918, (T) Brig-Gen: 26 Apr 1918, Act Brig-Gen: 3 May 1918 [1 Apr 1918], Wg Cdr: 1 Aug 1919 [1 Apr 1918], Gp Capt: 1 Nov 1919, A/Cdre: 1 Jul 1925, AVM: 1 Jan 1931.

Photograph (Far left) - taken from his RAeC Certificate

Photograph (left) - Felton Vesey Holt

by Bassano Ltd
bromide print, 30 April 1930
NPG x85337

© National Portrait Gallery, London

xx xxx1903:            Attended RMC Sandhurst.

16 Aug 1905:          Officer, Oxfordshire Light Infantry.

 1908-1913:            Officer, Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry.

17 Apr 1913:            Flying Officer, RFC.

17 Apr 1913:            Flying Officer, No 4 Sqn RFC.

 1 May 1914:            Flight Commander, No ? Sqn RFC.

24 Jan - 4 Feb 1915:             Placed on sick list (hospital)

 8 Feb 1915:            Officer Commanding, No 16 Sqn RFC. (Various types – Western Front)

23 Jul 1915:             Returned to Home Establishment

25 Sep 1915:           Officer Commanding, No 25 Sqn RFC. (FE2b – UK/Western Front)

13 Feb 1916:           Re-embarked to France (with No 25 Sqn)

13 Mar 1916:          Returned to Home Establishment

20 Mar 1916:          Appointed Wing Commander, RFC.

25 June 1916:          Officer Commanding, 16th/Home Defence Wing RFC.

16 Feb 1917:           Returned to France

17 Feb 1917            Officer Commanding, 22nd (Army) Wing RFC.

19-23 Jun 1917:       Temporary duty in England

17-21 Oct 1917:      Officer Commanding (Temporary), 5th Brigade.

 6 Dec 1917:            Attached, HQ, 14th Wing

 7 Dec 1917:            Officer Commanding, 14th Wing

12 Dec 1917:           Attached, HQ 22nd Wing

25 Apr 1918:           Returned to Home Establishment

26 Apr 1918:           GOC, No ? Group.

 1 Dec 1918:            Officer Commanding, 3rd Brigade

 5 Dec 1918:            Posted to HQ 9th Brigade

27 Feb - 1 Mar 1919:        Temporary duty in England

20 Mar 1919:           Officer Commanding, 9th Brigade?

24 Mar 1919:           ?

 1 Aug 1919:            Awarded Permanent Commission as a Lieutenant Colonel

26 Feb 1920:           Aeronautical Instructor to Chinese Republic

 1 Sep 1922:            Supernumerary, RAF Depot (on ceasing to be seconded to Chinese Government)

 1 Jan 1923:             Commandant, Central Flying School.

 9 Mar 1925:            Attended RN Staff College.

20-30 Mar 1926:     Placed on half pay list, Scale B. 

1 Apr 1926:            Chief Staff Officer, HQ ADGB.

 7 Dec 1928:           Director of Technical Development.

 1 Apr 1931:            AOC, Fighting Area.

Learning to fly in 1912 he gained his RAeC Certificate (No 312) on 1 Oct 1912 and became one of the earliest recruits to the RFC.  On taking command of 18 Wing, he became responsible for the air defence of Britain, previously invested in the RNAS.  Having carried out an inspection of RAF Tangmere, he had taken off in his De Havilland Moth, with his PA flying another Moth when a formation of Siskins, seeing his PA’s aircraft decided to pay him an aerial salute.  Unfortunately, the formation dived directly at the AVM, whom they could not see and  the Siskin on the left of the formation caught the wing of his Moth.  Going into a spin, the pilot recovered and the AVM took to his parachute, but they were too low, the AVM being killed when he hit the ground without a fully deployed parachute and his pilot when the aircraft hit the ground.  The inquest brought a verdict of accidental death.

Citation for the award of the Distinguished ServiceOrder

"Captain Felton Vesey Holt, The Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry and Royal Flying Corps.

For gallantry on 22nd January, 1915, in engaging- single-handed a group of twelve German aeroplanes which were attacking the town of Dunkirk. He was subsequently joined by two of our own biplanes, which ; resulted in one of the German machines being brought down, and its pilot and observer being captured."

(London Gazette - 18 February 1915)

This page was last updated on 28/12/19

Back to F M Holroyd F M Holroyd                                 [Top of Page]                                       A D A Honley Forward to A D A Honley