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Air Commodore R C M Pink

Richard Charles Montagu      b: 30 Nov 1888                                                      d: 7 Mar 1932

CBE - 10 Oct 1919, MiD - 20 Nov 1925.

(RN): - Mid’n: xx xxx 1904, Act Sub-Lt: xx xxx xxxx, Sub Lt: 30 Apr 1908, Lt: 31 Dec 1910, Flt Cdr: xx xxx xxxx, Sqn Cdr: 30 Jun 1917, Lt Cdr: 30 Dec 1918.

(RAF): - (T) Lt Col (Capt]: 1 Apr 1918, Maj: xx xxx xxxx, Lt Col: 1 Jan 1919, Wg Cdr: 1 Aug 1919 [1 Jan 1919], Gp Capt: 1 Jan 1926, A/Cdre: 1 Jul 1931.

xx xxx xxxx:          Attended Britannia Naval College.

xx xxx 1904:          Midshipman, Royal Navy.

xx xxx xxxx:          Midshipman, HMS Bulwark (Home Fleet - 1908)

xx xxx 1910:          Officer Commanding, HM Submarine ?.

xx xxx 1913:          Staff, Royal Naval Barracks, Portsmouth.

xx xxx 1914:          Officer, HM Submarines.

xx xxx 1914:            Officer, Air Section, Admiralty.

1915                        Officer, Anti-Aircraft Section, Air Department, Admiralty.

xx xxx 1915:            U/T Airship Pilot, RNAS.

28 Nov 1915:          Officer i/c, Operations Section, Admiralty Air Department.

xx xxx 1917:            Officer Commanding, RNAS Longside.

xx xxx 1917:            Officer Commanding, RNAS Pembroke.

xx xxx 1917:            Officer Commanding Milford Haven Anti-Submarine Group.

 1 Apr 1918:            Staff Officer 1st Class – Marine Operations, Directorate of Flying Operations.

xx Nov 1918:           Staff Officer, Air Section, British Delegation to the Geneva Peace Conference.

25 Jul 1919:              Staff Officer, 1st Class (Personnel)

 1 Aug 1919:             Awarded Permanent Commission as a Lieutenant Colonel

xx xxx xxxx:              Director of Flying Operations/Airship Advisor to CAS.

 1 Nov 1919:            Transferred from Staff Officer Branch to Flying Branch.

 3 Nov 1919:            Inspector of Recruiting, Coastal Aircraft Depot.

22 Jan 1920:             Removed from the Navy Lists on being awarded Permanent Commission in RAF

16 Mar 1920:           Officer Commanding?, Coastal Aircraft Depot.

 1 Nov 1921:             Supernumerary (Temporary Duty), HQ Coastal Area.

29 Nov 1921:           Officer Commanding, Aircraft Depot, Egypt.

23 Nov 1923:           Officer Commanding (designate), No 1 (Indian) Wing.

xx xxx xxxx:              Officer Commanding, No 1 (Indian) Wing.

xx xxx xxxx:              Officer Commanding, No 2 (Indian) Wing.

 6 Mar 1926:            Group Captain - Admin, HQ ADGB.

13 May 1929:           Commandant, School of Technical Training (Men)

1 Jul 1929 - xx xxx 1931:            Officer Commanding, RAF Manston.

 1 Jul 1931:               SASO, HQ ADGB.

 9 Jul 1931:               Supernumerary - non effective (sick), RAF Depot.

The only RAF officer to have an actual campaign named after him, he commanded No 2 (Indian) Wing in Wiziristan involved in operations against dissident tribesmen.  The success of the campaign led to it being christened 'Pink's War' for which he received accelerated promotion to Group Captain.  In 1913 he had been involved in a submarine accident and was placed on half-pay for seven months owing to defective eyesight.  Shortly after taking up his appointment as SASO of Air Defence of Great Britain, he was taken ill and admitted to the RAF Hospital at Halton, where he died of cancer.