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Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation
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Air Vice-Marshal Sir Oliver Swann (originally Schwann)
Oliver
b: 18 Nov 1878
r: 2 Nov 1929
d: 7 Mar 1948
KCB
- 1 Jan 1924 (CB - 1 Jan 1919),
CBE -
3 Jun 1919.
(RN):
- Mid’n:
15 Oct 1894,
Sub-Lt:
15 Apr 1898, Lt:
15 Apr 1899, Cdr: 31 Dec 1909, Capt:
30 Jun 1914, Wg
Capt: 9 Nov 1914.
(RAF):
- (T) Brig-Gen (Col):
1 Apr 1918, Col: 1 Apr 1918, Act Brig-Gen: 1 May
1919, A/Cdre: 1 Aug 1919, AVM: 30 Jun 1922 [1 Aug 1919], A/Cdre: 28 Aug 1939.
15 Jul 1892: Attended HMS Britannia?
19 Nov 1895:
Midshipman, HMS Narcissus.
1 May 1897: Midshipman, HMS Active
xx xxx 1898: Studying at RN College, Greenwich to be a Naval Instructor
25 Aug 1899: Lieutenant, HMS Magnificent
xx Jul 1901: Lent to HMS Æolus for manoeuvres
1 Oct 1900: Attended Torpedo Lieutenants' Course, HMS Vernon
xx xxx 1901: Attended Gunnery Course at Royal Naval College, Greenwich
17 Mar 1903: Torpedo Officer, HMS Ocean (loaned as shown below whilst awaiting commissioning)
17 Mar 1903: Lent to HMS Spartiate (Torpedo and Gunnery)
13 May 1903:
xx xxx 1905: Torpedo Instructor, HMS Vernon
20 Jan 1906: Torpedo Officer, HMS Duke of Edinburgh
2 Jul 1907: Torpedo Instructor, HMS Vernon
15 Jan 1910: Officer Commanding, HMS Niger
26 Sep 1910: HMS Hermione (additional) for service with Airship No 1
xx Sep 1910: Assistant to Inspecting Captain of Airships.
20 Apr 1912: Staff, Naval Ordnance Department (Temporary)
xx xxx 1912: Assistant to Director of Naval Ordnance and Torpedoes (Temporary)
25
Nov 1912: Assistant
to Director of
the Air Department, Admiralty.
1 Jul 1914: Assistant Director of
the Air Department, Admiralty.
1
Feb 1915:
Officer
Commanding, HMS Campania.
12 Jan 1917: Name changed by Deed Poll to Swann
16
Oct 1917: Officer Commanding, Orkneys
Division (HMS Campania and Houton Bay Seaplane Station).
12
Aug 1918: Deputy Chief of the
Air Staff.
2
Apr 1919:
AOC,
Mediterranean District.
1 Aug 1919: Awarded Permanent Commission as a Colonel
22
Jan 1920: Removed from the Navy Lists
on being awarded Permanent Commission in RAF
1
Apr 1920:
AOC,
Mediterranean Group.
1
Jun 1920:
AOC,
Egyptian Group.
Jan/Feb
1922
Director of
Personnel.
xx
xxx 1923: Air Member for
Personnel.
27
Nov 1923: AOC, RAF Middle East.
2 Sep 1939: Relinquished rank of AVM on being re-employed.
2 Sep 1939:
AOC,
RAF Halton/Commandant, No 1 SoTT (Apprentices).
20 Jul 1940: Reverted to Retired List as AVM.
20 Jul 1940 - xx xxx 1943: Air
Liaison Officer, North Midland Region.
Born with the surname Schwann, he anglicised it in
1917 after making a forced landing on Scarborough race course in a German Mars
aeroplane. With a German sounding name, flying a German aircraft still in its'
German markings, he was very nearly shot by the local army.
His flying career started before WW1, having gained RAeC Certificate No
203 on 16 April 1912. Having been appointed
Assistant to Captain Murray Sueter he was involved in the development and
construction of the Navy’s first airship, The
Mayfly. When the Mayfly broke
it’s back due to structural weaknesses, development was halted and he turned
to heavier-then-air machines. He
bought himself an Avro biplane, fitted it with floats and carried out the first
take off by a British pilot from salt water.
However at this point he did not possess a pilot’s licence and the
following year he set about remedying this deficiency, obtaining RAeC
Certificate No 203. As Captain of HMS Campania, he was advised to prepare to accompany the Grand Fleet
on the eve of the Battle of Jutland but never received the signal ordering the
ship to set sail. Two hours after
the main Fleet sailed Swann gave orders to follow, only to be ordered back to
port by Admiral Jellicoe. As a
result the Grand Fleet was deprived of valuable reconnaissance resources which
may have produced a totally different outcome to the Battle.
This page was last updated on 16/11/22
F R D Swain
