Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation


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Lieutenant General Sir David Henderson


D Henderson - 1911Sir David HendersonDavid                            

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 Nov 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 - 25 Oct 1914, 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.

Photograph (left) - taken from his RAeC Certificate

Photograph (right) - Sir David Henderson

by Walter Stoneman
whole-plate glass negative, 1918
NPG x44280

© National Portrait Gallery, London

xx xxx xxxx:              Attended RMC Sandhurst.

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

26 Oct 1883:              Served in South Africa

 7 Nov 1885:              Served in Ceylon

15 May 1889:            Served in Hong Kong

23 Mar 1892:             Served in UK

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

13 Jul 1898:              ADC to Brigadier-General Commanding, Nile Expedition

18 Oct 1898:              Staff Captain - Intelligence, Army HQ Sudan

 1 Apr 1899:               Deputy Assistant Quarter-Master General, Army HQ

 1 Jul 1899:                Deputy Assistant Adjutant General, Natal

28 Oct 1900:              Director of Military Intelligence (graded as AAG), HQ South Africa

20 Sep 1902:              Supernumerary Captain, Princess Louise's (Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders) whilst employed under Civil Government, Transvaal

30 Apr 1903:             

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

 3 Mar 1904:              Deputy Assistant Quartermaster-General, 1st Army Corps/Aldershot Army Corps

22 Nov 1905:             Assistant Adjutant General, 1st Division, Aldershot Army Corps

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

 1 Jan 1907:               GSO I, 1st Division

21 Dec 1907:             Staff Officer (Brigadier General, General Staff) to Inspector General of the Forces

 1 Mar 1912:              Staff Officer (Brigadier General, General Staff) to the Inspector-General of Home Forces.              

 1 Jul 1912:                Director of Military Training

21 Sep 1912:              Appointed to the RFC 2nd Reserve

13 Aug 1914:              Embarked for France

 1 Sep 1913:               Director of Military Aeronautics.

 5 Aug 1914:               Commander, RFC in the Field.

21 Dec 1914:              GOC, RFC in the Field.

22 Feb 1916:              Director-General of Military Aeronautics.

18 Oct 1917:              Relinquished post of Director-General of Military Aeronautics.

 3 Jan 1918:                Member of Air Council

17 Apr 1918:              Ceased to be employed by the RAF

10 Aug 1918:             Area Commandant (Class S)

 7 Oct 1918:               Military Counsellor (graded as GOC-in-C 2nd Class without allowances)

1 Jan 1919:                  

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 son 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.

This page was last updated on 19/08/19

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