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Major-General W. S. Brancker
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Major-General W. S. Brancker
Major-General Sir William Sefton Brancker (1877-1930), civil aviation pioneer, portrayed by Lieutenant Percival Anderson during the First World War when he was Comptroller-General of Equipment on the Air Council. Brancker was trained for the British Army at Woolwich, joining the Royal Artillery in 1896. He served in the Second Boer War and later for a number of years in India, where he made his first flight in 1910. On 18 June 1913 he was awarded the Royal Aero Clubs Aviators Certificate no. 525. During World War I, he held important administrative posts in the Royal Flying Corps and later the Royal Air Force including Director of Air Organisation and Director of Military Aeronautics. In 1917, Brancker briefly served as the General Officer Commanding Royal Flying Corpss Palestine Headquarters and then its Middle East headquarters. Promoted to major-general in 1918, he became Controller-General of Equipment in January of that year and Master-General of Personnel in August 1918. The following year, he was appointed KCB and with the introduction of RAF-specific ranks, he became an air vice-marshal. n 1922 he was made Director of Civil Aviation, and worked assiduously to stimulate UK interest in the subject with both local authorities and flying clubs. He encouraged Manchester and other cities to construct municipal airports and airfields. He participated in several long-distance survey flights, notably with Alan Cobham. He was an ardent supporter of the development of British civilian air services connecting London to British colonies and dominions overseas. In 1930, he was killed when the R101 airship crashed near Beauvais France on 5 October 1930, during its maiden voyage to India. Sir Sefton was chairman of the Royal Aero Clubs (RAeC) Racing Committee from 1921 to 1930 and his dynamic leadership led to the RAeC forming the Light Aero Club scheme in 1925, which helped provide the UK clubs with examples of such new and improved aircraft types as the de
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Anderson Brancker Comptroller Council Eyeglass Lieutenant Major Monocle Percival Pioneer Pioneers Sefton
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This photograph captures Major-General Sir William Sefton Brancker (1877-1930), a pioneering figure in the history of civil aviation. Brancker, portrayed here by Lieutenant Percival Anderson during the First World War, served in the British Army, joining the Royal Artillery in 1896. He saw action in the Second Boer War and later in India, where he made his first flight in 1910. In 1913, Brancker was awarded the Royal Aero Club's Aviators Certificate no. 525. During the First World War, Brancker held important administrative posts in the Royal Flying Corps and later the Royal Air Force, including Director of Air Organisation and Director of Military Aeronautics. In 1917, he briefly served as the General Officer Commanding Royal Flying Corps' Palestine Headquarters and then its Middle East headquarters. Promoted to major-general in 1918, he became Controller-General of Equipment and later Master-General of Personnel. In 1919, he was appointed a Knight Commander of the Bath (KCB) and with the introduction of RAF-specific ranks, he became an air vice-marshal. In 1922, Brancker was made Director of Civil Aviation, and worked tirelessly to stimulate UK interest in civil aviation with both local authorities and flying clubs. He encouraged the construction of municipal airports and airfields in cities like Manchester. Brancker was an ardent supporter of the development of British civilian air services connecting London to British colonies and dominions overseas. He participated in several long-distance survey flights, notably with Alan Cobham. Tragically, Brancker was killed on 5 October 1930, when the R101 airship crashed near Beauvais, France, during its maiden voyage to India. Despite his military background, Brancker's dynamic leadership as the Chairman of the Royal Aero Club's Racing Committee from 1921 to 1930 led to the RAeC forming the Light Aero Club scheme in 1925, which helped provide UK clubs with examples of new and improved aircraft types.
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