W
inston Churchill had a very early connection
with military aviation. On being appointed
First Lord of the Admiralty in 1911, he was
keen to pursue the development of this new invention. He
began to take flying lessons in 1912 and was immediately
hooked. Although he had many hours’ instruction, he was
not allowed to fly solo, so he never qualified as a pilot. He
oversaw the official birth of the Royal Naval Air Service
(RNAS) in 1914 before leaving the Admiralty in 1915.
The RNAS was later merged on 1 April 1918 with the
Army’s Royal Flying Corps to create the Royal Air Force
(RAF). After keeping the new service supplied with their
technical needs as Minister of Munitions in 1917–18,
Churchill cemented his close connection with the RAF as
Secretary-of-State for Air in 1919–21. As Prime Minister
and Minister of Defence from May 1940, he had a direct
link to the RAF and its commanders during the critical
period of the Battle of Britain and the subsequent need to
achieve air superiority in many parts of the world and to
take the battle to enemy territory.
The British Army has long had a tradition, particular-
ly (but not exclusively) in cavalry and infantry regiments,
of appointing a Colonel of the Regiment; he is not in thechain of command and is often a retired general who had
spent his early career in the regiment concerned and now
acts as a father figure while keeping an eye on its well-be-
ing. In 1941 Churchill himself was appointed Colonel of
4th Queen’s Own Hussars (his own original regiment).
Some parts of the Army (specifically reserve units in the
Territorial Army, or “TA”) also have an Honorary Col-
onel; this appointment is no more than a title with no
duties whatsoever but acts as a way of maintaining good
public relations by nominating a local worthy who will
take an interest and pay occasional visits. Churchill held
a number of these appointments, most importantly that
of Hon. Colonel, 4th/5th (Cinque Ports) Battalion, The
Royal Sussex Regiment; he frequently wore its uniform
when visiting wartime theatres.
With the creation of reserve squadrons in the Royal
Auxiliary Air Force, a similar role to that of an Honor-
ary Colonel in a TA unit was introduced in the rank of
Honorary Air Commodore; the latter equates to an Army
Brigadier, so is technically one rank senior to a Colonel.
In 1939 Churchill was appointed Hon. Air Commodore,
No. 615 (County of Surrey) Squadron, Royal Auxiliary
Air Force. The squadron was based at Kenley, only about
ten miles from Chartwell and therefore easy for Churchill
to visit. By 1940 it was operating Hurricanes and Spitfires.
It was this uniform that Churchill frequently wore during
the Second World War.Churchill as Honorary Air Commodore
By Paul H. Courtenay
W
instonChurchillhada veryearlyconnection
with military aviation. On being appointed
FirstLordof theAdmiraltyin1911,hewas
keentopursuethedevelopmentofthisnewinvention.He
begantotakeflyinglessonsin 1912 andwasimmediately
hooked.Althoughhehadmanyhours’instruction,hewas
notallowedtoflysolo,soheneverqualifiedasa pilot.He
oversawtheofficialbirthoftheRoyalNavalAirService
(RNAS)in 1914 beforeleavingtheAdmiraltyin1915.
The RNAS waslatermerged on 1 April 1918 withthe
Army’sRoyalFlyingCorpstocreatetheRoyalAirForce
(RAF).Afterkeepingthenewservicesuppliedwiththeir
technical needs as Minister of Munitions in 1917–18,
ChurchillcementedhiscloseconnectionwiththeRAFas
Secretary-of-StateforAirin1919–21.AsPrimeMinister
andMinisterofDefencefromMay1940,hehada direct
linktotheRAFanditscommandersduringthecritical
periodoftheBattleofBritainandthesubsequentneedto
achieveairsuperiorityinmanypartsoftheworldandto
takethebattletoenemyterritory.
The British Army has long had a tradition, particular-
ly (but not exclusively) in cavalry and infantry regiments,
of appointing a Colonel of the Regiment; he is not in the
chain of command and is often a retired general who had
spent his early career in the regiment concerned and now
acts as a father figure while keeping an eye on its well-be-
ing. In 1941 Churchill himself was appointed Colonel of
4th Queen’s Own Hussars (his own original regiment).
Some parts of the Army (specifically reserve units in the
Territorial Army, or “TA”) also have an Honorary Col-
onel; this appointment is no more than a title with no
duties whatsoever but acts as a way of maintaining good
public relations by nominating a local worthy who will
take an interest and pay occasional visits. Churchill held
a number of these appointments, most importantly that
of Hon. Colonel, 4th/5th (Cinque Ports) Battalion, The
Royal Sussex Regiment; he frequently wore its uniform
whenvisitingwartimetheatres.
With the creation of reserve squadrons in the Royal
Auxiliary Air Force, a similar role to that of an Honor-
ary Colonel in a TA unit was introduced in the rank of
Honorary Air Commodore; the latter equates to an Army
Brigadier, so is technically one rank senior to a Colonel.
In 1939 Churchill was appointed Hon. Air Commodore,
No. 615 (County of Surrey) Squadron, Royal Auxiliary
Air Force. The squadron was based at Kenley, only about
ten miles from Chartwell and therefore easy for Churchill
to visit. By 1940 it was operating Hurricanes and Spitfires.
It was this uniform that Churchill frequently wore during
the Second World War.Churchill as Honorary Air Commodore
By Paul H. Courtenay