Charles Longcroft
Encyclopedia
Air Vice Marshal Sir Charles Alexander Holcombe Longcroft KCB
, CMG
, DSO
, AFC
(13 May 1883 – 20 February 1958) was a pilot and squadron commander in the Royal Flying Corps
who went on to become a senior commander in the Royal Air Force
.
, Wales
, the third of four children born to Charles Edward Longcroft (1842–1892) and his wife, Catherine Alicia Holcombe. The Longcrofts had originated in Wiltshire
but first rose to prominence as merchants in Hampshire
in the 18th century. Charles' distinguished great-grandfather, Captain Edward Longcroft RN (c.1750-1812), had settled in Wales in the 1780s. Charles' father inherited the Llanina estate in 1888 but after his death only four years later the estate passed in trust to his nine-year old son. Charles Longcroft was educated at Charterhouse
, attended the Royal Military College Sandhurst before May 1903 and was then commissioned into the Welch Regiment
. After obtaining his Royal Aero Club
certificate in March 1912, Longcroft was attached to the Air Battalion of the Royal Engineers
at his request. With the establishment of the Royal Flying Corps
in the following month, he was seconded to the new Corps.
and was appointed Officer Commanding No. 1 Squadron RFC. For the next year and a half, apart from a brief period as a supernumerary, Longcroft was the squadron commander of either No. 1 Squadron or No. 4 Squadron RFC. During the period 1915 to 1918 he was promoted several times and had command of the RFC's Training Wing, 2nd Wing, V Brigade and Training Division. Longcroft finished the war as General Officer Commanding the 3rd Brigade.
. Just four days later he was promoted to air commodore
.
On 1 November 1919, Longcroft was appointed as the first commandant of the World's first air academy, the RAF (Cadet) College at Cranwell. The first intake of cadets arrived on the following February and his post was upgraded to Air Officer Commanding
RAF Cranwell. Longcroft continued as Air Officer Commanding until 1923 and he retired from the RAF at his own request on 2 November 1929.
in the Order of the Bath
. He was then appointed Registrar and Secretary of the Order of the Bath. He had been knighted in 1938. Air Vice Marshal Sir Charles Alexander Holcombe Longcroft died on 20 February 1958.
Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
, CMG
Order of St Michael and St George
The Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George is an order of chivalry founded on 28 April 1818 by George, Prince Regent, later George IV of the United Kingdom, while he was acting as Prince Regent for his father, George III....
, DSO
Distinguished Service Order
The Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...
, AFC
Air Force Cross (United Kingdom)
The Air Force Cross is a military decoration awarded to personnel of the United Kingdom Armed Forces, and formerly also to officers of the other Commonwealth countries, for "an act or acts of valour, courage or devotion to duty whilst flying, though not in active operations against the enemy"...
(13 May 1883 – 20 February 1958) was a pilot and squadron commander in the Royal Flying Corps
Royal Flying Corps
The Royal Flying Corps was the over-land air arm of the British military during most of the First World War. During the early part of the war, the RFC's responsibilities were centred on support of the British Army, via artillery co-operation and photographic reconnaissance...
who went on to become a senior commander in the Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
.
Early years
Charles Alexander Holcombe Longcroft was born on May 13, 1883 in CardiganshireCeredigion
Ceredigion is a county and former kingdom in mid-west Wales. As Cardiganshire , it was created in 1282, and was reconstituted as a county under that name in 1996, reverting to Ceredigion a day later...
, Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
, the third of four children born to Charles Edward Longcroft (1842–1892) and his wife, Catherine Alicia Holcombe. The Longcrofts had originated in Wiltshire
Wiltshire
Wiltshire is a ceremonial county in South West England. It is landlocked and borders the counties of Dorset, Somerset, Hampshire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire. It contains the unitary authority of Swindon and covers...
but first rose to prominence as merchants in Hampshire
Hampshire
Hampshire is a county on the southern coast of England in the United Kingdom. The county town of Hampshire is Winchester, a historic cathedral city that was once the capital of England. Hampshire is notable for housing the original birthplaces of the Royal Navy, British Army, and Royal Air Force...
in the 18th century. Charles' distinguished great-grandfather, Captain Edward Longcroft RN (c.1750-1812), had settled in Wales in the 1780s. Charles' father inherited the Llanina estate in 1888 but after his death only four years later the estate passed in trust to his nine-year old son. Charles Longcroft was educated at Charterhouse
Charterhouse School
Charterhouse School, originally The Hospital of King James and Thomas Sutton in Charterhouse, or more simply Charterhouse or House, is an English collegiate independent boarding school situated at Godalming in Surrey.Founded by Thomas Sutton in London in 1611 on the site of the old Carthusian...
, attended the Royal Military College Sandhurst before May 1903 and was then commissioned into the Welch Regiment
Welch Regiment
The Welch Regiment was an infantry regiment of the British Army from 1881 to 1969.-History:It was formed as the Welsh Regiment during the Childers Reforms of 1881, by the amalgamation of the 41st Regiment of Foot and the 69th Regiment of Foot...
. After obtaining his Royal Aero Club
Royal Aero Club
The Royal Aero Club is the national co-ordinating body for Air Sport in the United Kingdom.The Aero Club was founded in 1901 by Frank Hedges Butler, his daughter Vera and the Hon Charles Rolls , partly inspired by the Aero Club of France...
certificate in March 1912, Longcroft was attached to the Air Battalion of the Royal Engineers
Royal Engineers
The Corps of Royal Engineers, usually just called the Royal Engineers , and commonly known as the Sappers, is one of the corps of the British Army....
at his request. With the establishment of the Royal Flying Corps
Royal Flying Corps
The Royal Flying Corps was the over-land air arm of the British military during most of the First World War. During the early part of the war, the RFC's responsibilities were centred on support of the British Army, via artillery co-operation and photographic reconnaissance...
in the following month, he was seconded to the new Corps.
World War I
By 1914, Longcroft had been promoted to majorMajor
Major is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ...
and was appointed Officer Commanding No. 1 Squadron RFC. For the next year and a half, apart from a brief period as a supernumerary, Longcroft was the squadron commander of either No. 1 Squadron or No. 4 Squadron RFC. During the period 1915 to 1918 he was promoted several times and had command of the RFC's Training Wing, 2nd Wing, V Brigade and Training Division. Longcroft finished the war as General Officer Commanding the 3rd Brigade.
Royal Air Force commander
With the establishment of the Royal Air Force on 1 April 1918, Longcroft transferred to the new service on a temporary basis. However, just over a year later on 1 August 1919 he resigned his commission in the Welch Regiment and was awarded a permanent RAF commission in the rank of group captainGroup Captain
Group captain is a senior commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many other Commonwealth countries. It ranks above wing commander and immediately below air commodore...
. Just four days later he was promoted to air commodore
Air Commodore
Air commodore is an air-officer rank which originated in and continues to be used by the Royal Air Force...
.
On 1 November 1919, Longcroft was appointed as the first commandant of the World's first air academy, the RAF (Cadet) College at Cranwell. The first intake of cadets arrived on the following February and his post was upgraded to Air Officer Commanding
Air Officer Commanding
Air Officer Commanding is a title given in the air forces of Commonwealth nations to an air officer who holds a command appointment. Thus, an air vice marshal might be the AOC 38 Group...
RAF Cranwell. Longcroft continued as Air Officer Commanding until 1923 and he retired from the RAF at his own request on 2 November 1929.
Later years
On April 27, 1921 he married Marjory Hepburn, née McKerrell-Brown, and together they had a son, Charles McKerrell Longcroft, who was born in 1926. From 1932 to 1948, Longcroft served as a Gentleman Usher of the Scarlet RodGentleman Usher of the Scarlet Rod
The Gentleman Usher of the Scarlet Rod is the Gentleman Usher to the Order of the Bath, established in 1725.-Office Holders from 1725:*1725 – ?: Edmund Sawyer*bef. 1763 – aft. 1789: Henry Hill*bef. 1806 – 2 July 1814: Sir Isaac Heard...
in the Order of the Bath
Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
. He was then appointed Registrar and Secretary of the Order of the Bath. He had been knighted in 1938. Air Vice Marshal Sir Charles Alexander Holcombe Longcroft died on 20 February 1958.