Edgar Ludlow-Hewitt
Encyclopedia
Air Chief Marshal
Sir Edgar Rainey Ludlow-Hewitt GCB
, GBE
, CMG
, DSO
, MC
, DL
(9 June 1886 – 15 August 1973) was a senior Royal Air Force
commander.
before the First World War, where he qualified for the Royal Aero Club
's Aviator's Certificate no. 886 on 11 September 1914. During the war he served first as a pilot in No. 1 Squadron
Royal Flying Corps
and then later as the Officer Commanding No. 15 Squadron and No. 3 Squadron
on the Western Front. In 1916 Ludlow-Hewitt took up command of the 3rd (Corps) Wing as a temporary lieutenant colonel. Late in the following year he was promoted to brigadier-general and made the Inspector of Training at the headquarters of the Royal Flying Corps' Training Division. Like other members of the Flying Corps, he transferred to the Royal Air Force on its creation on 1 April 1918. It was also on that date that he became General Officer Commanding
(GOC) the Training Division. Less than two months later he was appointed GOC the 10th Brigade.
in 1922 and Commandant of the RAF Staff College
in 1926. He went on to be Air Officer Commanding Iraq Command
in 1930, Deputy Chief of the Air Staff
and Director of Operations and Intelligence in 1933 and Air Officer Commanding the RAF India
in 1935. In 1937 Ludlow-Hewitt was promoted to air chief marshal
and appointed Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief of Bomber Command
. However, with World War II
underway, Ludlow-Hewitt was replaced by Portal in April 1940 because of Ludlow-Hewitt's insistence on the formation of Operational Training Units at the expense of the availability of front line airmen. He spent the remainder of the war as Inspector-General of the RAF
and did not retire until November 1945, making him the RAF officer with the longest time in the rank of air chief marshal throughout the history of the RAF.
Air Chief Marshal
Air chief marshal is a senior 4-star air-officer rank which originated in and continues to be used by the Royal Air Force...
Sir Edgar Rainey Ludlow-Hewitt GCB
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...
, GBE
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
, 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...
, MC
Military Cross
The Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
, DL
Deputy Lieutenant
In the United Kingdom, a Deputy Lieutenant is one of several deputies to the Lord Lieutenant of a lieutenancy area; an English ceremonial county, Welsh preserved county, Scottish lieutenancy area, or Northern Irish county borough or county....
(9 June 1886 – 15 August 1973) was a senior 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...
commander.
World War I
Ludlow-Hewitt was originally commissioned into the Royal Irish Rifles, but transferred to the Royal Flying CorpsRoyal 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...
before the First World War, where he qualified for the 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...
's Aviator's Certificate no. 886 on 11 September 1914. During the war he served first as a pilot in No. 1 Squadron
No. 1 Squadron RAF
No. 1 Squadron is a squadron of the Royal Air Force. It operated the Harrier GR9 from RAF Cottesmore until 28 January 2011.The squadron motto is In omnibus princeps , appropriate for the RAF's oldest squadron and one that has been involved in almost every major British military operation since...
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...
and then later as the Officer Commanding No. 15 Squadron and No. 3 Squadron
No. 3 Squadron RAF
No 3 Squadron of the Royal Air Force operates the Typhoon F2, FGR4 and T3 from RAF Coningsby, Lincolnshire.No 3 Squadron, which celebrated its 95th anniversary over the weekend of 11-13 May 2007, is unique in the RAF for having two official crests....
on the Western Front. In 1916 Ludlow-Hewitt took up command of the 3rd (Corps) Wing as a temporary lieutenant colonel. Late in the following year he was promoted to brigadier-general and made the Inspector of Training at the headquarters of the Royal Flying Corps' Training Division. Like other members of the Flying Corps, he transferred to the Royal Air Force on its creation on 1 April 1918. It was also on that date that he became General Officer Commanding
General Officer Commanding
General Officer Commanding is the usual title given in the armies of Commonwealth nations to a general officer who holds a command appointment. Thus, a general might be the GOC II Corps or GOC 7th Armoured Division...
(GOC) the Training Division. Less than two months later he was appointed GOC the 10th Brigade.
Later career
He was appointed Air SecretaryAir Secretary
The Air Secretary is the Royal Air Force appointment of which the incumbent is responsible for policy direction on personnel management for members of the RAF. From 1978 to 1983 the Air Secretary was more often referred to as Air Officer Commanding Royal Air Force Personnel Management Centre. It is...
in 1922 and Commandant of the RAF Staff College
RAF Staff College, Andover
The RAF Staff College at RAF Andover was the first Royal Air Force staff college to be established. Its role was the training of officers in the administrative, staff and policy apects of air force matters.-Foundation:...
in 1926. He went on to be Air Officer Commanding Iraq Command
RAF Iraq Command
Iraq Command was the RAF commanded inter-service command in charge of British forces in Iraq in the 1920s and early 1930s, during the period of the British Mandate of Mesopotamia. It continued as British Forces in Iraq until 1941 when it was replaced by AHQ Iraq...
in 1930, Deputy Chief of the Air Staff
Deputy Chief of the Air Staff
The Deputy Chief of the Air Staff was a senior appointment in the Royal Air Force. The incumbent was the deputy to the Chief of the Air Staff. The post existed from 1918 to 1968 or 1969...
and Director of Operations and Intelligence in 1933 and Air Officer Commanding the RAF India
Indian Air Force
The Indian Air Force is the air arm of the Indian armed forces. Its primary responsibility is to secure Indian airspace and to conduct aerial warfare during a conflict...
in 1935. In 1937 Ludlow-Hewitt was promoted to air chief marshal
Air Chief Marshal
Air chief marshal is a senior 4-star air-officer rank which originated in and continues to be used by the Royal Air Force...
and appointed Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief of Bomber Command
RAF Bomber Command
RAF Bomber Command controlled the RAF's bomber forces from 1936 to 1968. During World War II the command destroyed a significant proportion of Nazi Germany's industries and many German cities, and in the 1960s stood at the peak of its postwar military power with the V bombers and a supplemental...
. However, with World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
underway, Ludlow-Hewitt was replaced by Portal in April 1940 because of Ludlow-Hewitt's insistence on the formation of Operational Training Units at the expense of the availability of front line airmen. He spent the remainder of the war as Inspector-General of the RAF
Inspector-General of the RAF
The Inspector-General of the RAF was a senior appointment in the Royal Air Force, responsible for the inspection of airfields. The post existed from 1918 to 1920 and from 1935 until the late 1960s....
and did not retire until November 1945, making him the RAF officer with the longest time in the rank of air chief marshal throughout the history of the RAF.
Honours and awards
- Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the BathOrder of the BathThe 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...
- 1 January 1946 (KCB - 2 January 1933, CB - 4 June 1928) - Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the British EmpireOrder of the British EmpireThe Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
- 1 January 1943 - Companion of the Order of St Michael and St GeorgeOrder of St Michael and St GeorgeThe 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....
- 3 June 1919 - Distinguished Service OrderDistinguished Service OrderThe 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...
- 1 January 1918 - Military CrossMilitary CrossThe Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
- 14 January 1916 - Mention in Despatches - 22 June 1915, 1 January 1916, 4 January 1917, 11 December 1917, 31 December 1918, 11 July 1919
- Chevalier of the Legion of Honour (France) - 14 July 1917
- Deputy LieutenantDeputy LieutenantIn the United Kingdom, a Deputy Lieutenant is one of several deputies to the Lord Lieutenant of a lieutenancy area; an English ceremonial county, Welsh preserved county, Scottish lieutenancy area, or Northern Irish county borough or county....
(Wiltshire) - 30 September 1952 - Air ADC to The KingAide-de-campAn aide-de-camp is a personal assistant, secretary, or adjutant to a person of high rank, usually a senior military officer or a head of state...
- 1 Jul 1921 - Principal Air ADC to The King