26-746: Air Vice Marshal Sir Oliver Swann , KCB , CBE (born Schwann ; 18 November 1878 – 7 March 1948) was a British military commander who was a leading figure in the Royal Naval Air Service and senior commander in the Royal Air Force during the first half of the 20th century. Schwann joined the Royal Navy in 1892, and was a lieutenant when in July 1902 he was posted as junior staff to HMS Vernon , naval torpedo school ship at Chatham dockyard . In 1910 Schwann
52-705: A British pilot from salt water. In November 1912, after Schwann had qualified as a pilot, he was appointed assistant director of the Air Department at the Admiralty, making him deputy to Murray Sueter. Over the next two years Sueter and Schwann worked to establish the Royal Naval Air Service. In 1914, just prior to the outbreak of the First World War , Schwann was promoted to captain and assigned to port duties. The following year he
78-423: A broad black band. This is worn on both the lower sleeves of the dress uniform or on the shoulders of the flying suit or working uniform. The command flag of an air vice-marshal has two narrow red bands running through the centre. The vehicle star plate for an air vice-marshal depicts two white stars (air vice-marshal is a two-star rank) on an air force blue background. As of August 2014 , air vice-marshal
104-407: A broad gold ring on both lower sleeves. The command flag of an air commodore has one narrow red band running through the centre and is rectangular with a cut-away section giving it two tails. It is the only RAF command flag of this shape and it is similar in shape to that of a Royal Navy commodore's broad pennant . The vehicle star plate for an air commodore depicts a single white star (air commodore
130-486: Is also used by the air forces of many countries which have historical British influence and it is sometimes used as the English translation of an equivalent rank in countries which have a non-English air force-specific rank structure. Air vice-marshal is usually equivalent to a rear admiral or a major general . The rank of Air Vice-Marshal is immediately senior to the rank Air Commodore and immediately subordinate to
156-399: Is equivalent to a one-star rank) on an air force blue background. RAF air commodores are classed as air officers and as such have two rows of gold oak leaves on the peak of their service dress hats. The reigning monarch may appoint honorary air commodores for RAF flying squadrons and stations. For example, King Charles III is RAF Valley 's honorary air commodore and Winston Churchill
182-545: Is sometimes used as the English translation of an equivalent rank in countries which have a non-English air force-specific rank structure. Air commodore is immediately senior to group captain and immediately subordinate to air vice-marshal . It is usually equivalent to a commodore or a brigadier / brigadier general . The equivalent rank in the Women's Auxiliary Air Force , Women's Royal Air Force (until 1968) and Princess Mary's Royal Air Force Nursing Service (until 1980)
208-628: The Air Staff during the last months of the war and into 1919. In April 1919 Swann was appointed Air Officer Commanding the Mediterranean District and the following year his command was redesignated as the Mediterranean Group . On 1 June 1920, Swann was posted to become Air Officer Commanding Egyptian Group . On his return to Great Britain in early 1923, Swann became Director of Personnel. Later that year his post
234-731: The RAF for the second time in July 1940 and afterwards worked as the Air Liaison Officer for the North Midland Region. Swann died only three years after the end of the Second World War on 7 March 1948 at his home in Littleton, Guildford . Air Vice Marshal Air vice-marshal ( Air Vce Mshl or AVM ) is an air officer rank used by some air forces, with origins from the Royal Air Force . The rank
260-551: The cadet organisation as the Commandant Air Cadets . On 1 April 1918, the newly created RAF adopted its officer rank titles from the British Army , with officers at what is now air commodore holding the rank of brigadier-general . In response to the proposal that the RAF should use its own rank titles, it was suggested that the RAF might use the Royal Navy's officer ranks , with the word "air" inserted before
286-413: The honorary rank. In such cases the individual is made an honorary air commandant and they retain their regular rank. Larger air force organisations or formations may be honoured by having an air commodore-in-chief appointed in their name. These RAF appointments are rare and to date (2020) have been given to just five senior members of the royal family, of whom three were reigning or future monarchs of
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#1732793673700312-529: The naval rank title. Although the Admiralty objected to this simple modification of their rank titles, it was agreed that the RAF might base many of its officer rank titles on Navy officer ranks with differing pre-modifying terms. It was also suggested that air-officer ranks could be based on the term "ardian", which was derived from a combination of the Gaelic words for "chief" ( ard ) and "bird" ( eun ), with
338-409: The naval rank title. For example, the rank that later became air vice-marshal would have been air rear-admiral. The Admiralty objected to any use of their rank titles, including this modified form, and so an alternative proposal was put forward: air officer ranks would be based on the term "ardian", which was derived from a combination of the Gaelic words for "chief" ( ard ) and "bird" ( eun ), with
364-471: The present-day RAF, air commodores typically hold senior appointments within groups , acting directly in support of the air officer commanding . However, during the inter-war period, and in the case of the contemporary No. 83 Expeditionary Air Group , the air officer commanding held or holds air commodore rank. In the Air Training Corps , an appointed air commodore holds ultimate authority over
390-665: The rank of Air Marshal . Since before the Second World War it has been common for air officers commanding RAF groups to hold the rank of Air Vice-Marshal. In small air forces such as the Royal New Zealand Air Force and the Ghana Air Force , the head of the air force holds the rank of Air Vice-Marshal. The equivalent rank in the Women's Auxiliary Air Force , Women's Auxiliary Australian Air Force , Women's Royal Air Force (until 1968) and Princess Mary's Royal Air Force Nursing Service (until 1980)
416-722: The rank of air vice-marshal from 2009 to 2012 when she retired from the Australian Defence Force . In 1920, Sir Willoughby Gwatkin , the former Canadian Chief of the General Staff , was granted the rank of air vice-marshal and appointed the inspector-general of the newly established Canadian Air Force . The rank was used until the 1968 unification of the Canadian Forces , when army-type rank titles were adopted. Canadian air vice-marshals then became major-generals . In official Canadian French usage,
442-416: The rank title was vice-maréchal de l'air . On 1 April 1918, the newly created RAF adopted its officer rank titles from the British Army , with officers at what is now air vice-marshal level holding the rank of major-general. In response to the proposal that the RAF should use its own rank titles, it was suggested that the RAF might use the Royal Navy 's officer ranks, with the word "air" inserted before
468-533: The term "fourth ardian" or "flight ardian" being used for the equivalent to brigadier-general and commodore. However, the rank title based on the Navy rank was preferred and air commodore was adopted in August 1919. The rank insignia is a light-blue band on a broad black band worn on both the lower sleeves of the tunic or on the shoulders of the flying suit or the casual uniform. On the mess uniform , air commodores wear
494-412: The term "third ardian" or "squadron ardian" being used for the equivalent to rear admiral and major general. However, air vice-marshal was preferred and was adopted in August 1919. The following officers were the first to be appointed to the rank, and their former service ranks are also shown: The rank insignia consists of a narrow light blue band (on a slightly wider black band) over a light blue band on
520-402: Was 615 Squadron 's honorary air commodore. As the title suggests, this is an honorary position bestowed by the reigning monarch and it does not grant the recipient command of a unit or formation. It is designed to strengthen the bond between the military unit and the individual and promote the role of the air force amongst the public. Serving officers may be granted an equivalent appointment to
546-641: Was "air chief commandant". The Australian Air Corps adopted the RAF rank system on 9 November 1920 and this usage was continued by its successor, the Royal Australian Air Force . However, the rank of air vice-marshal was not used by the Australian Armed Forces until 1935 when Richard Williams , the Australian Chief of the Air Staff , was promoted. Margaret Staib of the Royal Australian Air Force served in
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#1732793673700572-564: Was "air commandant". The rank was used in the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) until the 1968 unification of the Canadian Forces , when army-type rank titles were adopted. Canadian air commodores then became brigadier-generals . In official Canadian French usage, the rank title was commodore de l'air . The position of honorary air commodore still exists in the Royal Canadian Air Cadets . In
598-489: Was appointed captain of the aircraft carrier HMS Campania , a former Cunard liner that had been converted to carry a dozen aircraft. Later in the war, Schwann served as Officer Commanding the Orkneys Division. In 1917 Oliver Schwann anglicized the spelling of his name to Swann. With the establishment of the Royal Air Force in early 1918, Swann was transferred to the new service. He served as Deputy Chief of
624-653: Was retitled Air Member for Personnel when Swann became a member of the Air Council with responsibility for personnel matters. Swann did not spend long at home. On 27 November 1923 Swann was appointed Air Officer Commanding RAF Middle East . He held this post until late 1926 and he retired from the RAF in 1929. During the Second World War , Swann was recalled to service as the Commandant of No. 1 School of Technical Training at RAF Halton . He retired from
650-464: Was selected to assist Captain Murray Sueter who was conducting pioneering naval aviation work with airships. Later, Schwann bought an Avro Type D landplane (at his own expense with support from friends) for £700 and fitted floats to it. Despite not having qualified as a pilot, Schwann managed to fly it off the water. Although Schwann crashed the aircraft, this was the first aircraft take off by
676-516: Was the highest uniformed military rank currently held by a woman in the British Armed Forces when Air Vice-Marshal Elaine West was awarded the position in August 2013. ... Air Commodore Air commodore ( Air Cdre or Air Cmde ) is a air officer rank used by some air forces, with origins from the Royal Air Force . The rank is also used by the air forces of many countries which have historical British influence and it
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