Charles Longcroft

Charles Alexander Holcombe Longcroft
Born	13 May 1883 Llanarth, Cardiganshire
Died	20 February 1958 (aged 74) Paddington, London, England
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Service/branch	British Army  Royal Air Force
Years of service	c. 1902 – 1929
Rank	Air Vice Marshal
Commands held	RAF Cranwell No. 4 Squadron RFC No. 1 Squadron RFC
Battles/wars	World War I
Awards	Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George Distinguished Service Order Air Force Cross Mention in Despatches
Other work	Gentleman Usher of the Scarlet Rod

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.

Early years

Charles Alexander Holcombe Longcroft was born on May 13, 1883 in Cardiganshire, 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.

World War I

By 1914, Longcroft had been promoted to major 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 captain. 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.

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 Rod 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.

References

See "The History of the Longcroft Family", by James L. Phillips-Evans LLB

• Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation - AVM Sir Charles Longcroft

Military offices
Preceded by E M Maitland	Officer Commanding No. 1 Squadron Royal Flying Corps 1 May 1914 – 28 January 1915	Succeeded by W G H Salmond
Preceded by H R P Reynolds	Officer Commanding No. 4 Squadron Royal Flying Corps 29 January – 21 July 1915	Succeeded by F F Waldron
New title RAF College established	RAF College Commandant 1919 – 1923	Succeeded by A E Borton
Preceded by Sir Tom Webb-Bowen	Air Officer Commanding Inland Area 1926 – 1929	Succeeded by A E Borton
Honorary titles
Preceded by R G A W Stapleton-Cotton	Gentleman Usher of the Scarlet Rod 1932 – 1948	Succeeded by D N Wimberley
Awards
New title Award established	Recipient of the Royal Aero Club Britannia Trophy 1913	Succeeded by J W Sedden

Persondata
Name	Longcroft, Charles Alexander Holcombe
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	13 May 1883
Place of birth	Llanarth, Cardiganshire
Date of death	20 February 1958
Place of death	Paddington, London, England