Air Commodore Thomas Charles Reginald Higgins, (21 July 1880 – 22 September 1953) was an early British aviator and senior Royal Flying Corps commander during the
First World War. He was one of the
small number of Royal Flying Corps generals in latter stages of the
War.
Career
Higgins initially served in the
Royal Navy, but on 14 March 1900 he joined the British Army and commissioned as a
second lieutenant
Second lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces, comparable to NATO OF-1 rank.
Australia
The rank of second lieutenant existed in the military forces of the Australian colonies and Australian Army until ...
in
The King's Own (Royal Lancaster Regiment).
He saw active service in the
Transvaal,
Natal and on the Zululand Frontier during the
Second Boer War, and was promoted to
lieutenant on 25 July 1900. From 1904 to 1909 Higgins was seconded to overseas service as part of the
West African Frontier Force. After his return to Great Britain, Higgins learnt to fly in 1911, gaining
Royal Aero Club Certificate No. 88.
After flying duties in the
Royal Flying Corps
"Through Adversity to the Stars"
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in 1915, Higgins was appointed to increasing senior posts, commanding
No. 39 Squadron, the Home Defence Wing and from September 1917 the Home Defence Brigade.
Remaining in the
Royal Air Force after the First World War, Higgins served as Director of Training at the
Air Ministry, Chief Staff Officer in Iraq and
Air Officer Commanding No. 10 Group before retiring towards the end of 1929.
References
Air of Authority – A History of RAF Organisation – Air Commodore T C R Higgins
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Higgins, Thomas
1880 births
1953 deaths
19th-century Royal Navy personnel
British Army personnel of the Second Boer War
Companions of the Order of St Michael and St George
Companions of the Order of the Bath
King's Own Royal Regiment officers
Royal West African Frontier Force officers
Royal Flying Corps officers
Royal Air Force generals of World War I
Royal Air Force personnel of World War II
British Army personnel of World War I