Air Vice-Marshal Air vice-marshal (AVM) is a two-star air officer rank which originated in and continues to be used by the Royal Air Force. The rank is also used by the air forces of many countries which have historical British influence and it is sometimes ...

Sir Tom Ince Webb-Bowen, (17 January 1879 – 29 October 1956) was a senior commander in the

Royal Air Force The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the United Kingdom's air and space force. It was formed towards the end of the First World War on 1 April 1918, becoming the first independent air force in the world, by regrouping the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) an ...

during the first half of the 20th century.

Early life

Tom Ince Webb-Bowen was born on 17 January 1879, the son of Thomas Ince Webb-Bowen (senior) who served as the Chief Constable of Pembrokeshire Police from 1 January 1879 to 1 December 1906.

RAF career

Webb-Bowen was initially commissioned into a militia battalion of the

Middlesex Regiment The Middlesex Regiment (Duke of Cambridge's Own) was a line infantry regiment of the British Army in existence from 1881 until 1966. The regiment was formed, as the Duke of Cambridge's Own (Middlesex Regiment), in 1881 as part of the Childers R ...

, later got a regular army commission into the Bedfordshire Regiment and was appointed the Adjutant of the Madras Volunteer Corps while serving in India.Air of Authority – A History of RAF Organisation – Air Vice-Marshal Sir Tom Webb-Bowen
/ref> Finding himself unsuited to regimental life, Webb-Bowen learnt to fly in 1912. After several weeks as a Royal Flying Corps flight commander, he was posted to the

Central Flying School The Central Flying School (CFS) is the Royal Air Force's primary institution for the training of military flying instructors. Established in 1912 at the Upavon Aerodrome, it is the longest existing flying training school. The school was based at ...

as an instructor where he later served as the Assistant Commandant. In March 1915 Major Webb-Bowen took over command of No. 2 Squadron while the squadron was located at Merville, France. During his short tenure there were two significant events. Firstly, because of the difficulty suffered by ground troops in communicating their advance to higher command, a technique was developed whereby troops on the ground could convey their position by laying strips of white cloth on the ground. (These strips are referred to as "Popham strips" in a novel, and Webb-Bowen's predecessor was

Robert Brooke-Popham Air Chief Marshal Sir Henry Robert Moore Brooke-Popham, (18 September 1878 – 20 October 1953) was a senior commander in the Royal Air Force. During the First World War he served in the Royal Flying Corps as a wing commander and senior staff o ...

.) Aircraft from No. 2 Squadron would then relay by WT the co-ordinates noted. The second and more historically significant event was the award of the first

Victoria Cross The Victoria Cross (VC) is the highest and most prestigious award of the British honours system. It is awarded for valour "in the presence of the enemy" to members of the British Armed Forces and may be awarded posthumously. It was previously ...

awarded for bravery in the air, to Lieutenant

William Rhodes-Moorhouse William Barnard Rhodes-Moorhouse VC (born William Barnard Moorhouse; 26 September 1887 – 27 April 1915) was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be ...

. Major Webb-Bowen handed over command to Major Becke in June 1915 following his posting to Home Establishment. He continued his war service commanding No. 3 Wing RFC from May 1915, and then as Brigadier-General Commanding first II Brigade RFC, then VII Brigade RFC and then II Brigade RFC again. He commanded these brigades in France and Italy. After the war he was appointed Air Officer Commanding South Eastern Area and then Air Officer Commanding

RAF India RAF India, later called Air Forces in India (1938–47) was a command of the Royal Air Force (RAF) that was active from 1918 until Indian independence and partition in 1947. It was the air force counterpart of the British Army in India. Origi ...

. He was appointed Air Officer Commanding No. 3 Group in 1923, Air Officer Commanding Inland Area in 1924Battle of Britain – 1940
/ref> and Air Officer Commanding Middle East Command in 1925. He then went on to be

Air Member for Personnel The Air Member for Personnel (AMP) is the senior Royal Air Force officer who is responsible for personnel matters and is a member of the Air Force Board. The AMP is in charge of all aspects of recruiting, non-operational flying and ground tr ...

in 1930 and Air Officer Commanding Wessex Bombing Area in 1931 before retiring on 26 September 1933. He was recalled during the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposi ...

to be Duty Air Commodore in the Operations Room at Headquarters

Fighter Command RAF Fighter Command was one of the commands of the Royal Air Force. It was formed in 1936 to allow more specialised control of fighter aircraft. It served throughout the Second World War World War II or the Second World War, oft ...

References

, - , - , - , - , - , - , - , - , - , - {{DEFAULTSORT:Webb-Bowen, Tom 1879 births 1956 deaths Companions of the Order of St Michael and St George Knights Commander of the Order of the Bath Officers of the Military Order of Savoy Recipients of the Order of St. Anna, 3rd class Recipients of the Croix de Guerre 1914–1918 (France) Officiers of the Légion d'honneur Deputy Lieutenants of Pembrokeshire High Sheriffs of Pembrokeshire Royal Air Force generals of World War I Royal Air Force air marshals Middlesex Regiment officers Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire Regiment officers Royal Flying Corps officers