Andrew George Board

Andrew George Board
Born(1878-05-11)11 May 1878
Westerham, Kent, England
Died25 February 1973(1973-02-25) (aged 94)
Morfa Bychan, Caernarvonshire, Wales
AllegianceUnited Kingdom
Branch
British Army
Royal Air Force
Service years
1898–1931
1939–1941
Rank
Air Commodore
CommandsNo. 21 Group RAF (1926–27)
RAF Hinaidi (1923–25)
No. 1 School of Technical Training RAF (1920–22)
20th (Reserve) Wing (1916–17)
10th Wing RFC (1916)
No. 5 Squadron RFC (1915–16)
No. 7 Squadron RFC (1914–15)
Conflicts
First World War
Second World War
AwardsCompanion of the Order of St Michael and St George
Distinguished Service Order
Other workDeputy Lieutenant of Caernarvonshire

Air Commodore Andrew George Board, CMG, DSO, DL (11 May 1878 – 25 February 1973) was an English soldier and airman. He was a pioneer aviator, first gaining a licence in 1910, who later became an air commodore in the Royal Air Force.

Military career

Following a time in the militia, Board was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the South Wales Borderers in 1900. In 1910, at his own expense, he learned to fly at Hendon.[1] On 29 November 1910, flying a Bleriot monoplane there, he was awarded the Royal Aero Club Aviator's Certificate No. 36.

In the 1911 Census he was listed as a captain of the 2nd Battalion South Wales Borderers at the Artillery Barracks Pretoria, South Africa.[2]

By 1914, Board had become a flying instructor at the Central Flying School at Netheravon, Wiltshire. On 28 September 1914 he became the officer commanding No. 7 Squadron RFC at Netheravon before moving to the Western Front in April 1915 to command No. 5 Squadron RFC. He later commanded the 10th Wing RFC before taking over 20th (Reserve) Wing in Egypt.[1]

With the formation of the Royal Air Force in 1918, Broad was awarded a permanent commission as a lieutenant colonel. He rose to the rank of air commodore before retiring in 1931.[1] In 1939 he re-joined the RAF as a group captain before retiring again as an air commodore in 1941.[1] In 1943 he became a Deputy Lieutenant in Caernarvon.[1][3]

Honours and award

Family

Board was born in Westerham, Kent, on 11 May 1878, the third son of Major John Board and his wife Mary; his father was a magistrate.[6] He married Mrs Phyllis Agnew at St James's Piccadilly on 18 August 1932.[7]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 "A History of RAF Organisation – Air Commodore A G Board". /www.rafweb.org. Retrieved 19 May 2010.
  2. ↑ 1911 Census of Overseas Military, RG14/34977, RG14PN34977 RD641 SD2 ED14 SN9999, Andrew George Board, Artillery Barracks Pretoria.
  3. ↑ "News in Brief". News in Brief. The Times. No. 49595. London. 12 July 1943. col. G, p. 6.
  4. ↑ "No. 30450". The London Gazette (Supplement). 1 January 1918. p. 18.
  5. ↑ "No. 31098". The London Gazette (Supplement). 1 January 1919. p. 92.
  6. ↑ 1891 Census of Sevenoaks, RG12/674, Folio 123, Page 14, Andrew G. Board, aged 12, High Street, Westerham.
  7. ↑ "Marriages". Marriages. The Times. No. 46216. London. 19 August 1932. col. B, p. 13.
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