# Robert Marsland Groves > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Robert_Marsland_Groves > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Robert_Marsland_Groves.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Marsland_Groves > Source revision: 1353494432 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) Royal Air Force Air Commodore (1880-1920) For other people named Robert Groves, see [Robert Groves (disambiguation)](/source/Robert_Groves_(disambiguation)). Robert Marsland Groves Groves as Deputy Chief of the Air Staff Born (1880-01-03)3 January 1880 Stretford, Lancashire, England Died 27 May 1920(1920-05-27) (aged 40) Heliopolis, Egypt[1] Allegiance United Kingdom Branch Royal Navy (1899–1918) Royal Air Force (1918–20) Service years 1899–1920 Rank Air Commodore Commands Egyptian Group (1920) No. 1 Squadron RNAS (1916) Conflicts First World War Awards Companion of the Order of the Bath Distinguished Service Order Air Force Cross Officer of the Legion of Honour (France) Distinguished Service Medal (United States)[2] [Air Commodore](/source/Air_Commodore) **Robert Marsland Groves**, [CB](/source/Companion_of_the_Order_of_the_Bath), [DSO](/source/Distinguished_Service_Order), [AFC](/source/Air_Force_Cross_(United_Kingdom)) (3 January 1880 – 27 May 1920) was a [Royal Navy](/source/Royal_Navy) officer involved with naval aviation during the [First World War](/source/First_World_War). He was awarded his [Aviator's Certificate no. 969](/source/List_of_pilots_awarded_an_Aviator's_Certificate_by_the_Royal_Aero_Club_in_1914) on 15 November 1914. After transferring to the [Royal Air Force](/source/Royal_Air_Force) in 1918, he served as [Deputy Chief of the Air Staff](/source/Deputy_Chief_of_the_Air_Staff_(United_Kingdom)) and held high command in the Middle East. He was killed in a flying accident in 1920 aged 40 whilst serving in Egypt. ## Early life Groves was born on 3 January 1880 at Stretford in Lancashire, England, the son of [James Grimble Groves](/source/James_Grimble_Groves), a brewer and Conservative MP.[3] He was educated at [Rossall School](/source/Rossall_School). ## Naval service Groves joined the [Royal Navy](/source/Royal_Navy) as a [midshipman](/source/Midshipman) in the 1890s, rising to [sub-lieutenant](/source/Sub-lieutenant) by the summer of 1899 and then [lieutenant](/source/Lieutenant_(Royal_Navy)) on 15 February 1900.[4] In September 1902 Groves was posted to the torpedo school ship [HMS *Vernon*](/source/HMS_Vernon_(shore_establishment)), to qualify as torpedo lieutenant.[5][6] Groves was promoted to [commander](/source/Commander_(Royal_Navy)) on 22 June 1911 and the following year, on 26 November 1912, he was appointed Flag Commander to the Commander-in-Chief Mediterranean on [HMS Inflexible](/source/HMS_Inflexible_(1907)).[6] He served in the [First World War](/source/First_World_War) as Assistant Director of the Air Department at the [Admiralty](/source/British_Admiralty) and then as Officer Commanding [No. 1 Squadron RNAS](/source/No._201_Squadron_RAF) before returning to the Admiralty to be Assistant Secretary of the Air Board.[6] He was awarded the [Distinguished Service Order](/source/Distinguished_Service_Order) in 1919, the citation for which was published in a supplement to the *[London Gazette](/source/London_Gazette)* on 22 June, reading: Commander Robert Marsland Groves,. R.N. (Wing Commander, R.N.A.S.). In recognition of his services in command of a Wing of the Royal Naval Air Service at Dunkirk. Commander Groves has by his personal skill as a pilot, and also by his untiring zeal, effected a marked advancement in the general standard of flying on active service. He has on several occasions carried out successful reconnaissances to Ostend under fire, and by his own example has proved the utility and great importance of night flying."[7] ## Royal Air Force After the War, Groves became [Deputy Chief of the Air Staff](/source/Deputy_Chief_of_the_Air_Staff_(United_Kingdom)) and Director of Operations and Intelligence.[6] He went on to be Acting Air Officer Commanding RAF Middle East Area in 1919 and Air Officer Commanding Egyptian Group in 1920.[6] Groves died aged 40 on 27 May 1920 in Egypt from injuries received in an aircraft crash when his Bristol Fighter crashed after engine failure on takeoff at Almaza. He was buried at the Cairo New British Protestant Cemetery.[8] ## References 1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** [In memoriam](http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1920/1920%20-%200629.html?tracked=1) Flight International, 10 June 1920 1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** ["No. 31691"](https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/31691/supplement/15614). *[The London Gazette](/source/The_London_Gazette)* (Supplement). 16 December 1919. p. 15614. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** [Items](http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1921/1921%20-%200161.html?tracked=1) Flight International, 3 March 1921 1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** ["No. 27308"](https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/27308/page/2858). *[The London Gazette](/source/The_London_Gazette)*. 26 April 1901. p. 2858. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** "Naval & Military intelligence". *The Times*. No. 36868. London. 9 September 1902. p. 8. 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-air_6-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-air_6-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-air_6-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-air_6-3) [***e***](#cite_ref-air_6-4) [Air of Authority – A History of RAF Organisation – Air Commodore R M Groves](http://www.rafweb.org/Biographies/GrovesR.htm) 1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** ["No. 29635"](https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/29635/supplement/6211). *[The London Gazette](/source/The_London_Gazette)* (Supplement). 22 June 1916. p. 6211. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** [Commonwealth War Graves Commission – Robert Marsland Groves](http://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/113967/GROVES,%20ROBERT%20MARSLAND) ## External links - [Air of Authority – A History of RAF Organisation – Air Commodore R M Groves](http://www.rafweb.org/Biographies/GrovesR.htm) Military offices Preceded by Mark Kerr Deputy Chief of the Air Staff 1918 Succeeded by Oliver Swann Preceded by Oliver Swann Only as Deputy Chief of the Air Staff Deputy Chief of the Air Staff and Director of Operations and Intelligence February 1919 – 8 September 1919 Succeeded by John Steel New title Formed by renaming Training Brigade (Middle East) Air Officer Commanding Egyptian Group 16 March – 27 May 1920 Succeeded by Oliver Swann Authority control databases International VIAF WorldCat National United States People Commonwealth War Graves Commission Other SNAC --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Robert Marsland Groves](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Marsland_Groves) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Marsland_Groves?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.