{{short description|none}} The [[Royal Flying Corps]] [[brigade]]s were organizational formations of British military aircraft and personnel during [[World War I]] that typically controlled several [[Wing (military unit)|wings]]. The air brigade system was introduced into the [[Royal Flying Corps]] in late 1915 and initially retained by the [[Royal Air Force]] on its establishment on 1 April 1918. Following the Allies' victory later that year the air brigades were disbanded in 1919. Subsequently, the RAF was restructured with commands comprising groups and groups comprising wings without the need for brigades.
==Origins== Following [[Sir David Henderson]]'s return from France to the War Office in August 1915, he submitted a scheme to the Army Council which was intended to expand the command structure of the Flying Corps. The Corps' wings would be grouped in pairs to form brigades and the commander of each brigade would hold the temporary rank of [[brigadier-general]]. The scheme met with [[Herbert Kitchener, 1st Earl Kitchener|Lord Kitchener]]'s approval and although some staff officers opposed it, the scheme was adopted.<ref>{{cite book |last=Boyle |first=Andrew |author-link=Andrew Boyle (journalist) |title=Trenchard Man of Vision |year=1962 |publisher=Collins |location= St. James's Place London |pages=157|chapter=Chapter 6}}</ref>
In the field, most brigades were assigned to the army. Initially a brigade consisted of an army wing and corps wing; beginning in November 1916 a balloon wing was added to control the [[observation balloon]] companies. Logistics support was provided by an army aircraft park, aircraft ammunition column and reserve lorry park.
==List of Brigades== The following brigades were established (the date of establishment is shown in parentheses): ===I Brigade=== Established 16 January 1916 at [[Aire-sur-la-Lys|Aire]]. Disbanded on 5 March 1919.<ref name="rafweb1">{{cite web | url=https://www.rafweb.org/Organsation/GrpO1.htm | title=Groups Europe_P }}</ref> The brigadier-generals commanding were: *[[Edward Ashmore (British Army officer)|E B Ashmore]] (1916) *[[Duncan Pitcher|D le G Pitcher]] (1916–17) *[[Gordon Strachey Shephard|G S Shephard]] (1917–18) *''[[Cuthbert MacLean|C T MacLean]]'' (1918) – Temporary appointment, not a general officer *[[Duncan Pitcher|D le G Pitcher]] (1918)
===II Brigade=== Established 23 October 1915 in Great Britain. Disbanded on 14 September 1919.<ref name="rafweb1"/> The brigadier-generals commanding were: *[[John Frederick Andrews Higgins|J F A Higgins]] (1915–1916) *In abeyance from 15 January to 10 February 1916. The original II Brigade was re-designated as the VI Brigade on 15 January 1916.<ref name="rafweb2">{{cite web | url=https://www.rafweb.org/Organsation/Grp_RFC1.htm | title=Groups RFC - Home_P }}</ref> Re-established at [[Oxelaere]] on 10 February 1916. *[[John Salmond|J M Salmond]] (1916) *[[Tom Webb-Bowen|T I Webb-Bowen]] (1916–1917) *[[John Becke|J H W Becke]] (1917–1918) *[[Tom Webb-Bowen|T I Webb-Bowen]] (1918)<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.rafweb.org/Biographies/Webb-Bowen.htm | title=T I Webb_Bowen_P }}</ref>
===III Brigade=== Established 16 January 1916 at [[Beauval, Somme|Beauval]]. Disbanded on 10 March 1919.<ref name="rafweb1"/> The brigadier-generals commanding were: *[[John Frederick Andrews Higgins|J F A Higgins]] (1916–1918) *[[Charles Longcroft]] (1918)
===IV Brigade=== Established 1 April 1916 at [[Les Alençons]]. Disbanded in October 1918.<ref name="rafweb1"/> The brigadier-generals commanding were: *[[Edward Ashmore (British Army officer)|E B Ashmore]] (1916) *[[John Becke|J H W Becke]] (1916–1917)
===V Brigade=== Established 15 December 1915 in Great Britain. Disbanded on 1 April.1919.<ref name="rafweb1"/> The brigadier-generals commanding were: *[[John Salmond|J M Salmond]] (1916) *Disbanded - 9 March to 27 August 1916 *[[Charles Longcroft|C A H Longcroft]] (1916–1917) *[[Lionel Charlton|L E O Charlton]] (1917–1918)
===VI Brigade=== Established 15 January 1916 with its headquarters at 13 Albemarle Street, Piccadilly, London. On establishment, it comprised the assets of the II Brigade. It ceased to exist on 20 July 1916 when its assets were re-designated as the Training Brigade. The Brigade was re-established on 12 October 1917 when the Home Defence Brigade was retitled as the VI (Home Defence) Brigade. It finally ceased to exist on 9 July 1919 when it was reduced to wing strength and re-designated as the Home Defence Wing.<ref name="rafweb2"/> The brigadier-generals commanding were: *[[John Frederick Andrews Higgins|J F A Higgins]] (1916) *[[John Salmond|J M Salmond]] (1916) *In abeyance from 20 July 1916 to 12 October 1917 *[[Thomas Higgins (RAF officer)|T C R Higgins]] (1917)
===Middle East Brigade=== The [[Middle East Brigade (Royal Flying Corps)|Middle East Brigade]] was established on 1 July 1916 with its headquarters at [[Cairo]]. It ceased to exist on 5 October 1917 when it was upgraded to divisional status and retitled HQ RFC Middle East.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.rafweb.org/Organsation/GrpO3.htm | title=Groups Middle East_P }}</ref> The brigadier-general commanding was: *[[Geoffrey Salmond|W G H Salmond]] (1916–1917)
===RFC Cadet Brigade=== Formed on 3 September 1917 at Hastings, it was re-designated the RAF Cadet Brigade on 1 April 1918. Succeeded by the [[RAF (Cadet) College at Cranwell]] on 1 November 1919. The RFC/RAF Cadet Brigade's commander was:<ref>{{cite book |last=Jefford |first=C. G. |author-link= |date=2014 |title=Observers and Navigators And Other Non-Pilot Aircrew in the RFC, RNAS and RAF |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=T2ZEBgAAQBAJ |location= |publisher= Grub Street|pages=60, 228 |isbn=9781909808409}}</ref> *[[Alfred Critchley|A C Critchley]] (1917-18)
===Palestine Brigade=== [[Palestine Brigade RAF|Palestine Brigade]] (5 October 1917). The brigadier-general commanding was: *Direct command of GOC, RFC Middle East *[[Amyas Borton|A E Borton]] (1917–1918)
===VII Brigade=== The VII Brigade was established in October 1917. It was disbanded on 26 March 1918.<ref name="rafweb1"/> The brigadier-generals commanding were: *[[Tom Webb-Bowen|T I Webb-Bowen]] (1917–1918) *[[Charles Laverock Lambe|C L Lambe]] (1918)<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.rafweb.org/Biographies/Lambe.htm | title=C L Lambe_P }}</ref>
===Training Brigade (Middle East)=== Established at [[Heliopolis, Cairo|Heliopolis]] on 14 December 1917. On 18 March 1920, the brigade was redesignated the Egyptian Group.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://rafweb.org/Organsation/GrpO3.htm | title=Groups Middle East_P }}</ref> The brigadier-general commanding was: *[[Philip Herbert (RAF officer)|P L W Herbert]] (1917–1918)
===VIII Brigade=== The [[VIII Brigade RAF|VIII Brigade]] was established on 28 December 1917. It was disbanded on 5 March 1919.<ref name="rafweb1"/> The brigadier-general commanding was: *[[Cyril Newall, 1st Baron Newall|C L N Newall]] (1917–1918)
===IX Brigade=== The IX Brigade was established on 6 March 1918 and disbanded on 8 August 1919.<ref name="rafweb1"/> The brigadier-general commanding was: *[[Rudolph Hogg|R E T Hogg]] (1918)
===Training Brigade=== The brigadier-general commanding was: *[[John Salmond|J M Salmond]] (1916–1917)
===Home Defence Brigade=== The Home Defence Brigade was formed at Adastral House, London on 15 August 1917 by re-designating the Home Defence Group as a brigade. Less than two months later, the brigade received a "boilerplate" number and became the 6th (Home Defence) Brigade on 12 October 1917. The brigadier-general commanding was:<ref name="rafweb2"/> *[[John Frederick Andrews Higgins|J F A Higgins]] (1917)
===Eastern Training Brigade=== The brigadier-generals commanding were: *[[Rudolph Hogg|R E T Hogg]] (1917–1918) *[[Cyril Murphy|C F De S Murphy]] (1918)
===Northern Training Brigade=== The brigadier-generals commanding were: *[[Philip Herbert (RAF officer)|P L W Herbert]] (1917) *[[Robert Smith-Barry|R R Smith-Barry]] (1918)
===Southern Training Brigade=== Formed at [[Salisbury]] on 5 August 1917 within the Royal Flying Corps's Training Division, it ceased to exist as a brigade on 1 April 1918 when it was re-designated as [[No. 7 Group RAF|No. 7 Group]]. The Southern Training Brigade's only brigadier-general commanding was:<ref name="rafweb2"/> *[[Hugh Dowding, 1st Baron Dowding|H C T Dowding]] (1917–1918)
===X Brigade=== Established as part of the Royal Air Force on 18 June 1918 at Basse Boulogne. It was disbanded on 1 March 1919.<ref name="rafweb1"/> The brigadier-general commanding was: *[[Edgar Ludlow-Hewitt|E R Ludlow-Hewitt]] (1918)
===XI Brigade=== Established as part of the Royal Air Force on 29 September 1918 at [[Hurst Park]]. Although intended for service as part of the [[Independent Force]] in France, the armistice came before it was deployed and the XI Brigade was disbanded on or about 15 November 1918.<ref name="rafweb1"/> Its commander was: * Brigadier-General [[Christopher Courtney|C L Courtney]]
==References== {{reflist}}
{{Royal Flying Corps}}
[[Category:Royal Flying Corps]] [[Category:Army aviation brigades]]