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Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation
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Robert
Marsland b:
3 Jan 1880
d: 27 May 1920
CB
- 16 Aug 1918, DSO - 22 Jun 1916, AFC - 3 Jun 1918, LoH O - 11 Aug
1917, DSM(US) - 16 Dec 1919.
(RN):
- Mid’n: 15 Feb 1896, Sub-Lt:
15 Aug 1899, Lt:15
Feb 1901, Cdr: 22
Jun 1911, Wg Cdr: 15 Nov 1914, Act
Wg Capt: 30 Jun 1916, Wg Capt: 31 Dec 1916, Capt: 30 Jun
1917.
(RAF):
- (T) Brig-Gen [(T)
Lt
Col]: 1 Apr 1918, Act
Brig-Gen: 1 May 1919,
Col: 1 Aug 1919, Gp Capt:
4 Aug
1919 [1 Jan 1919], A/Cdre: 8 Aug 1919.
15 Jan 1894: Naval Cadet, Britannia Training Ship
15 Jan 1896: Naval Cadet, HMS Immortalite
15 Feb 1896: Midshipman, HMS Immortalite
5 Jan 1899: Midshipman, HMS Edgar
12 Feb 1899: Midshipman, HMS Victory
3 Mar 1899: Midshipman, HMS Raleigh
15 Sep 1899: Attended RN College, Greenwich
15 Oct 1900: Sub-Lieutenant, HMS Repulse
15 Feb 1901:
30 Sep 1902: Attended Torpedo Officers' Course, HMS Vernon
xx Jun 1904: Qualified for Lieutenant (Torpedo) 1st Class
25 Jun 1904: Junior Staff, HMS Vernon
xx Nov 1904: Torpedo Officer, HMS Irresistable
16 Mar 1906: Attended W/T Course, HMS Vernon
28 Jul 1908: Staff Officer (W/T Duties), 2nd Cruiser Sqn, HMS King Edward VII
xx Jul 1910:
1st Lieutenant and Torpedo Officer,
3 May 1911: W/T Duties, HMS Vernon
6 Jul 1911: W/T Experimental Commander, HMS Vernon
12 Jun 1912:
12 Nov 1912: Flag Commander to C-in-C, Mediterranean, HMS Inflexible.
1 Jan 1913: Appointed to War Staff
12 Jul 1914: Attached HMS President for temporary duty with Air Department.
29 Oct
1914: Assistant
to Director of the Air Department, Admiralty
15 Feb
1915: Assistant Director of the Air Department, Admiralty
1
Aug 1915: Assistant Superintendent of Aircraft Construction (Heavier-than-Air)
12
Jan 1916:
Officer Commanding, No 1 Wing RNAS. (Nieuport 17)
xx
Apr 1916: Assistant Secretary, (1st) Air Board
26 May 1916:
Assistant Director-General of the Technical Department. (1st Air Board)
xx Feb 1917: Deputy-Controller of the Technical Department,
3 Jan 1918: Deputy-Controller of the Technical Department, Air Ministry
1 Apr 1918: Director of Flying Operations, Air Ministry.
17 Apr 1918:
Deputy Chief of the Air Staff.
12 Aug 1918: Director, Air Division, Naval Staff
12 Mar 1919: Deputy Chief of the Air Staff/Director of Operations and Intelligence.
1 Aug 1919: Awarded Permanent Commission as a Colonel
1 Aug 1919: Appointed Director
8 Sep 1919: AOC, Training Brigade, Middle East
28 Oct 1919: Acting AOC, RAF Middle East Area.
22
Jan
1920:
Removed from the Navy Lists on being awarded Permanent Commission in RAF
15 Feb 1920: Supernumerary?, HQ Middle East.
16 Mar 1920: AOC, Egyptian Group.
3 Apr 1920: Acting AOC, RAF Middle East Area.
In January 1896 he was convicted of bullying whilst at Britannia but in August his conduct was reported as being 'good and that he was an intelligent officer.Groves gained his RAeC Certificate, No 969, on 15 November 1914 and he was an early advocate in the use of aeroplanes from ships rather than seaplanes, resulting in experiments at Rosyth aboard HMS Yarmouth. A leading wireless expert he was one of the first officers allocated to the establishment of the new Air Ministry and as such he represented the embryo ministry at the early discussions where the plans for the merging of the two air services were drawn up. He was killed, together with Flying Officer Clarence Bird, in a flying accident whilst serving in Egypt, his family later presenting a sum of money to be used for providing memorial prizes for RAF personnel. These consisted of a Flying Prize to be awarded to the best all round pilot at the RAF College, each half year, a Navigation Prize for officers attending the course at Calshot, a Research Prize, to be awarded to personnel of any rank for the best work of a technological or scientific nature and four Essay Prizes.
Citation for the award of the DSO: -
"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."
(London Gazette - 22 Jun 1916)
This entry was last updated on 13/04/25©
P R C Groves 
