16 Facts About Sefton Brancker

Sefton Brancker was killed in an airship crash in 1930, exactly 20 years after his first flight.

Sefton Brancker was born in Woolwich, the eldest son of Col.

Sefton Brancker grew up as the elder of two brothers; their father died in 1885.

From 1891 to 1894, the young Sefton Brancker attended Bedford School.

Sefton Brancker's father was born in Hamburg to a British father and German mother; the Branckers were a long-established Anglo-German family that had lived in England for several generations.

Sefton Brancker was trained for the British Army at Woolwich, joining the Royal Artillery in 1896.

Sefton Brancker served in the Second Boer War and later in India, where he made his first flight in 1910.

In late 1915 a brigade system was introduced in the RFC, and Sefton Brancker was promoted to brigadier general and appointed to command the Northern Training Brigade, with his headquarters in Birmingham.

Sefton Brancker was appointed Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath on 1 January 1919 and retired from the RAF with the rank of major-general on 13 January following.

Sefton Brancker was granted the rank of air vice-marshal in 1924.

Sefton Brancker encouraged Manchester and other cities to construct municipal airports and airfields.

Sefton Brancker participated in several long-distance survey flights, notably with Alan Cobham.

Sefton Brancker was an ardent supporter of the development of British civilian air services connecting London to British colonies and dominions overseas.

Sefton Brancker was chairman of the Royal Aero Club's Racing Committee from 1921 to 1930, and his dynamic leadership led to the RAeC forming the Light Aero Club scheme in 1925, which helped provide the British clubs with examples of such new and improved aircraft types as the de Havilland Moth and Avro Avian.

Together with Lord Thomson, the Air Minister, Sefton Brancker was killed when the airship R101 crashed near Beauvais, France, on 5 October 1930, during its maiden voyage to India.

Sefton Brancker's death occurred on the 20th anniversary of his first flight.