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Conflict and Change
Learning
Flying Marines
Marines take to the skies
At the turn of the 20th century aviation was very much in its infancy and the military advantages of flight had not yet been assessed by the Navy.
By 1909 the possibilities of using aircraft for aerial observation for the Fleet led the Admiralty to form an air section.
Among the four officers chosen by the Admiralty to train as naval pilots was Lieutenant E L Gerrard of the RMLI, who obtained his Pilot’s Certificate on 2 May 1911.
Lt G V Wildman-Lushington RMA flying a short pusher Biplane from Eastney Rifle Range, 1913. (RMM)
The King issued a Royal Warrant in April 1912 for the forming of the Royal Flying Corps having a Military Wing in Farnborough and a Naval Wing in Eastchurch.
The Royal Flying Corps established a Central Flying School at Upavon, and amongst the instructors was Lieutenant Gerrard RMLI.
The first course included Lieutenant G V Wildman-Lushington (who had originally been picked as one of the original four officers to train as pilots, but sickness had prevented him from attending).
Royal Flying Corps Flying Certificate presented to Lt Wildman-Lushington RMA on the 5 December 1912 after graduating from the Central Flying School. (RMM)
By the outbreak of World War One another ten Royal Marines officers had qualified as pilots and many of them served in the Naval Wing of the Royal Flying Corps.
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