University salutes ‘forgotten founder’ Scot as RAF celebrates its centenary

A SCOT has been hailed as a forgotten founder of the RAF.

An exhibition, which opens today at Glasgow University, pays tribute to David Henderson on the centenary of the service he helped create.

Born in 1862 into a shipbuilding family, he enrolled at Sandhurst to take up officer training and went on to fight in the Second Boer War.

Lord Kitchener, commander of British forces in South Africa made Henderson his Director of Military Intelligence.

In 1911 he learned to fly at the age of 49 – making him the world’s oldest pilot at the time.

He helped form the Royal Flying Corps and commanded Britain’s budding airborne service at the outbreak of The First World War.

University salutes ‘forgotten founder’ Scot as RAF celebrates its centenary

Dr Tony Pollard, Professor of Conflict History at the University of Glasgow, said: “It’s pretty much a case of being forgotten.

“Sir David never made much of his role in the formation of the RAF and was very much a back-room administrator.

“His experience taught him aircraft were vital assets which had earned their place as a third force alongside the senior service and the army.”

In 1917 he helped author a report recommending the creation of a new independent air force organisation, called the Royal Air Force.

It merged the Royal Flying Corps and Royal Naval Air Service, and created the Women’s Royal Air Force.

Sir Hugh Trenchard was one of the first Chiefs of Staff of the RAF, and he has since been called the Father of the RAF.

But Sir Hugh said Henderson was more deserving of the title.

Lieutenant General Sir David Henderson died in Geneva in 1921.