Leslie Gossage

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Leslie Gossage
1891-1949
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Service/branch	Royal Air Force
Years of service	1912-44
Rank	Air Marshal
Commands	No 56 Sqn RFC No 8 Sqn RFC 1st Wing RFC RAF Balloon Command School of Army Cooperation Air Training Corps
Awards	K.C.B. C.V.O. D.S.O. M.C.

Air Marshal Sir Leslie Gossage was born on 3 February 1891 and died on 8 July 1949.^[1] at the age of 58.

1 Military career
2 Decorations
3 Notes
4 External link

[edit] Military career

[edit] Royal Field Artillery

It is believed that he was a member of the Royal Field Artillery Special Reserve whilst a university student.^[2] He was commissioned in 1912 as a 2nd Lieutenent in the Royal Field Artillery.^[3]

[edit] World War I

When the first World War started in 1914 Gossage was still a young 2nd Lieutenent in the Royal Field Artillery, where he remained for the first year of the war. However, on 12 May 1915, he was seconded to the Royal Flying Corps where he was assigned to No 6 Sqn as a pilot. Where he was promoted quickly, reaching the rank of Lieutenent Colonel by the end of the war.^[4]

[edit] Royal Flying Corps

Gossage was seconded to the Royal Flying Corps in 1915 as a young 2nd Lieutenent, where he trained as a pilot and was assigned to No 6 squadron. By 5 Sep 1915 he had reached the rank of Captain and was assigned as a Flight Commander in No 6 squadron.

Following a promotion to Major in 1916 Gossage was given command of No 56 Squadron, later taking command of No 8 Squadron in the same year.

In 1917 Gossage was promoted to Lieutenent Colonel and took command of the Royal Flying Corps' 1st Wing.

[edit] Royal Air Force

When the Royal Air Force was founded on 1 April 1918 Gossage transferred where he was appointed as a Staff officer in the Directorate of Operations and Intelligence. He remained in the RAF for the rest of his military career eventually reaching the rank of Air Marshal before his retirement in 1944.

[edit] Air Training Corps

After his retirement from regular service with the Royal Air Force, Gossage agreed to be re-employed to assume the role of Commandant Air Cadets after the retirement of Air Commodore John Adrian Chamier. He served in this role until he stepped down in 1946.