oak Posted 23 February , 2005 Share Posted 23 February , 2005 Colleagues, I would be very grateful for any biographical and career information on Mervyn O'Gorman, who was in charge of the Royal Aircraft Factory. Regards, Philip Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry_Reeves Posted 23 February , 2005 Share Posted 23 February , 2005 Lt Colonel Mervyn O'Gorman CB (1913) DSc , M Inst. M. E., M Inst EE., M Inst AE., M. Inst,. CE., FRAeS., F.C.G.I. Son of late EA O'Gorman. Born 1871. Educated Downside and University College Dublin.. Married 1897 Florence Catherine Rauch, daughter of Arthur Rauch. Superintendent Royal Aircraft Factory 1909-1916. Lt Colonel RFC (TF) 1915-1916. Lt Colonel RFC 1918. Consulting Engineer to Director General of Military Aeronautics. Member Aeronautical Research Committee. Chairman Accidents and Investigations Committee (Air); Chairman Royal Aeronautical Society 1921-22. Vice-Chairman Royal Automobile Club and Vice-President International Aeronautical Federation, Paris. Member Civil Aviation Committee 1929; Vice-Chairman Royal Aeronautical Club; Vice-President Association International des Automobile Clubs. Address (1953) 21 Embankment Gardens, Chelsea. Sources: Kelly's Handbook 1931; Who's Who 1953 Pictures can be found here: Image Preview Out of interest, the above site is well worth exploring. Terry Reeves Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oak Posted 24 February , 2005 Author Share Posted 24 February , 2005 Many thanks Terry, The site you recommended is very interesting. Regards, Philip Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oak Posted 7 March , 2005 Author Share Posted 7 March , 2005 Lt Colonel RFC (TF) 1915-1916. Grateful if someone could tell me what the (TF) in O'Gorman's 1915-1916 rank means. Regards, Philip Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brett Holman Posted 12 March , 2005 Share Posted 12 March , 2005 Grateful if someone could tell me what the (TF) in O'Gorman's 1915-1916 rank means. Regards, Philip Territorial Force - I think! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oak Posted 15 March , 2005 Author Share Posted 15 March , 2005 Thanks Brett, I thought that it might be Territorial Force, but did the RFC actually have a Territorial Force??? Regards, Philip Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brett Holman Posted 16 March , 2005 Share Posted 16 March , 2005 I thought that it might be Territorial Force, but did the RFC actually have a Territorial Force??? Not as such, as far as I'm aware, but I think individual Territorials could serve in the RFC (the contents of this book suggests that this was the case). But in O'Gorman's case, I think it was effectively an honorary rank. Before the war, he was a civilian engineer, running a civilian organisation. According to Morrow, The Great War in the Air, in 1915 the Royal Aircraft Factory was militarised and O'Gorman given the rank of Lt-Col. I'm only speculating, but it seems reasonable that if a civilian had to be given a rank for some reason that it would be a reserve one instead of a "real" one, if you get my drift. Another possibility is that perhaps he had already been in the Territorials as a "weekend warrior" before the war, so he was just promoted within the TF as necessary when the RAF was militarised. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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