The Legacy Of Hugh Montague Trenchard

The second son of Henry Montague Trenchard born on February 3, 1873 in Taunton, England Hugh Montague Trenchard would grow up to be a great man. He grew up in a three miles outside of Taunton England, was a very mischievous child, and did not get the best of schooling because of it.

It was later in life that he would achieve greatness as a military leader. At 20, he received a commission to the Royal Scots Fusiliers serving in the South African War where he established his great riding skills and received an injury in October 1900 when he took a bullet that pierced his lung and grazed his spine. This injury led him to Switzerland where his doctors hoped he would benefit from the clean air. While in Switzerland, he started bobsledding and got into an accident that realigned his spine and returned him to action in South Africa in 1901. He received the Distinguished Service Order in Nigeria where he was second in command for the South Nigerian Regiment in 1906.

He then enrolled in Thomas Sopwith’s flying school and transferred to the Royal Flying Corps as second in command of the Central Flying School. He was commander of the First Wing in France, which flew in support of the Fourth Army Corp and Indian Corp. In April 1918, he helped to establish the Royal Air Force as The Chief of Air Staff. He resigned his position shortly after due to an argument with Lord Rothermere, the Air Secretary. In June 1918, Major General Trenchard returned to active duty to assist in the bombing attacks on German railways and airfields. He returned as Chief of Air Staff under Winston Churchill in 1919 and was instrumental in the founding of the RAF College the world's first military air academy. Trenchard inaugurated the Aircraft Apprentice program and was the first to hold the rank of Marshal of The Royal Air force he would retire two years later.

Hugh Montague Trenchard died February 10, 1956 at the age of 83. His funeral and burial were held in Westminster Abby and he is interned in The Battle of Britain Chapel in Westminster Abby.