25-498: The Grosvenor Challenge Cup , commonly known as the Grosvenor Cup , was a trophy presented by Lord Edward Grosvenor in 1923 to the winner of a light aircraft time trial competition. Entries were initially restricted to British designs using aero engines of less than 150 horsepower. The first competitions were held at Lympne Aerodrome in Kent . The contest continued until 1935 with
50-884: A Morris 'upright' taxi . His work in aviation also took in membership of the Standing Committee for the Civil aviation Section at the London Chamber of Commerce . Aside from his aeronautical interests, Grosvenor served as chairman of the West End (London) branch of the Economic Insurance Company Ltd. Grosvenor died on 26 August 1929 at Yaverland Manor on the Isle of Wight . His funeral took place at Eccleston Church near Chester on 30 August 1929. Grosvenor continued his relationship with aviation when he established
75-549: A squadron leader . It is believed that the squadron was formed at White's , a London gentlemen's club . As founder, the squadron historian notes that Grosvenor, ... chose his officers from among gentlemen of sufficient presence not to be overawed by him, and sufficient means not to be excluded from his favourite pastimes – eating, drinking and White's. Grosvenor married Lady Dorothy Margaret Browne (daughter of Valentine Browne, 5th Earl of Kenmare ) on 5 August 1914 at Lyndhurst , close to Calshot Naval Air Station where he
100-459: A break to 1949 when the Royal Aero Club resumed the races at Elmdon where the entry was opened to British and international designs with a weight less than 1,000 kilograms. For the 1949 event the contest had been briefly renamed to The Grosvenor Challenge Trophy Race , the 1950 event reverted to the former title. Lord Edward Grosvenor the former Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS) aviator and
125-458: A challenge cup to the Royal Aero Club in 1923. In a bid to encourage low powered flight the rules stipulated that engines could not be more than 150 horse power . The aircraft had to be built in Britain and was only open to British pilots. The route was to run from Lympne Aerodrome and over Croydon , Bristol and Birmingham before returning to Lympne. In addition to the cup, Lord Grosvenor added
150-433: A £100 first prize and £50 for second. The first running of the Grosvenor Cup was won by Flight Lieutenant W. H. Longton flying a Sopwith Gnu and F. P. Raynham coming second in an Avro 504 K. Sadly, Major Ernest Leslie Foot was killed when his aeroplane crashed at Chertsey . Of the race he instituted, Grosvenor said - My object in offering this cup is to give a chance to the low-power machine, one comparable to
175-614: The British Armed Forces , and formerly awarded to officers of other Commonwealth countries. The MC is granted in recognition of "an act or acts of exemplary gallantry during active operations against the enemy on land" to all members of the British Armed Forces of any rank. In 1979, Queen Elizabeth II approved a proposal that a number of awards, including the Military Cross, could be recommended posthumously. The award
200-604: The Conspicuous Gallantry Cross . The Military Cross was designed by Henry Farnham Burke , while its ribbon was created by Victoria Ponsonby, Baroness Sysonby . In the Medal Yearbook 2015 it is described as follows: Since 1914, over 52,000 Military Crosses and 3,717 bars have been awarded. The dates below reflect the relevant London Gazette entries: In addition, approximately 375 MCs have been awarded since 1979, including awards for Northern Ireland ,
225-851: The Royal Horse Guards . Joining the Royal Horse Guards from the Cheshire Yeomanry (with whom he served between 1910 and 1912), he began his service as a second lieutenant on probation. After the outbreak of the First World War , Grosvenor transferred to the Royal Flying Corps and served in France and Italy. His wartime service saw him awarded the Military Cross as well as Italy's Order of Saints Maurice and Lazarus . The report of
250-518: The Canadian Army were for Korea. The last four Australian Army Military Cross awards were promulgated in The London Gazette on 1 September 1972 for Vietnam as was the last New Zealand Army Military Cross award, which was promulgated on 25 September 1970. Canada , Australia and New Zealand have now created their own gallantry awards under their own honours systems. Since the 1993 review of
275-479: The Old Folkestone Road. After colliding with another car his 'head went through the windscreen and his left knee through the instrument board'. Lord Grosvenor needed four stitches to a deep cut following the accident. Grosvenor disliked motorcars and did not drive. He employed a former wartime colleague on a salary of £2 a day to drive him. The driver was to be available 24 hours a day and drove Grosvenor in
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#1732897809476300-410: The average motor-car, with a horse-power of say, thirty of forty. I think this will prove the most suitable type for general use, as the really low-powered light aeroplane will not be large enough for general touring about the country. Military Cross The Military Cross ( MC ) is the third-level (second-level until 1993) military decoration awarded to officers and (since 1993) other ranks of
325-758: The award of the Italian honour by the King of Italy notes Lord Grosvenor as being a Flight Commander in the Royal Naval Air Service . In May 1925, Grosvenor was attached to the RAF Experimental Station at Martlesham Heath in Suffolk. In later life Grosvenor continued his military service as a member of the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve with No. 601 (County of London) Squadron as
350-597: The award, with a silver rosette worn on the ribbon when worn alone to denote the award of each bar. From September 1916, members of the Royal Naval Division , who served alongside the Army on the Western Front , were made eligible for military decorations, including the Military Cross, for the war's duration. Naval officers serving with the division received 140 MCs and eight second award bars. In June 1917, eligibility
375-437: The entry requirement was changed from an engine with no more than 150hp power to those a displacement no more than 1,100cc. Originally planned to be flown from Lympne to Manston twice this was later changed to a course closer to the airfield, the aircraft did eight circuits of the course to complete 100 miles. The race had eighteen entries. In 1925 the handicap race used the same eight circuit course around Lympne as in 1924 but
400-493: The entry requirement was changed to aircraft with engines that weighed no more than 275lb. The race had twelve entries and was won by Flight Lieutenant J.S. Chick flying the RAE Hurricane . Sources: Flightglobal Archive and Dorman 1951. Edward Arthur Grosvenor Lord Edward Arthur Grosvenor , MC (27 October 1892 – 26 August 1929) was a British aviator and Royal Air Force officer. Grosvenor, also known as Ned,
425-466: The first handicap race in 1923 they were ten entrants for the first prize of a £100 and a second prize of £50, the winner was also allowed to keep the cup for a year. Only nine aircraft started the race and only five made it to the finishing line, the first to land was Walter Longton in the Sopwith Gnu. Lord Edward Grosvenor witnessed the start and the end of the race at Lympne and the cup was presented to
450-515: The honours system , as part of the drive to remove distinctions of rank in awards for bravery the Military Medal , formerly the third-level decoration for other ranks , was discontinued. The MC is now the third-level award for all ranks of the British Armed Forces for "exemplary gallantry" on land, not to the standard required to receive the Victoria Cross (for "the most conspicuous bravery") or
475-503: The recipient, from recommendations that had been raised before the recipients died of wounds or died from other causes. Awards are announced in The London Gazette , apart from most honorary awards to allied forces in keeping with the usual practice not to gazette awards to foreigners. From August 1916, recipients of the Cross were entitled to use the post-nominal letters MC, and bars could be awarded for further acts of gallantry meriting
500-409: The winner by Beatrice Grosvenor. During the race Major Ernest Leslie Foot died when his Bristol M.1 G-EAVP aircraft crashed at Chertsey. The only female entrant was Mrs Oliver Atkey (nee Dulcibella Evangeline Clifford (1894-1960)), in "a machine of D.H. type ". The year before, her flight from Leeds to Edgeware was widely reported as the longest flight by a woman pilot in Britain. In 1924
525-452: The youngest son of the Duke of Westminster presented the cup, his objective in offering the cup "is to give a chance to the low-power machine, one comparable to the average motor car, with a horse-power of say thirty or forty. I think this will prove the most suitable type for general use, as the really low-powered light aeroplane will not be large enough for general touring about the country." For
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#1732897809476550-625: Was attached at the time. The couple had two daughters. Grosvenor participated in the 1924 Gordon Bennett Balloon Race as pilot along with a Squadron Leader Baldwin of the British balloon Banshee III. In the same year, Grosvenor took charge of the British team which took part in the Schneider Trophy in the United States of America. In 1925 Grosvenor was injured in a road traffic accident while travelling with his wife and Lady Juliet Trevor on
575-492: Was born in 1892 at Eaton Hall, Cheshire , to Hugh Grosvenor, 1st Duke of Westminster , and his second wife, Hon. Katherine Caroline Cavendish, daughter of William Cavendish, 2nd Baron Chesham . Grosvenor was educated at Eton College before embarking on a career in the military. After completing his education, Grosvenor joined the French Foreign Legion . In 1912, he left the legion and went on to be commissioned in
600-409: Was created on 28 December 1914 for commissioned officers of the substantive rank of captain or below and for warrant officers . The first 98 awards were gazetted on 1 January 1915, to 71 officers, and 27 warrant officers. Although posthumous recommendations for the Military Cross were unavailable until 1979, the first awards included seven posthumous awards, with the word 'deceased' after the name of
625-520: Was extended to temporary majors , not above the substantive rank of captain. Substantive majors were made eligible in 1953. In 1931, the award was extended to equivalent ranks in the Royal Air Force for actions on the ground. After the Second World War, most Commonwealth countries created their own honours system and no longer recommended British awards. The last Military Cross awards for
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