83-458: Flying Officer Leslie Hamilton MBE , DFC , was a British pilot and First World War flying ace credited with six aerial victories. In 1927, he disappeared while attempting the first non-stop east–west flight across the Atlantic Ocean. His Fokker F.VIIa , named St. Raphael , was last seen over the mid-Atlantic by oil tanker SS Josiah Macy . Hamilton was commissioned into
166-786: A Bristol Fighter and a Sopwith Snipe , with Hamilton flying the Avro in the winning team. No. 24 Squadron mounted another Aerial Pageant at Kenley in a week later organised by the Air Ministry and the Empire Press Union for the benefit of 170 members of the Canadian Weekly Newspaper Association. Hamilton, flying an Avro 504, gave a demonstration of stunt flying. Hamilton was posted to the Inland Area Aircraft Depot at Henlow on 17 September 1924, and on 3 December
249-527: A GBE (in recognition of his role as chairman of the Scottish War Savings Committee) and the award of medal of the order to Lizzie Robinson, a munitions worker. The order had been established primarily as a civilian award; in August 1918, however, not long after its foundation, a number of awards were made to serving naval and military personnel. Four months later, a 'Military Division' was added to
332-404: A broad riband or sash, passing from the right shoulder to the left hip. Knights Commander and male Commanders wear the badge from a ribbon around the neck; male Officers and Members wear the badge from a ribbon on the left chest; female recipients other than Dames Grand Cross (unless in military uniform) normally wear it from a bow on the left shoulder. An oval eight-pointed star is worn, pinned to
415-538: A burning building containing explosives. In December 1922 the statutes of the order were amended; there having been a large number of awards for war work prior to this date, these amended statutes placed the order on more of a peacetime footing. For the first time numbers of appointments were limited, with the stipulation that senior awards in the Civil Division were to outnumber those in the Military Division by
498-449: A circlet bearing the motto of the Order; the reverse bears George V's Royal and Imperial Cypher. (Prior to 1937 Britannia was shown within the circlet.) The size of the badges varies according to rank: the higher classes have slightly larger badges. The badges of Knights and Dames Grand Cross, Knights and Dames Commander, and Commanders are enamelled, with pale blue crosses, crimson circlets and
581-466: A citizen of a Commonwealth realm can convert their appointment from honorary to substantive, and they then enjoy all privileges of membership of the order, including use of the title of Sir and Dame for the senior two ranks of the Order. (An example of the latter is Irish broadcaster Terry Wogan , who was appointed an honorary Knight Commander of the Order in 2005, and on successful application for British citizenship, held alongside his Irish citizenship,
664-443: A gold central medallion. Officers' badges are plain silver-gilt, while those of Members are plain silver. From 1917 until 1937, the badge of the order was suspended on a purple ribbon, with a red central stripe being added for the military division in 1918. Since 1937, the ribbon has been rose-pink with pearl-grey edges (with the addition of a pearl-grey central stripe for the military division). Knights and Dames Grand Cross wear it on
747-462: A job from which he resigned after a year. He then spent two years working in the design office of Motor Omnibus Construction Company Limited in Walthamstow . While there he designed his first aero engine and had the first prototype made by Iris Motor Company of Willesden . He married in 1909 and almost immediately embarked on the career of designing, building and flying aircraft to which he devoted
830-676: A number of engines for de Havilland, including the de Havilland Gipsy and de Havilland Gipsy Major . Halford's first gas turbine design entered production as the de Havilland Goblin powering de Havilland's first jet, the Vampire . De Havilland controlled the company until it was bought by the Hawker Siddeley Company in 1960. His financial backer, Alan Butler , remained a very involved chairman until he retired in 1950. De Havilland retired from active involvement in his company in 1955, though remaining as president. He continued flying up to
913-807: A passenger. They came sixth. In the June 1923 King's Birthday Honours he was made a Member of the Order of the British Empire . In July he took part in the Fourth RAF Aerial Pageant, again taking part in the Avro 504 race, and again coming second. He was granted a permanent commission in the RAF on 5 September. In July 1924 he took part on the Fifth RAF Aerial Pageant, as part of team representing Kenley in an aerial relay race. Each team consisted of an Avro 504,
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#1733105494311996-488: A proportion of six to one. Furthermore appointments in the civil division were to be divided equally between UK and overseas awards. With regard to the Medal of the Order (but not the order itself), a distinction was made in 1922 between awards 'for gallantry' and awards 'for meritorious service' (each being appropriately inscribed, and the former having laurel leaves decorating the clasp, the latter oak leaves). In 1933 holders of
1079-406: A widowed aircraft enthusiast, provided the finance and the aircraft, a Fokker F.VIIa (G-EBTQ) fitted with a 500 hp Bristol Jupiter engine, and named St. Raphael . The aircraft, flown by Hamilton and Frederick F. Minchin from Imperial Airways , with Princess Lowenstein-Wertheim as passenger, took off from Upavon Aerodrome , Wiltshire, on 31 August 1927 at 7:15 a.m. They flew along
1162-536: Is a direct descendent of James de Havilland (1553–1613) who migrated from Guernsey to Poole in Dorset and was granted the trade license for Poole. In 1909, Geoffrey de Havilland married Louise Thomas, who had formerly been governess to de Havilland's sisters. They had three sons, Peter, Geoffrey and John. Two of the sons died as test pilots in de Havilland aircraft. His youngest son, John , died in an air collision involving two Mosquitoes in 1943. Geoffrey Jr carried out
1245-512: Is an image of Britannia surrounded by the motto, with the words "For Meritorious Service" at the bottom; on the reverse is George V's Imperial and Royal Cypher, with the words "Instituted by King George V" at the bottom. The name of the recipient is engraved on the rim. This medal is nicknamed "the Gong", and comes in both full-sized and miniature versions – the latter for formal white-tie and semi-formal black-tie occasions. A lapel pin for everyday wear
1328-931: Is not a member of the College of Arms , as are many other heraldic officers; and the Lady Usher of the Purple Rod does not – unlike the Order of the Garter equivalent, the Lady Usher of the Black Rod – perform any duties related to the House of Lords . Since the Second World War, several Commonwealth realms have established their own national system of honours and awards and have created their own unique orders, decorations and medals. A number, though, continue to make recommendations for appointments to
1411-550: The 1919 New Year Honours , in recognition of his service in the First World War . He was knighted in the 1944 New Year Honours , and was invested with his knighthood by George VI at Buckingham Palace on 15 February 1944. He was appointed to the Order of Merit (OM) in November 1962. He received numerous national and international gold and silver medals and honorary fellowships of learned and engineering societies, including
1494-570: The F.E.1 , the first aircraft to bear an official Royal Aircraft Factory designation. For the next three years, de Havilland designed, or participated in the design of, a number of experimental types at the "Factory". He was commissioned a second lieutenant (on probation) in the Royal Flying Corps on 2 September 1912, was appointed a reserve officer in the RFC on 24 November and was confirmed in his rank on 25 December. In December 1913, de Havilland
1577-484: The Order of Canada . On the other hand, the Australian Honours System unilaterally created in 1975 did not achieve bi-partisan support until 1992, which was when Australian federal and state governments agreed to cease Australian recommendations for British honours; the last Australian recommended Order of the British Empire appointments were in the 1989 Queen's Birthday Honours . New Zealand continued to use
1660-464: The 21st century quotas were introduced to ensure consistent representation among recipients across nine categories of eligibility: with the largest proportion of awards being reserved for community, voluntary and local service. Non-military awards of the British Empire Medal resumed in 2012, starting with 293 BEMs awarded for Queen Elizabeth II's Diamond Jubilee . In 2017 the centenary of
1743-788: The British Empire . Rather than using this chapel, the Order now holds its great services upstairs in the nave of the cathedral. In addition to the Chapel of the Order of the British Empire, St Paul's Cathedral also houses the Chapel of the Order of St Michael and St George . Religious services for the whole Order are held every four years; new Knights and Dames Grand Cross are installed at these services. Knights Grand Cross and Knights Commander prefix Sir , and Dames Grand Cross and Dames Commander prefix Dame , to their forenames. Wives of Knights may prefix Lady to their surnames, but no equivalent privilege exists for husbands of Knights or spouses of Dames. Such forms are not used by peers and princes, except when
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#17331054943111826-490: The British Empire for Gallantry. Any individual made a member of the order for gallantry after 14 January 1958 wears an emblem of two crossed silver oak leaves on the same ribbon as the badge, with a miniature version on the ribbon bar when worn alone. When the ribbon only is worn the emblem is worn in miniature. It could not be awarded posthumously , and was replaced in 1974 with the Queen's Gallantry Medal (QGM). If recipients of
1909-539: The Corps of Royal Engineers as a second lieutenant on 12 June 1916. He was promoted to lieutenant on 12 December 1917, and having transferred to the Royal Flying Corps to train as a pilot, was appointed a flying officer on 17 January 1918. Hamilton was posted to No. 17 Squadron stationed in Salonika , Greece, flying a SE.5a . His first victory was on 21 April and was shared with fellow ace Acheson Goulding . After No. 17 Squadron
1992-861: The Gold Medal of the Royal Aero Club in 1947 and again in 1963. In 1972 de Havilland was inducted into the International Air & Space Hall of Fame . A statue of de Havilland was erected in July 1997 near the entrance to the College Lane campus of the University of Hertfordshire in Hatfield . He was a benefactor of the university, having given land adjoining the A1 to Hertfordshire County Council in 1951 for its precursor,
2075-588: The Hatfield Technical College. The statue was unveiled by the Duke of Edinburgh . The De Havilland campus (also known as De Hav) at the university was also named in his honour. The actresses Olivia de Havilland and Joan Fontaine were de Havilland's first cousins; his father, Charles, and their father, Walter , were half-brothers. His younger brother, Hereward de Havilland , was also a noted pioneer aviator and test pilot. Sir Anthony de Havilland (born 1969)
2158-785: The Military Division of the order from the UK and across the Empire. Recommendations for all appointments to the Order of the British Empire were originally made on the nomination of the King's United Kingdom ministers (recommendations for overseas awards were made by the Foreign Office , the Colonial Office , the India Office and the Dominions Office ); but in the early 1940s the system was changed to enable
2241-436: The Order of the British Empire for Gallantry received promotion within the order, whether for gallantry or otherwise, they continued to wear also the insignia of the lower grade with the oak leaves; however, they used only the post-nominal letters of the higher grade. When the order was founded in 1917, badges, ribands and stars were appointed for wear by recipients. In 1929 mantles, hats and collars were added for recipients of
2324-513: The Order of the British Empire. In 2024 appointments to the order were made by the governments of: Most members of the order are citizens of the United Kingdom or Commonwealth realms that use the UK system of honours and awards. In addition, honorary awards may be made to citizens of nations where the monarch is not head of state ; these permit use of post-nominal letters, but not the title of Sir or Dame . Honorary appointees who later become
2407-404: The Order, however, are not assigned any special precedence. As a general rule, only wives and children of male recipients are afforded privileges. Knights and Dames Grand Cross are also entitled to be granted heraldic supporters . They may, furthermore, encircle their arms with a depiction of the circlet (a circle bearing the motto) and the collar; the former is shown either outside or on top of
2490-466: The RFC during the war. On 5 August 1914, he was promoted to lieutenant and appointed a flying officer in the RFC from the same date. He was briefly stationed in Montrose on the east coast of Scotland as an officer on war duty. Flying a Blériot , he was to protect British shipping from German U-boats. After a few weeks, he was released from this duty and returned to Airco. However, he nominally remained in
2573-729: The Royal Aero Club Meeting at Lympne Aerodrome , Kent. Hamilton, along with Geoffrey de Havilland , Hubert Broad and others, was a founder member of the British Private Aircraft Owners' Club on 17 February 1926. During the General Strike in May Hamilton was one of the pilots taking part a scheme organised by the Royal Aero Club to deliver newspapers by air. Hamilton also entered the 1926 King's Cup Race, but
Leslie Hamilton - Misplaced Pages Continue
2656-465: The Second World War, De Havilland Canada went on to design and produce a number of indigenous types, some of which proved highly successful. In 1933, the company moved to Hatfield Aerodrome in Hertfordshire . In 1944, he bought out his friend and engine designer Frank Halfords 's consultancy firm, forming the de Havilland Engine Company with Halford as the head. Halford had previously designed
2739-460: The United Kingdom; those who would formerly have met the criteria for the medal were instead made eligible for the MBE. In 2004, a report entitled A Matter of Honour: Reforming Our Honours System by a Commons select committee recommended phasing out the Order of the British Empire, as its title was "now considered to be unacceptable, being thought to embody values that are no longer shared by many of
2822-450: The addition of a vertical pearl grey stripe in the centre for awards in the military division). From time to time the order was expanded: there was an increase in the maximum permitted number of recipients in 1933, and a further increase in 1937. During the Second World War, as had been the case during and after World War I, the number of military awards was greatly increased; between 1939 and 1946 there were more than 33,000 appointments to
2905-461: The age of 70 making his final flight in a DH85 Leopard Moth, G-ACMA. He died aged 82, of a cerebral haemorrhage , on 21 May 1965 at Watford Peace Memorial Hospital , Hertfordshire. De Havilland was made an OBE (Military Division) in the 1918 Birthday Honours , and was honoured with a CBE (Civil Division) in the 1934 Birthday Honours . He was decorated with the Air Force Cross (AFC) in
2988-692: The aircraft they built for him Alan Butler , thereafter company chairman, provided the capital to buy premises and then the airfield at Stag Lane Aerodrome , Edgware , where he and his colleagues designed and built a large number of aircraft, including the Moth family. One of his roles was as a test pilot for the company's aircraft. In 1928, the subsidiary company De Havilland Canada was created to build Moth aircraft in North America. When World War II arrived, production expanded to augment British aircraft factories, without any possible threat from enemy bombers. After
3071-468: The cathedral. That year, Commonwealth awards made up 40% of all OBEs and MBEs awarded (and 35% of all living recipients of the higher awards). Gradually that proportion reduced as independent states within the Commonwealth established their own systems of honours . The last Canadian recommendation for the Order of the British Empire was an MBE for gallantry gazetted in 1966, a year before the creation of
3154-418: The circlet. In 1929, to bring the order into line with the other orders of chivalry, members of the first class of the order (GBE) were provided with mantles, hats and collars. Only Knights/Dames Grand Cross wear these elaborate vestments; the hat is now rarely, if ever, worn. Use of the mantle is limited to important occasions (such as quadrennial services and coronations ). The mantle is always worn with
3237-444: The collar. Although the mantle was introduced in 1929, very few mantles would have been produced prior to the 1937 design changes, as there were few occasions for wearing them in the intervening years. On certain days designated by the sovereign, known as " collar days ", members attending formal events may wear the order's collar over their military uniform, formal day dress, evening wear or robes of office. Collars are returned upon
3320-479: The country's population". The committee further suggested changing the name of the award to the Order of British Excellence, and changing the rank of Commander to Companion (as the former was said to have a "militaristic ring"), as well as advocating for the abolition of knighthoods and damehoods; the government, however, was not of the opinion that a case for change had been made, and the aforementioned suggestions and recommendations were not, therefore, pursued. In
3403-403: The death of their owners, but other insignia may be retained. The six office-holders of the order wear pearl-grey mantles lined with rose-pink, having on the right side a purple shield charged with the roundel from the badge. Each of these office-holders wears a unique badge of office, suspended from a gold chain worn around the neck. The British Empire Medal is made of silver. On the obverse
Leslie Hamilton - Misplaced Pages Continue
3486-607: The distinction between ranks in military operational gallantry awards will cease'. The reforms affected the order at various levels: for example the automatic award each year of a GBE to the Lord Mayor of London ceased; the OBE replaced the Imperial Service Order as an award for civil servants and the number of MBEs awarded each year was significantly increased. As part of these reforms the British Empire Medal stopped being awarded by
3569-557: The event. Subsequent designs were even more successful: in 1912 he established a new British altitude record of 10,500 feet (3,200 m) in an aircraft of his design, the B.E.2 . Geoffrey was the designer and his brother Hereward was the test pilot. In December 1910, de Havilland joined HM Balloon Factory at Farnborough , which was to become the Royal Aircraft Factory . He sold his second aeroplane (which he had used to teach himself to fly) to his new employer for £400. It became
3652-455: The first flights of the Mosquito and Vampire and was killed in 1946 flying the jet-powered DH 108 Swallow while diving at or near the speed of sound . Louise suffered a nervous breakdown following these deaths and died in 1949. De Havilland remarried in 1951, to Joan Mary Frith (1900–1974). They remained married until his death. In 1975, de Havilland's 1961 autobiography , Sky Fever ,
3735-515: The former was to be responsible for recording all proceedings connected with the order, issuing warrants under the seal of the order and making arrangements for investitures, while the latter (at that time the Permanent Secretary to the Treasury ) was responsible for collecting and tabulating the names of those who were to receive an award. The office of Dean was added in 1957. The King of Arms
3818-401: The governments of overseas dominions to make their own nominations; Canada and South Africa began doing so in 1942, followed by Australia, New Zealand and other Commonwealth realms. In May 1957, forty years after the foundation of the order, it was announced that St Paul's Cathedral was to serve as the church of the order, and in 1960 a chapel was dedicated for its use within the crypt of
3901-450: The highest class of the order (GBE). The designs of all these items underwent major changes in 1937. The badge is worn by all members of the order; the size, colour and design depends on the class of award. The badge for all classes is in the form of a cross patonce (having the arms growing broader and floriated toward the end) with a medallion in the centre, the obverse of which bears a crowned image of George V and Queen Mary within
3984-771: The honours system, calling it "a preposterous charade". The order has attracted some criticism for its naming having connection with the idea of the now-extinct British Empire . Benjamin Zephaniah , a British poet of Jamaican and Barbadian descent, publicly rejected appointment as an Officer in 2003 because, he asserted, it reminded him of "thousands of years of brutality". He also said that "it reminds me of how my foremothers were raped and my forefathers brutalised". Geoffrey de Havilland Captain Sir Geoffrey de Havilland , OM , CBE , AFC , RDI , FRAeS (27 July 1882 – 21 May 1965)
4067-446: The insignia to Buckingham Palace and by ceasing to make reference to their honour, but they still hold the honour unless and until annulled by the monarch. In 2003, The Sunday Times published a list of the people who had rejected the Order of the British Empire, including David Bowie , John Cleese , Nigella Lawson , Elgar Howarth , L. S. Lowry , George Melly , and J. G. Ballard . In addition, Ballard voiced his opposition to
4150-624: The junior post-nominal letters. The British sovereign is the sovereign of the order and appoints all other officers of the order (by convention, on the advice of the governments of the United Kingdom and some Commonwealth realms ). The second-most senior officer is the Grand Master (a 'Prince of the Blood Royal, or other exalted personage' appointed by the sovereign, who, by virtue of their appointment, becomes 'the First or Principal Knight Grand Cross of
4233-519: The latter. Knights and Dames Commander and Commanders may display the circlet, but not the collar, surrounding their arms. The badge is depicted suspended from the collar or circlet. See List of current honorary knights and dames of the Order of the British Empire Only the monarch can annul an honour. The Honours Forfeiture Committee considers cases and makes recommendations for forfeiture. An individual can renounce their honour by returning
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#17331054943114316-463: The left breast, by Knights and Dames Grand Cross; Knights and Dames Commander wear a smaller star composed of 'four equal points and four lesser'. The star is not worn by the more junior classes. Prior to 1937 each star had in the centre a gold medallion with a figure of Britannia, surrounded by a crimson circlet inscribed with the motto of the order ('For God and the Empire'); since 1937 the effigies of King George V and Queen Mary have been shown within
4399-569: The medal 'for gallantry', which had come to be known as the Empire Gallantry Medal , were given permission to use the postnominal letters EGM (and at the same time to add a laurel branch emblem to the ribbon of the medal); however, in 1940, awards of the EGM ceased and all holders of the medal were instructed to exchange it for a new and more prestigious gallantry award: the George Cross . In 1941,
4482-547: The medal of the order 'for meritorious service' was renamed the British Empire Medal , and the following year its recipients were granted the right to use the postnominal letters BEM. During the war, the BEM came to be used to recognise acts of bravery which did not merit the award of a George Cross or George Medal , a use which continued until the introduction of the Queen's Gallantry Medal in 1974. The designs of insignia of
4565-449: The medal. The colour of the riband was also changed: twenty years earlier, prior to the order's establishment, Queen Mary had made it known that pink would be her preferred colour for the riband of the proposed new order, but, in the event, purple was chosen. Following her appointment as Grand Master of the order in 1936 a change was duly made and since 9 March 1937 the riband of the order has been 'rose pink edged with pearl grey’ (with
4648-446: The most senior two of which make the recipient either a knight if male or a dame if female. There is also the related British Empire Medal , whose recipients are affiliated with, but not members of, the order. The order was established on 4 June 1917 by King George V , who created the order to recognise 'such persons, male or female, as may have rendered or shall hereafter render important services to Our Empire'. Equal recognition
4731-469: The names of the former are written out in their fullest forms. Male clergy of the Church of England or the Church of Scotland do not use the title Sir (unless they were knighted before being ordained) as they do not receive the accolade (they are not dubbed "knight" with a sword), although they do append the post-nominal letters ; dames do not receive the accolade, and therefore female clergy are free to use
4814-449: The numbers restricted to the order as full members do. Although the Order of the British Empire has by far the highest number of members of the British orders of chivalry, with more than 100,000 living members worldwide, there are fewer appointments to knighthoods than in other orders. From time to time, individuals may be promoted to a higher grade within the Order, thereby ceasing usage of
4897-605: The order alongside its own honours until the establishment of the New Zealand Order of Merit in 1996. Other Commonwealth realms have continued to use the Order of the British Empire alongside their own honours. In 1993 the Prime Minister, John Major , instituted a reform of the honours system with the aim 'that exceptional service or achievement will be more widely recognised; that greater importance will be given to voluntary service; that automatic honours will end; that
4980-408: The order and medal were altered in 1937, prior to the coronation of King George VI , 'in commemoration of the reign of King George V and Queen Mary, during which the Order was founded'. The figure of Britannia at the centre of the badge of the order was replaced with an image of the crowned heads of the late King and Queen Mary, and the words 'Instituted by King George V' were added to the reverse of
5063-409: The order was celebrated with a service at St Paul's Cathedral. The order is limited to 300 Knights and Dames Grand Cross, 845 Knights and Dames Commander, and 8,960 Commanders. There are no limits applied to the total number of members of the fourth and fifth classes, but no more than 858 officers and 1,464 members may be appointed per year. Foreign appointees, as honorary members, do not contribute to
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#17331054943115146-426: The order, to which serving personnel would in future be appointed. The classes were the same as for the Civil Division (as it was now termed), but military awards were distinguished by the addition of a central vertical red stripe to the purple riband of the civil awards. In 1920 appointment as an MBE 'for an act of gallantry' was granted for the first time, to Sydney Frank Blanck Esq, who had rescued an injured man from
5229-509: The rest of his life. Built with money borrowed from his maternal grandfather, de Havilland's first aircraft took two years to build. Unfortunately, he crashed it during its first very short flight at Seven Barrows near Litchfield, Hampshire in December 1909. He built a fresh biplane, making his first flight in it from a meadow near Newbury in September 1910. A memorial plaque presently marks
5312-586: The same Order'). The position of Grand Master has been held by the following people: In addition to the sovereign and the grand master , the order has six further officers: At its foundation the order was served by three officers: the King of Arms, the Registrar & Secretary and the Gentleman Usher of the Purple Rod. In 1922 the Prelate was added, and the office of Registrar was separated from that of Secretary:
5395-456: The service until the end of the war. On 30 April 1916, he was promoted to captain and appointed a flight commander. His employer, Airco , was bought in early 1920 by armaments group Birmingham Small Arms Company but discovering it was less than worthless BSA shut down Airco in July 1920. With the help of former Airco owner George Holt Thomas he formed de Havilland Aircraft Company employing some former colleagues. Pleased and impressed by
5478-525: The south coast of Wales, across to Ireland, making their departure over the Aran Islands . The last confirmed sighting was made by the oil tanker SS Josiah Macy at 9:44 p.m. in the mid-Atlantic. Around 6 a.m. the next morning the Dutch steamer SS Blijdendijik reported seeing a white light travelling eastward in the sky when about 420 miles east-south-east of New York, which, if it were St. Raphael ,
5561-401: The standard of the George Medal (even though, as appointments to an order of chivalry, they were listed before it on the Order of Wear . In contrast to awards for meritorious service, which usually appear without a citation, there were often citations for gallantry awards, some detailed and graphic. From 14 January 1958, these awards were designated Commander, Officer or Member of the Order of
5644-506: The title Dame . Knights and Dames Grand Cross use the post-nominal GBE; Knights Commander, KBE; Dames Commander, DBE; Commanders, CBE; Officers, OBE; and Members, MBE. The post-nominal for the British Empire Medal is BEM. Members of all classes of the order are assigned positions in the order of precedence . Wives of male members of all classes also feature on the order of precedence, as do sons, daughters and daughters-in-law of Knights Grand Cross and Knights Commander; relatives of Ladies of
5727-471: The titles Sir for men and Dame for women before their forenames, except with honorary awards. King George V founded the order to fill gaps in the British honours system : In particular, George V wished to create an order to honour the many thousands of individuals from across the Empire who had served in a variety of non-combat roles during the First World War . From its foundation the order consisted of five classes (GBE, KBE/DBE, CBE, OBE and MBE) and
5810-473: Was an English aviation pioneer and aerospace engineer . The aircraft company he founded produced the Mosquito , which has been considered the most versatile warplane ever built, and his Comet was the first jet airliner to go into production. Born at Magdala House, Terriers, High Wycombe , Buckinghamshire , de Havilland was the second son of The Reverend Charles de Havilland (1854–1920) and his first wife, Alice Jeannette (née Saunders; 1854–1911). He
5893-450: Was appointed an inspector of aircraft for the Aeronautical Inspection Directorate. Unhappy at leaving design work, in May 1914 he was recruited to become the chief designer at Airco , in Hendon . He designed many aircraft for Airco, all designated by his initials, DH . Large numbers of de Havilland-designed aircraft were used during the First World War , flown by the Royal Flying Corps / Royal Air Force . De Havilland continued to serve in
5976-588: Was educated at Nuneaton Grammar School , St Edward's School, Oxford and the Crystal Palace School of Engineering (from 1900 to 1903). Upon graduating from engineering training, de Havilland pursued a career in automotive engineering , building cars and motorcycles. He took an apprenticeship with engine manufacturers Willans & Robinson of Rugby , after which he worked as a draughtsman for The Wolseley Tool and Motor Car Company Limited in Birmingham ,
6059-540: Was far to the south of its intended route, suggesting that they were lost. The aircraft was never seen again. Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry , rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations, and public service outside the civil service . It comprises five classes of awards across both civil and military divisions,
6142-402: Was first announced at the end of December 2006, and is available to recipients of all levels of the order, as well as to holders of the British Empire Medal . The pin design is not unique to any level. The pin features the badge of the order, enclosed in a circle of ribbon of its colours of pink and grey. Lapel pins must be purchased separately by a member of the order. The creation of such a pin
6225-434: Was granted a short-service commission in the RAF on 24 October 1919, but relinquished both his temporary and short service commissions at his own request on 28 November, and was transferred to unemployed list. However, he soon returned to RAF service, being granted another short service commission on 14 July 1920 with the rank of flying officer . On 2 July 1921 he married Barbara Webber of Maidenhead , Berkshire. In 1922 he
6308-469: Was made a substantive member and subsequently styled as Sir Terry Wogan). Although initially intended to recognise meritorious service, the order began to also be awarded for gallantry. There were an increased number of cases in the Second World War for service personnel and civilians including the merchant navy, police, emergency services and civil defence, mostly MBEs but with a small number of OBEs and CBEs. Such awards were for gallantry that did not reach
6391-568: Was merged with No. 47 Squadron to form No. 150 Squadron, Hamilton scored five more wins. The four triumphs he notched between 4 May and 4 September were shared with other aces, such as Gerald Gibbs , Frederick Travers , and Gerald Gordon Bell . Hamilton's sixth and last win, on 18 September 1918, was a solo one. He was subsequently awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, which was gazetted in February 1919. His citation read: Hamilton
6474-621: Was obliged to withdraw as his engine was not ready in time. In 1926–27 Hamilton operated a private flying taxi service in Switzerland and the South of France flying a Vickers Viking IV amphibious aircraft (G-EBED). (A replica of G-EBED can be seen at Brooklands Museum .) Hamilton was then involved in an attempt to make the first flight across the Atlantic from east to west, flying from England to Ottawa, Ontario , Canada. Princess Lowenstein-Wertheim ,
6557-508: Was open to both women and men; provision was also made for conferring honorary awards on foreign recipients. At the same time, alongside the order, the Medal of the Order of the British Empire was instituted, to serve as a lower award granting recipients affiliation but not membership. The first investiture took place at Ibrox Stadium , as part of a royal visit to the Glasgow shipyards, with the appointment of Alexander Ure, 1st Baron Strathclyde as
6640-405: Was placed on half-pay. He was restored to full pay on 15 September 1925, only to resign his commission for good on 19 September. Hamilton acquired a Martinsyde F.6 (G-EBDK) from F. P. Raynham , and on 29 January 1925 he flew from London to St. Moritz , Switzerland, via Paris, Zurich, and Chur , a total distance of 450 miles, being airborne for eight hours. In August he competed in two events at
6723-566: Was recommended in Sir Hayden Phillips ' review of the honours system in 2004. The Chapel of the Order of the British Empire is in St Paul's Cathedral . It occupies the far eastern end of the cathedral crypt and was dedicated in 1960. The only heraldic banners normally on display in the chapel are those of the Sovereign of the Order of the British Empire and of the Grand Master of the Order of
6806-555: Was serving in No. 24 Squadron, based at Kenley , and in June he took part in the 3rd RAF Aerial Pageant at Hendon Aerodrome , coming second in a race between Avro 504s , and with the rest his squadron giving a demonstration of formation flying in Bristol Fighters . In September the same year he took part in the first King's Cup Race , flying an Airco DH.9C belonging to Lady Anne Savile ( Princess Loewenstein-Wertheim ), who flew with him as
6889-526: Was to be given for services rendered in the UK and overseas. Today the majority of recipients are UK citizens, though a number of Commonwealth realms outside the UK continue to make appointments to the order. Honorary awards may be made to citizens of other nations of which the order's sovereign is not the head of state. The five classes of appointment to the Order are, from highest grade to lowest grade: The senior two ranks of Knight or Dame Grand Cross and Knight or Dame Commander entitle their members to use
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