Alexander Bannerman, 11th Baronet
| Sir Alexander Bannerman | |
|---|---|
| Born |
16 December 1871 Brackley, Northamptonshire, England |
| Died | 10 March 1934 (aged 62) George, Cape Province, South Africa |
| Allegiance |
 United Kingdom
|
| Service/branch | British Army |
| Rank | Major |
| Commands held |
School of Ballooning Air Battalion |
| Battles/wars | Second Boer War |
Major Sir Alexander Bannerman, 11th Baronet (16 December 1871 – 10 March 1934) was a pioneer British military aviator.
Bannerman was born in Brackley in Northamptonshire and educated at Wellington College and subsequently at the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich. He succeeded to the title of 11th Baronet Bannerman, of Elsick in Kincardineshire, on the death of his father the 10th Baronet on 2 December 1901.
Bannerman served in the Royal Engineers, seeing active service in the Second Boer War, and was mentioned in Lord Roberts' despatches. He was promoted to captain on 26 October 1900.
After the war he returned to England only to depart again in 1903 on a special mission to Japan as British military attache at the Japanese headquarters during the Russo-Japanese War. While there, he observed the use by the Japanese of a tethered balloon at Port Arthur. At the start of 1908, Bannerman was sent to the War Office to work as a general staff officer (third class).
In October 1910, Bannerman left the War Office in order to replace Colonel John Capper as the officer commanding the British Army's School of Ballooning. In April 1911, when the School of Ballooning was reorganized and the Air Battalion was formed within the Royal Engineers, Bannerman served as its commandant. Just before the Air Battalion became the Royal Flying Corps, Bannerman took flying lessons in order to gain his Royal Aero Club certificate.
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