Oliver Schwann
| Sir Oliver Swann | |
|---|---|
Air Vice Marshal Sir Oliver Swann
|
|
| Born |
18 November 1878 Wimbledon, London |
| Died | 7 March 1948 (aged 69) Littleton, Guildford |
| Allegiance | United Kingdom |
| Service/branch |
Royal Navy (1895–1918) Royal Air Force (1918–40) |
| Years of service | 1895–1929 1939–40 |
| Rank | Air Vice Marshal |
| Commands held |
No. 1 School of Technical Training (1939–40) RAF Halton (1939–40) RAF Middle East (1923–26) Air Member for Personnel (1922–23) Egyptian Group (1920–21) Mediterranean Group (1919–20) Orkneys Division (1917–18) HMS Campania (1915–17) HMS Niger (1910) |
| Battles/wars |
First World War Second World War |
| Awards |
Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath Commander of the Order of the British Empire |
Air Vice Marshal Sir Oliver Swann, KCB, CBE (18 November 1878 – 7 March 1948), born Oliver Schwann, was a leading figure in the Royal Naval Air Service and senior commander in the Royal Air Force during the first half of the 20th century.
Schwann joined the Royal Navy in 1895, and was a lieutenant when in July 1902 he was posted as junior staff to the HMS Vernon, naval torpedo school ship at Chatham dockyard.
In 1910 Schwann was selected to assist Captain Murray Sueter who was conducting pioneering naval aviation work with airships. Later, Schwann bought an Avro Type D landplane (at his own expense with support from friends) for £700 and fitted floats to it. Despite not having qualified as a pilot, Schwann managed to fly it off the water. Although Schwann crashed the aircraft,this was the first aircraft take off by a British pilot from salt water.
In November 1912, after Schwann had qualified as a pilot, he was appointed Assistant Director of the Air Department at the Admiralty, making him deputy to Murray Sueter. Over the next two years Sueter and Schwann worked to establish the Royal Naval Air Service.
In 1914, just prior to the outbreak of the First World War, Schwann was promoted to captain and assigned to port duties. The following year he was appointed captain of the aircraft carrier HMS Campania, a former Cunard liner that had been converted to carry a dozen aircraft. Later in the war, Schwann served as Officer Commanding the Orkneys Division. In 1917 Oliver Schwann anglicized the spelling of his name to Swann. With the establishment of the Royal Air Force in early 1918, Swann was transferred to the new service. He served as Deputy Chief of the Air Staff during the last months of the war and into 1919.
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