Sir Leslie Gossage
| Sir Ernest Leslie Gossage | |
|---|---|
| Born |
3 February 1891 Liverpool, England |
| Died | 8 July 1949 (aged 58) Sussex, England |
| Allegiance | United Kingdom |
| Service/ |
British Army (1912–18) Royal Air Force (1918–44) |
| Years of service | 1912–44 |
| Rank | Air Marshal |
| Commands held |
Balloon Command (1940–44) Air Member for Personnel (1940) Inspector-General of the RAF (1940) No. 11 Group (1936–40) British Forces Aden (1935–36) School of Army Co-operation (1921–23) 1st Wing RFC (1917–19) No. 8 Squadron RFC (1916–17) No. 56 Squadron RFC (1916) |
| Battles/wars |
First World War Second World War |
| Awards |
Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath Commander of the Royal Victorian Order Distinguished Service Order Military Cross Mentioned in Despatches (5) Officer of the Legion of Honour (France) |
Air Marshal Sir Ernest Leslie Gossage, KCB, CVO, DSO, MC (3 February 1891 – 8 July 1949) was a former artillery officer who become a pilot in the Royal Flying Corps and later a senior officer in the Royal Air Force during the Second World War.
It is believed that Gossage was a member of the Royal Field Artillery Special Reserve while a university student. He was commissioned in 1912 as a second lieutenant in the Royal Field Artillery.
When the First World War broke out in 1914 Gossage was still a young second lieutenant in the Royal Field Artillery, where he remained for the first year of the war. However, on 12 May 1915, he was seconded to the Royal Flying Corps where he was assigned to No. 6 Squadron as a pilot. By 5 September 1915 he had reached the rank of captain and had become a Flight Commander in No. 6 Squadron. He was awarded the Military Cross in March the following year for his "consistent good and zealous work under bad weather conditions, both on patrol and when co-operating with the artillery in operations resulting in the capture of the enemy's position".
Following a promotion to major in 1916, Gossage was given command of No. 56 Squadron, later taking command of No. 8 Squadron in the same year. In 1917 Gossage was promoted to lieutenant colonel and took command of the Royal Flying Corps' 1st Wing. When the Royal Air Force was founded on 1 April 1918 Gossage transferred where he was appointed as a Staff officer in the Directorate of Operations and Intelligence. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Order in 1919, and was four times mentioned in despatches during the war.
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