Edward Masterman

Air Commodore Edward Alexander Dimsdale Masterman, (15 April 1880 – 26 August 1957) was a senior officer in the Royal Air Force in the first half of the 20th century. After retiring from the RAF, he served as the first ever Commandant of the Observer Corps.

Service career Masterman started his service career in the Royal Navy, attending the Britannia Naval College around 1894. He served on in the late 1890s and early 1900s, and was promoted to lieutenant in January 1900. After attending Torpedo Specialist Course he in 1907 worked as a Russia interpreter on .

By 1911 Masterman had become involved in the Navy's efforts to build an experimental airship and the following year he was appointed Officer Commanding the Naval Airship Section. Headquarters Observer Corps was located at Hillingdon House, RAF Uxbridge, relocating to RAF Bentley Priory after Masterman retired. He was succeeded as Commandant Observer Corps by Air Commodore Alfred Warrington-Morris.

Following his retirement as Commandant Observer Corps, Masterman immediately rejoined the Observer Corps as a civilian part-time volunteer with the rank of Observer Captain, (the equivalent of the RAF Group Captain), and served as the (Royal) Observer Corps’ Western Area Commandant between 1937 and 1942. (By special permission of Air Cdre Warrington-Morris, Masterman was permitted to wear his RAF Air Cdre uniform and rank braid after April 1941; the Observer Corps then becoming a uniformed organisation and restyled the Royal Observer Corps under the operational control of RAF Fighter Command).