George Cyril Colmore


George Cyril Colmore was an English aviator and the first Royal Naval Air Service officer to gain a Royal Aero Club Aviators Licence.

Military career

Colmore was born at Hathern, Leicestershire on 14 September 1885 and in 1901 he enrolled, aged 15, as an Officer Cadet at the Thames Nautical Training College in Dartford, Kent. In 1910, at his own expense, he joined the Royal Aero Club and learned to fly at the Royal Naval Flying School, Eastchurch. On 21 June 1910 he received Aviators Certificate No. 15 flying a Short biplane. Following his success the RAeC approached the Admiralty offering to train further naval aviators.
In 1917 Colmore was promoted Squadron Commander in command of the Wormwood Scrubs Royal Naval Air Station.

Family

Colmore married Phyllis Isobel Fellowes, daughter of the late Captain Peregrine Fellowes on 25 January 1911 at St Peter's Church, South Kensington although the couple divorced in May 1921 on grounds of adultery; they had two children.