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John BrabazonBritish aviator and politician
Date of Birth: 08.02.1884
Country:  Great Britain |
Content:
Biography of John Moore-Brabazon
British aviator and politician John Theodore Cuthbert Moore-Brabazon was born on February 8, 1884. His father spent thirty years in the colonies working for the East India Company and married late in life, so when young John Theodore Cuthbert was born, his father was already sixty. Brabazon senior owned the estate of Tara Hill, the name of which later became part of his son's baronial title. The estate was located on the slope of Tara Hill, 17 miles north of Dublin. This place is associated with many legends, which Brabazon himself was inclined to believe, noting with irony that now everyone considers them myths, since they cannot refer to newspaper archives from two thousand years ago. The hill was the site of the coronation of Irish kings, with the "sacred stone of destiny" serving as their throne, brought from the Temple in Jerusalem. And somewhere here, the Ark of the Covenant with the tablets of the Ten Commandments, also brought from the Holy Land, is hidden. Whether to believe in this or not is the reader's personal choice, but one can understand why Brabazon was so eager to be known as Baron Tara. Despite his love for the legends of his homeland, Moore-Brabazon was most interested in technical innovations from childhood, preferring them to the necessary study of classical languages for his future entrance to Cambridge. Instead of studying boring ancient Greek, he escaped to the first British car races and then gave lectures on internal combustion engine design to his school's scientific society. Soon, he himself got behind the wheel of a car. Once, his father agreed to test the merits of the new invention as a passenger, and as a result, they narrowly avoided an accident that could have cost them their lives. To avoid a collision with a cart and a bus blocking the road, Brabazon junior deftly maneuvered and, somehow squeezing between a fence and a lamppost, managed to return the car to the road. Five minutes after this breathtaking stunt, his father, with typical English composure worthy of P.G. Wodehouse, inquired, "Ivon (that was young Brabazon's name in the family), are we going to have many more incidents like this? Frankly, I find it very disturbing."
"The Flying Bird" and Pigs in the Air
At the beginning of the century, airplanes were just starting to conquer the sky. The fight was on to overcome every extra meter, and a major achievement was the Wright brothers' airplane built in America, which flew a whopping 10 kilometers. Europe did not want to lag behind. Although there was not yet a stable airplane in the air, in 1905, the French Voisin brothers established the world's first industrial factory for their production. Among their customers was the famous pilot Henri Farman, the son of British subjects born in France. He went down in history as a French aviator, not as the possible first English pilot, which perhaps would have been his if not for Brabazon. In 1908, Farman ordered another biplane from the Voisin brothers. But unexpectedly, Moore-Brabazon intercepted it, having requalified from a racing driver to a pilot. He bought the airplane intended for Farman and, in the same year, took to the air on it. It is said that Farman was furious, and after that, he decided to personally engage in aircraft production (which, by the way, turned out to be very beneficial for the aviation industry). Brabazon, on the other hand, bought another Voisin and gave it the romantic name "The Flying Bird." He brought it to England, where in May 1909, in Leysdown (Kent County), he flew 455 meters, which was recorded as the first flight in the sky of Great Britain. Brabazon received pilot license number one in the Royal Aero Club. This society was created in 1901 and initially focused on balloon flights but soon became interested in airplanes as well. Among its founders was Brabazon's friend from racing, Charles Stewart Rolls. Yes, that Rolls, who, together with Frederick Henry Royce, organized the famous automobile company "Rolls-Royce."
Two days after Brabazon's first flight on British soil, Rolls greeted the Wright brothers on Albion's shores and, on the first model of his "Silver Ghost," took them to the Shorts brothers – the progenitors of the aviation industry in England. They obtained a license from the Wright brothers, established their own factory, and soon the first British airplane powered by a 60-horsepower Henry Royce engine was born. Brabazon had the honor of testing the British firstborn and, in October 1909, flew a whole mile and returned to the starting point. This prolonged flight set a record for the British Isles, and the Daily Mail newspaper awarded Brabazon a prize of £1,000. Among Brabazon's flying achievements were some rather comical ones, in line with the famous English eccentricity. For example, he was the first in the world to lift a live piglet into the air. In a basket attached to the fuselage with the inscription "Pigs Can Fly," the British Piglet successfully endured the flight and landed in perfect health.
However, the lives of the early aviators were not only filled with sporting joys and eccentric exploits. Tragedies were also inevitable. In 1910, the first fatal aviation accident occurred in Britain. Its victim was Charles Rolls. The death of his friend shocked Brabazon so much that he even temporarily stopped flying. However, he was not the kind of person to give up his favorite activity because of its dangers, and soon Brabazon amazed the public once again – he became the first person to fly under the Tower Bridge.
Eventually, the innocent period of early aviation came to an end – airplanes ceased to be just symbols of progress and means for setting various records. World War I began, and they became instruments of destruction. Moore-Brabazon joined the Royal Flying Corps to serve his country. Once again, he had the honor of being a pioneer – he is credited with introducing aerial reconnaissance. The method proposed by the French was refined and first used by Lieutenants Brabazon and Campbell of the British Royal Air Force in early 1915 during the crossing of the La Bassée canal when unknown German positions were timely detected with its help.
Engaging in politics between the wars, Brabazon became Minister of Transport and later Minister of Aircraft Production in Winston Churchill's government during World War II. Succeeding Lord Beaverbrook in that position, he brought impeccable order and planning to the ministry, significantly increasing the number of aircraft coming off the production lines.
It should be said that, unlike bravery and energy, Brabazon lacked political cunning. His most famous statement goes, "If a speaker can't explain his thoughts in twenty minutes, then he'd better go and write a book." What can we say, Brabazon himself, as they say, was not one to mince his words, and his famous 1941 speech lasted twenty minutes or more, but it was enough to seriously damage his career. In this speech, he spoke quite unfavorably about the Allies and expressed the wish that Germany and the USSR would destroy each other, opening the way for British influence in Europe. The timing was not right. There was still more than a year of fighting with the common enemy before Churchill's famous anti-Soviet speech in Fulton, and Brabazon's eloquence did not receive approval in the government.
In the end, Brabazon had to leave his post, and in consolation and reward for past achievements, he was elected to the House of Lords in 1942 and received a baronial title. The newly minted "Lord Tara" thanked the Prime Minister, saying, "I am very pleased because we are still quite snobbish."
In 1943, Brabazon headed the committee responsible for planning the British post-war aviation industry. During this period, the Bristol 167 Brabazon passenger aircraft was developed and named in his honor. Apparently, the lord decided to make up for the discomfort of his flights on the rather modest-sized early biplanes: the enormous Brabazon, which remains the largest aircraft ever built in Britain, weighed 130 tons but could carry no more than 80 passengers. After flight tests in 1949, the project was deemed unprofitable, and the giant aircraft was never put into mass production. After this, Brabazon's aviation-related career began to decline. But the lord did not think of giving up. He still had another burning passion.
"The Best of Bad British Golfers" – That's the title Roger Wethered, the amateur champion of the 1920s, gave to Brabazon to his delight. Brabazon started playing golf at the age of 26 but was not what you would call a natural golfer. Despite his diligence, he never achieved great success. However, this did not stop him: Lord played for his own pleasure, devoting a great deal of effort to organizational activities.
From 1952 to 1953, Brabazon was elected to the honorary position of Captain of St. Andrews, the influential golf club in Britain that determines the current policies and trends in the sport. During this time, Brabazon participated in the work of numerous committees established by the R&A. In 1954, he became the president of the Professional Golfers' Association (PGA) and held this position until his death. While Brabazon's technique sometimes left something to be desired, his knowledge of the theory was unmatched. His book "The Future of the Game," dedicated to the development of golf, still holds great value for professionals and amateur players.
It should be noted that Brabazon's appointment as captain was associated with a famous blunder. As is known, during the inauguration, the new captain makes a symbolic swing on the first tee in front of a large audience. According to tradition, the caddy who finds and brings the ball is supposed to receive a gold sovereign as a reward. In anticipation of the prize, the young boys gathered about 180 meters away from the tee. But Brabazon made a mistake, and the poor boys had to rush back. At the celebratory banquet, Brabazon said, "I made such an unimpressive swing to inspire all the weak players." An awkward silence ensued. "Well, if you believed that, then you'll believe anything," he concluded after a pause.
Brabazon maintained this spirit and unwavering sense of humor into his old age. At the age of 70, he became famous for taking a bobsled ride on the famous Cresta Run in the birthplace of this sport, St. Moritz, Switzerland.
But no one is eternal, not even such iron old-timers as Lord Tara. In 1964, Brabazon passed away. Although the airplane named in his honor does not soar through the skies, his name was given to the golf course opened in 1977 at The Belfry. It is now considered one of the best in Britain. The fact that it has hosted the most Ryder Cup tournaments is evidence of its quality. Lord can rest assured – the fans of the game from which he derived the greatest pleasure in life have not forgotten him.
