BOOM
A Biography of MRAF Lord Hugh Trenchard
Card signed by Lord Hugh Trenchard
Signed and dated by the author on the half title page
Laid in card signed by
Lord Hugh Trenchard
Weidenfeld & Nicolson First edition, first printing 2016. 402 pages and well illustrated with photos.
Fine condition hardback book in a Fine condition, unclipped dustjacket. Clean, tight and bright. The card is laid in, not attached to the book.
Marshal of the Royal Air Force Lord Hugh Trenchard, (1873–1956), is widely regarded as the Father of the Royal Air Force. After learning to fly in 1912, (certificate no. 270) he rose rapidly through the Royal Flying Corps, despite being a poor pilot, becoming its commander in France during the WWI. His leadership emphasised offensive action, close support to the Army, and the vital role of air power in shaping the battlefield. In 1918 he briefly served as the first Chief of the Air Staff before taking command of the Independent Air Force, directing long‑range bombing operations against Germany.
With the creation of the RAF, Trenchard returned as Chief of the Air Staff in 1919 and spent the next decade securing the service’s independence. He built its institutions including Cranwell and championed air policing across the Empire. His vision, persistence, and organisational drive established the RAF as a permanent, strategic arm of British defence.
In ‘Boom’, Russell Miller delivers a very readable biography of Hugh Trenchard. He vividly captures the paradox of a man nicknamed “Boom” for his stentorian roar; an inarticulate, tactless officer who nonetheless inspired fierce loyalty. It examines Trenchard’s pivotal role in the establishment of the RAF as the world’s first independent air force and illustrates how Trenchard’s sheer tenacity saved the service from being absorbed back into the Army and Navy after WWI.
The author describes how Trenchard secured the RAF’s survival and defined its offensive spirit, a legacy that later proved decisive during the Battle of Britain. These military achievements are balanced with pure ‘Flashman’ tales of Trenchard’s early adventures, from bobsleighing in Switzerland to surviving the Boer War.
A scarce signature of the RAF’s founder who was undoubtedly one of the most important and influential senior officers in the history of the RAF.