Godfrey Paine

Royal Navy career

Paine joined the Royal Navy in early 1885, becoming a midshipman on 15 June 1887. He was a lieutenant on HMS Renown, before becoming first lieutenant on the armoured cruiser HMS Hogue on its commission in late 1902. In 1903, Paine was promoted to commander and later served as the executive officer on his old ship HMS Renown.

In 1907, Paine was promoted captain and in 1909, he was appointed the Officer Commanding the Third Destroyer Flotilla. This appointment was followed by command of the torpedo schoolship HMS Actaeon in 1911. It was while Paine was in command of Actaeon that he first became involved in naval aviation. The first four Royal Naval and Royal Marine officers who learnt to fly (Longmore, Samson, Gerrard, and Gregory) were borne on the books of Actaeon, and Paine took a keen interest in their progress.

In 1912, Paine was appointed as the first commandant of the Central Flying School (CFS) at Upavon Aerodrome, so, before taking up this post, he learned to fly, being awarded Pilot's Licence No. 217 on 15 May 1912 (at the age of 40). Three years later in 1915, after the Royal Naval Air Service had formally separated from the Royal Flying Corps, the Royal Navy established the Central Depot and Training Establishment. The new unit was based at Cranwell, and Paine was raised to the rank of commodore, first class, and sent there as its first commander. Just over a year later, in early 1917, Paine was appointed Fifth Sea Lord, making him responsible for all naval aviation.

Royal Air Force career

With the establishment of the Royal Air Force (RAF) in 1918, the posts of Fifth Sea Lord and Chief of Naval Air Service were abolished and the Navy's aircraft and aviators were transferred to the RAF. Paine was promoted to major general (a rank of the RAF at that time) and appointed to the Air Council as Master-General of Personnel. With the introduction of RAF-specific ranks in 1919, Paine was regraded to air vice marshal. His last military appointment was as Inspector-General of the RAF. On his retirement from the RAF on 12 May 1920, Paine was granted the rank of retired rear admiral.

Post-military life

Following his retired from the military, Paine subsequently became Chairman of Totalisators Ltd. He died 23 March 1932 (aged 60), and was buried at sea off Nab Tower, Portsmouth.