World War II Database

Contributor: C. Peter Chen

ww2dbaseChristopher Joseph Quintin Brand was born in Beaconsfield near Kimberley, Northern Cape, South Africa. His father was an inspector with the Criminal Investigation Department in the Johannesburg police. In 1913, he joined the South African Defence Force. In 1915, he traveled to Britain to join the Royal Flying Corps and learned how to fly. During WW1, he served aboard Nieuport 17 reconnaissance aircraft with the No. 1 Squadron in France as a flight commander. In 1918, he was appointed the commanding officer of the newly formed No. 151 Squadron RAF, a nightfighter squadron equipped with Camel biplane fighters made by Sopwith. Brand shot down four German Gotha bombers with the No. 151 Squadron RAF, including one on the very last night of bombing on London. At the end of hte war he was awarded with the Distinguished Flying Cross for his service.

ww2dbaseIn 1920, the Times of London newspaper offered a cash prize of £10,000 for the first pilot to fly from London to Cape Town, South Africa. South Africans Lieutenant Colonel Pierre van Ryneveld commanded a Vimy aircraft (Silver Queen) made by Vickers, assisted by co-pilot Brand, departed Brooklands, Surrey, England, United Kingdom on 4 Feb 1920. They reached their first stop Heliopolis, Egypt without incident, but developed engine trouble, and had to switch to a different Vimy (Silver Queen II). At Bulawayo in Southern Rhodesia, the second aircraft was damaged during takeoff, thus was forced to switch to a third plane, a DH.9, to complete the journey to Cape Town. Although the changing of planes disqualified them for the £10,000 prize from the Times, the South African government awarded them £5,000 each for their attempt. In May 1920, they were both knighted for this journey.

ww2dbaseBetween 1925 and 1927, Brand served as the Senior Technical Officer, then Principal Technical Officer, at the Royal Aircraft Establishment, Farnborough, Hampshire, England. In Jan 1929, he was posted to Iraq as an engineering officer. He became the Inspector General of Aviation in Egypt between 1932 and 1936. In Apr 1937, he was named the commanding officer of the No. 12 Group in Britain, in charge of defending central Britain. He served in this role through the first few months of the European War. In Jun 1940, he was named the commanding officer of the No. 10 Group at the rank of acting air vice marshal, responsible for southwestern England and southern Wales. Like Air Vice Marshal Keith Park, Brand advocated launching only enough fighters to counter any German raid in order to preserve strength. As the pressure on Britain eased, he was appointed the head of the No. 20 (Training) Group. He retired from active service on 6 Nov 1943.

ww2dbaseBrand became widowed in 1941 when his first wife Marie Vaughan passed away. After retirement, Brand married Marie's sister, Mildred Vaughan, in 1943. They lived in Surrey, England until 1950, then moved to Southern Rhodesia. Brand passed away in Umtali, Southern Rhodesia in 1968.

Photographs

Quintin Brand Timeline