James Templer (balloon aviator)

James Templer was the son of John Templer. He was educated at Harrow and Trinity College, Cambridge.{{acad|id=TMLR865JL|name=Templer, James Lethbridge Brooke}} Whilst serving in the King's Royal Rifle Corps Templer became interested in military ballooning.{{cite book |last=Burke |first=Edmund |author2=Ivison Stevenson Macadam |title=The Annual Register of World Events |year=1925 |publisher=Longmans, Green |page=109 }}

In 1878 Captain Templer and Captain Charles Moore Watson started the first regular British Army balloon school at Woolwich.{{cite book |last=Turner |first=Charles Cyril |title=The Old Flying Days |orig-date=1927 |year=1972 |publisher=Ayer Publishing |isbn=0-405-03783-X |pages=5 and 6|chapter=XXII}}{{cite book |last1=Driver |first1=Hugh |title=The Birth of Military Aviation: Britain, 1903-1914 |date=1997 |publisher=Boydell & Brewer Ltd |isbn=978-0-86193-234-4 |page=159 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=cbrA5NJp2JMC&pg=PA159 |language=en}} The school was started with Templer's own balloon, the Crusader.{{cite web|url=http://www.century-of-flight.freeola.com/new%20site/balloons/Military%20balloons%201850.htm|title=Military balloons 1850 - 1900|accessdate=3 June 2019}} At the same time, Templer was appointed Instructor in Ballooning to the Royal Engineers.{{Cite web |url=http://www.flying-museum.org.uk/the_early_days.htm |title=Museum of Army Flying |access-date=8 August 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080820094940/http://www.flying-museum.org.uk/the_early_days.htm |archive-date=20 August 2008 |url-status=dead }} The following year Captain Templer took command of the newly established military balloon department at Chatham.{{Cite web |url=http://infomotions.com/etexts/gutenberg/dirs/etext97/aadow10.htm |title=Aeroplanes and Dirigibles of War / Talbot, Frederick Arthur Ambrose, 1880- |access-date=7 August 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080520001237/http://infomotions.com/etexts/gutenberg/dirs/etext97/aadow10.htm |archive-date=20 May 2008 |url-status=dead }}

On 10 December 1881 Captain Templer was accompanied by Walter Powell the MP for Malmesbury and Mr. A. Agg-Gardner, brother of James Agg-Gardner – then between terms as MP for Cheltenham – in the balloon Saladin. The group departed Bath and headed towards Dorset. In time they found themselves within half a mile of the sea near Eypesmouth which is to the west of Bridport. As the balloon was rapidly drifting seaward, they attempted to descend. The balloon touched the ground a mere 150 yards from the cliff edge. The balloon dragged along and ground and Templer exited the basket holding the valve line in his hand. As the balloon had just been lightened, it rose about eight feet and Agg-Gardner jumped out breaking his leg. Powell was now the only occupant of the balloon. Templer, who had still hold of the line, shouted to Powell to climb down the line. Powell made a move for the rope but the balloon rose, tearing the line out of Templer's hands. The balloon climbed rapidly and Powell was taken out to sea. He was never seen again.

In February 1885, Templer was promoted to the rank of major.{{London Gazette |issue=25448 |date=3 March 1885 |page=922 }} During the British Army's expedition to the Sudan in 1885, Templer took three balloons. He was mentioned in despatches for his actions during the Hasheen engagement.{{cite web|url=http://www.aerodacious.com/Left002.HTM|title=Important Events in Military Aeronautic History|website=www.aerodacious.com|accessdate=3 June 2019}}

In 1888 Templer was accused, arrested and charged with providing the Italian Government with British secrets about military ballooning. The case was found to be without foundation and Templer was honourably acquitted.{{cite news| url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1888/04/29/100940411.pdf | work=The New York Times | title=Major Templer's Escape; Discussion of the Case in English Army Circles. The Feeling Toward His Accuser-- Curious Social Ethics—Drill Reform—Coming To Boston | date=29 April 1888}}

At the start of the Second Boer War (1899–1902), Templer served in the Scientific and Departmental Corps as a lieutenant colonel.{{Cite web |url=http://www.angloboerwar.com/Other/transvaal_war_album.htm |title=Tr War Album |access-date=8 August 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080821185901/http://www.angloboerwar.com/Other/transvaal_war_album.htm |archive-date=21 August 2008 |url-status=dead }} He was promoted to full colonel in the Reserve of Officers on 6 December 1899,{{London Gazette |issue=27141 |date=5 December 1899 |page=8185 }} and was able to put his interest in steam traction to use when he served as Director of Steam Road Transport during the war. He was mentioned in despatches (29 November 1900) by Lord Roberts, Commander-in-Chief during the early part of the War.{{London Gazette| issue=27443|pages=3965–3967| date=17 June 1902}} After the end of the war, Templer retired from his commission in the 7th (Militia) Battalion of the King's Royal Rifle Corps in November 1902.{{London Gazette |issue=27491 |page=7018 |date=4 November 1902}}

File:Le dirigeable nulli v692t736f 0 8910jv69v.tiff

In 1902, Templer decided that it was time to construct a British military airship. Under Templer's direction, in 1905 the Balloon Factory relocated to Farnborough.{{Cite web |url=http://www.aiaa.org/Participate/Uploads/Sites-by-state-for-web4.doc |title=Archived copy |access-date=8 August 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110616184243/http://www.aiaa.org/Participate/Uploads/Sites-by-state-for-web4.doc |archive-date=16 June 2011 |url-status=dead }} where work could be started on an airship shed. This, and a shortage of money, delayed the project. Work on the British Army Dirigible No 1, named Nulli Secundus ("Second to none") was not complete until 1907 by which time Templer was no longer the superintendent of the Balloon Factory, Colonel Capper having taken over in 1906.{{cite book |last=Turner |first=Charles Cyril |title=The Old Flying Days |orig-date=1927 |year=1972 |publisher=Ayer Publishing |isbn=0-405-03783-X |page=294|chapter=XXII}}

Templer continued as the superintendent of the Balloon Factory until retiring from service in 1908.

He died at Laughton Grange in the Sussex town of Lewes on 2 January 1924.

Templer married Florence Henrietta Gilliat at Chorley Wood in Watford on 12 January 1889. Their daughter Ursula Florence Templer was born in London the following year on 29 August 1890.[http://www.templerfamily.co.uk/Templer%20Trees/Templer%20A/GGtextGC.htm#I0419 ]{{dead link|date=June 2019}}

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{{Commons category|James Templer}}

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{{s-ttl|title=Superintendent of the Balloon School
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Category:1846 births

Category:1924 deaths

Category:King's Royal Rifle Corps officers

Category:Royal Engineers officers

Category:British balloonists

Category:People educated at Harrow School

Category:Alumni of Trinity College, Cambridge

Category:British Army colonels

Category:19th-century British Army personnel

Category:20th-century British Army personnel