Oscar Colin Morison

Oscar Colin Morison (1884-1966) was an early English aviator who served in the First World War in the Royal Flying Corps and the Royal Naval Air Service.

Early life
Morison was born in Dulwich, London on 22 November 1884.

Aviator
Morison gained his Royal Aero Club aviators certificate (No. 46) on 31 December 1910 at Brooklands Aerodrome using a Bleriot monoplane. He flew exhibition flights in the early days of aviation in England. In 1911 he entered the Daily Mail Circuit of Britain Air Race but failed to start. On 7 March 1911 he became the first aviator to fly in to Shoreham Aerodrome in a Bleriot monoplane. In May 1911 he was in a well publicized air-race with Graham Gilmour from Shoreham Aerodrome to the eastern boundary of Brighton at Blackrock, Morison taking the straight course passed the winning post one minute before Gilmour.

In 1912 he married Margaret Cleaver in Brighton.

Military service
With the outbreak of the First World War, Morison joined the military wing of the Royal Flying Corps as a Second Lieutenant, in May 1916 he transferred to the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve. Morison later became a Temporary Major with the Royal Air Force when it was formed in 1918. He rejoined the RAF in 1940 with a temporary commission for the duration of hostilities.

Later life
Morison died on 17 May 1966 in Bournemouth, when he was described as a "Gentleman".