More Recent Military Lodges (EC

Tryal & suspended for such Length of Time as the Body may think fit.

Every Brother is to repair to his Home after the Lodge being over Soberly and Quietly as his Conduct will be particularly looked into on these Nights. For if Quarrels and Disturbances might happen it is immediately laid to the Charge of the Masons which brings Disgrace on the Fraternity.

Any Brother not attending at a Quarter past due Summons on Lodge Nights will be fined Sixpence Halfpenny—One Hour, a ShillingThe entire Night, a Crown-except in Cases of Sickness and Regimental Duties, and that at the Discretion of the Worshipful Master.

Every visiting Member after the first Visit if not lodging his Certificate must pay three and three pence. The Money to be deposited with the treasurer as no Credit can be given.

All expenses of Refreshments &c &c to be settled before the Brethren depart from the Lodge.

Bro. Craighead was introduced to Masonry in St. George Lodge No.190 in his native city of Aberdeen, Scotland. A charter member of Thistle Lodge No.900, Yonkers, New York and served as Master in 1917.

More Recent Military Lodges

The Royal Air Force Lodge No 7335 was consecrated on 30th March 1954, at Freemasons’ Hall in London, by the Most Worshipful Grand Master Mason of the United Grand Lodge of England. It was founded to unite, in bonds of Masonic friendship, Brethren who are, or have been, Commissioned Officers of the Royal Air Force, Royal Naval Air Service, and Royal Flying Corps, many of whom were serving in the War Ministry at the time; the Royal Air Force in this connection includes its Auxiliaries and Reserves.

Although there had been masonic airmen who had clearly been members of lodges since the formation of the Royal Air Force, on 1st April 2018, there had been no specific Royal Air Force Lodge1. It is understood that at a meeting of Grand Lodge in the early 50s, Air Vice Marshal C P Brown was sat next to Grand Secretary, Sir Sydney White, who commented that there was a plethora of army lodges, and the Navy Lodge, why was there not one dedicated to the Royal Air Force? Subsequently, the AVM spoke to Air Cdre John Titmas who, in turn, wrote to all and sundry whom he knew to be masons to gauge interest in forming such a lodge. There was clearly great support and a large number of Brethren who wished to become members of a Lodge for RAF Officers serving in the Air Ministry in London.

A meeting of Past Masters was convened at Freemasons’ Hall on 20th July 1953, under the Chairmanship of Right Worshipful Bro Marshal of the Royal Air Force the Lord Newell GCB OM GCMB CBE AM PGW. It was agreed that there would be sufficient founder members (over 80), with a number of other Brethren indicating that they would be willing to join after the consecration. The meeting agreed that the ‘Royal Air Force’ was the most appropriate name for the Lodge, and it was considered advisable to seek Her Majesty’s permission to use the ‘Royal’ prefix and to confirm that the Air Council had no objection to the use of the title. Lord Newall (founder of the lodge—see P.8) undertook to make enquiries on both these points and did so without any adverse response. The meeting further agreed that the qualification for membership should be commissioned service within the Royal Air Force, the Royal Naval Air Service, or the Royal Flying Corps; and the By-laws should be drafted to make it clear that this included commissioned service within the RAF Volunteer Reserve, Royal Auxiliary Air Force, and the RAF Regiment. It was agreed that strict Emulation ritual should be adopted (Nigerian Ritual).

The Royal Air Force Lodge was consecrated by the Most Worshipful Grand Master, The

Right Honourable Laurence Roger

Lumley KG GCSI GCIE GCVO TD,

The 11th Earl of Scarborough, on 30th March 1954; the ceremony was carried out in Lodge No. 1 at

Freemasons’ Hall. At the consecration there were 83 founder members of the Lodge, with the following brethren installed as Master,

SW and JW respectively:

W Bro Air Vice Marshal C P BROWN,CB, CBE, DFC W Bro Group Captain W P Wilson, CBE W Bro Air Commodore J E R SOWMAN

It is not entirely clear why the Most Worshipful Grand Master elected to carry out the ceremony himself, but it is likely because this was the first Lodge in Freemasons’ Hall to bear direct association to the Royal Air Force by using the ‘Royal’ Prefix, it was meeting in Freemasons’ Hall, and that the formation of the Lodge was sponsored by numerous senior London Freemasons, including Lord Newell.

At the initial meeting, virtually all officer ranks from Flight Lieutenant to Marshal of the Royal Air Force was represented. The Al-