Born on 22 September 1879, the son of Lieutenant-Colonel Henry Caddell and his wife Anna Matilda (née Persse), Walter Caddell was to grow up in a large family being the fourth child amongst nine children.[1]
In March 1916 Caddell was appointed Deputy Assistant Director of Military Aeronautics at the War Office in London. He effectively served as the chief assistant to Brigadier-General Duncan MacInnes, the Director of Aircraft Equipment.[3] It was in that capacity that he was introduced to George Constantinescu who had developed an experimental synchronization gear.[4] With support from the Military Aeronautics Directorate, Constantinescu's synchronization gear was improved and deployed on aircraft in France.[5]Archibald Low and the RFC Experimental Works, Feltham were under his command.[6] In April 1917 Caddell took over from an overworked and exhausted MacInnes as Director of Aircraft Equipment.[5][7] He retired from the RAF on 28 May 1919 with the honorary rank of brigadier-general.[5]
