or , ▁No . ▁ 1 ▁Bal lo on ▁Company , ▁was ▁formed ▁at ▁the ▁Royal ▁Ar sen al , ▁W ool wich ▁as ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁Bal lo on ▁Section . ▁On ▁ 1 ▁April ▁ 1 9 1 1 ▁the ▁Air ▁Battalion ▁of ▁the ▁Royal ▁Engine ers ▁was ▁created . ▁The ▁batt alion ▁initially ▁consisted ▁of ▁two ▁companies , ▁with ▁No . ▁ 1 ▁Company , ▁Air ▁Battalion ▁taking ▁responsibility ▁for ▁l ighter ▁than ▁air ▁flying . ▁The ▁first ▁Officer ▁Command ing ▁was ▁Captain ▁E . ▁M . ▁M ait land . ▁ ▁On ▁ 1 3 ▁May ▁ 1 9 1 2 , ▁with ▁the ▁establishment ▁of ▁the ▁Royal ▁F lying ▁Corps , ▁No . ▁ 1 ▁Company ▁of ▁the ▁Air ▁Battalion ▁was ▁red es ign ated ▁No . ▁ 1 ▁Squadron , ▁Royal ▁F lying ▁Corps . ▁No . ▁ 1 ▁Squadron ▁was ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁original ▁three ▁Royal ▁F lying ▁Corps ▁squad rons . ▁M ait land ▁continued ▁as ▁the ▁new ▁squad ron ' s ▁Officer ▁Command ing ▁and ▁he ▁was ▁promoted ▁to ▁major ▁several ▁days ▁after ▁the ▁establishment ▁of ▁the ▁squad ron . ▁It ▁retained ▁the ▁air ships ▁B eta ▁and ▁G amma , ▁adding ▁D elta ▁and ▁E ta , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁k ites ▁and ▁a ▁few ▁spher ical ▁bal lo ons . ▁However , ▁in ▁October ▁ 1 9 1 3 ▁a ▁sudden ▁decision ▁was ▁made ▁to ▁transfer ▁all ▁the ▁air ships ▁to ▁the ▁Naval ▁Wing ▁of ▁the ▁R FC ▁( which ▁became ▁the