Humphrey, Andrew Henry   (1-39B)

The son of John Humphrey CBE and his wife, Agnes Florence Humphrey (née Beatson-Bell), Humphrey was educated at Belhaven preparatory school in Dunbar and Bradfield College. He joined Cranwell in January 1939 and was granted a permanent commission as a pilot officer on 30 April 1940. Following flying training he was posted as a pilot to No. 266 Squadron at RAF Wittering in September 1940 and found himself flying spitfires in the Battle of Britain. In March 1941 he was involved in an incident when his engine failed and his spitfire crashed in flames but he survived. He was promoted to the war substantive rank of flying officer on 1 May 1941. On a single night in May 1941 he shot down one bomber and two other enemy aircraft near the Dutch coast: he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for this on 30 May 1941. Humphrey transferred to No. 452 Squadron flying spitfires from RAF Kenley in July 1941 before becoming an instructor at No. 58 Operational Training Unit at RAF Grangemouth in August 1941.[2] He became a Flight Commander with No. 175 Squadron flying Hurricanes from RAF Warmwell in March 1942[2] and was promoted to the war substantive rank of flight lieutenant on 1 May 1942 before returning to RAF Grangemouth in July 1942. Awarded the Air Force Cross on 1 January 1943,[8] he attended the Low Attack Instructor's School at RAF Milfield in early 1943. He became a Flight Commander with No. 6 Squadron flying Hurricanes in North Africa in July 1943[2] and was promoted to flight lieutenant on a permanent basis on 7 September 1943. He became an instructor at No. 5 Middle East Training School at RAF Shallufa in Egypt in January 1944 before being posted to the staff at RAF Nicosia in Cyprus in June 1944 and then to the staff at RAF Ranchi in India in November 1944. He was awarded a Bar to the Air Force Cross on 1 January 1945, and promoted to the war substantive rank of squadron leader on 20 February 1945. Humphrey was appointed Air Aide-de-Camp to the Queen on 31 March 1974 and Chief of the Air Staff on 1 April 1974. As Chief of the Air Staff he advised the new Labour Government on the implementation of their latest Defence Review. Following promotion to Marshal of the Royal Air Force on 6 August 1976, Humphrey was appointed Chief of the Defence Staff on 24 October 1976. However he only served in that role for only three months before catching pneumonia following a visit to British forces in Norway during a particularly cold Winter. He died in the RAF Hospital at Halton on 24 January 1977.

Hughes, John McCulloch Middlemore (9-35C)

Middlemore Hughes was born at Bromsgrove, Worcestershire on 13th February 1917. He was at Haileybury College from 1930 to 1934 and entered the RAF College, Cranwell in September 1935 as a Flight Cadet. After graduation in July 1937, he joined 218 Squadron, operating Fairey Battles at Boscombe Down. The squadron flew to France on 2nd September 1939, as part of the AASF. In the fighting in May 1940 Hughes led many bombing raids on German troops and lines of communication. In one operation he was attacked by Me109's and by skilful manoeuvring Hughes enabled his gunner to shoot one down. He was awarded the DFC (gazetted 21st June 1940 In August 1940 Hughes, in answer to a call for pilots to replace those lost in action, volunteered for Fighter Command. On 3rd September he was posted to the Radio Servicing Flight at Biggin Hill but on the 26th he was posted to 25 Squadron at North Weald, as a Flight Commander. In the evening of 7th December 1940 Hughes was detailed to check the blackout over Peterborough in Blenheim L1235. During the patrol the weather deteriorated and a bad storm developed. Control of the aircraft was lost and it came down near the village of Elton in Huntingdonshire (now Cambridgeshire). Hughes and the gunner, Sgt. JR Friend, were both killed and the radar operator, Sgt. FB Blenkharn, was seriously injured. Hughes is buried in Chilworth churchyard, Hampshire.

Howe, Bernard (9-37C)

Howe of Wadebridge Cornwall was educated at the Thame School and entered the College in September 1937. He then joined 25 Squadron at North Weald in August 1939 and served with it throughout the Battle of Britain. On 20th April 1941 Howe was killed as a Flying Officer with 263 Squadron, aged 22. He was killed flying Whirlwind I P6992 which dived into the ground. This has been attributed to either the control cables burning through following an engine fire in the air or a leading edge slat becoming detached.

He is buried in All Saints' churchyard, Wittering.

Howard-Williams, Peter Ian (4-39C)

Peter Howard-Williams was born in Cowes, on the Isle of Wight, December 27, 1919. He entered Cranwell in April 1939. He joined 19 Squadron at Duxford in 1940 where remained throughout the Battle of Britain. He was joinrdx 610 Squadron in early 1941 and later went on to 118 Squadron at Ibsley. He was awarded the DFC in 1941 and appeared briefly as himself in the 1941 film "The First of the Few". He was made Flight Commander early in 1942 and claimed a BF 109 destroyed on February 2nd 1942. He retired from the RAF in 1958 as a Squadron Leader, retaining the rank of Wing Commander. The photograph reproduced and pasted here show him beside his Spitfire after it had been hit with German Cannon Shell after a ‘Dog-Fight’ with the Luftwaffe in 1942 in which he lost all controls and was fortunate to land alive. After the war, he remained in the RAF and retired with the rank of Wing Commander in June 1958. Peter died in March 1993 following a long illness.

Hood,  Hilary  Richard Lionel (9-27B)

Hood was born on 13th May 1908, the younger son of a theatre manager. While he attended Oxted Preparatory School his father took his own life. His mother remarried and moved to South Africa. Hood had a guardian appointed for him and went on to Tonbridge School, studying there from 1923 to 1927. He entered the College in September 1927. Hood represented the college at rowing and hockey, a fellow athlete was Douglas Bader. He graduated from Cranwell on 28th July 1929 and joined 23 quadron at Kenley. In May 1931 he was posted to RAF Leuchars for a course in naval aviation, more training was carried out with HMS Courageous at Gosport. On 9th October 1931 Hood was posted to 403 (Fleet Fighter) Flight on HMS Hermes in the Far East. This deployment took in China, Shanghai and the Philippines until 1933 when he returned to the UK, arriving at CFS Wittering for an instructors course on 22nd August 1933. He then joined the staff at RAF Leuchars to train FAA pilots. Hood was posted to the staff of 11 FTS Wittering on 1st October 1935, returned to 23 Squadron at Biggin Hill on 26th October 1936, went to the staff at 5 FTS Sealand on 15th March 1937 and was given command of the Station Flight at Northolt on 27th June 1938.

Further postings to 5 FTS Sealand and 10 Squadron at Ternhill followed until Hood took command of 41 Squadron at Catterick in April 1940. During the Dunkirk evacuation, he came upon a German bomber at sea level but had no ammunition and very little fuel. He made a feint attack and the enemy aircraft dived into the sea. On 29th July Hood claimed a Me109 and a Ju87 destroyed. He was killed on 5th September during an engagement Do17's and Me109's over the Thames Estuary. Several aircraft came down around Wickford, Essex within a short space of time and it has not been possible to ascertain what happened. One account records that he bailed out but his parachute became entangled with his Spitfire, P9428 EB-R, which may be the aircraft seen to disintegrate over Wickford.

In any case his remains were not found or perhaps not correctly identified and he was declared Missing. Hood was 32 years old and is remembered on the Runnymede Memorial, panel 4. He was awarded the DFC (gazetted 27th May 1941 with effect from 11th August 1940).

Homer, Michael Giles (1-37C)

Michael Giles Homer, of Swanage, Dorset was at Wellington College from 1933 to 1936. He entered the College, in January 1937 and on graduation joined 106 Squadron at Thornaby on 17th December 1938.

In early 1940 Homer was with 44 Squadron, operating in Hampdens from Waddington. On 12th April he was captain of an aircraft which carried out a high-level bombing attack on two enemy cruisers in Christiansand Bay. He pressed home his attack in the face of intense anti-aircraft fire and attacks by enemy fighters, one of which his air gunner shot down. He then got his damaged aircraft safely back to base. For this operation Homer was awarded the DFC (gazetted 26th April 1940).

In August he volunteered for Fighter Command and joined 1 Squadron at Northolt in early September 1940. On the 7th he damaged a Do17. Homer was posted to 242 Squadron at Coltishall on 21st September.He was shot down and killed on the 27th, when his Hurricane P2967 crashed in flames at Bluetown, Mintching Wood, Milstead near Sittingbourne.

Homer was 21. He is buried in Godlingston Cemetery, Swanage.

Hogg, Richard Malzard (4-38B)

Hogg, of Jersey, was educated at Victoria College there. He entered Cranwell in April 1938 as a Flight Cadet. The outbreak of war meant that the course had to be condensed and Hogg left in September 1939, was commissioned in October and went to the 11 Group Pool at St. Athan on the 24th where he converted to Blenheims.He joined the newly-formed 145 Squadron at Croydon on 30th October. In Blenheim K7114, Hogg collided with another Blenheim west of Gatwick on 10th February 1940 but both aircraft got safely back to base. In May Hogg may have been serving with 263 Squadron in Norway but this is not certain. In early July 1940 he was serving with 152 Squadron at Acklington. On 12th and 21st August he shared in the destruction of two Ju88's. Hogg was shot down and killed by Me109's in combat over the Channel on 25th August 1940 in Spitfire R6810. He was 21 and is commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial, panel 8.

Hogan, Henry Algernon Vickers (1-29B)

Son of a colonel in the Indian Army, Henry Algernon Vickers Hogan was born on Oct 25 1909 and educated at Malvern and the RAF College Cranwell. Commissioned in 1930 he joined 54 Squadron at Hornchurch where he flew Siskins and Bulldogs, in 1932 he joined 404 Fleet Fighter Flight and served in the aircraft carrier ‘Courageous’. The next year he moved to 800 Squadron. After qualifying at the Central Flying School he was posted as an instructor to No 1 Flying Training School, Leuchars.

In 1938 the RAF launched an attempt on the Soviet Union's non-stop long-distance record of 6,306 miles, and Hogan joined 1 Group's Long Range Development Unit. Three Vickers Wellesleys took off from Ismalia on November 5th 1938. Led by Squadron Leader Richard Kellett, the pilots made the challenge even more daunting by deciding to fly in formation. Bad weather over the Bay of Bengal and the South China Sea obliged Hogan to land at Kupang in Timor and refuel but the Wellesleys still handsomely beat the Russian record, covering the 7,157 miles to Darwin in 48 hours. In 1939 Hogan was at the Air Ministry. He was then posted to No 15 Flying Training School as chief flying instructor and moved to 60 Operational Training Unit shortly before receiving command of 501 squadron.

Harry Hogan commanded a Hurricane fighter squadron throughout the Battle of Britain in thesummer and autumn of 1940 as part of Air Vice-Marshal Park's frontline 11 Group, Fighter Command. On June 21 Hogan was posted to Croydon to command 501 (City of Gloucester) Squadron, an Auxiliary Air Force unit. On July 10, the first day of the Battle of Britain, the Squadron was stationed at Middle Wallop. As the sun rose on the second day of the battle, 501 scrambled to engage 10 Ju87 Stuka dive-bombers and 20 Me109 fighters heading in from the Cherbourg area. In the engagement Hogan lost a Hurricane and was obliged to come to terms with both the numerical odds against 11 Group and the Hurricane's inferiority to the 109. On August 15, at the height of the Luftwaffe's much trumpeted "Eagle Offensive", Hogan led 501 (by now based at Gravesend) in an attempt to save coastal fighter fields at Lympne and Hawkinge from destruction. Heavily outnumbered, 501 fought valiantly to break up large Luftwaffe formations. Thre days afterwards Hogan and the squadron, now almost continuously in action, shot down two Me110’s at the cost of seven Hurricanes. As losses mounted Hogan and his surviving pilots grew ever more skilful. Foremost among them was the ace Sgt Ginger Lacey who ignored the flames engulfing his Hurricane and before baling out persisted in shooting down an He111 which had bombed Buckingham Palace. The replacement pilots had an average age of 21 and were inexperienced in combat; it troubled Hogan that they were so vulnerable. Flying Officer Arthur Rose-Price was typical. A former instructor, he joined 501 squadron on September 2, flew a morning patrol, and that afternoon failed to return from combat over Dungeness. Hogan continued to lead the Squadron throughout the daily assaults on London. On September 18 he was shot down by a Me109 over West Mailing. He baled out and resumed command, none the worse for the experience. He completed the Battle of Britain with at least five enemy aircraft to his credit. It was Hogan's excellence as a fighter squadron commander which subsequently ensured him a senior role in the vital business of training a generation of fighter pilots who would succeed the veterans of the Battle of Britain. After the Battle of Britain he commanded 54 OTU until posted to Maxwell Field, Alabama where he was a key figure in the Arnold Scheme for training RAF pilots in the USA. He was also a member of the RAF delegation to Washington.In 1944 he returned home as assistant commandant at the Empire Central Flying School. The next year he commanded No 19 Flying Training School at Cranwell. After the war Hogan was successively Sector Commander, Northern Sector; Air Officer Commanding 81 Group, then 83 Group 2nd Allied Tactical Air Force, Germany; then Senior Air Staff Officer Flying Training Command. He retired in 1962 and served as Midland Regional Director, Civil Defence, from 1964 to 1968. Hogan was awarded the DFC in 1940 and appointed CB in 1955.

With acknowledgments to the Daily Telegraph

Hobson,  William  Francis Cripps (1-29A)

Joined  610 Sqn as Sqn Ldr to command 17.7.40. Posted 10.8.40. Retired as Gp  Capt

Heycock, George Francis Wheaton (1-28A)

Heycock was born on 17th September 1909. He went to Haileybury School and Imperial Service College and entered the RAF College Cranwell in January 1928 as a Flight Cadet. On graduation in December 1929 he was commissioned and joined 111 Squadron at Hornchurch. Heycock went back to Cranwell on 5th August 1931 as a flying instructor. In January 1933 he was appointed PA to the AOC Inland Area, Air Vice-Marshal Longmore, at Bentley Priory. On 22nd October 1934 Heycock went to CFS Wittering as an instructor. He joined 823 (Fleet Spotter-Reconnaissance) Squadron on 30th August 1935 on HMS Furious and land-based at Hal Far, Malta. On 14th January 1938 Heycock went to the Experimental Section at the RAE Farnborough as a test pilot. He was there until 1st June 1940 when he was posted to 5 OTU Aston Down for a refresher course. He then went to 7 OTU Hawarden on 15th June as a Flight Commander. On 8th August Heycock took command of 23 Squadron at Wittering, leading it until November. After a spell away he commanded the squadron again from January to March 1941. He took command of 141 Squadron at Ayr on 6th July 1941. From August he converted the squadron from Defiants to Beaufighters. On 1st May 1942 Heycock got a probable Do217 at night.

With his tour completed he was posted away on 9th September 1942 and awarded the DFC (gazetted 29th September 1942). Promoted to Group Captain, he was appointed Head of Night Operations at HQ 9 Group. From June 1943 to June 1944 he commanded 35 OTU in Canada. Heycock returned to the UK and on 13th August 1944 became Station Commander at West Raynham. Mentioned in Despatches (gazetted 14th June 1945), he was posted to a Staff course at RAF Staff College at Bracknell in August 1945. Heycock held a series of appointments at home and abroad, his final one being as Air Attache in Paris from March 1959 until March 1964. For his services there he was made a Commander of the Legion d'Honneur by the French Government. Created a CB (gazetted 8th June 1963), Heycock retired from the RAF on 1st May 1964 as an Air Commodore. He died on 27th June 1983.

Herrick, Michael James  

was born in Hastings, New Zealand on 5th May 1921 and educated at Wanganui Collegiate School. While there he obtained his 'A' Flying Licence at the Hawke's Bay and East Coast Aero Club at Hastings. In late 1938 Herrick successfully applied for a cadetship at Cranwell. He sailed for the UK on the RMS Rangitiki on 9th March 1939. He began the course on 27th April but with the outbreak of war it was condensed. He was granted a permanent commission on 7th March 1940 and ten days later joined 25 Squadron at North Weald. Early on 5th September Herrick, flying with Sgt. JS Pugh as his gunner, destroyed two He111's, the second breaking up after a burst at less than thirty yards. Early on the 14th Herrick destroyed another and he was awarded the DFC (gazetted 24th September 1940). He may have destroyed another enemy aircraft in December 1940. He damaged a Ju88 at night on 9th May 1941 and destroyed another on 22nd June. Herrick was posted away from 25 in October 1941 and arrived back in New Zealand on 23rd December, on attachment to the RNZAF. On 10th January 1942 he went to 2 FTS Woodbourne as an instructor, moved to 3 FTS Ohakea in March and on 25th June was posted to 15 Squadron at Whenuapai as a Flight Commander. It had no aircraft, its promised Kittyhawks having been diverted to the Middle East. In early October the squadron was posted to Tonga and took over P-40s and equipment of the 68th Pursuit Squadron, USAAF at Fuamotu. The squadron moved to Santo in February 1943 and then to Fiji on 20th March. Five days later the CO was killed and Herrick took command. He destroyed a Rufe on 6th May. On 26th May 15 Squadron flew to Guadalcanal and began operations. Herrick destroyed a Zero fighter on 7th June, shared a Val dive bomber and damaged another on 1st October and shared a Zeke fighter on 27th October. His attachment finished, Herrick sailed from Auckland on 14th January 1944, in charge of 300 aircrew trainees bound for Canada. He left them at Edmonton and continued to the UK. He was awarded a Bar to the DFC (gazetted 10th February 1944). Herrick joined 302 Squadron at Lasham as 'B' Flight Commander. A Polish fighter-bomber unit equipped with Mosquitos, the squadron was then carrying out mostly night operations but in May 1944 it began 'Day Rangers', which were operations flown as free-lance intrusions over enemy territory, with the primary aim of wearing out the enemy fighter force. On 16th June Herrick took off on his first such operation in Mosquito FB VI NS913. He flew in company with W/Cdr. JRD Braham. They seperated at the Jutland coast and Herrick went towards Aalborg airfield. He was intercepted and shot down by Lt. Spreckels of JG1. Herrick and his navigator, F/O AM Turski, baled out but were too low. Herrick fell into the sea. His body was washed up on 4th July and buried two days later in the Military Cemetery at Fredrikshavn. Nine days later Spreckels shot down Braham, who was captured.

Herrick was posthumously awarded the US Air Medal in July 1944 and it was presented to his parents in Wellington on 14th June 1945. Herrick was one of five brothers serving with Allied forces, three of whom were killed. Brian Henry Herrick, also a Battle of Britain Clasp holder, was lost on 24th November 1940. Dennis Herrick died on the 30th June 1941 after being brought down into the sea on the 26th June flying a Blenheim on an anti-shipping strike off Brest.

Hanson, David Harry Welstead (9-36B)

He was the elder son of the late Lieutenant Colonel Harry Ernest Hanson DSO, and Ivy Alice Hanson (née Wellsted), of Rolston, Hornsea. Hanson entered Winchester College from Bramcote in January 1931. He was always eager to join the RAF, and in July 1936 went to Cranwell, which he represented at rugby football, boxing and cross-country running.   He graduated as a Pilot Officer on December 17th 1938, and served as a pilot in 17 Squadron RAF.

On May 25th 1940, Hanson, flying as ‘Red 2’ in ‘A’ Flight, was on patrol near Calais with Squadron Leader Emms (‘Red 1’) and Pilot Officer Manger (‘Red 3’). At around 1105, six miles south of Calais and at a height of around four thousand feet, the section spotted an enemy Dornier 17 bomber. Hanson’s combat report reads as follows:

“Opened fire 350 yards; bursts of two seconds as range closed. Made my attack and broke away. Red Leader went after another enemy aircraft. Red 3 continued attack. Noticed enemy aircraft top rear gun firing, but this topped after my second attack. Enemy aircraft flying very low over trees and skidding evasive actions. As I made my third attack, noticed grey spray from port engine and a lot of bullet holes. Enemy aircraft then made a crash-landing five miles NE of Ardres. Two occupants ran away from it and machine started burning. Weather clear and fine”.  (National Archives, AIR 50/9) Hanson could not claim a whole victory, two other pilots having fired at the aircraft, but this was a confirmed kill. The following day, May 26th 1940 Hanson saw combat again, again near Calais. This time flying as ‘Red 3’, he was at between one and two thousand feet just west of Calais when, at 0550, his section of three aircraft was ‘bounced’ by at least three – possibly more than six – Me109s:

“Returning from patrol of Lille-Arras area when, near Calais, the section was attacked without any warning. Felt a sharp bang in the tail and turned very sharp right, climbing as well. Saw Me109 diving near another Hurricane. Attacked from behind. Enemy aircraft did steep climb to right (a semi stall-turn). Fired several bursts, holding him in sights with very slight deflection. Enemy aircraft went into vertical dive but pulled out with grey fumes coming from his port side, climbed to right gently, and seemed to fall away, but I was unable to follow him further as another enemy aircraft was attracting my attention”. (National Archives, AIR 50/9)

This Hanson claimed as an ‘unconfirmed’ kill: it was probably rated a ‘possible’ or ‘damaged’.  On June 8th 1940, 17 Squadron (along with 242 Squadron) moved to Le Mans in Brittany as the remnants of BEF and RAF units in France were evacuated.

The squadron retired to the Channel Islands two days before returning to England. 17 Squadron flew over southern England throughout the Battle of Britain.  On 12th July 1940 he claimed another “probable” kill off Orford Ness when, after an attack by Hanson, a Dornier 17 was seen to be in difficulties.

He was promoted to Flying Officer some time in July 1940.  On August 11th he ran into 13 Me109s and Me100s and claimed a probable kill of one Me110.  Hanson’s Hurricane sustained some damage.  He claimed another probable Me109 off Portland Bill on 25th August.

Hanson was killed in action on Tuesday 3rd September 1940 at the age of twenty-two. The Germans were making attacks on RAF airfields in the south-east, their main targets being Debden (to which 17 Squadron had moved the previous day), Hornchurch and North Weald. At 0930 17 Squadron was scrambled to protect the airfields when German intentions became clear. North Weald was very badly hit with over 150 bombs falling, but the other attacks were beaten off with less damage. Both sides lost sixteen aircraft. Hanson was involved in this melée. He was seen to attack a Dornier  which he hit – but was himself hit and he baled out of his Hurricane I (serial P3673). He struggled to get out of his aircraft, and, when he finally managed to do so, he was too low (100ft) and his parachute failed to deploy. He hit the ground on Foulness Island from around a hundred feet and was killed instantly. He is buried in All Saints’ Churchyard, Mappleton, Yorkshire, where there is also a memorial to him.

Hamblin, Richard Kaye (9-24A)

Hamblin was born on 16 December 1906 at Fyzabad in India. By the time of the 1910 Census of Lymington in Hampshire he was a four-year-old living with his grandfather a retired Indian civil servant.Hamblin joined the Royal Air Force in 1926 as a flight cadet. On 30 July 1926 he was posted to No. 56 Squadron RAF as a pilot.In 1930 he attended the Electrical and Wireless School to train as a signals officer. In October 1932 he was posted to No. 31 Squadron RAF in India eventually becoming a flight commander with No. 5 Squadron RAF and was promoted to Squadron Leader before leaving India. In 1938 he was appointed commanding officer of No. 142 Squadron RAF[5] operating the Fairey Battle, this was followed by a staff appointment in the Deputy Directorate of War Organisation.During the Battle of Britain he flew one operational sortie with No. 17 Squadron RAF thereby qualifying him for the Battle of Britain clasp. In November 1941 he was appointed Officer Commanding No. 85 Squadron RAF operating the Douglas Havoc. On 12 November 1942 Hamblin married a Women's Auxiliary Air Force (WAAF) Elizabeth Bond at Durham Cathedral.[Hamblin was mentioned in dispatched four times during the war and was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 1946. After the war he was back to staff duties including officer commanding AHQ West Africa, AOA at No. 2 Group and Director of Personnel from 1954 until he retired in 1956 as an Air Commodore. Hamblin died on 30 August 1988 in Hampshire.

Hall, Noel Mudie (9-33B)

Hall was born in Alverstoke, Hampshire on 25th December 1915, the youngest son of Admiral SS Hall of Hamble, Hampshire and was educated at Hilton College, South Africa.

He entered the RAF College, Cranwell in September 1933 as a Flight Cadet. After graduation in July 1935 Hall was posted to 3 Squadron at Kenley. On November 2nd 1936 Hall went to the Station Flight at Mildenhall and began meteorological duties. For his work there, he was awarded the AFC (gazetted 2nd January 1939). On January 14th 1939 Hall was posted to the Wireless Flight at RAE, Farnborough. He went to 257 Squadron at Hendon at its reformation on June 4th as a Flight Commander. On July 22nd he was recalled to RAE but managed to return to 257 on the 27th. Hall was shot down and killed on August 8th 1940 in combat with Me109’s off St Catherine's Point, in Hurricane P2981. His body was recovered by the Germans but buried as an unknown airman. However in 1948 his father identified his initialled cigarette case, a gold cufflink and watch as his and a correct headstone was installed. He is buried in Criel Communal Cemetery, France. Hall was 24.

Holland, Robert Hugh (4-38C)

Holland was born in Ceylon and educated at Malvern College. He entered Cranwell in April 1938. The outbreak of war caused the course to be shortened and Holland graduated in September 1939. Holland arrived at 11 Group Pool, St. Athan on 24th October and after converting to Spitfires he joined the newly-reformed 92 Squadron at Tangmere at the end of the month. Over France on 23rd May 1940 he claimed two Me110's destroyed and a Ju88 damaged, on the 24th a Do17 destroyed and on 2nd June a Me109 destroyed and a He111 damaged near Dunkirk. Holland shared in the destruction of a Do17 on 8th July and shared a Ju88 on the 25th. He was shot down in combat west of Ashford on 15th September, baled out and was injured on landing. He probably destroyed a Me109 in the action. Holland was admitted to hospital at East Grinstead. At some time he was treated by Archie Mclndoe and became a Guinea Pig. On 15th October he got a probable Me109, on the 26th and 1st and 2nd November he claimed Me109's destroyed, on the 13th damaged a Do17 and on the 15th and 17th damaged Me109's. He was awarded the DFC (gazetted 26th November 1940). In early 1941 Holland was posted to 91 Squadron at Hawkinge as a Flight Commander. He claimed a Me109 destroyed on 13th March, got a probable Me109 on 24th April and damaged one on 11th May. Rested from operations, Holland was CO of 5 Squadron at 61 OTU Heston in November 1941. He was posted to 615 Squadron at Fairwood Common in February 1942 as a Flight Commander. In October 1942 Holland was given command of 607 Squadron at Jessore in India. He destroyed a Nakajima 'Oscar' on 5th March 1943. Later in March he took command of 615 Squadron at Feni, India. Holland was posted away in January 1944. He remained in the RAF after the war and died on 17th November 1954 in an aircraft accident as a Wing Commander. He was in Vampire FB Mk. 5 VV229 of 233 OCU which collided with VV552 of the same unit and exploded near Port Eyon, Gower, Wales during a practice formation attack on 17th November 1954.