Ho-pilots

Sgt S.J.Hobbs of No 235 Squadron was on night patrol on the 17th of August 1940 in a Blenheim I (N3540). The aeroplane overshot on landing at Thorney Island and crashed. It was written off but all the crew (T.A.Maslen & H.W.Ficketts) were unhurt.

P/O C.A.Hobson of No 600 Squadron was killed, along with his two crew, when his Blenheim suffered engine failure during a night patrol in heavy rain in the early hours of the 3rd of October 1940 and crashed into trees. He was 21.

S/L W.F.C.Hobson took command of No 601 Squadron on the 17th of July 1940 and was posted away on 10th of August 1940.

P/O William.H. 'Ace' Hodgson was born at Frankton Junction, New Zealand on 30 September 1920, the family later moving to Dunedin. After leaving school he became a radio station technician and also joined the Civil Reserve of Pilots in October 1938. Hodgson entered the R.N.Z.A.F. on a short service commission and when his flying training was completed sailed for Britain to transfer to the R.A.F. After converting to Hurricanes at an Operational Training Unit, Hodgson joined No 85 Squadron in May 1940. Commanded by Squadron Leader Townsend, No 85 Squadron was reforming and reorganizing following heavy losses of pilots and aircraft during the fighting in France. It was not until the 18th of August that the squadron took part in the Battle of Britain, when with three other Hurricane units it was directed to intercept a large force of German bombers and escorting fighters. In the engagement which developed W.H.Hodgson destroyed a Bf 109, probably destroyed one Do 17, and damaged a Bf 110. On the 26th of August he shared in the destruction of two Do 17's. Two days later he chased a Bf 109 down from 17,000 feet to sea level and then across the Channel. Bursts of fire caused pieces to fly off the enemy aircraft and only a small section of the rudder remained when, due to a shortage of ammunition, Hodgson had to turn back. The destruction of the Bf 109 was confirmed the following day. On 30 August 1940 the squadron was ordered to intercept enemy bombers and fighters approaching the coast. Making a head-on attack Hodgson damaged an He III and destroyed two Bf 110's with another as a probable. On 31st of August 1940, intercepting Do 17's with a Bf 109 escort, Hodgson damaged a bomber and destroyed a Bf 109. Immediately following this encounter his Hurricane was struck by a cannon shell which damaged his oil lines and glycol tanks and set his engine on fire. He was half way out when he realized that he was over a heavily populated area of Thames Haven with its nearby oil storage tanks. He stayed with his aircraft side slipping violently to keep the flames under control and made a forced landing into a field, narrowly missing wires and anti- glider obstacles. He scrambled out of his upturned aircraft unhurt. On the 3rd September, exhausted and depleted, the Squadron went north for a rest. Hodgson was subsequently awarded the D.F.C. On 13 March 1941 he went along as a passenger in a Havoc on a routine flight for air experience on the new type. The pilot, Flight Lieutenant Geoffrey Allard, was one of Fighter Command's leading aces with more than twenty victories in France and the Battle of Britain. The Havoc took off and all seemed normal until suddenly the aircraft appeared to lose speed, banked to the left, went into a spin and crashed. Allard, Hodgson and another passenger were killed. It is believed that a nose panel was not secured properly and came off, jamming the rudder and causing the aircraft to become uncontrollable.

S/L Harry Hogan No 501 Squadron was flying a Hurricane (V6620) on patrol on the 18th of September 1940 when he baled out safely following combat at 12:30hrs over West Malling.

P/O D.W.Hogg of No 25 Squadron was killed on the 3rd of September 1940 at 11:15hrs. His Blenheim I (L1512) was shot down by a Hurricane over North Weald. The Gunner Sgt W.Powell baled out safely.

P/O R.M.Hogg of No 152 Squadron was shot down and killed in his Spitfire I (R6810) on the 25th August 1940 off Portland at 17:30hrs.

S/L A.Laurie Holland lead No 65 Squadron from around the 18th of August 1940 flying the Spitfire during the Battle of Britain.

P/O D.F.Holland of No 72 Squadron baled out of his Spitfire I (X4410) on the 20th of September 1940 badly wounded, after combat over Canterbury at 10:20hrs. D.F.Holland died of his wounds that day.

Sgt K.C.Holland of No 152 Squadron was killed on the 25th of September 1940 at 12:00hrs. His Spitfire I (N3173) was shot down while he was attacking a He 111 West of Bristol.

P/O R.H.(Bob) Holland of No 92 Squadron was in combat with a Bf 110 on the 15th of September 1940 at 14:50hrs near Ashford. He baled out of his Spitfire I and was injured on landing.

P/O G.H.Holmes with No 600 Squadron flew as gunner with F/O T.N.Hayes in a Blenheim during the attack on Rotterdam airfield on 10 May 1940. Under intense fire and handicapped by fumes from a burst tank, Holmes directed his pilot through the necessary evasive maneuvers and was largely responsible for the aircraft surviving to be the only one to return safely to base. He was awarded the D.F.M. on the 24th of May 1940. On the 20th of December 1940, during a searchlight co-operation exercise, R/T contact was lost and his Blenheim crashed into a hillside. The pilot was killed instantly and Holmes died of his injuries on the 25th of December 1940.

Sgt R.T.Holmes of No 504 Squadron baled out of his Hurricane I (P2725) after combat with a Do17 over Chelsea on the 15th of September 1940 at 12:15hrs. The Dornier which he shared with A.K. 'Skeets' Ogilvie crashed in the forecourt of Victoria Station. Its crew parachuted down to the Oval cricket ground. R.T.Holmes landed on a roof in Chelsea, he slid down the roof and ended up in a dustbin!

F/O M.G.Homer of No 242 Squadron was killed on the 27th of September 1940 at 12:25hrs. His Hurricane I (P2967) was shot down over Sittingbourne in Kent by a Bf 109.

P/O D.H.Hone of No 615 Squadron was wounded when he crash landed at Rochford on the 26th of August 1940 at 15:40hrs. His Hurricane I (V6564) had been shot up by a Bf 109.

F/O D.G.S.Honor of No 145 Squadron force landed his Hurricane I (V7422) on the 27th of October 1940 near St Leonards, Sussex at 12:20hrs. He had run out of fuel after combat but he was unhurt.

S/L H.R.L.Hood of No 41 Squadron was killed on the 5th of September 1940 at 15:25hrs. His Spitfire I (P9428) had a mid air collision with the Spitfire I (R6635) of F/Lt J.T.Webster during combat over Basildon in Essex. S/L Hood's aircraft disintegrated in the air. F/Lt J.T.Websters aircraft crashed at Laindon, near Basildon.

F/L Sir A.P.Hope of No 601 Squadron, as "A" Flight commander, he led his flight of Hurricane's in France for the final fortnight of May. He scored 2 victories during August. Hope was promoted to Acting Squadron Leader on the 19th of August 1940. He was awarded the D.F.C. on the 10th of October 1940.

F/O R.Hope from No 605 Squadron baled out of his Hurricane (P3828) safely on the 28th of September 1940 at 14:20hrs. He had been shot down by a Bf 109 over Ticehurst in Sussex. He died while he was on patrol in his Hurricane I (P3107) on the 14th of October 1940. It is unsure how he died either he was hit by anti aircraft fire or hit a balloon cable while chasing a He 111. He crashed at South Norwood at 12:50hrs.

P/O W.P. (John Willie) Hopkin joined No 54 Squadron in July 1940. Hopkin claimed three kills before being posted to No 602 Squadron in September 1940, adding three more kills during the Battle. Hopkin was awarded the D.F.C. on the 9th of September 1941. After the war, he spent a period as Hon Secretary of the Battle of Britain Fighter Association.

Sgt B.W.Hopton was posted to No 615 Squadron on the 17th of August from No 600 Squadron. He was then posted to No 66 Squadron. Flying Spitfires with No 66 Squadron, he shot down a Bf 109 on the 14th November 1940.

Sgt W.H.Hornby of No 234 Squadron was wounded on the 6th of September 1940 at 09:10hrs. He was shot down in his Spitfire I (X4183) by a Bf 109 over Northiam in Kent.

Sgt V.Horsky a Czech of No 238 Squadron was killed on the 26th of September 1940 at 16:30hrs. He was shot down in his Hurricane I (P3098) over the Solent by a Bf 110.

P/O P.W.Horton a New Zealander of No 234 Squadron crashed on landing after a night patrol on the 6th of August 1940, at St Eval flying a Spitfire I (P9366). He survived the crash. P.W.Horton was injured on the 6th of September 1940 while trying to shoot down a Ju 88 off Portland at 13:45hrs. He baled out of his Spitfire I (N3061) and was rescued from the sea.

On the 8th of September 1940 P/O H.B.L.Hough flying with No 600 Squadron became lost during a night patrol following the failure of his plane's R/T, and he and his crew (E.C.Barnard & A.Smith) were forced to bale out once their fuel was exhausted. As an instructor, he was killed on the 16th of August 1941, aged 23.

Sgt O.V.Houghton joined No 32 Squadron from No 615 Squadron on the 10th of July 1940. Houghton was then posted to No 501Squadron on the 27th of August. He was K.I.A. in his Hurricane I (V6646) during combat over Ashford Kent on the 6th of September 1940 at 09:00hrs, aged 19.

F/Lt Frank J.Howell of No 609 Squadron was on patrol in a Spitfire (R6634) near Poole in Dorset on the 18th of July 1940. At 15:15hrs he was in combat with a Ju 88, he baled out and was picked up by the Navy. His total score for the Battle was five, one Ju 87, a Ju 88, and three Bf 110's. The last one a Bf 110 was on the 15th of September 1940 near Hastings while flying a Spitfire I (R6691).

Sgt. Harold Norman Howes flew with No 85 Squadron in France and shot down 4 Do 17's on the 20th of May 1940. In August and early September he shot down 3 more enemy aircraft. He was then transferred to No 605 Squadron where he shot down 4 more enemy aircraft bringing his score to 11 with another shared. On the 22nd of December 1940 he was killed in a flying accident.

P/O P.Howes joined No 54 Squadron on the 8th of July. He was posted to No 603 Squadron on the 11th of September 1940. He was shot down over Ashford, Kent in his Spitfire (X4323) by a Bf 109 and killed on the 18th of September 1940, aged 21.

P/O Richard Alexander Howley a Newfoundlander ( but born in Victoria) was flying Defiant's with No 141 Squadron. On the 19th of July 1940 he and his gunner (A.G.Curley) were on convoy patrol. Their Defiant (L6995) was shot down off Dover and they were both killed by a Bf 109 of JG 51 at 12:45hrs.

Sgt J.Hubacek of No 310 Czech Squadron was on patrol on the 15th of September 1940. He baled out of his Hurricane I (R4087) and was injured after combat with Oberleutnant Horten of III Gruppe JG 26 in a Bf 109 over Thames Estuary at 14:30hrs. The aircraft crashed at Pitsea, Essex.

F/Lt D.P.Hughes of No 238 Squadron was killed on the 11th of September 1940 at 16:15hrs. His Hurricane I (V7240) was shot down during an attack on a Ju 88 near Tunbridge.

F/L Paterson Clarence Hughes an Australian from Haberfield, New South Wales joined the R.A.F. before the war and was a Flight Commander with No 234 Spitfire Squadron during the battle. His score was 13 + 3 ½ kills and he was awarded the D.F.C. One of them being a Bf 109 on the 5th of September 1940 near Detling. P.C.Hughes was killed on the 7th of September 1940 whilst attacking a Dornier at point blank range. The Dornier blew up and his Spitfire I (X4009) was hit by the part of the wing and it crashed in Kent at 18:30hrs.

P/O Petrus Hendrik 'Dutch' Hugo was a South African born on the 20th of December 1917 in Cape Province. He served with No 615 Squadron during the Battle of Britain. He, L.M.Gaunce and A.Eyre destroyed 3 Bf 109's over the convoy 'Bosom' in mid July 1940. He was awarded a D.F.C. on the 11th of August 1940. On the 16th of August 1940 was injured when he force landed his Hurricane (P2963) following an attack on a He 111 and a combat with a Bf 110, at 17:30hrs and was shot in the legs. Still in bandages on the 18th of August he was wounded when he crash landed his Hurricane I (R4421) near Orpington, Kent at 13:15hrs after a combat with Bf 109's. He spent the rest of the Battle of Britain in Orpington Hospital. He became a flight commander leading No 41 Squadron flying Spitfires in 1941 and he later became a Group Captain at the age of 24.

S/L Caesar B.Hull from Southern Rhodesia flew with No 43 Squadron. He was described as a brilliant, boisterous enthusiast and probably Fighter Command's most popular pilot. He took over command of the Squadron from the 1st of September 1940. He died trying to save his friend 'Dick' Reynell on the 7th of September 1940, he was shot down by a Bf 109 over Purley, Surrey at 16:45hrs in a Hurricane I (V6641).

J.B.Humpherson from No 32 Squadron destroyed two during the early part of the Battle before shooting down a Bf 109 and a Junkers Ju 88 on the 12th of August and another Bf 109 on the 15th. F/O J.B.Humpherson was awarded the D.F.C. on the 30th of August 1940. As a British Flying Fortress pilot, he was K.I.A. on the 22nd of June 1941, aged 24.

P/O J.S.Humphreys of No 605 Squadron was wounded on the 9th of September 1940 at 17:30hrs. His Hurricane I (P2765) was shot down while he was attacking some He 111's over Farnborough in Kent. He baled out and was then shot at and robbed by some Canadian soldiers when he landed.

P/O D.W.Hunt of No 257 Squadron was wounded on the 3rd of September 1940 at 10:45hrs. He baled out of his Hurricane I (P3673) severely burned after being attacked by a Bf 109's over Margaretting, Essex.

S/L Phillip Algernon Hunter was leader of No 264 Squadron and he and his gunner shot down a total of 9 and 1 shared. On the 24th of August 1940 at 12:40hrs when he and his gunner (F.H.King) went missing after chasing a Ju 88 out to sea flying a Defiant (N1935).

Sgt Charles A.L.Hurry joined No 43 Squadron in January 1940. At some time he moved to No 46 Squadron. Hurry scored three kills in the September of 1940. He was shot down on the 18th of September at 12:55hrs and he baled out of his Hurricane I (P3816) over Chatham with burns on the face and hands.

Sgt I.Hutchinson of No 222 Squadron was on patrol on the 18th of September 1940 . He baled out of his Spitfire I (R6772) over Canterbury after combat with a Bf 109 at 13:55hrs and was wounded. On the 30th of September 1940 he survived when he wrote off a Spitfire I (P9492) when he force landed at Denham after combat at 13:45hrs.

P/O R.R.Hutley flew with No 32 Squadron and No 213 Hurricane Squadron . He baled out of his Hurricane I (P2720) on the 29th of October 1940 off Selsey at 11:45hrs. He was picked up but he died later.

F/O G.G.Hyde a Canadian of No 1 (RCAF) Squadron was shot down on the 31st of August at 09:15hrs by Bf 109s, he baled out of his Hurricane I (P2971) over Cranbrook, suffering burns. He was killed in a flying accident on the 17th of May 1941, aged 27.