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Aviation History
1940
1940 - 0030.PDF
10 JANUARY 4, 1940. TION RECONNAISSANCE BOMBER : A new view of a Lockheed Hudson of the type which is doing such good work with the Coastal Command. It has two Wright Cyclone engines. Royal Air Force and Official Announcements Qreetings from the " S. of S."T HE following Christmas and New Year's message was sent tothe Royal Air Force by the Secretary of State for Air, Sir Kingsley Wood: — In sending the best of good wishes for Christmas and _ theNew Year to all ranks of the Royal Air Force I wish to express my very sincere admiration for the skill and determinationwith which all members of the Service have carried out their appointed tasks, whether in the air or on the ground. Thecourage and gallantry with which air operations have been con- ducted have filled the country with pride and with supremeconfidence that success will continue to accompany your efforts. Good wishes to you all. KINGSLEY WOOD. First Australian Squadron Arrives The first squadron of the Royal Australian Air Force to be sentto England arrived in this country on December 26. Under the command of Wing-Commander L. V. Lachal, who preceded themacross the sea, they will be drafted to the Coastal Command. They were welcomed by their commanding officer, and, on behalfof the Secretary for Air, by Air Commodore T. E. B. Howe, C.B.E., A.F.C. Messages of welcome were also read on behalfof the Australian High Commissioner, Mr. S.. M. Bruce, and the Australian Minister for Air, Mr. J. V. Fairbairn The men of theR.A.A.F. will be recognised by the deeper blue of their uniforms. Palestine Operations, 1936-39 HIS MAJESTY THE KING has been graciously pleased to com-mand that the General Service Medal with clasp " Palestine "shall be granted to the forces which were employed within the geographical limits of Palestine and/or Trans-Jordan between April19, J936, and September 3, 1939, both dates inclusive. Provided the claims are approved by the Air Council, the medalwith clasp will be granted to officers and airmen who were on the strength of, or attached to. Royal Air Force units, and who servedwithin the prescribed area between the dates mentioned. Individuals already in possession of the General Service Medal willreceive thu clasp only. Officers no longer serving may obtain a copy of the form of appli-cation from the Under-Secretary of State, Air Ministry, Kingsway, W.C.2, and airmen no longer serving from the Officer-in-Charge,Record Office, Royal Air Force, RuisJip, Middlesex. When com- pleted the form should be forwarded direct to the Under-Secretaryof State, Air Ministry. The I.A.F.V.R. T^HE conditions of service approved for the Indian Air ForceX Volunteer Reserve allow at the outset for five independent flights, located at Karachi, Bombay, Madras, Calcutta and Delhi.The flights will be primarily for coast duties in India and their establishment is a permanent and not an emergency measure. Itis intended that each flight should contain a nucleus of regular Royal Air Force and Indian Air Force personnel to ensure continuity inmaintenance of the aircraft in the flights. Casualties '"THE Air Ministry regrets to announce the foDowing casualties on-L various dates: — KILLED IN ACTION.—A/C.I R. Entwistle, Fit. Sgt. W. H. Packer,Sgt. F. E. Waller. PREVIOUSLY REPORTED " MISSING " Now REPORTED " KILLED INACTION."—F/O. J. T. B. Sadler, Sgt. G. Storr, A/C.2 F. A. Twinning. PREVIOUSLY REPORTED " MISSING, BELIEVED KILLED," NOW RE- PORTED " KILLED IN ACTION."—A/C.2 R. V. Britton, Act. Sgt. W.Brown. WOUNDED IN ACTION.—Act. Sgt. L. W. Parton.MISSING.—A/C.i E. M. G. Polhill, Sgt. J. B. A. Tumbull, A/C.i P. J. Warren. MISSING, BELIEVED KILLED IN ACTION.—A/C.i H. E. Beaumont,Sgt. R. H. J. Brace, Cpl. H. J. Cockayne, F/O. J. A. H. Cooper, L.A/C. R. Forsyth, A/C.i R. Hey wood, L.A./C. D. G Hodge,A/C.2 H. Houldsworth, Sgt. T. E. Jones, P/O. N. L. Lewis, Cpl. H. D. Whitehousc. KILLED ON ACTIVE SERVICE.—Sgt. A. G. Banks, P/O. M. Fortnum,Cpl. T. A. Keating, A/C.i T. D. King. P/O. M. E. G. Mailer, Sgt. S. H. Newbigging, A/C.2 F. C. Overall. A.P/O. P. Ross, P/O.R. A. Russell-Forbes, A/L.C. T. D. Siddons, Fit. Cadet W. A. Smith, P/O. C. D. Stevens, Sgt. L. Thorn, P/O. H. G. Tipple,Act. Fit. Lt. P. D. Walker, P/O. H. G. Yelland. MISSING, BELIEVED KILLED ON ACTIVE SERVICE.—A/C.2 J. C. Buck-land, P/O. A Cameron. DIED ON ACTIVE SERVICE.—Sqn. Ldr. S. Bingham, A/C.2 R. H.Edwards, Sgt. E. McCluggage, L.A/C. E. J. Naylor, Fit. Lt. M. P. Skinner, L.A/C. I. J. T. Smith, A/C.2 H. Wilson. Biographies of the New Air CommodoresT HE following brief biographies are of interest in view of therecent appointment of nine new air commodores, as given officially under " Promotions " on page 12.AIR COMMODORE CHARLES HENRY NICHOLAS, D.F.C., A.F.C., was born at Chelmsford, Essex, in 1894, and was educatedat Chelmsford and Berkhamsted schools and the City and Guilds Engineering College. On the outbreak of the Great War he wasgiven a commission with the South Wales Borderers Regiment, and the following year took a course at the School of Military Aeronauttics, Reading, and was posted to a squadron at Catterick. He went to France as a flying officer in the R.F.C., and in 1917 went to Egyptas a squadron commander and temporary major. He was given a permanent commission in the R.A.F. in 1919, andtook over the command of a squadron in the Palestine Brigade* He also saw service in Mesopotamia, and in 1928 went to India, wherehe was promoted wing commander. Command at Hornchurch fol- lowed in 1933. He was promoted group captain in 1935. His awards include the A.F.C. for distinguished service during thewar in Egvpt, and the D.F.C. for consistent good work, gallantry and devotion to duty. He had led his squadron in nearly everyraid, and was mainly responsible for bringing his squadron into action from Baghdad only 14 days after landing at Basra, which wasdescribed as a remarkable achievement. He also received the French Croix de Guerre and the Egyptian Order of the Nile, 4thClass, for valuable services during the last war.
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