Group Captain Campbell Alexander Hoy (13 February 1893 – 9 March 1985) was a British

flying ace A flying ace, fighter ace or air ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down five or more enemy aircraft during aerial combat. The exact number of aerial victories required to officially qualify as an ace is varied, but is usually co ...

during the

First World War World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

, credited with eleven aerial victories. He remained in the

Royal Air Force The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the United Kingdom's air and space force. It was formed towards the end of the First World War on 1 April 1918, becoming the first independent air force in the world, by regrouping the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) and ...

post-war and served through the end of the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

Early life

Campbell Alexander Hoy was born to Henry Hoy, a chemist, and Margaret Anne Reid, in

Newbiggin-by-the-Sea Newbiggin-by-the-Sea is a quaint seaside town and civil parish in Northumberland, England, located on the North Sea coast. The town owes its proud heritage to having once flourished as an important trade route for shipping grain from its port, ...

. He was living there in Campbell House during 1901. He attended Armstrong College, Newcastle, then a part of the

University of Durham Durham University (legally the University of Durham) is a collegiate university, collegiate public university, public research university in Durham, England, Durham, England, founded by an Act of Parliament in 1832 and incorporated by royal charte ...

, from 1913 onwards. On 15 January 1915, Cadet Lance-Corporal Hoy from the Durham University Contingent of the

Officers Training Corps The Officers' Training Corps (OTC), more fully called the University Officers' Training Corps (UOTC), are military leadership training units operated by the British Army. Their focus is to develop the leadership abilities of their members whilst ...

was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the

Northern Cyclist Battalion The Northern Cyclist Battalion was a bicycle infantry battalion of the Territorial Force, part of the British Army. Formed in 1908, it served in the United Kingdom throughout the First World War and in 1920 it was converted as part of the Royal ...

Aerial service in the First World War

On 16 May 1917, he was seconded to the

Royal Flying Corps "Through Adversity to the Stars" , colors = , colours_label = , march = , mascot = , anniversaries = , decorations ...

(RFC) as a flying officer (observer). Both he and his pilot were injured when their aircraft,

Royal Aircraft Factory FE.2 Between 1911 and 1914, the Royal Aircraft Factory used the F.E.2 (Farman Experimental 2) designation for three quite different aircraft that shared only a common "Farman" pusher biplane layout. The third "F.E.2" type was operated as a day and n ...

d s/n A6366, was shot down by German ace August Hanko of ''

Jagdstaffel 28 Royal Württemberg Jagdstaffel 28, commonly abbreviated to Jasta 28, was a "hunting group" (i.e., fighter squadron) of the ''Luftstreitkräfte'', the air arm of the Imperial German Army during World War I. As one of the original German fighter squa ...

'' on 25 May 1917. Hoy began his victory string over German

Albatros D.V The Albatros D.V is a fighter aircraft built by the Albatros Flugzeugwerke and used by the ''Luftstreitkräfte'' (Imperial German Air Service) during World War I. The D.V was the final development of the Albatros D.I family and the last Albatro ...

fighters on 29 June 1917. His next nine wins manning the guns in a

d came while he was teamed with

Richard M. Trevethan Squadron Leader Richard Michael Trevethan (24 January 1895 – 30 December 1971) was a British First World War flying ace credited with twelve aerial victories. Early life and background Richard Trevethan was born in Park City, Utah in 1895, t ...

. His last win was scored with Arthur Solly as his pilot, on the evening of 9 July 1918. Hoy's final tally was five Albatros D.V fighters destroyed and six driven down out of control. On 25 August 1917, Hoy was promoted to lieutenant, with seniority from 1 June 1916. As of 14 December 1917, he was appointed an assistant instructor in gunnery and classified as a 3rd class equipment officer. On 23 January 1918, he was reclassified as a 2nd class equipment officer.

Between the world wars

On 7 January 1919, he was appointed temporary captain, effective 25 October 1918, in the Technical Branch. On 19 May 1919, he was selected to remain seconded as captain in the RFC, with seniority from 6 November 1918. On 1 August 1919, he surrendered his commission in the Cyclist Battalion and gained a permanent commission as captain in the

. On 2 September 1920, Hoy married Ena Olive Ball in

Ickenham Ickenham is an area in Greater London, forming the eastern part of Uxbridge and within the London Borough of Hillingdon. While no major historical events have taken place in Ickenham, settlements dating back to the Roman occupation of Britain ...

. The union would produce two children—Ena Bertha Margaret Hoy and Campbell Henry Alfred Hoy. On 1 January 1926, Hoy was promoted from flying officer to

flight lieutenant Flight lieutenant is a junior commissioned rank in air forces that use the Royal Air Force (RAF) system of ranks, especially in Commonwealth countries. It has a NATO rank code of OF-2. Flight lieutenant is abbreviated as Flt Lt in the India ...

. On 7 February 1935, he was selected for retention through age 45. On 1 January 1936, he was again promoted, to

squadron leader Squadron leader (Sqn Ldr in the RAF ; SQNLDR in the RAAF and RNZAF; formerly sometimes S/L in all services) is a commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many countries which have historical British influence. It is also ...

. A further promotion to

wing commander Wing commander (Wg Cdr in the RAF, the IAF, and the PAF, WGCDR in the RNZAF and RAAF, formerly sometimes W/C in all services) is a senior commissioned rank in the British Royal Air Force and air forces of many countries which have historical ...

followed on 1 January 1939.

Second World War and beyond

On 24 April 1940, Wing Commander Hoy was transferred to the Technical Branch, with a promotion to

group captain Group captain is a senior commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force, where it originated, as well as the air forces of many countries that have historical British influence. It is sometimes used as the English translation of an equivalent rank i ...

. On 13 February 1946, Hoy retired.

Military Cross citation

:Second Lieutenant (Temporary Lieutenant) Campbell Alexander Hoy, RFC. ::"For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty when acting as observer on offensive patrols. On four occasions he has shot down hostile scouts, displaying in every instance splendid determination and a very fine offensive spirit."

Notes

References

Bibliography

* Franks, Norman; Guest, Russell; Alegi, Gregory (1997). ''Above the War Fronts: the British Two-seater Bomber Pilot and Observer Aces, the British Two-seater Fighter Observer Aces, and the Belgian, Italian, Austro-Hungarian and Russian Fighter Aces, 1914-1918: Volume 4 of Fighting Airmen of WWI Series: Volume 4 of Air Aces of WWI.'' Grub Street. * {{DEFAULTSORT:Hoy, Campbell 1893 births 1985 deaths People from South Shields British World War I flying aces Royal Flying Corps officers Royal Air Force officers Recipients of the Military Cross Royal Air Force personnel of World War II Alumni of Armstrong College, Durham People from Newbiggin-by-the-Sea Military personnel from Tyne and Wear British Army officers British Army personnel of World War I Officers' Training Corps officers