Group Captain George Bayard Hynes (12 April 1887 – 30 May 1938) was an early pioneer

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ide ...

aviator An aircraft pilot or aviator is a person who controls the flight of an aircraft by operating its Aircraft flight control system, directional flight controls. Some other aircrew, aircrew members, such as navigators or flight engineers, are al ...

, one of the first Army pilots. He was awarded the DSO during service with the Royal Flying Corps during the first world war, retired as a Royal Air Force Group Captain in 1931 and became the deputy director of aeronautical inspection in the Air Ministry. Hynes was born on 12 April 1887, in

Malta Malta ( , , ), officially the Republic of Malta ( mt, Repubblika ta' Malta ), is an island country in the Mediterranean Sea. It consists of an archipelago, between Italy and Libya, and is often considered a part of Southern Europe. It lies ...

the son of William and Mary Hynes. His father was described in 1891 as a Naval Storekeeper. He was educated at Portsmouth Grammar School. Hynes gained a commission in the

Royal Artillery The Royal Regiment of Artillery, commonly referred to as the Royal Artillery (RA) and colloquially known as "The Gunners", is one of two regiments that make up the artillery arm of the British Army. The Royal Regiment of Artillery comprises t ...

in 1905. On 7 January 1911, he was awarded the 77th Aviators Certificate from the Royal Aero Club and was then seconded to the

Air Battalion of the Royal Engineers The Air Battalion Royal Engineers (ABRE) was the first flying unit of the British Armed Forces to make use of heavier-than-air craft. Founded in 1911, the battalion in 1912 became part of the Royal Flying Corps, which in turn evolved into the Roy ...

and later in 1912 to the Royal Flying Corps. Hynes served in France where he was awarded the DSO and mentioned in dispatches five times. In 1918 he transferred to the new

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 ...

with a permanent commission as a Wing Commander. He retired in 1931 and went on to become the Deputy Director of Aeronautical Inspection at the Air Ministry. Hynes died in London on 30 May 1938.

Honours and awards

*1 January 1917 – Capt. (temp. Maj.) George Bayard Hynes, RA. & RFC is awarded the

Distinguished Service Order The Distinguished Service Order (DSO) is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, as well as formerly of other parts of the Commonwealth, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typ ...

for distinguished service in the field.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hynes, George Bayard 1887 births 1938 deaths English aviators Aviation pioneers Royal Flying Corps officers Royal Air Force officers Companions of the Distinguished Service Order Royal Artillery officers People educated at The Portsmouth Grammar School