Air Vice Marshal George Stacey Hodson , (2 May 1899 – 1 October 1976) was an air officer of the British Royal Air Force who began his military career as a World War I flying ace credited with ten aerial victories. In the course of his 34 years service, he rose to become a major commander during World War II.

Early life

Hodson was born in

Belmont Belmont may refer to: People * Belmont (surname) Places * Belmont Abbey (disambiguation) * Belmont Historic District (disambiguation) * Belmont Hotel (disambiguation) * Belmont Park (disambiguation) * Belmont Plantation (disambiguation) * Belmon ...

Surrey Surrey () is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in South East England, bordering Greater London to the south west. Surrey has a large rural area, and several significant urban areas which form part of the Greater London Built-up Area. ...

, and was educated at Dulwich College.

World War I

Hodson was commissioned as a probationary temporary

second lieutenant Second lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces, comparable to NATO OF-1 rank. Australia The rank of second lieutenant existed in the military forces of the Australian colonies and Australian Army until ...

on the General List for service in the

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

on 9 September 1917. Upon completion of his training, on 28 October 1917, he was confirmed in his rank and posted to No. 73 Squadron RFC. Flying a Sopwith Camel single seat fighter, he gained his first four aerial victories between 10 and 31 March 1918. The day after his fourth victory, 1 April 1918, the Army's Royal Flying Corps was merged with the Royal Naval Air Service to form the Royal Air Force, and Hodson was promoted to lieutenant. Hodson was then posted back to England to serve as an instructor, finally returning to France to serve in No. 213 Squadron RAF in August 1918, and gaining six more victories between 18 September and 14 October 1918, including three aircraft in a single day. In recognition of his war-time service Hodson was awarded the Air Force Cross on 3 June 1919, and on 15 July 1919 was awarded the ''

Croix de guerre The ''Croix de Guerre'' (, ''Cross of War'') is a military decoration of France. It was first created in 1915 and consists of a square-cross medal on two crossed swords, hanging from a ribbon with various degree pins. The decoration was first awa ...

'' by the

Kingdom of Belgium Belgium, ; french: Belgique ; german: Belgien officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. The country is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeast, France to the ...

List of aerial victories

Inter-war career

In March 1919 Hodson was posted to No. 11 Aircraft Park. On 1 August 1919 he was promoted to flying officer, and on 24 October was granted a short service commission. Hodson was assigned to the Care and Maintenance Party at RAF Norwich, and on 1 April 1920 was assigned to the same duty at RAF Lincoln. On 17 December 1920 his commission was made permanent. He was posted to No. 1 Flying Training School on 15 March 1921, and 14 September 1923 to No. 55 Squadron, based in Iraq. He was promoted 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 1 July 1925, and posted to

No. 4 Flying Training School No. 4 Flying Training School is a Royal Air Force military flying training school, which manages Advanced Fast Jet Training (AFJT) from its base at RAF Valley in Anglesey, Wales. Its role is to provide fast jet aircrew to the Operational Conver ...

, Egypt, on 17 October. He finally returned to the UK, being assigned as a supernumerary at the RAF Depot on 14 February 1928, and on 30 July was posted to No. 5 Flying Training School, RAF Sealand. On 21 February 1931 he was posted to No. 58 Squadron, based at RAF Worthy Down, as a flight commander, and on 7 October to No. 602 (City of Glasgow) Squadron, Auxiliary Air Force, to serve as

adjutant Adjutant is a military appointment given to an officer who assists the commanding officer with unit administration, mostly the management of human resources in an army unit. The term is used in French-speaking armed forces as a non-commission ...

and instructor. On 1 August 1935 Hodson was promoted to squadron leader, and on 1 October he was appointed Chief Flying Instructor at No. 11 Flying Training School, RAF Wittering. On 24 February 1938 Hodson began an exchange posting with the

Royal New Zealand Air Force The Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) ( mi, Te Tauaarangi o Aotearoa, "The Warriors of the Sky of New Zealand"; previously ', "War Party of the Blue") is the aerial service branch of the New Zealand Defence Force. It was formed from New Zeala ...

, and in April 1938 took command of RNZAF Wigram, near Christchurch, New Zealand. On 1 July 1938 he was promoted to wing commander.

World War II

Hodson remained in New Zealand after the outbreak of the war. His exchange posting with the Royal New Zealand Air Force was altered to special duty on 6 April 1940, and on 1 December 1940 he was promoted to the temporary rank of

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 ...

. He eventually left Wigram in June 1942, and in recognition of his efforts was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire in the King's Birthday Honours the same month. On 1 November 1942 he was appointed acting air commodore, and on 1 May 1943 was promoted to the war substantive rank of

, becoming Air Officer Commanding, No. 44 Base, RAF Holme-on-Spalding Moor the same day. On 1 December 1943 he was appointed a temporary air commodore, and acting air vice marshal on 9 August 1944, to take the position of AOC,

No. 93 Group RAF No. 93 Group RAF is a former Royal Air Force Group (military unit), group. The group was formed on 15 June 1942 at Lichfield under RAF Bomber Command as No. 93 (Operational Training) Group. It moved to Eggington Hall, Egginton, Derby on 7 July 194 ...

. He was confirmed in his rank of as

on 23 January 1945 with seniority from 1 June 1944, and on 23 February was appointed AOC, No. 92 Group RAF. On 9 August 1945 he was awarded the war substantive rank of air commodore, to become Air Officer Training at the Headquarters of Bomber Command. He finally relinquished his appointment as acting air vice marshal on 1 September 1945.

Postwar career

In the

1946 New Year Honours The 1946 New Year Honours were appointments by many of the Commonwealth Realms of King George VI to various orders and honours to reward and highlight good works by citizens of those countries, and to celebrate the passing of 1945 and the beginnin ...

, Hodson was made a

Companion of the Order of the Bath Companion may refer to: Relationships Currently * Any of several interpersonal relationships such as friend or acquaintance * A domestic partner, akin to a spouse * Sober companion, an addiction treatment coach * Companion (caregiving), a caregive ...

. On 1 April he was appointed

Air Officer in Charge of Administration Air Officer In Charge Administration or AOA, is a staff role in some air forces, at various organisational levels. The role of AOA emerged in the Royal Air Force and is most often found in the air forces of the Commonwealth of Nations. India In ...

at the Headquarters of Coastal Command. On 19 January 1947 he was again appointed acting air vice marshal, and on 1 February was appointed AOC,

No. 205 Group RAF No. 205 (Heavy Bomber) Group was a long-range, heavy bomber group of the Royal Air Force (RAF) established on 23 October 1941 by boosting No. 257 Wing RAF, No. 257 Wing to Group status. Tri-force model During the North Africa Campaign in Egypt an ...

. During this posting, he was in charge of relocating airfields in Egypt from the

Nile Delta The Nile Delta ( ar, دلتا النيل, or simply , is the delta formed in Lower Egypt where the Nile River spreads out and drains into the Mediterranean Sea. It is one of the world's largest river deltas—from Alexandria in the west to Po ...

south along the shores of the

Suez Canal The Suez Canal ( arz, قَنَاةُ ٱلسُّوَيْسِ, ') is an artificial sea-level waterway in Egypt, connecting the Mediterranean Sea to the Red Sea through the Isthmus of Suez and dividing Africa and Asia. The long canal is a popular ...

. His headquarters switched from RAF Heliopolis to RAF Fayid, even as No. 205 Squadron was stripped of its Lancasters. They were replaced by rotating detachments of Lincolns from Bomber Command. On 1 July 1947 he was promoted to air commodore. On 30 December 1949 he was appointed Senior Air Staff Officer at the Headquarters of

Reserve Command The Air Force Reserve Command (AFRC) is a major command (MAJCOM) of the United States Air Force, with its headquarters at Robins Air Force Base, Georgia. It is the federal Air Reserve Component (ARC) of the U.S. Air Force, consisting of commis ...

, receiving promotion to air vice marshal on 1 January 1950. He became the Senior Air Staff Officer at the Headquarters of

Home Command A home, or domicile, is a space used as a permanent or semi-permanent residence for one or many humans, and sometimes various pet, companion animals. It is a fully or semi sheltered space and can have both interior and exterior aspects to ...

on 1 August 1950. Hodson finally retired from Royal Air Force on 7 September 1951. He died in Bognor Regis in 1976.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hodson, George Stacey 1899 births 1976 deaths Military personnel from Surrey People from Sutton, London People educated at Dulwich College Royal Flying Corps officers Royal Air Force officers British World War I flying aces Royal Air Force personnel of World War I Royal Air Force personnel of World War II Companions of the Order of the Bath Commanders of the Order of the British Empire Recipients of the Air Force Cross (United Kingdom) Recipients of the Croix de guerre (Belgium)