Air Vice-Marshal Frederick George Darby Hards, (17 April 1889 – 10 July 1963) was a
Royal Air Force officer who served as Air Officer Commanding
British Forces Aden
British Forces Aden was the name given to the British Armed Forces stationed in the Aden Protectorate during part of the 20th century. Their purpose was to preserve the security of the Protectorate from both internal threats and external aggressi ...
from 1941 until his retirement in 1943.
Military career
Hards joined the
Royal Fusiliers
The Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment) was a line infantry regiment of the British Army in continuous existence for 283 years. It was known as the 7th Regiment of Foot until the Childers Reforms of 1881.
The regiment served in many wars ...
in 1914 and then served in the
First World War as a pilot with the
Royal Naval Air Service
The Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS) was the air arm of the Royal Navy, under the direction of the Admiralty's Air Department, and existed formally from 1 July 1914 to 1 April 1918, when it was merged with the British Army's Royal Flying Corps t ...
.
[Air of Authority – A History of RAF Organisation – Air Vice-Marshal F G D Hards]
/ref> He received his aviator's certificate in 1915.
Flight International, 9 April 1915 After the war he became Officer Commanding
No. 230 Squadron and then, after various staff positions, he was appointed Officer Commanding RAF Malta in 1930.
[ He went on to be Fleet Aviation Officer to Commander-in-Chief ]Mediterranean Fleet
The British Mediterranean Fleet, also known as the Mediterranean Station, was a formation of the Royal Navy. The Fleet was one of the most prestigious commands in the navy for the majority of its history, defending the vital sea link between t ...
in 1933 and Senior Engineering Staff Officer at Fighter Command in 1936.[
Hards served in the Second World War as Senior Air Staff Officer and then Air Officer Administration at Coastal Command before becoming Air Officer Administration and then Air Officer Commanding ]British Forces Aden
British Forces Aden was the name given to the British Armed Forces stationed in the Aden Protectorate during part of the 20th century. Their purpose was to preserve the security of the Protectorate from both internal threats and external aggressi ...
; he retired in 1943.[
]
Honours and awards
*22 June 1916 – Flight Lieutenant Vincent Nicholl and Flight Lieutenant Frederick George Darby Hards, RNAS are both awarded the Distinguished Service Cross The Distinguished Service Cross (D.S.C.) is a military decoration for courage. Different versions exist for different countries.
*Distinguished Service Cross (Australia)
*Distinguished Service Cross (United Kingdom)
*Distinguished Service Cross (U ...
:
*1 October 1917 – Flight Commander Fred George Darby Hards, RNAS was mentioned in despatches for services on patrol duties and submarine searching in home waters.
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hards, Frederick
1889 births
1963 deaths
Royal Air Force air marshals of World War II
Commanders of the Order of the British Empire
Recipients of the Distinguished Service Cross (United Kingdom)
Recipients of the Distinguished Flying Cross (United Kingdom)
Royal Naval Air Service aviators
English aviators
Royal Fusiliers soldiers
Military personnel from Berkshire