RAF Officer info wanted

Just to complete the loop if i may, here are some photos of said tunic, which I am very happy with, thank you very much Paul for your very helpful information, it is much appreciated. I’m happy the Flight Engineers wing is original to the tunic, the rank is about right after promotion, the is evidence of black cotton between the wing and pocket indicating at sometime there was medal ribbons. The tailors label is original as is the ink writing.

Bearing all this in mind and the fact that it came from ‘someone with no interest’ I would imagine that this officer dropped the George, and refured to himself as David……..?
Anyway all this is too much of a coincidence not to be the uniform of George David Wallace Hodgson DFC.

Thank you

[ATTACH=CONFIG]235962[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]235963[/ATTACH]

The only slight question mark I have is the date Sept 1944 rather than Nov 1943

ROYAL AIR FORCE VOLUNTEER RESERVE.
GENERAL DUTIES BRANCH.
Appointment to commission.
As Plt. Offs. on prob. (emergency): —

19th Sept. 1944.

Sgts.

1608003 George David Wallace HODGSON (184722)

DFC gazetted date

Air Ministry, 20th February, 1945.
The KING ‘has been graciously pleased to approve
the following awards: —
Distinguished Flying Cross.

George David Wallace HODGSON (184722),
R.A.F.V.R., 578 Sqn.

Confirmation and promotion.
Pit. Offs. (prob.) confmd. in appts. and to be Fig.
Offs. (war subs.): —

19th Mar. 1945.
G. D. W. HODGSON, D.F.C. (184722

I don’t know where you picked up Tunic, but his birth was registered 2nd Qtr 1924 in the district Easington is in the county of Co. Durham and he married in 2nd Qtr 1950 at Weymouth so he may have ended up at any of those places

Very helpful squadron association , drop them an email . Link here ;
http://www.578squadron.org.uk/

Thanks again for checking Paul

Next stop 578 squadron ORB…..

Cheers

Jules

Jules sorry no citation in the Carter DFC directory

Fantastic Paul
Well done, I’m really pleased, so a DFC winner…….. any citation ?

Thank you

Jules

I assumed he had survived the war, so looked at 1945 AFL for all HODGSON

there was only one * D W * HODGSON

And then cross referenced him with his branch: Flight Engineer

Bingo. I think we have a winner.

Out of interest, where did you manage to locate that Paul?

How about

GENERAL DUTIES BRANCH
Flight Engineers

G. D. W. Hodgson D.F.C. 19 Sept 1944

George David Wallace HODGSON (184722),
R.A.F.V.R., 578 Sqn.

We can’t be sure that Austin Reed wrote that. I could have been the owner…

I would expect that the Tailor wrote it, I doubt the owner, would have written the other information, and it appears to be in the same hand.

I believe it was common for the tailor to write the label.

So yes, there could be a mistake.

Tunic bears a Flight Engineers wing, the medal ribbons have been removed but evidence of stitching remains.

presuming the Hodgson is right, that leaves a whole host of possibilities !

Come on Paul, keep at it ! please……………

Jules

We can’t be sure that Austin Reed wrote that. I could have been the owner…

Can’t find any D W Hodgson in Air 78 (RAF Airmen Index) except Donald Walton Hodgson 2488214 who it appears was never commissioned

So maybe commonwealth

Reg “0”41672 I though might be Service Number but the O is like nothing I have seen before and anyway 41672 is Michael Alexander CRAIG-ADAMS

Hmmmmmm.

There are around a half dozen potential D. W Hodgsons in the births index in England & Wales, I haven’t looked at any others yet. Do you have any other pictures? Is there a brevet visible?

The Gazette has a P Hodgson but no D W that comes up and he isn’t in the AFL. Did Austin Reed write the label wrongly? Most puzzling!

[ATTACH=CONFIG]235827[/ATTACH]

Thanks for your help guys, this is what I am going on………….

a strange one then ?

any budding detectives out there ?

Cheers

Jules

Can’t find a D W Hodgson in Nov 1943, Jan 1944 or May 1944 RAF AFL

Could he be RAAF or RNZAF

Does anyone have access to copies of The Air Force List for the corresponding period, or have you already ruled that out Resmoroh (I am suspecting that you have)?

I also had a look and didn’t find a D.W. Hodgson. Finding those that survived the conflict is so often problematic at best and nigh on impossible at worst!

Thanks Resmoroh

Possibly, though the label in the officers tunic reads P/O. D. W. Hodgson. And dated 24th November 1943.
The tunic has F/O cuff rank.
So you see it does not really tie in with commissioning dates even if it is ‘R.W. Hodgson’

Strange there is no trace, I’m certain the label is original

Jules

Jules, Hi,

This might be yr man?

ROYAL AIR FORCE VOLUNTEER RESERVE. GENERAL DUTIES BRANCH.
Appointment to commission.
As Plt. Offs. on prob. (emergency): —
Wt. Offs.
778431 Robert William HODGSON (160173). 27th Jan. 1944.

Enlistment number of 778431 indicates he Enlisted in Rhodesia in Jun 1940

ROYAL AIR (FORCE VOLUNTEER RESERVE. GENERAL DUTIES BRANCH.
Confirmation and promotion.
Plt. Offs. (prob.) confmd. in appts. and to be Flg. Offs. (war subs.): —
R. W. HODGSON 1(160173). 27th July 1944.

HTH
Resmoroh

you might try R.W Hodgson ?

thanks Resmoroh

J.

thedawnpatrol, Hi,

Had a quick look in most of “the usual places” for yr man. Nix! Can you check spelling of Surname, and given Initials, are correct?

HTH/TIA

Resmoroh

thedawnpatrol, Hi,

Had a quick look in most of “the usual places” for yr man. Nix! Can you check spelling of Surname, and given Initials, are correct?

HTH/TIA

Resmoroh