Frederick Hards Explained

Frederick Hards
Birth Date:17 March 1889
Birth Place:Cookham, Berkshire
Death Place:Ipswich, Suffolk
Allegiance:United Kingdom
Branch:Royal Navy (1914–18)
Royal Air Force (1918–43)
Serviceyears:1914–1943
Rank:Air Vice-Marshal
Commands:British Forces Aden (1941–43)
RAF Malta (1930–31)
No. 230 Squadron (1920–21)
Battles:First World War
Second World War
Awards:Commander of the Order of the British Empire
Distinguished Service Cross
Distinguished Flying Cross
Mentioned in Despatches

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 from 1941 until his retirement in 1943.

Military career

Hards joined the Royal Fusiliers in 1914 and then served in the First World War as a pilot with the Royal Naval Air Service.[1] He received his aviator's certificate in 1915.[2] 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.[1] He went on to be Fleet Aviation Officer to Commander-in-Chief Mediterranean Fleet in 1933 and Senior Engineering Staff Officer at Fighter Command in 1936.[1]

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; he retired in 1943.[1]

Honours and awards

Notes and References

  1. http://www.rafweb.org/Biographies/Hards.htm Air of Authority – A History of RAF Organisation – Air Vice-Marshal F G D Hards
  2. http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1915/1915%20-%200246.html Aviator's certificates