Rochford Hughes

Sir Rochford Hughes
Born	25 October 1914 Devonport, Auckland, New Zealand
Died	17 September 1996 Taupo, Waikato, New Zealand
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Service/branch	Royal Air Force
Years of service	1938–1969
Rank	Air Marshal
Commands held	No. 511 Squadron Royal Aircraft Establishment Farnborough RAF Jever No. 19 (Reconnaissance) Group Far East Air Force
Battles/wars	World War II
Awards	Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath Commander of the Order of the British Empire Air Force Cross

Air Marshal Sir Sidney Weetman Rochford Hughes KCB, CBE, AFC (25 October 1914 – 17 September 1996) was a British Royal Air Force officer who became Air Officer Commanding Far East Air Force.

RAF career

Educated at Waitaki Boys' High School he was part of the editorial team at the New Zealand Herald from 1833. Hughes joined the Royal New Zealand Air Force in 1937 but was transferred to the Royal Air Force in 1938.^[1] He served in Second World War mainly in the Middle East and North Africa: after being shot down, he was taken prisoner in 1941 by a group of Italian soldiers near Benghazi - although he later turned the tables and took 130 Italians prisoner himself.^[2] He became Officer Commanding No. 511 Squadron in September 1945.^[1] After the War he served as Officer Commanding the Royal Aircraft Establishment at Farnborough before becoming Station Commander at RAF Jever in 1955.^[1] He went on to be Air Officer Commanding No. 19 (Reconnaissance) Group in 1962 and Deputy Controller of Aircraft (RAF) at the Ministry of Aviation in 1964 before becoming Air Officer Commanding Far East Air Force in 1966 and retiring in 1969.^[1]

References