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Air Chief Marshal Sir Edmund Hudleston (26084)


Air Chief Marshal Sir Edmund HudlestonEdmund Cuthbert             b: 30 Dec 1908                     r: 5 Jun 1967            d:  14 Dec 1994

GCB - 1 Jan 1963 (KCB - 1 Jan 1958, CB - 1 Jan 1945), CBE - 2 Jun 1943, ADC, MiD - 8 May 1936, MiD - 1 Jan 1943, MiD - 8 Jun 1944, MiD – 1 Jan 1946, MiD - 13 Jun 1957, LoM (Cdr) - 15 Oct 1946 (LoM (O) - 26 Sep 1944), Cwn (Cdr) - 11 Jul 1947, CdeG (P) (B) - 11 Jul 947, ON(GO) - 18 Nov 1947, CdeG (P) - 15 Apr 1958, LoH, O - 15 Apr 1958.

For a list of foreign decoration abbreviations, click here

Plt Off: 15 Dec 1928, Fg Off: 15 Jun 1930, Flt Lt: 1 Feb 1934, Sqn Ldr: 1 Dec 1937, (T) Wg Cdr: 1 Jun 1940, (T) Gp Capt: 1 Sep 1942, Wg Cdr (WS): 28 Jan 1943, Act A/Cdre: 26 Sep 1943, Wg Cdr: 1 Dec 1943, Gp Capt (WS): 26 Mar 1944, Act AVM: 10 Nov 1944 - 19 Mar 1946, A/Cdre (WS): 10 Nov 1945, Gp Capt: 1 Jan 1946, Act AVM: 5 May 1948, A/Cdre: 1 Jul 1948, AVM: 1 Jan 1952, Act AM: 1 Apr - 9 Aug 1953;16 Sep 1957, AM: 1 Jan 1958, ACM: 1 Mar 1961.

13 Jan 1927:            Officer Cadet, 'B' Sqn, RAF College.

15 Dec 1928:           Granted a Permanent Commission.

15 Dec 1928:           Pilot, No 25 Sqn.

xx Feb 1930:           Attended No 31 Course, CFS.

26 Apr 1930:           QFI, RAF College - Cranwell

 1 Mar 1932:            Attended No 10 'A' Armament Course, Air Armament School.

 3 Mar 1933:            Armament  duties, No 1 Armament Practice Camp, Catfoss

24 Nov 1933:          Armament Officer, No 1 (Indian Wing) Station, Kohat

20 Nov 1935:          Armament Officer, No 2 (Indian Wing) Station, Risalpur

26 Oct 1936:           Armament Officer, HQ No 1 (Indian) Group

24 Jan 1938:            Attended RAF Staff College.

xx Jan 1939:             Instructor, Air Staff College, Turkey

21 May 1941:          Air Staff, HQ Middle East Command.

xx May 1943           Member, Joint (US/UK) Plng Staff for HUSKY

26 Sep 1943:          SASO, North African Tactical Air Force.

10 Nov 1944:          AOC, No 84 (Composite) Group.

 2 Apr 1946:            Attended Imperial Defence College.

 5 May 1948:           Head of UK Military Delegation to Western Union Military Staff's Committee.

 8 Aug 1950:            AOC, No 1 Group

 1 Apr 1951:            Deputy Chief of Staff - Plans & Policy, HQ SHAPE.

 1 Sep 1953:            AOC, No 3 Group.

24 Feb 1956:            RAF Instructor, Imperial Defence College.

 5 May 1956            Chief of Staff (Air), C in C, Operation 'Musketeer'

16 Sep 1957:           Vice Chief of the Air Staff.

30 Apr 1962:           AOC in C, Transport Command.

18 Sep 1962 - 5 Jun 1967:           Air ADC to The Queen.

 1 Dec 1963:            Commander, Allied Air Forces Central Europe.

xx xxx 1964:             Deputy C-in-C, Allied Forces Central Europe.

 1 Jul 1966                C-in-C, Allied Forces Central Europe

Sir Edmund Hudleston (centre) at Fontainbleu

photo courtesy of Joe Connelly©

Born in Kalgoorlie, Western Australia, Edmund Hudleston was educated  at Guilford School, W.A. before coming to  Britain to enrol as a Flight Cadet at the RAF College, Cranwell.   Here he represented the College at Cricket and Squash and attained the rank of U/Off.

During 1956 he found his tour as an instructor at the Imperial Defence College interrupted when he was appointed to the staff of the C in C for Operation 'Musketeer' as Chief of Staff (Air).  He first task being to establish the C in C's HQ in Cyprus.  

Hudleston Trophy named after him.  1971 - 79 he was a Director of Pilkington Brothers (Optical Division).

Citation for the award of Companion of the Order of the Bath

"HUDLESTON, Edmund Cuthbert, A/C (26084, Royal Air Force) - Mediterranean Allied Tactical Air Forces

This officer was appointed Senior Air Staff Officer to No.1 Mediterranean Allied Tactical Air Force in Sicily in September 1943. The force has provided the air support for the allied armies in Italy during their victorious advance up the mainland and has helped considerably in the successes which have been achieved.  Air Commodore Hudleston, by his personality, tact and ability, has been largely responsible for the efficient air support provided.  His brilliant staff work and untiring devotion to duty have encouraged all to give of their best."

(Source - Air 2/9017)

This page was last updated on 25/10/23©

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