Donald Hardman
Encyclopedia
Air Chief Marshal
Sir James Donald Innes Hardman GBE
, KCB
, DFC
(21 December 1899 – 2 March 1982) was a senior Royal Air Force
commander. He began his flying career as a fighter
pilot in World War I
, achieving nine victories to become an ace
. During World War II
, Hardman held staff and operational posts. He was Chief of the Air Staff of the Royal Australian Air Force
from 1952 to 1954, after which he served as a member of the British Air Council until his retirement in 1958.
and Hertford College, Oxford
. He began his military career in the Artists' Rifles
in 1916, and joined the Royal Flying Corps
early in 1917. Hardman gained his commission in May but was prevented from seeing combat immediately because of his age. He was eventually posted to No. 19 Squadron in February 1918, flying Sopwith Dolphins on the Western Front
. Hardman scored two kills in one sortie on 30 October 1918, an action that earned him the Distinguished Flying Cross
. He finished the war a flight commander and temporary Captain
in the recently formed Royal Air Force
(RAF), with a total of nine victories.
and posted to No. 31 Squadron
in India
. Gaining his permanent commission in 1925, he was promoted to Flight Lieutenant
in 1927. Hardman served as both pilot and armament officer with various units in the late 1920s and early 1930s, and completed courses at both Army and Air Force staff colleges. He married Dorothy Thompson in 1930; the couple had two sons and a daughter. A member of No. 216 Squadron
from 1931 to 1935, Hardman was promoted Squadron Leader
in February 1936, and Wing Commander
in January 1939.
Hardman was sent to France
with the Air Component of the British Expeditionary Force
, preparing airfields on the Western Front
for the arrival of RAF units. He was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire in July 1940, and Mentioned in Despatches in January 1941. In March, he was promoted temporary Group Captain
. Hardman served as Director of Military Cooperation at the Air Ministry
in 1944, before being posted to Air Command South East Asia (ACSEA) as Commander, Combat Cargo Task Force, at the end of the year. In mid-1945 he became Air Officer Commanding
No. 232 (Transport) Group, and was made a Companion of the Order of the Bath (CB). He finished the war with the temporary rank of Air Commodore
, and a substantive Group Captain
.
Hardman was promoted to acting Air Vice Marshal on 1 October 1945. He remained in South-East Asia following the end of World War II, taking over as Air Officer in Charge of Administration for ACSEA in January 1946. He served in a number of senior posts in the RAF after his return to Britain including Assistant Chief of Air Staff (Operations) in 1947–1949, Commandant of RAF Staff College, Bracknell, in 1949–1951 and Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief of Home Command in 1951–1952. Hardman's wartime rank of Air Commodore became substantive in October 1946, followed by substantive promotion to Air Vice Marshal in July 1948, and acting Air Marshal
in October 1951.
In January 1952, Hardman was appointed Chief of the Air Staff (CAS) of the Royal Australian Air Force
, succeeding Air Marshal George Jones
, whose ten years in the position was the longest continuous term of any RAAF chief. The decision by Australian Prime Minister
Robert Menzies
to appoint an RAF officer caused resentment in the Air Force, compounded when he stated his reason as being that there was "no RAAF officer of sufficient age, or operation experience, to take the post of Chief of the Air Staff", ignoring the wartime records of such figures as John McCauley
and Frederick Scherger
. The Daily Mirror
in Sydney
was one of a number of media outlets to voice a "stern protest" over the matter. RAF CAS Sir John Slessor
, responsible for fulfilling the Australian Government's request for a suitable officer, considered Hardman the "outstanding candidate" for the Australian post, trying to avoid what he called "the follies of some years ago", referring to Air Chief Marshal
Sir Charles Burnett
's controversial tenure as CAS on secondment from Britain in the early years of World War II.
Hardman changed the structure of the Air Force from one based on geographical area to one based on function, creating Home (operational), Maintenance (support), and Training Commands. The functional system of command has been described by historian Alan Stephens as Hardman's "major legacy to the RAAF". While doing away with Jones' area command system, Hardman carried on his predecessor's support for the local aircraft industry. He also formed a policy agreement with Navy
Chief of Staff
Vice Admiral
Sir John Collins, covering joint responsibility and cooperation for maritime warfare. Under Hardman's tenure, No. 78 Fighter Wing
was reformed and deployed to Malta
on garrison duty. He was appointed a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath
in the Queen's Birthday Honours
of June 1952, and raised to substantive Air Marshal the following month. Towards the end of his term, he gave an interview in which he criticised Army
and Navy operations against a background of continuing interservice rivalry for the defence budget. In contrast to the initial disquiet at his appointment, however, upon his departure from Australia Hardman was described by The Age
as "the outstanding CAS in the RAAF's history" and a "brilliant organiser".
Hardman served on the British Air Council as Air Member for Supply and Organisation
from 1954 to 1958, gaining promotion to Air Chief Marshal on 1 April 1955. On 11 July 1956, he presented a Squadron Standard to his old unit, No. 19 Squadron. That October, he presided over the inquiry into the fatal crash of Avro Vulcan
XA897 at Heathrow Airport after its maiden round-the-world flight, the only survivors being the pilot and Air Marshal Sir Harry Broadhurst
. Hardman was made a Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the British Empire
on 1 January 1958, and retired from the RAF later that month. He died in 1982 while taking an overseas holiday.
Air Chief Marshal
Air chief marshal is a senior 4-star air-officer rank which originated in and continues to be used by the Royal Air Force...
Sir James Donald Innes Hardman GBE
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
, KCB
Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
, DFC
Distinguished Flying Cross (United Kingdom)
The Distinguished Flying Cross is a military decoration awarded to personnel of the United Kingdom's Royal Air Force and other services, and formerly to officers of other Commonwealth countries, for "an act or acts of valour, courage or devotion to duty whilst flying in active operations against...
(21 December 1899 – 2 March 1982) was a senior Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
commander. He began his flying career as a fighter
Fighter aircraft
A fighter aircraft is a military aircraft designed primarily for air-to-air combat with other aircraft, as opposed to a bomber, which is designed primarily to attack ground targets...
pilot in World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, achieving nine victories to become an ace
Flying ace
A flying ace or fighter ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down several enemy aircraft during aerial combat. The actual number of aerial victories required to officially qualify as an "ace" has varied, but is usually considered to be five or more...
. During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Hardman held staff and operational posts. He was Chief of the Air Staff of the Royal Australian Air Force
Royal Australian Air Force
The Royal Australian Air Force is the air force branch of the Australian Defence Force. The RAAF was formed in March 1921. It continues the traditions of the Australian Flying Corps , which was formed on 22 October 1912. The RAAF has taken part in many of the 20th century's major conflicts...
from 1952 to 1954, after which he served as a member of the British Air Council until his retirement in 1958.
World War I
Born in Oldham, Lancashire, Hardman was educated at Malvern CollegeMalvern College
Malvern College is a coeducational independent school located on a 250 acre campus near the town centre of Malvern, Worcestershire in England. Founded on 25 January 1865, until 1992, the College was a secondary school for boys aged 13 to 18...
and Hertford College, Oxford
Hertford College, Oxford
Hertford College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. It is located in Catte Street, directly opposite the main entrance of the original Bodleian Library. As of 2006, the college had a financial endowment of £52m. There are 612 students , plus various visiting...
. He began his military career in the Artists' Rifles
Artists' Rifles
The Artists Rifles is a volunteer regiment of the British Army. Raised in London in 1859 as a volunteer light infantry unit, the regiment saw active service during the Boer Wars and World War I, earning a number of battle honours; however, it did not serve outside of Britain during World War II, as...
in 1916, and joined the Royal Flying Corps
Royal Flying Corps
The Royal Flying Corps was the over-land air arm of the British military during most of the First World War. During the early part of the war, the RFC's responsibilities were centred on support of the British Army, via artillery co-operation and photographic reconnaissance...
early in 1917. Hardman gained his commission in May but was prevented from seeing combat immediately because of his age. He was eventually posted to No. 19 Squadron in February 1918, flying Sopwith Dolphins on the Western Front
Western Front (World War I)
Following the outbreak of World War I in 1914, the German Army opened the Western Front by first invading Luxembourg and Belgium, then gaining military control of important industrial regions in France. The tide of the advance was dramatically turned with the Battle of the Marne...
. Hardman scored two kills in one sortie on 30 October 1918, an action that earned him the Distinguished Flying Cross
Distinguished Flying Cross (United Kingdom)
The Distinguished Flying Cross is a military decoration awarded to personnel of the United Kingdom's Royal Air Force and other services, and formerly to officers of other Commonwealth countries, for "an act or acts of valour, courage or devotion to duty whilst flying in active operations against...
. He finished the war a flight commander and temporary Captain
Flight Lieutenant
Flight lieutenant is a junior commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many Commonwealth countries. It ranks above flying officer and immediately below squadron leader. The name of the rank is the complete phrase; it is never shortened to "lieutenant"...
in the recently formed Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
(RAF), with a total of nine victories.
Inter-war years
When the war ended, Hardman left the military for further study at Oxford, but rejoined the RAF in 1921. He was granted a short service commission as a Flying OfficerFlying Officer
Flying officer is a junior commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many countries which have historical British influence...
and posted to No. 31 Squadron
No. 31 Squadron RAF
No. 31 Squadron of the Royal Air Force, known as the 'Goldstars', currently operates the Tornado GR4 from RAF Marham, Norfolk.-History:The squadron was formed at Farnborough on October 11, 1915. Its first deployment was to Risulpur, India with its BE2Cs and Farmans, and during this time it took...
in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. Gaining his permanent commission in 1925, he was promoted to Flight Lieutenant
Flight Lieutenant
Flight lieutenant is a junior commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many Commonwealth countries. It ranks above flying officer and immediately below squadron leader. The name of the rank is the complete phrase; it is never shortened to "lieutenant"...
in 1927. Hardman served as both pilot and armament officer with various units in the late 1920s and early 1930s, and completed courses at both Army and Air Force staff colleges. He married Dorothy Thompson in 1930; the couple had two sons and a daughter. A member of No. 216 Squadron
No. 216 Squadron RAF
No. 216 Squadron of the Royal Air Force operates the Lockheed Tristar K1, KC1 and C2 from RAF Brize Norton, Oxfordshire.- History :216 Squadron was formed at RAF Manston by re-numbering No. 16 Squadron RNAS when the RAF was established in 1918, hence it is always spoken of as 'two-sixteen Squadron'...
from 1931 to 1935, Hardman was promoted Squadron Leader
Squadron Leader
Squadron Leader is a commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many countries which have historical British influence. It is also sometimes used as the English translation of an equivalent rank in countries which have a non-English air force-specific rank structure. In these...
in February 1936, and Wing Commander
Wing Commander (rank)
Wing commander is a commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many other Commonwealth countries...
in January 1939.
World War II
On the outbreak of World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
Hardman was sent to France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
with the Air Component of the British Expeditionary Force
British Expeditionary Force (World War II)
The British Expeditionary Force was the British force in Europe from 1939–1940 during the Second World War. Commanded by General Lord Gort, the BEF constituted one-tenth of the defending Allied force....
, preparing airfields on the Western Front
Western Front (World War II)
The Western Front of the European Theatre of World War II encompassed, Denmark, Norway, Luxembourg, Belgium, the Netherlands, France, and West Germany. The Western Front was marked by two phases of large-scale ground combat operations...
for the arrival of RAF units. He was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire in July 1940, and Mentioned in Despatches in January 1941. In March, he was promoted temporary Group Captain
Group Captain
Group captain is a senior commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many other Commonwealth countries. It ranks above wing commander and immediately below air commodore...
. Hardman served as Director of Military Cooperation at the Air Ministry
Air Ministry
The Air Ministry was a department of the British Government with the responsibility of managing the affairs of the Royal Air Force, that existed from 1918 to 1964...
in 1944, before being posted to Air Command South East Asia (ACSEA) as Commander, Combat Cargo Task Force, at the end of the year. In mid-1945 he became Air Officer Commanding
Air Officer Commanding
Air Officer Commanding is a title given in the air forces of Commonwealth nations to an air officer who holds a command appointment. Thus, an air vice marshal might be the AOC 38 Group...
No. 232 (Transport) Group, and was made a Companion of the Order of the Bath (CB). He finished the war with the temporary rank of Air Commodore
Air Commodore
Air commodore is an air-officer rank which originated in and continues to be used by the Royal Air Force...
, and a substantive Group Captain
Group Captain
Group captain is a senior commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many other Commonwealth countries. It ranks above wing commander and immediately below air commodore...
.
Post-war career
Air Marshal
Air marshal is a three-star air-officer rank which originated in and continues to be used by the Royal Air Force...
in October 1951.
In January 1952, Hardman was appointed Chief of the Air Staff (CAS) of the Royal Australian Air Force
Royal Australian Air Force
The Royal Australian Air Force is the air force branch of the Australian Defence Force. The RAAF was formed in March 1921. It continues the traditions of the Australian Flying Corps , which was formed on 22 October 1912. The RAAF has taken part in many of the 20th century's major conflicts...
, succeeding Air Marshal George Jones
George Jones (RAAF officer)
Air Marshal Sir George Jones KBE, CB, DFC was a senior commander in the Royal Australian Air Force . He rose from private soldier in World War I to Air Marshal in 1948, and served as Chief of the Air Staff from 1942 to 1952, the longest continuous tenure of any RAAF chief...
, whose ten years in the position was the longest continuous term of any RAAF chief. The decision by Australian Prime Minister
Prime Minister of Australia
The Prime Minister of the Commonwealth of Australia is the highest minister of the Crown, leader of the Cabinet and Head of Her Majesty's Australian Government, holding office on commission from the Governor-General of Australia. The office of Prime Minister is, in practice, the most powerful...
Robert Menzies
Robert Menzies
Sir Robert Gordon Menzies, , Australian politician, was the 12th and longest-serving Prime Minister of Australia....
to appoint an RAF officer caused resentment in the Air Force, compounded when he stated his reason as being that there was "no RAAF officer of sufficient age, or operation experience, to take the post of Chief of the Air Staff", ignoring the wartime records of such figures as John McCauley
John McCauley (RAAF officer)
Air Marshal Sir John Patrick Joseph McCauley, KBE, CB was a senior commander in the Royal Australian Air Force . He served as Chief of the Air Staff from 1954 to 1957. A Duntroon graduate, McCauley spent four years in the Australian Military Forces before transferring to the RAAF in 1924...
and Frederick Scherger
Frederick Scherger
Air Chief Marshal Sir Frederick Rudolph William Scherger KBE, CB, DSO, AFC was a senior commander in the Royal Australian Air Force...
. The Daily Mirror
The Daily Mirror (Australia)
The Daily Mirror was an afternoon paper established by Ezra Norton in Sydney, Australia in 1941, gaining a licence from the Minister for Trade and Customs, Eric Harrison, despite wartime paper rationing. In October 1958, Norton and his partners sold his newspapers to the Fairfax group, which...
in Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
was one of a number of media outlets to voice a "stern protest" over the matter. RAF CAS Sir John Slessor
John Slessor
Marshal of the Royal Air Force Sir John Cotesworth Slessor GCB, DSO, MC was a senior commander in the Royal Air Force . A pilot in the Royal Flying Corps during World War I, he held operational commands in World War II and served in the RAF's most senior post, Chief of the Air Staff, from 1950 to...
, responsible for fulfilling the Australian Government's request for a suitable officer, considered Hardman the "outstanding candidate" for the Australian post, trying to avoid what he called "the follies of some years ago", referring to Air Chief Marshal
Air Chief Marshal
Air chief marshal is a senior 4-star air-officer rank which originated in and continues to be used by the Royal Air Force...
Sir Charles Burnett
Charles Burnett (RAF officer)
Air Chief Marshal Sir Charles Stuart Burnett KCB, CBE, DSO was a senior commander in the Royal Air Force during the first half of the 20th century. During the Second World War, he served as Chief of the Air Staff of the Royal Australian Air Force.-Early life:Charles Burnett was born in Browns...
's controversial tenure as CAS on secondment from Britain in the early years of World War II.
Royal Australian Navy
The Royal Australian Navy is the naval branch of the Australian Defence Force. Following the Federation of Australia in 1901, the ships and resources of the separate colonial navies were integrated into a national force: the Commonwealth Naval Forces...
Chief of Staff
Chief of Navy (Australia)
The Chief of Navy is the most senior appointment in the Royal Australian Navy, responsible to the Chief of the Defence Force and the Secretary of Defence...
Vice Admiral
Vice Admiral
Vice admiral is a senior naval rank of a three-star flag officer, which is equivalent to lieutenant general in the other uniformed services. A vice admiral is typically senior to a rear admiral and junior to an admiral...
Sir John Collins, covering joint responsibility and cooperation for maritime warfare. Under Hardman's tenure, No. 78 Fighter Wing
No. 78 Wing RAAF
No. 78 Wing is the Royal Australian Air Force's operational training wing. It is headquartered at RAAF Base Williamtown, New South Wales, and operates the BAE Hawk 127 lead-in fighter. The wing was formed in 1943 and operated P-40 Kittyhawk fighters in the South West Pacific theatre of World War II...
was reformed and deployed to Malta
Malta
Malta , officially known as the Republic of Malta , is a Southern European country consisting of an archipelago situated in the centre of the Mediterranean, south of Sicily, east of Tunisia and north of Libya, with Gibraltar to the west and Alexandria to the east.Malta covers just over in...
on garrison duty. He was appointed a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath
Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
in the Queen's Birthday Honours
Queen's Birthday Honours
The Queen's Birthday Honours is a part of the British honours system, being a civic occasion on the celebration of the Queen's Official Birthday in which new members of most Commonwealth Realms honours are named. The awards are presented by the reigning monarch or head of state, currently Queen...
of June 1952, and raised to substantive Air Marshal the following month. Towards the end of his term, he gave an interview in which he criticised Army
Australian Army
The Australian Army is Australia's military land force. It is part of the Australian Defence Force along with the Royal Australian Navy and the Royal Australian Air Force. While the Chief of Defence commands the Australian Defence Force , the Army is commanded by the Chief of Army...
and Navy operations against a background of continuing interservice rivalry for the defence budget. In contrast to the initial disquiet at his appointment, however, upon his departure from Australia Hardman was described by The Age
The Age
The Age is a daily broadsheet newspaper, which has been published in Melbourne, Australia since 1854. Owned and published by Fairfax Media, The Age primarily serves Victoria, but is also available for purchase in Tasmania, the Australian Capital Territory and border regions of South Australia and...
as "the outstanding CAS in the RAAF's history" and a "brilliant organiser".
Hardman served on the British Air Council as Air Member for Supply and Organisation
Air Member for Supply and Organisation
The Air Member for Supply and Organisation was the senior Royal Air Force officer responsible for procurement matters: he was a member of the Air Force Board...
from 1954 to 1958, gaining promotion to Air Chief Marshal on 1 April 1955. On 11 July 1956, he presented a Squadron Standard to his old unit, No. 19 Squadron. That October, he presided over the inquiry into the fatal crash of Avro Vulcan
Avro Vulcan
The Avro Vulcan, sometimes referred to as the Hawker Siddeley Vulcan, was a jet-powered delta wing strategic bomber, operated by the Royal Air Force from 1956 until 1984. Aircraft manufacturer A V Roe & Co designed the Vulcan in response to Specification B.35/46. Of the three V bombers produced,...
XA897 at Heathrow Airport after its maiden round-the-world flight, the only survivors being the pilot and Air Marshal Sir Harry Broadhurst
Harry Broadhurst
Air Chief Marshal Sir Harry Broadhurst GCB, KBE, DSO & Bar, DFC & Bar, AFC, RAF , commonly known as Broady, was a senior Royal Air Force commander.-Early life:...
. Hardman was made a Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the British Empire
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
on 1 January 1958, and retired from the RAF later that month. He died in 1982 while taking an overseas holiday.
Honours and awards
- Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the British EmpireOrder of the British EmpireThe Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
- 1 Jan 1958 (OBE - 11 Jul 1940) - Knight Commander of the Order of the BathOrder of the BathThe Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
- 5 Jun 1952 (CB - 5 Jul 1945) - Distinguished Flying CrossDistinguished Flying Cross (United Kingdom)The Distinguished Flying Cross is a military decoration awarded to personnel of the United Kingdom's Royal Air Force and other services, and formerly to officers of other Commonwealth countries, for "an act or acts of valour, courage or devotion to duty whilst flying in active operations against...
- 8 Feb 1919 - Mentioned in Despatches - 1 Jan 1941
- Distinguished Service Medal (United States)Distinguished Service Medal (United States)The Distinguished Service Medal is the highest non-valorous military and civilian decoration of the United States military which is issued for exceptionally meritorious service to the government of the United States in either a senior government service position or as a senior officer of the United...
- 15 Mar 1946