Reginald Hoidge
Encyclopedia
Reginald Theodore Carlos Hoidge MC
& Bar
(28 July 1894 – 1 March 1963) was a Canadian
First World War flying ace
, officially credited with 28 victories. He served initially in the Canadian Royal Garrison Artillery
before transferring to the British Army
to be attached to the Royal Flying Corps
, and then the new Royal Air Force
on its creation in 1918.
(Special Reserve), and was attached to the Royal Flying Corps, as a second lieutenant
on 15 November 1916. He was posted to No. 56 Squadron
to fly a Royal Aircraft Factory SE 5 fighter in 1917. He flew this aircraft for all his victories.
His first victory was over an Albatros D.III
on 5 May 1917. He sent it down out of control over Montigny, France. The first of three victories on 24 May made him an ace. In an evening hour's roving battle, he sent this Albatross D.II down out of control for score number five, set another German plane on fire for number six, and finished up the day by driving down another D.III as victim seven.
He was promoted to temporary lieutenant
on 1 June 1917, and later confirmed in that rank from 11 July 1917. He was awarded the Military Cross
on 18 July, the citation read:
On 22 August, he was appointed Flight Commander, with the rank of temporary captain
.
Hoidge continued downing enemy aircraft until 31 October 1917, when his total stood at 27. During this stretch of success, his most memorable battle was one in which he did not score. He was one of the seven aces involved in Werner Voss
's last stand on 23 September, when Voss in his Fokker F.I fought all the British fliers to a standstill, damaging all the attacking SE 5s. Hoidge's final total included 23 successes over enemy fighters and only five over opposing two-seater reconnaissance planes.
His 28-claim tally comprised 7 and 1 shared destroyed, and 18 and 2 shared 'out of control'
to his MC on 18 March 1918, the citation read:
He returned to the front as a flight commander in his old unit and scored a final victory on 29 October 1918. He relinquished his commission on 1 April 1920, and was permitted to retain the rank of lieutenant. He died in New York City on 1 March 1963.
Military Cross
The Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
& Bar
Medal bar
A medal bar or medal clasp is a thin metal bar attached to the ribbon of a military decoration, civil decoration, or other medal. It is most commonly used to indicate the campaign or operation the recipient received the award for, and multiple bars on the same medal are used to indicate that the...
(28 July 1894 – 1 March 1963) was a Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
First World War flying 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...
, officially credited with 28 victories. He served initially in the Canadian Royal Garrison Artillery
Royal Regiment of Canadian Artillery
The Royal Regiment of Canadian Artillery is the artillery personnel branch of the Canadian Forces .-History:...
before transferring to the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
to be attached to 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...
, and then the new 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...
on its creation in 1918.
Early life
Hoidge was born in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. He was the son of John R. and Lovida Hoidge. He originally served with the Canadian Royal Garrison Artillery.Aerial service in combat
Hoidge transferred to the British Army, taking a commission in the (British) Royal Garrison ArtilleryRoyal Garrison Artillery
The Royal Garrison Artillery was an arm of the Royal Artillery that was originally tasked with manning the guns of the British Empire's forts and fortresses, including coastal artillery batteries, the heavy gun batteries attached to each infantry division, and the guns of the siege...
(Special Reserve), and was attached to the Royal Flying Corps, as a second lieutenant
Second Lieutenant
Second lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces.- United Kingdom and Commonwealth :The rank second lieutenant was introduced throughout the British Army in 1871 to replace the rank of ensign , although it had long been used in the Royal Artillery, Royal...
on 15 November 1916. He was posted to No. 56 Squadron
No. 56 Squadron RAF
Number 56 Squadron is one of the oldest and most successful squadrons of the Royal Air Force, with battle honours from many of the significant air campaigns of both World War I and World War II...
to fly a Royal Aircraft Factory SE 5 fighter in 1917. He flew this aircraft for all his victories.
His first victory was over an Albatros D.III
Albatros D.III
The Albatros D.III was a biplane fighter aircraft used by the Imperial German Army Air Service and the Austro-Hungarian Air Service during World War I. The D.III was flown by many top German aces, including Manfred von Richthofen, Ernst Udet, Erich Löwenhardt, Kurt Wolff, and Karl Emil Schäfer...
on 5 May 1917. He sent it down out of control over Montigny, France. The first of three victories on 24 May made him an ace. In an evening hour's roving battle, he sent this Albatross D.II down out of control for score number five, set another German plane on fire for number six, and finished up the day by driving down another D.III as victim seven.
He was promoted to temporary lieutenant
First Lieutenant
First lieutenant is a military rank and, in some forces, an appointment.The rank of lieutenant has different meanings in different military formations , but the majority of cases it is common for it to be sub-divided into a senior and junior rank...
on 1 June 1917, and later confirmed in that rank from 11 July 1917. He was awarded the Military Cross
Military Cross
The Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
on 18 July, the citation read:
On 22 August, he was appointed Flight Commander, with the rank of temporary captain
Captain (British Army and Royal Marines)
Captain is a junior officer rank of the British Army and Royal Marines. It ranks above Lieutenant and below Major and has a NATO ranking code of OF-2. The rank is equivalent to a Lieutenant in the Royal Navy and to a Flight Lieutenant in the Royal Air Force...
.
Hoidge continued downing enemy aircraft until 31 October 1917, when his total stood at 27. During this stretch of success, his most memorable battle was one in which he did not score. He was one of the seven aces involved in Werner Voss
Werner Voss
Werner Voss was a World War I German flying ace, a friend and rival of the famous Red Baron, Manfred von Richthofen....
's last stand on 23 September, when Voss in his Fokker F.I fought all the British fliers to a standstill, damaging all the attacking SE 5s. Hoidge's final total included 23 successes over enemy fighters and only five over opposing two-seater reconnaissance planes.
His 28-claim tally comprised 7 and 1 shared destroyed, and 18 and 2 shared 'out of control'
Later life
Hoidge was returned to England for a year's duty as an instructor. He was awarded a BarMedal bar
A medal bar or medal clasp is a thin metal bar attached to the ribbon of a military decoration, civil decoration, or other medal. It is most commonly used to indicate the campaign or operation the recipient received the award for, and multiple bars on the same medal are used to indicate that the...
to his MC on 18 March 1918, the citation read:
He returned to the front as a flight commander in his old unit and scored a final victory on 29 October 1918. He relinquished his commission on 1 April 1920, and was permitted to retain the rank of lieutenant. He died in New York City on 1 March 1963.
Citations
- British and Empire aces of World War I.Christopher Shores, Mark Rolfe. Osprey Publishing, 2001. ISBN 1-84176-377-2, 9781841763774.