N.Z. AIRMAN PROMOTED

Press, Volume C, Issue 29681, 27 November 1961, Page 19

N.Z. AIRMAN PROMOTED

High Position In R.A.F. A New Zealander, Air Commodore S. W. R. Hughes, has been appointed air officer commanding No. 19 Group of the Royal Air Force Coastal Command. His appointment, with the acting rank of air vice-mar-shal, becomes effective on February 9, according to an Air Ministry announcement. Aged 47, Air Commodore Hughes was born in Auckland. He was educated at Waitaki Boys’ High Schoo! and was formerly a member of the reporting staff of the "New Zealand Herald.” He transferred from the Royal New Zealand Air Force to the R.A.F. in 1938. After piloting a Sunderland flying-boat of No. 230 Squadron in Singapore at the outbreak of war, he served in the Middle East until late 1945, when he returned to Britain to command No. 511 Squadron of York transports flying between England and Singapore, “Sailed- Sunderland . In 1941 a Sunderland he commanded “ditched” in the Mediterranean after an engagement with two Garman fighters, one at which was shot down and the other put to rout trailing smoke. Aided by a strong wind, Ate Commodore Hughes and his crew ot 19 managed to “sail” the aircraft 20 miles to the North African coast They were captured by retreating Italian troops, who let them escape after obtaining a document from them testifying they had bean well treated. They later ran into another party of Italians, who were friendly and gave them arms. By the time the airmen reached British lines they had taken 150 Italian prisoners.