AIR AWARD

Evening Star, Issue 23717, 26 October 1940, Page 8

AIR AWARD

DUNEDIN MAN HONOURED RECIPIENT OF FLYING GROSS Another Dunedin recipient of the D.F.C. award is Pilot-officer William Hodgson, of Macandrew road, South Dunedin, advice to this effect having been received from England. Previously a technician at 4YA, Pilotofficer Hodgson Ims had an adventurous career since joining the Royal Air Force. He arrived in England in time to bo launched into the thick of tho fighting in Belgium and France, and

was forced down in Belgium behind the German lines, ultimately escaping dressed m peasant’s clothes and joining a refugee column, which was bombed and machine-gunned. After 12 day’s of adventure he managed to rejoin his unit just before its station was occupied by Germans. On his return to England ho was constantly on patrol. A minor crash sent him to hospital for a week, but ho was soon on duty again, lighting German raiders. Pilot-officer Hodgson has adopted as his “ mascot ” a coat-of-arms which is painted on his plane. It incorporates several supposedly unlucky signs, including a man walking under a ladder, a broken mirror, three cigarettes being lighted from one match, and tho number 13.

Pilot-officer 1 Hodgson, who was educated at the Macaudrcw Road School and the King Edward Technical College, was, before leaving Dunedin, a member of tho Band of the Otago Regiment, and was captain of the Bth (St. Peter’s) Company of the Boys’ Brigade. He was keenly interested in the general activities of St. Peter’s Church, acting as a server of tho sanctuary and as a teacher in the Sunday school.