James Hardman
| James Donald Innes Hardman | |
|---|---|
Air Marshal Donald Hardman as RAAF Chief of the Air Staff
|
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| Born | 21 December 1899 Oldham, Lancashire, England |
| Died | 2 March 1982 (aged 82) Estoril, Portugal |
| Allegiance | United Kingdom |
| Service/branch | Royal Air Force |
| Years of service | 1916–58 |
| Rank | Air Chief Marshal |
| Unit |
No. 19 Squadron (1918) No. 31 Squadron (1922–26) No. 16 Squadron (1926–28) No. 22 Group (1928–31, 1940) No. 216 Squadron (1931–34) No. 23 Group (1936–37) |
| Commands held | No. 232 Group (1945–46) RAF Staff College, Bracknell (1949–51) RAF Home Command (1951–52) Royal Australian Air Force (1952–54) |
| Battles/wars |
World War I World War II |
| Awards |
Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the British Empire Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath Distinguished Flying Cross Mentioned in Despatches Bronze Star (US) |
World War I
World War II
Air Chief Marshal Sir James Donald Innes Hardman, GBE, KCB, DFC (21 December 1899 – 2 March 1982), known as Donald Hardman, 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 senior staff and operational posts. He was Chief of the Air Staff (CAS) of the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) from 1952 to 1954, after which he served as a member of the British Air Council until retiring in 1958.
Born in Lancashire, Hardman joined the Royal Flying Corps in 1917 and was posted to France the following year. He flew Sopwith Dolphins with No. 19 Squadron, earning the Distinguished Flying Cross for his fighting skills. Between the wars he served with No. 31 Squadron in India and No. 216 Squadron in Egypt. A wing commander at the outbreak of World War II, Hardman was attached to the Air Ministry for several years before being posted in 1944 to South East Asia, where he commanded No. 232 (Transport) Group during the Burma campaign. He was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire in 1940 and a Companion of the Order of the Bath in 1945, and was also mentioned in despatches.
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