Roderic Hill
Sir Roderic Maxwell Hill | |
---|---|
Rector of Imperial College London (1948–53) |
Early life
Roderic Maxwell Hill was born in
RAF career
Hill was commissioned as a 2nd lieutenant in the 12th Northumberland Fusiliers in December 1914,
While recovering from his wounds, Hill successfully applied to join the Royal Flying Corps and by July 1916 he had transferred and qualified as a pilot. Demonstrating above average flying ability he was posted to No. 60 Squadron, then flying the tricky Morane-Saulnier N.[1][4] He quickly proved himself a skilled pilot, making repeated patrols and engagements over the German lines and fighting in the air battles during the Somme offensive in November 1916. Shortly after this he was again mentioned in despatches and awarded the Military Cross,[1] for "conspicuous skill and gallantry. Under very heavy fire he dived at an enemy balloon, and brought it down in flames."[5] In December 1916 Hill became flight commander of No. 60 Squadron and was promoted captain.[1]
In February 1917, Hill's reputation as an intelligent pilot with aerobatic skills led to his posting as the leader of the experimental flying department at
Hill remained at Farnborough until 1923, when he attended the RAF Staff College in Andover. After graduating in 1924, he was briefly employed on Air Staff duties at Inland and Area H.Q. then in September was posted as the commanding officer of No. 45 Squadron at Hinaidi.[7][1] There he was instrumental in running the Cairo–Baghdad air route, flying Vickers Vernon transport aircraft, and in maintaining the security of Iraq.[1] He wrote and illustrated a memoir of his time in Iraq and the Middle East: it gives a lively account of flying the large biplanes of the period over difficult desert terrain, and also provides a sharply focussed, and sometimes lyrical description of the landscape and people of the region.[10]
Hill joined the Directing Staff at the RAF Staff College in 1927 and then went on to be the Officer Commanding the Oxford University Air Squadron in 1930, Deputy Director of Repair and Maintenance at the Air Ministry in 1932 and Air Officer Commanding Palestine & Transjordan Command in 1936.[4]
During the
After the war Hill was Air Member for Training and then Air Member for Technical Services before retiring in 1948.
Personal life
Befitting of his original ambition to be an architect, Hill was a talented illustrator. During the First World War, and for a time afterwards, he was a frequent contributor of drawings to Flight.[7]
Hill married Mabel Helen Catherine Morton in 1917. They had two daughters and an only son who was killed in action in 1944. He died from a coronary thrombosis near St Bartholomew's Hospital.[1]
See also
- List of Vice-Chancellors of the University of London
Notes
- ^ The R. M. Groves aeronautical research prize was awarded annually to the officer, non-commissioned officer or airman who, in the opinion of the Air Council, had done most during the preceding year to advance aeronautical science.
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p Denis Richards: Hill, Sir Roderic Maxwell (1894–1954), rev. Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004; online edn, Jan 2011, Retrieved 28 Dec 2012
- ^ Hammerton, Sir John ABC of the RAF London 1941 p.52
- ^ "No. 29011". The London Gazette. 18 December 1914. p. 10822.
- ^ a b c d e f g Air of Authority – A History of RAF Organisation – Air Chief Marshal Sir Roderic Hill
- ^ "No. 29824". The London Gazette (Supplement). 14 November 1916. p. 11055.
- ^ "No. 30827". The London Gazette (Supplement). 2 August 1918. p. 9205.
- ^ S2CID 38011101.
- ^ "No. 32563". The London Gazette (Supplement). 30 December 1921. p. 10719.
- ^ "THE R.A.F. AERIAL PAGEANT". Flight: 369. 29 June 1922.
- ^ The Baghdad Air Mail, Edward Arnold and Co, London, 1929.