Dudley Ormston Hobbis

Dudley Ormston Hobbis was born at Tynemouth on 25 April 1910 and was educated at Durham School and Rutherford Technical College. The Battle of Britain London Monument biography says he was an engineer and garage proprietor before joining the RAF on a short service commission in July 1939. Posted to No. 219 Squadron in July 1940, he served through the Battle of Britain and later night-fighter operations, claiming enemy aircraft in 1941. Gazette and RAFCommands records show his DFC was announced in July 1941. The same biography records later command of No. 530 Squadron and service with No. 488 Squadron. On 25 November 1943 he was flying Mosquito NF XIII HK423 from Bradwell Bay when he reported a port-engine fire and ordered his navigator to bale out; Hobbis’s body was not recovered. CWGC records him as Squadron Leader 42709, aged 33, commemorated on Runnymede Memorial Panel 118. These records tie the same name to the same service number, award trail and casualty date, reducing the risk of confusing him with another airman of similar name.