A WW1 PAIR TO A FIGHTER PILOT OF 4 (NAVAL) SQUADRON, ROYAL NAVAL AIR SERVICE, WHO WAS KILLED WHEN HIS SOPWITH CAMEL WAS SHOT DOWN DURING A DOGFIGHT BY FUTURE 31 VICTORY ACE PAUL BILIK OF JASTA 7, 18
AUGUST 1917

BRITISH WAR AND VICTORY MEDALS ‘FLT. S. LT. C. R. W. HODGES. R.N.A.S.’

Charles Raymond Walker Hodges was born on 22 September 1897, and joined the Royal Naval Air Service as a temporary Flight Sub-Lieutenant on 25 June 1916. He obtained his R.A.C. Certificate No. 3439 at Eastbourne on 18 August 1916 and was confirmed to the rank of Flight Sub-Lieutenant on 14 February 1917. Recommended for foreign service the same day, Hodges was posted to No. 4 (Naval) Squadron R.N.A.S., piloting Sopwith Camel’s.

Indecisive combats with enemy aircraft were recorded in combat reports by Hodges on 3 and 4 May 1917 and a further are recorded in Squadron records on 23 June and 3 July. On 18 August 1917, he was piloting Sopwith Camel B3938 in formation with 4 others when attacked by 20 enemy aircraft. He was apparently hit early in the fight for he got into a spin as if out of control, billowing smoke, east of Dixmude. Reported missing presumed killed, his aircraft was claimed by Ltn Paul Billik of Jasta 7, his 5 victory making him an ace. Billik would end the war with 31 aerial victories………

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Condition EF, the Victory Medal officially re-impressed as issued. Sold with record of service and various copied combat reports for the period May to July, 1917. Ex Noonans April 2021.