Full medal write up
DISTINGUISHED FLYING MEDAL, GVI,’746716 F/SGT. E. L. HOOKER. R.A.F.’
D.F.M. London Gazette of 29 December 1942. His original recommendation, dated 28/9/42, reads:
“This N.C.O. has had a long and outstanding career as a Wireless Operator Air Gunner and has at all times displayed great keenness and determination in carrying out his duties. In all his sorties he has never had a W/T failure. He has participated in attacks on some of the most heavily defended targets, including Wilhelmshaven, Essen, Dortmund, Stuttgart, Cologne and Berlin. He has also taken part in many mining operations. He is a member of one of the outstanding crews of the squadron and it is owing to his skill and cheerfulness that the efficiency of this crew has reached such a high standard. He fully merits the award of D.F.M.
Remarks by Station Commander:
Flight Sergeant Hooker has shown gallantry, determination and an endurance of a very high standard. By his skill and devotion to duty he has set the highest possible example to the other members of his squadron. I cannot speak to highly of this N.C.O’s fortitude and courage and I most strongly recommend him for the immediate award of the D.F.M.”
Ernest Leslie Hooker was born the 14 September 1919 at Cuckfield, Sussex and enlisted into the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve on 17 March 1939. Recalled from the reserve on 2 September 1939, he completed training as a Wireless Operator/Air Gunner with the rank of LAC. After various non-operational postings, he was promoted to the rank of Sergeant on 27 May 1940 and was posted to 44 Squadron on 13 June.
44 Squadron was medium bomber unit, equipped with the Handley Page Hampden 1’s, a fast sleek looking aircraft which was known for its long range and ability to carry a substantial bomb load. However, it was extremely cramped for the crew, gaining the name ‘the flying suitcase’ and was extremely lightly armoured which led the type to have an extremely high loss rate. Nonetheless, it would bear the brunt of the early bombing war over Europe, and it would be the type of aircraft Hooker flew in for all but his last sortie.
Sergeant Hooker’s first operational sortie was a gardening mission off Langeland Island on 20 June 1940, piloted by F/L Siebert. Over the following 4 months, he would take part in a further 33 sorties, most notably taking part in the first RAF raid on Berlin and the first attack on the German battleship Tirpitz…….
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1) Named card box of issue for DFM, along with medal envelope
2) Observers and Air Gunner’s Flying Log Book detailing his entire service bar his last sortie
3) An original copy of The Times, 4 September 1939; the day Britain formally declared war with Germany
4) A small passport size portrait of Hooker in uniform
5) One of Hooker’s dog tags, presumably taken from his body
6) An original newspaper cutting regarding the award of Hooker’s DFM
7) Royal Air Force Identity card
8) Two postcard sized photographs of Hooker and crew in flying kit and another in from of their Hampden; this believed to be 420 Squadron
9) Photograph album containing approximately 74 photos, mainly circa 1942-3. Mainly shots of Hooker with other officers and WRAF’s, wives/girlfriends. Most photographs labelled. A number of shots of what is presumably Hooker’s wedding (in uniform). Two very good group shots of Hooker and his crew, one the Hyman crew of 420 Squadron
Digital copies of the original DFM recommendation, RAF service papers and operational logs for each squadron during Hooker’s service.
Condition EF. A quite superb group to a Hampden crewman who took part in a large number of sorties, including a number of historical note but was tragically killed on a one of sortie.