Robert Clark-Hall
Encyclopedia
Air Marshal
Sir Robert Hamilton Clark-Hall KBE CMG DSO RAF (21 June 1883 – 8 March 1964) was a squadron and wing commander in the Royal Naval Air Service
during World War I
and a senior Royal Air Force
commander in the 1920s and early 1930s. Clark-Hall returned to service during World War II
after volunteering to serve with the Royal New Zealand Air Force
.
(Knight of the Legion of Honor) for his services to the War in February 1919.
, Clark-Hall was in his late-50s, retired and living in New Zealand
. He volunteered to serve with the Royal New Zealand Air Force
who granted him a commission as a wing commander
. In May 1940 Clark-Hall was appointed the Officer Commanding RNZAF Harewood. After receiving a promotion to group captain
, in 1943 Clark-Hall was promoted again to air commodore
and appointed Air Officer Commanding
Southern (Training) Group. In October 1944, he became Air Officer Commanding No. 1 Islands Group in the Pacific Ocean. He retired from the Royal New Zealand Air Force on 12 September 1945.
Air Marshal
Air marshal is a three-star air-officer rank which originated in and continues to be used by the Royal Air Force...
Sir Robert Hamilton Clark-Hall KBE CMG DSO RAF (21 June 1883 – 8 March 1964) was a squadron and wing commander in the Royal Naval Air Service
Royal Naval Air Service
The Royal Naval Air Service or RNAS was the air arm of the Royal Navy until near the end of the First World War, when it merged with the British Army's Royal Flying Corps to form a new service , the Royal Air Force...
during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
and a senior Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
commander in the 1920s and early 1930s. Clark-Hall returned to service during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
after volunteering to serve with the Royal New Zealand Air Force
Royal New Zealand Air Force
The Royal New Zealand Air Force is the air arm of the New Zealand Defence Force...
.
World War I
Commanded the first sea-place carrier HMS Ark Royal at Gallipoli. He then commanded No. 1 Wing Royal Naval Air Service conducting surveillance and attacks on enemy shipping from St Pol-sur-Mer, Dunkirk between September 1916 and November 1918, and was awarded the Chevalier of the Légion d'honneurLégion d'honneur
The Legion of Honour, or in full the National Order of the Legion of Honour is a French order established by Napoleon Bonaparte, First Consul of the Consulat which succeeded to the First Republic, on 19 May 1802...
(Knight of the Legion of Honor) for his services to the War in February 1919.
World War II
At the start of World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Clark-Hall was in his late-50s, retired and living in New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
. He volunteered to serve with the Royal New Zealand Air Force
Royal New Zealand Air Force
The Royal New Zealand Air Force is the air arm of the New Zealand Defence Force...
who granted him a commission as a wing commander
Wing Commander (rank)
Wing commander is a commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many other Commonwealth countries...
. In May 1940 Clark-Hall was appointed the Officer Commanding RNZAF Harewood. After receiving a promotion to group captain
Group Captain
Group captain is a senior commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many other Commonwealth countries. It ranks above wing commander and immediately below air commodore...
, in 1943 Clark-Hall was promoted again to air commodore
Air Commodore
Air commodore is an air-officer rank which originated in and continues to be used by the Royal Air Force...
and appointed Air Officer Commanding
Air Officer Commanding
Air Officer Commanding is a title given in the air forces of Commonwealth nations to an air officer who holds a command appointment. Thus, an air vice marshal might be the AOC 38 Group...
Southern (Training) Group. In October 1944, he became Air Officer Commanding No. 1 Islands Group in the Pacific Ocean. He retired from the Royal New Zealand Air Force on 12 September 1945.