1943 article highlights Hoey's heroic flights

Mr Hoey was a citizen of Forbes from 1964 until his death in 2007. 

He had served in bomber command throughout WWII. 

This article on his war service was published in Perth’s Sunday Times on Sunday June 20, 1943.

The article was sent to the Advocate by his son Tony Hoey.

Mr Hoey has four grandchildren in Forbes - Jason, Adam, Sara and Lili, as well as four great-grandchilren - Jessica, Charlotte, Bella and Lachlan with another on the way.

(By Peter Batten “Sunday Times” War Correspondent.)

First airman ever to fly a Wellington bomber non-stop from Britain to Malta during the war, over enemy territory for the greater part of the way, is now back in Australia. 

He is Squadron-Leader W. C. Hoey, member of a well-known Fremantle family.

He joined the R.A.F. some two years before the war, and is now on loan to the R.A.A.F. on special duties.

There cannot be many Australians with a more varied record than his. 

He has made more than 47 operational flights, at least 30 over Germany and occupied territory, the remainder during the North African campaign. Crete, Greece and Malta.

His then historic flight to Malta and on to Cairo was made as a volunteer.

A captain and crew were wanted to fly a Wellington bomber there first to reach the spot.

Squadron-Leader Hoey volunteered and asked if he could take with him his crew of five Englishmen with whom he had been working, and whom incidentally, he had originally trained when they came into the RAF.

I think I am right in saying that he was to be sent to Canada to do instructing because of his wide experience of both day and night bombing, but preferred to take the Wellington to Egypt.

When he arrived there, he and his crew were the only airmen trained in handling Wellingtons in those days, and they had to do their own servicing and bombing up too.

“They used to be on the job for 30 hours without a break,” said a friend of his to me. 

“They’d start at 6 a.m., servicing, re-fuel-ling and bombing-up. 

“Then they’d take off for a flight of several hundred miles to an advanced base. 

“There they’d complete the re-fuelling, because it wasn’t possible to take-off with a complete load from the base.

“There’d be a flight of eight hours, targets to be found and bombed, then back to the advanced base, re-fuel and then complete the trip back to their base aerodrome.

“I’ve beard him say that it was a relief to get into the air that they considered their rest. For don’t forget their 250 lb. bombs had all to be man-handled then!”

Squadron to which the ‘ Fremantle pilot was attached had the honor of winning five George Crosses at a time when the total number given for bravery numbered, only 60.

One man who earned that decoration with the squadron was a pilot whose machine crashed as he was taking-off with a complete bomb load. 

He dragged his crew clear of the blazing wreckage then threw himself full-length over them and lay there while the bombs exploded all round him. 

He was badly wounded but his courage saved his crew.

Squadron-Leader Hoey lost an eye in a most unlucky way when assisting in the battle for Benghazi. 

He landed on an Italian aerodrome as the ‘Men were scrambling out at the far end, still firing at him. With his crew he looked round for fuel dumps and other stores, and while they were searching a terrific duststorm arose.

It was impossible to see more than a few yards ahead. 

They started to make for their bomber but in the storm lost direction and by tragic chance, wandered into an enemy mine-field, which exploded, wounding all of them.

Squadron-Leader Hoey was, I believe, passed fit for flying again by the RAF and when ‘ he was loaned to the RAAF, one of his first jobs was to go out in search of the ill-fated HMAS Sydney at a time when Australia was short of aeroplanes. 

He did that search in a land machine under conditions which made the job a very risky one, with little hope of rescue had anything gone wrong with the aircraft.

He was, I understand, recently married to a West Australian girl.