Hugh Champion de Crespigny

Air Vice Marshal Hugh Vivian Champion de Crespigny, CB, MC, DFC (8 April 1897[1] – 20 June 1969), often referred to as Vivian Champion de Crespigny,[2] was a Royal Flying Corps pilot who fought in France during the First World War, and senior Royal Air Force officer who commanded British Air Forces in Persia and Iraq during the Second World War.

Hugh Champion de Crespigny
Air Vice Marshal Hugh Champion de Crespigny c.1943
Born	8 April 1897 Elsternwick, Australia
Died	20 June 1969 (aged 72)
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Service/branch	British Army (1914–18) Royal Air Force (1918–45)
Years of service	1915–45
Rank	Air Vice Marshal
Commands held	No. 21 (Training) Group (1943–46) AHQ Iraq (1942–43) No. 25 (Armament) Group (1939–42) No. 8 Flying Training School (1936–39) No. 2 (Indian) Wing (1930–34) No. 39 Squadron (1925–30) No. 60 Squadron (1922–24) No. 65 Squadron (1918) No. 29 Squadron (1917)
Battles/wars	First World War Second World War
Awards	Companion of the Order of the Bath Military Cross Distinguished Flying Cross Mentioned in Despatches Croix de guerre (France)

Early years

De Crespigny was born in Brighton, Victoria, the fourth son of Philip Champion de Crespigny (4 January 1850 – 11 March 1927), general manager of the State Bank of Victoria in Melbourne, and Philip's second wife Sophia Montgomery Grattan née Beggs (1870 – 1936). He was educated at Brighton Grammar School. In August 1914, following the outbreak of the First World War, he enlisted with the 7th Battalion of the Australian Army as a private.[3][4] In 1915 he was recommended for a commission in the Suffolk Regiment, and from there graduated to the Royal Flying Corps' special reserve.[5]

RAF career

De Crespigny joined the Special Reserve of the Royal Flying Corps in 1915.[6] He went on to be Officer Commanding No. 29 Squadron on the Western Front and then Officer Commanding No. 65 Squadron also on the Western Front.[6] Apart from three months' sick leave, he was at the front in France continuously from June 1915, and was promoted Major in April 1917.[7] After the war he went to India where he commanded No. 60 Squadron and then No. 39 Squadron and finally No. 2 (Indian) Wing.[6]

He served in the Second World War as Air Officer Commanding No. 25 (Armament) Group, as Air Officer Commanding Air Headquarters Iraq and then as Air Officer Commanding No. 21 (Training) Group.[6]

In 1945 De Crespigny joined the (British) Labour Party,[8] and stood as their candidate for the British Parliament in Newark,[9] but was narrowly beaten by the sitting Conservative member, Lt-Col. Sidney Shephard. He was a leader in the campaign to fly great numbers of children from the devastated regions of Germany to England before the winter of 1945, when it was predicted millions of homeless would die from the cold.[10]

De Crespigny retired from the RAF in 1945.[6] and was appointed Regional Commissioner for Schleswig-Holstein for the Control Commission for Germany[6] one of four civilians appointed to oversee the de-Nazification of Germany and Austria.[11] He oversaw relief efforts for the area, much of the population being in a pitiable condition, exacerbated by mass migration from East Germany,[12] and with rising incidence of tuberculosis.[13]

In 1948 De Crespigny was succeeded as commissioner by William Asbury and stayed in Kiel as British consul until 1956. He later lived at Vierville in Natal, South Africa.[14][lower-alpha 1] He died at Pietermaritzburg, Natal, South Africa.[15]

Recognition

• De Crespigny was awarded the Military Cross in May 1916.[16]

2nd Lt. (temp. Capt.) Hugh Vivian Champion de Crespigny, Suff. R. and R.F.C. For conspicuous gallantry and skill, notably when he attacked five enemy machines over the enemy's lines. He drove away one, and brought another to the ground badly hit. His own machine was then crippled by the fire of the remaining three, but, after emptying one more drum at them, he brought his machine down safely in our lines.[17]

• He was invested as a Companion of the Order of the Bath (CB) in the 1943 New Year Honours for his service with the RAF during the Second World War.[18]

Maj. Hugh Vivian Champion de Crespigny, M.C. (Suff. R.). (FRANCE). A brilliant and gallant officer who displays high initiative in night flying, in which service his example has been invaluable to those under his command. On the night of 23rd-24th. September Major Champion de Crespigny carried out a long distance bombing raid. Flying a machine unsuitable for night duty, and in face of adverse weather conditions, he reached, and successfully bombed, his objective. A fine performance, calling for cool courage and determination.[19]

Family

De Crespigny married Sylvia Ethel Usher in Fovant, Wiltshire, on 7 October 1926.[20] They had three sons and one daughter:

• Hugh Philip Champion de Crespigny (1928 – 24 April 2004)
• Anthony Richard Champion de Crespigny (26 September 1930 – 15 November 2008)
• Julian Augustus Claude Champion de Crespigny (1934–1974)[21]

Notes

1. From July 1947, without explanation, the former airman was totally ignored by the Australian newspapers.

References

1. "Family Notices". The Argus (Melbourne) (15, 844). Victoria, Australia. 12 April 1897. p. 1. Retrieved 11 September 2020 – via National Library of Australia.
2. "S.A.'s Two New Knights Have Sons on Service Abroad". The News (Adelaide). XXXVI (5, 440). South Australia. 1 January 1941. p. 7. Retrieved 27 September 2019 – via National Library of Australia.
3. "NAA: B2455, DE CRESPIGNY H V C". Record Search National Archives of Australia. National Archives of Australia.
4. "Australian Joins British Labor". The Advertiser (Adelaide). LXXXVII (26964). South Australia. 6 March 1945. p. 6. Retrieved 28 September 2019 – via National Library of Australia.
5. "Air Appointment For Australian". The Advertiser (Adelaide). LXXXVI (26531). South Australia. 16 October 1943. p. 4. Retrieved 28 September 2019 – via National Library of Australia.
6. Air of Authority – A History of RAF Organisation – Air Vice-Marshal H V Champion de Crespigny
7. "About People". The Age (19, 369). Victoria, Australia. 21 April 1917. p. 12. Retrieved 26 September 2019 – via National Library of Australia.
8. "Australian Joins British Labour". Army News. 4 (1139). Northern Territory, Australia. 9 March 1945. p. 3. Retrieved 28 September 2019 – via National Library of Australia.
9. News for German Socialists in England March / April 1948
10. "Europe's Roads "A Creeping Belsen"". The Southern Cross (South Australia). VLIII (2893). South Australia. 11 January 1946. p. 1. Retrieved 28 September 2019 – via National Library of Australia.
11. "Civilian Control in Germany". The Argus (Melbourne) (31, 105). Victoria, Australia. 11 May 1946. p. 1. Retrieved 28 September 2019 – via National Library of Australia.
12. "Conditions in Germany". The Advertiser (Adelaide). South Australia. 26 July 1947. p. 3. Retrieved 28 September 2019 – via National Library of Australia.
13. "Schleswig-Holstein is slowly starving". The Argus (Melbourne) (31, 453). Victoria, Australia. 23 June 1947. p. 5. Retrieved 28 September 2019 – via National Library of Australia.
14. The Peerage.com
15. "Deaths". The Times. 23 June 1969. p. 12.
16. "Personal". The Argus (Melbourne) (21, 786). Victoria, Australia. 25 May 1916. p. 6. Retrieved 26 September 2019 – via National Library of Australia.
17. "title not given". The London Gazette. Grace's Guide. 16 May 1916. Retrieved 11 October 2019.
18. "title not given". The London Gazette. No. 35841. 29 December 1942. p. 4.
19. "title not given". The London Gazette. Grace's Guide. 3 December 1918. Retrieved 11 October 2019.
20. "Family Notices". The Argus (Melbourne) (25, 037). Victoria, Australia. 6 November 1926. p. 13. Retrieved 11 September 2020 – via National Library of Australia.
21. Anne Young. "Hugh Vivian Champion de Crespigny (1897–1969)". Retrieved 11 September 2020.