Born in Maseru, Basutoland, South Africa in 1915 Hubert Reginald Goodman. He attended Hilton College, Natal and was a keen student and likeable personality excelling in all sports, particularily gymastics. He left school in 1933 and went to England to join the Royal Air Force in 1934. Hubert entered the RAF College at Cranwell as a cadet where he represented the college at both Cricket and Rugby Union and in 1936 successfully completed his course and was commissioned in the RAF as a Pilot Officer.

Volunteering for foreign service he went to India in 1937 and he served in the North West Provinces for 2 years gaining much valuable flying experience over the wild and mountainous terrain. He was one of the pilots from his Squadron who flew to Singapore to take part in the opening ceremony when Singapore was established as the British naval fortress in the Far East. Subsequently he served in Iraq and Egypt where he was stationed at the outbreak of the war.

Several months later Hubert returned to England but, early in 1940, was posted back to Egypt where he was actively engaged in air operations during the North African campaign until 1942. At this time the RAF were facing almost impossible odds flying obsolescent aircraft in the skies over the Western Desert. He was mentioned in despatches and was promoted to Wing Commander in 1942. He later commanded the RAF station at Gaza in Palestine and was awarded the Royal Hellenic Air Force Cross by the King of Greece. This was a particularly deserved award and a very rare decoration for a member of the RAF.

He returned home to South Africa with his wife in late 1942 for a short leave and, early in 1943, flew back to England where he served in various senior appointments. After undertaking an official trip to Canada he was chosen to command 103 Squadron at Elsham Wolds in place of Wing Commander Nelson who had been promoted to a staff appointment.

Hubert took command of the Squadron on the 6th May 1944 and immediately impressed all with his enthusiasm.

Unfortunately his period in charge of 103 was to be shortlived. On the night of the 11/12th May 1944 he captained Lancaster ND700 flying with the experienced crew of Squadron Leader Van Rolleghem who was in hospital with an ulcer at the time.

The crew consisted of: -

Wing Commander H R Goodman Royal Hellenic AFC RAF

Pilot Officer P D Vickers RAFVR

Flight Sergeant G H Agar DFM RAFVR

Flight Sergeant R White RAFVR

Pilot Officer W L Vander-Dasson DFM RCAF

Sergeant C L Finighan RAFVR

F/O R McLeod RCAF

The raid in which they took part was on the railway yards at Hassalt in Belgium and during this raid they were hit by cannon fire from a German night fighter and which caused the Lancaster to explode. The wreckage fell over a wide area at Oostmalle in Belgium. Wing Commander Goodman and his crew now rest in the Schoonselhof War Cemetery.

It was the sad loss of a most experienced officer and pilot who had served with great distinction in many parts of the world.

Acknowledgements
Many thanks to the Goodman family for providing much of the information and photograph and also Wim Govaert and Luc Cox in Belgium for additional background information.

Wing Commander H R Goodman and his wife in Cairo.

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