Reginald Hoidge

Infobox Military Person
name= Reginald Theodore Carlos Hoidge


caption=
born=28 July 1894
died=01 March 1963
placeofbirth=Toronto, Ontario
placeofdeath=New York City, New York
nickname=Georgie
allegiance=George V [Canadian airmen were required to complete an Attestation Paper in which they declared an oath of allegiance to King George the Fifth and agreed to serve in any arm of the service for the duration of the war between Great Britain and Germany. [http://www.theaerodrome.com/aces/canada/attestation/index.php aerodrome.com] ]
branch=Royal Flying Corps, Royal Air Force
serviceyears=
rank=Captain
unit=1, 56
commands=
battles=
awards=
relations=
laterwork=

Reginald Theodore Carlos Hoidge MC (28 July 1894 - 01 March 1963) was a Canadian First World War flying ace, officially credited with 28 victories.

Hoidge was born in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. He was the son of John R. and Lovida Hoidge.

He originally served with the Canadian Royal Garrison Artillery.

He transferred to the Royal Flying Corps, and was assigned to No. 56 Squadron to fly a Royal Aircraft Factory SE 5 fighter. He flew this aircraft for all his victories.

His initial victory was over an Albatros D.III on 5 May 1917. He sent it down out of control over Montigny, France. The first of three victories on 24 May made him an ace. In an evening hour's roving battle, he sent this Albatross D.II down out of control for score number five, set another German plane afire for number six, and finished up the day by driving down another D.III as victim seven.

Hoidge continued downing enemy aircraft until 31 October 1917, when his total stood at 27. During this stretch of success, his most memorable battle was one in which he did not score. He was one of the seven aces involved in Werner Voss's last stand on 23 September, when Voss in his Fokker Dr.I fought all the British fliers to a standstill, damaging all the attacking SE 5s.

Hoidge was returned to England for a year's duty as an instructor. He returned to the front as a flight commander in his old unit and scored a final victory on 29 October 1918.

He died in New York City on 1 March 1963.

References/Outside Links

* http://www.theaerodrome.com/aces/canada/hoidge.php Accessed 2 September 2008.

* Christopher Shores. "British and Empire Aces of World War I". Osprey Publishing, 2001.
* http://automatedgenealogy.com/census11/View.jsp?id=49398 Accessed 2 September 2008.

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