Fred Hockley: Difference between revisions
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[[Sub-Lieutenant]] '''Frederick (Fred) Hockley''' [[Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve|RNVR]] (1923–1945) was an [[England|English]] [[Royal Navy]] [[Fleet Air Arm]] fighter pilot, notable for taking part in the last combat mission flown by British aircraft in [[World War II]] and his execution in captivity without a trial by [[Japan]]ese soldiers. |
[[Sub-Lieutenant]] '''Frederick (Fred) Hockley''' [[Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve|RNVR]] (1923–1945) was an [[England|English]] [[Royal Navy]] [[Fleet Air Arm]] fighter pilot, notable for taking part in the last combat mission flown by British aircraft in the [[World War II |Second World War]] and his execution in captivity, without a trial, by [[Japan]]ese soldiers. |
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==Early life== |
==Early life== |
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Hockley was born in [[Littleport, Cambridgeshire|Littleport]] near [[Ely, Cambridgeshire|Ely]] in [[Cambridgeshire]] |
Hockley was born in [[Littleport, Cambridgeshire|Littleport]] near [[Ely, Cambridgeshire|Ely]] in [[Cambridgeshire]]. His father was a foreman for the water board and a bellringer in the parish church. Fred attended [[Soham Village College|Soham Grammar School]] and was a keen swimmer. |
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==Mission over Japan== |
==Mission over Japan== |
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[[File:Indefatigable- Turnbull lib 1 4-020662-F.jpg|thumb|200px|[[HMS Indefatigable (R10)|HMS Indefatigable]] in 1945]] |
[[File:Indefatigable- Turnbull lib 1 4-020662-F.jpg|thumb|200px|[[HMS Indefatigable (R10)|HMS Indefatigable]] in 1945]] |
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[[File:Seafire over Invincible-class NAN2-1-44.jpg|thumb|200px|A [[Supermarine Seafire]] over an aircraft carrier]] |
[[File:Seafire over Invincible-class NAN2-1-44.jpg|thumb|200px|A [[Supermarine Seafire]] over an aircraft carrier]] |
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Hockley was commissioned as an officer in the [[Royal Naval Reserve|Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve]] and was posted to the [[aircraft carrier]] [[HMS Indefatigable (R10)|HMS Indefatigable]] as a [[Supermarine Seafire]] fighter pilot with 24 Wing of the Fleet Air Arm. On 15 August 1945 he took off from the carrier on a mission to defend [[Fairey Firefly]] and [[Grumman Avenger]] fighter bombers attacking airfields in the [[Tokyo Bay]] area of [[Japan]]. His radio was not functioning and he bailed out of his aircraft after it was attacked by [[Mitsubishi A6M Zero|Mitsubishi Zero]] fighters |
Hockley was commissioned as an officer in the [[Royal Naval Reserve|Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve]] and was posted to the [[aircraft carrier]] [[HMS Indefatigable (R10)|HMS Indefatigable]] as a [[Supermarine Seafire]] fighter pilot with 24 Wing of the Fleet Air Arm. On 15 August 1945 he took off from the carrier on a mission to defend [[Fairey Firefly]] and [[Grumman Avenger]] fighter bombers attacking airfields in the [[Tokyo Bay]] area of [[Japan]]. His radio was not functioning and he bailed out of his aircraft after it was attacked by [[Mitsubishi A6M Zero|Mitsubishi Zero]] fighters. He parachuted to the ground near the village of Higashimura. |
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==Surrender, captivity and execution== |
==Surrender, captivity and execution== |
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Hockley surrendered to an air raid warden who took him to the local civil defence HQ |
Hockley surrendered to an air raid warden who took him to the local civil defence HQ. The commander there handed him over to the 426th Infantry Regiment, stationed nearby. At regimental headquarters the commanding officer, Colonel Tamura Tei'ichi, having heard [[Hirohito|Emperor Hirohito]] announce the Japanese surrender at 12 noon, called divisional headquarters for advice on what to do with the prisoner. The 147th Division's intelligence officer, Major Hirano Nobou, responded with words to the effect that he was to ''shochi-se'' (finish him off) in the mountains that night, despite the fact that Tamura had sought no authority to do so. Tamura claimed that he was shocked by the order, which he felt was "unkind", but he could not ignore an order from divisional command. He therefore told his [[adjutant]], Captain Fujino Masazo, that Hockley had to be executed, adding that Fujino should do it so that no one could witness it. Fujino then ordered Sergeant Major Hitomi Tadao to move Hockley to regimental headquarters. There Hitomi was ordered by another officer to take six soldiers into the mountains to dig a grave with pickaxes and shovels. At about nine o'clock at night, nine hours after the Emperor had announced the surrender, Hockley was taken to the grave blindfolded, his hands were tied and he was told to stand with his back to the hole. He was then shot twice and rolled into the hole, where Fujino stabbed him in the back with a sword to ensure that he was dead. His body was later exhumed and cremated after Colonel Tamura began to fear that it might be found. |
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==Investigation and trial== |
==Investigation and trial== |
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Hockley's fate was revealed when |
Hockley's fate was revealed when Allied Occupation forces investigated and Fujino told the truth about what had happened, though Tamura had implored not to do so. Tamura, Hirano and Fujino were transferred to British custody and put on trial as war criminals in [[Hong Kong]] between 30 May and 13 June 1947. Tamura and Fujino cited superior orders in their defence, and Hirano maintained that he had ordered that Hockley be dealt with in accordance with intelligence service regulations and claimed that he had not anticipated that Hockley would be killed. Following differing accounts of the precise wording of the orders, Timara and Hirano were convicted, sentenced to death and hanged on 16 September 1947, and Fujino was sentenced to 15 years imprisonment. The case haunted Major Murray Ormsby (1919-2012), who was the military prosecutor at the trial, for he feared that Hockley's sacrifice would be forgotten. In 1995 he started placing a memorial notice in the ''[[Daily Telegraph]]'' on 15 August each year, the anniversary of Hockley’s death.<ref>[http://www.sohamgrammar.org.uk/fred_hockley_inmem.htm Fred hockley at Soham Grammar]. Retrieved 2 February 2013</ref><ref>[http://hkwctc.lib.hku.hk/exhibits/show/hkwctc/documents/item/63 Hong Kong War Crimes Trials Documents]. Retrieved 2 February 2013</ref><ref>[http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/opinion/obituaries/article3674238.ece Murray Ormsby Obituary ''[[The Times]]'' 1 February 2013]. Retrieved 2 February 2013</ref> |
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==References== |
==References== |
Revision as of 08:27, 27 March 2013
Fred Hockley | |
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Born | 1923 Littleport, Ely, Cambridgeshire |
Died | 15 August 1945 (aged 22) Japan |
Allegiance | United Kingdom |
Service | Fleet Air Arm |
Rank | Sub-Lieutenant |
Battles / wars | Second World War |
Sub-Lieutenant Frederick (Fred) Hockley RNVR (1923–1945) was an English Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm fighter pilot, notable for taking part in the last combat mission flown by British aircraft in the Second World War and his execution in captivity, without a trial, by Japanese soldiers.
Early life
Hockley was born in Littleport near Ely in Cambridgeshire. His father was a foreman for the water board and a bellringer in the parish church. Fred attended Soham Grammar School and was a keen swimmer.
Mission over Japan
Hockley was commissioned as an officer in the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve and was posted to the aircraft carrier HMS Indefatigable as a Supermarine Seafire fighter pilot with 24 Wing of the Fleet Air Arm. On 15 August 1945 he took off from the carrier on a mission to defend Fairey Firefly and Grumman Avenger fighter bombers attacking airfields in the Tokyo Bay area of Japan. His radio was not functioning and he bailed out of his aircraft after it was attacked by Mitsubishi Zero fighters. He parachuted to the ground near the village of Higashimura.
Surrender, captivity and execution
Hockley surrendered to an air raid warden who took him to the local civil defence HQ. The commander there handed him over to the 426th Infantry Regiment, stationed nearby. At regimental headquarters the commanding officer, Colonel Tamura Tei'ichi, having heard Emperor Hirohito announce the Japanese surrender at 12 noon, called divisional headquarters for advice on what to do with the prisoner. The 147th Division's intelligence officer, Major Hirano Nobou, responded with words to the effect that he was to shochi-se (finish him off) in the mountains that night, despite the fact that Tamura had sought no authority to do so. Tamura claimed that he was shocked by the order, which he felt was "unkind", but he could not ignore an order from divisional command. He therefore told his adjutant, Captain Fujino Masazo, that Hockley had to be executed, adding that Fujino should do it so that no one could witness it. Fujino then ordered Sergeant Major Hitomi Tadao to move Hockley to regimental headquarters. There Hitomi was ordered by another officer to take six soldiers into the mountains to dig a grave with pickaxes and shovels. At about nine o'clock at night, nine hours after the Emperor had announced the surrender, Hockley was taken to the grave blindfolded, his hands were tied and he was told to stand with his back to the hole. He was then shot twice and rolled into the hole, where Fujino stabbed him in the back with a sword to ensure that he was dead. His body was later exhumed and cremated after Colonel Tamura began to fear that it might be found.
Investigation and trial
Hockley's fate was revealed when Allied Occupation forces investigated and Fujino told the truth about what had happened, though Tamura had implored not to do so. Tamura, Hirano and Fujino were transferred to British custody and put on trial as war criminals in Hong Kong between 30 May and 13 June 1947. Tamura and Fujino cited superior orders in their defence, and Hirano maintained that he had ordered that Hockley be dealt with in accordance with intelligence service regulations and claimed that he had not anticipated that Hockley would be killed. Following differing accounts of the precise wording of the orders, Timara and Hirano were convicted, sentenced to death and hanged on 16 September 1947, and Fujino was sentenced to 15 years imprisonment. The case haunted Major Murray Ormsby (1919-2012), who was the military prosecutor at the trial, for he feared that Hockley's sacrifice would be forgotten. In 1995 he started placing a memorial notice in the Daily Telegraph on 15 August each year, the anniversary of Hockley’s death.[1][2][3]
References
- ^ Fred hockley at Soham Grammar. Retrieved 2 February 2013
- ^ Hong Kong War Crimes Trials Documents. Retrieved 2 February 2013
- ^ Murray Ormsby Obituary The Times 1 February 2013. Retrieved 2 February 2013
- 1923 births
- 1945 deaths
- British people murdered abroad
- British World War II pilots
- Fleet Air Arm aviators
- Japanese war crimes
- People from Cambridgeshire
- People murdered in Japan
- Prisoners who died in Japanese detention
- Royal Navy officers
- Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve personnel of World War II
- World War II prisoners of war held by Japan