The Airmen's Stories - P/O J B Hobbs

Joseph Bedo Hobbs, of Folkestone, joined the RAF on a short service commission in November 1938. He was with 3 Squadron at Wick in early July 1940 and, as a member of 'B' Flight, went with it to Sumburgh on July 17th when it was renumbered as 232 Squadron. In 1941 Hobbs was with 274 Squadron in the Western Desert. On June 24th, on a convoy patrol, he intercepted three SM79’s and destroyed one. He was killed on December 7th 1941 as a Flight Lieutenant, shot down by Unteroffizier Grimm in an action west of El Adem. Hobbs was 26. He is buried in Halfaya Sollum War Cemetery.

Photographs courtesy of Colonel C R Romberg RA, British Embassy Cairo