The Airmen's Stories - P/O C E Hamilton

Claud Eric Hamilton, of Cairns, Midlothian, Scotland was born in 1921, the son of William Hugh and Florence Marguerite Hamilton.

He attended Edinburgh Academy and was serving with 603 Squadron, Auxiliary Air Force before the war.

Hamilton was called to full-time service and commissioned on 23rd August 1939. With his training completed he joined 234 Squadron at St. Eval on 2nd September 1940.

In mid-November Hamilton sailed from Gibraltar on the carrier HMS Argus. He was in the first flight of six Hurricanes which flew off on 17th November to Takali, Malta, where he joined 261 Squadron. In the early months of 1941 Hamilton may have shot down six enemy aircraft but this is unsubstantiated due to the loss of the relevant records.

261 Squadron was disbanded on 12th May 1941 and Hamilton was attached to 185 Squadron. He was shot down on the 14th in Hurricane Z2901 by Oberleutnant von Kageneck of III/JG27 and fatally wounded.

Hamilton was 20 years old. He is buried in the Naval Cemetery, Capuccini, Malta.

He is commemorated in Calder Church.