Hugh Verity landed many times at clandestine airfields in occupied France to insert and extract SOE agents.
20 Facts About Hugh Verity
1.
2.
Hugh Verity was educated at Cheltenham College and Queen's College, Oxford, where he joined Oxford University Air Squadron.
3.
Hugh Verity joined the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve and was commissioned as a pilot officer on 8 November 1938.
4.
Hugh Verity joined No 252 Squadron RAF in February 1941 as it re-equipped with Bristol Beaufighters and served on Malta.
5.
Hugh Verity was interned by the Irish, then escaped with help from British Military Intelligence MI9 about five weeks later.
6.
Hugh Verity was promoted temporary squadron leader on 1 June 1942.
7.
Hugh Verity arranged an interview with P Charles "Pick" Pickard, the new commanding officer of No 161 Squadron RAF.
8.
Hugh Verity noted he had to lead an eclectic group of pilots, all of whom were very capable, including Frank Rymills, Peter Vaughan-Fowler and Jim McCairns.
9.
Hugh Verity undertook at least 29 and possibly as many as 36 night flights into France, perhaps the most of any RAF pilot.
10.
Hugh Verity's role was to drop off and pick up resistance workers, SOE agents and other figures at secret locations inside France.
11.
Records from the Imperial War Museum indicate Hugh Verity flew Westland Lysander Mark IIIA, bearing the nose-art of 'Jiminy Cricket' for 20 operations to occupied France while serving with No 161 Squadron at RAF Tempsford, Bedfordshire.
12.
Hugh Verity was instrumental in introducing the larger Lockheed Hudson into pick-up operations.
13.
In late 1944 Hugh Verity was commanding SOE air operations in south east Asia and following the end of hostilities served with the Recovery of Allied Prisoner-of-War and Internees Organisation.
14.
Hugh Verity was granted a permanent commission as squadron leader on 25 March 1947.
15.
Hugh Verity served on staff at the Army Staff College, Quetta until being invalided home with polio.
16.
Hugh Verity was promoted full wing commander on 1 July 1951, serving at Joint Services Staff College until appointed wing commander at RAF Wahn from 1954 to 1955.
17.
Hugh Verity commanded No 96 Squadron RAF flying Gloster Meteor jet night fighters in 1955 and was appointed group captain on 1 July 1958 ready for a series of postings as Staff Officer at the Air Ministry, a posting to Turkey and commanding RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus and then Staff Officer back at the Air Ministry.
18.
Hugh Verity requested retirement and was released from the service on 2 June 1965 to take up a position with the Printing and Publishing Industry Training Board.
19.
Hugh Verity flew a number of his SOE operations from RAF Tangmere where the museum has unveiled a bust of him.
20.
Hugh Verity married on 27 August 1940 at All Saints' Church, Bisley, Audrey Geraldine Northcliffe Stokes, who was, as Hugh Verity had been, a student at Oxford.