Matthew Roscoe Hodgson

Matthew Roscoe HODGSON Born 7 September 1908 in Prestatyn, Denbighshire, Wales [16] Son of Thomas Garstang and Ethel Mary HODGSON [17] Departed London, England on the Orama and arrived in Fremantle, Western Australia on 3 April 1928 [63] Contractor in Carnamah in 1931 and 1932 [19] [50] Enlisted in the Royal Australian Air Force on 6 June 1941 [16] Sergeant 406529 in the Royal Australian Air Force's 13th Squadron during the Second World War [16] Killed in Action on 12 January 1942 in a flying battle in Celebes, Indonesia [18] Buried at the Ambon War Cemetery on Ambon Island, Indonesia [17] Husband of Mrs Helen Aitkin Spears HODGSON of Kalamunda [17] His wife remained of Kalamunda until her death on 16 February 1997, at the age of 90 years [2]

HODGSON Mathew Roscoe.

Nationality: British

Rank: Sergeant/ Royal Australian Air Force 13 Squadron (CITY OF DARWIN)

Motto: Resilient and Ready.

No. 13 Squadron was formed from elements of No. 12 Squadron at RAAF Base Darwin on 1 June 1940. The Squadron initially served in the general reconnaissance role and flew maritime surveillance patrols over the seas to the north of Australia and survey flights over Northern Australia. In May, the Squadron began flying familiarisation flights over the Netherlands East Indies in preparation to deploy to the NEI following the outbreak of war with Japan. Following the start of the Pacific War, No. 13 Squadron deployed two flights of Hudson light bombers to Ambon. Flying in the face of heavy resistance, these aircraft conducted patrols throughout the eastern islands of the NEI, locating a number of Japanese convoys. The surviving aircraft from these flights returned to Darwin in February 1942, as Ambon faced invasion. However, the squadron commander, Wing Commander, Ernest Scott, was killed in a massacre by Japanese troops following the battle.

13 Squadron RAAF

Two months after being formed at Darwin on 1 June 1940, 13 Squadron commenced day�night training, shipping security patrols, and weekly patrols of Australia�s northern coastline. These activities continued until February 1941. The first detachment to the Pacific theatre, which left on 7 December 1941 for Ambon, suffered badly at the hands of Japanese bombing and strafing raids on the airfields in January 1942.

HODGSON, Sergeant, MATTHEW ROSCOE, 406529. Royal Australian Air Force. 12th January 1942. Age 33. Son of Thomas Garstang Hodgson and Ethel Mary Hodgson; husband of Helen Aitken Spears Hodgson, of South Kalamunda, Western Australia,. Coll. grave 28. B.