Hurst, Douglas Charles DFC (Group Captain, b. 1923 - d. 2007)

Collection relating to O11371 Group Captain Douglas Charles Hurst, who served with the Royal Australian Air Force between 1942 and 1970. Consists of a 21 page typescript memoir titled 'The Air Force Career of Group Captain Douglas Charles Hurst DFC, 1942 - 1970' written by GPCAPT Hurst. Hurst's career with the RAAF spanned a period of twenty eight years from his enlistment in May 1942 to his retirement in July 1970. Hurst served with No. 80 Squadron during the Second World War, serving in Australia, Lae and Morotai. In 1947 Hurst was posted to No. 81 Fighter Wing in Japan as part of the British Commonwealth Occupation Force. Following his return to Australia in 1948, Hurst was posted to No. 23 Squadron unit April 1952 when he was posted to No. 77 Squadron based at Kimpo near Seoul in South Korea. Hurst describes flying a total of 125 operational missions over North Korea. In February 1958 Hurst was posted to No 224 Group RAF located at Kuala Lumpur, Malaya, where he worked in the Joint Operations Centre and was responsible for tasking operations of the helicopter and transport squadrons during the Malayan Emergency Period. The remainder of Hurst's career was served in Australia and the USA.