234257 Wing Co. Hubert Mortimer Styles DSO.Royal Air Force 233 Squadron (d.1st Nov 1942) British Commander in R.C.A.F. Honored. Acting Wing-Cmdr Hubert Mortimer Styles, English born commander of the R.C.A.F coastal command squadron, which has since September destroyed or damaged many thousands of tons of enemy shipping, has been awarded the Distinguished Service Order, it was announced on Wednesday night.
Styles, whose men want him to remain as their commander even when the squadron otherwise becomes 100 percent Canadian, displayed rare powers of leadership and organizing ability, the citation reads.
"On 1 November 1942 W/Cdr Styles was the pilot of Hudson IIIA FH343 of 233 Squadron Coastal Command. This aircraft took off from Portreath, Cornwall on a delivery flight to RAF Station Gibraltar, where the rest of the squadron was based. His aircraft was seen to spin into the sea in position 4158 N 0939 W and disappear immediately at 1108hrs. Other aircraft circled and observed wreckage, but no sign of life."
The crew included Sergeant W. Thirde RCAF, the wireless operator. The Winnipeg Tribune, 20th of November 1941 and The Ottawa Journal 20th of November 1941.
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