Called "The Champ"
The achievements of a Rockhampton resident who is now a pilot of the R.A.F. are recounted in an article in "Truth".
The article states:They call him "The Champ." He is nuggety, 5 ft 4 in. Sergeant-Pilot Edward A. Hudson, of Rockhampton, Queensland, and he belongs to an R.A.F. Wellington bomber group which has dropped a greater weight of bombs on Germany than any other in the R.A.F.
Hudson's achievements must constitute a near record for Australians in the Bomber Command. Since September,1941, he has carried out 19 operational flights, three over Hamburg, five over Brest, Genoa, Stettin, Emden, Kiel,the Channel ports, and Hamm.
To him belongs the achievement of 'dropping one of the RAF's heaviest bombs on the Hamm marshalling yards,which was shown in magnesium flash photographs as a direct hit.
When I asked him if he had been shot up at all, "The Champ" laughed, and said: "Well-a little."
He told of some hair-raising experiences, including flying into the cables of a barrage balloon over Brest, when he had been forced below balloon level.
"Luckily the balloon-cutter on the wing severed the cable, otherwise we would have been washed up," he said.
The Wellington lurched sickeningly and we thought the end had come, but good old Wimpy recovered and flew on. His Commanding Officer said that Hudson is one of the gamest pilots he had ever known. He had known Hudson to land his "Wimpy" almost a flying skeleton, with holes in wings, tail and fuselage.
DFC Citation: (16 November 1942) Has carried out sorties against majority important enemy targets such as Brest Hamburg Kiel cologne Rostock. All times displayed great gallantry devotion duty even in face most formidable enemys anti aircraft defences. Attacks invariably pressed home utmost vigor at low height. Tremendous enthusiasm for operational flying combined with ability as pilot and captain have welded crew into one most effective. Bar to DFC citation: (19 August 1943) Flight Lieutenant has invariably completed his operational duties with determination and initiative and his success has been demonstrated by photographs he has secured. This officer has always displayed great determination to complete his allotted task.
(Photo:'Eddie' Hudson at the controls of G George after ferrying the Lancaster to Australia)
Avro Lancaster Mk I Bomber 'G for George' W4783, 460 Squadron, RAAF. In June 1944 the Department of Air made the bomber available for war museum purposes and after an extensive overhaul it left for Australia on 11 October 1944, flown by an all-Australian crew captained by Flight Lieutenant E A Hudson, DFC and Bar. It arrived in Brisbane, Queensland on 8 November 1944 - via Canada and the United States. In 1945 the aircraft toured the eastern states of Australia in connection with the Third Victory Loan until finally declared surplus and transferred to the Australian War Memorial.
G George on display at the Australian War Memorial
