Biographical data

Biographical Data
Hughes, Robin Laughlin Photo Credit: Unknown

Biographical Data

Hughes, Robin Laughlin

Photo Credit: Unknown

Title	Brigadier-General (AR)
Official Number	O-34751

Birth	31/12/1925	Death	03/03/2018
Place	Kingston	Place	Ottawa
Area	ON	Area	ON
Country	Canada	Country	Canada

Titles
Honours
Awards
Qualifications	psc.

Biography

Military Service
He was appointed as an Aircraftsman 2nd Class RCAF 1943. He served in RCAF Oshawa for Pilot Training 1943. He served in RCAF Uplands for Pilot Training 1943. He was Awarded Wings 1944. (CFR). He was appointed as a Pilot Officer RCAF 1944, (Transferred to RNFAA) 1945. He was appointed as an A/Sub-Lieutenant (A) (Temp.) RNVR (With seniority dated 01/01/1945). He served in H.M.S. Pretoria Castle for Carrier Familiarization 1945. He was appointed as a Sub-Lieutenant (Temp.) RNVR (With seniority dated 01/01/1945). He served in H.M.S. Theseus for 767 Squadron (Firefly) 1945, (Transferred to RCNR 01/09/1945). He was appointed as a Sub-Lieutenant RCN(R) (With seniority dated 01/01/1945). He served in H.M.S. Pretoria Castle 1945. He served in H.M.S. Implacable for 794 Squadron (Seafire) 1946, (Transferred to RCN through Short Service appointment commencing 30/04/1947). He was appointed as a Lieutenant (P) (SSA) RCN (With seniority dated 28/09/1946). He served in HMCS Warrior 1947. He served in HMCS Magificent for 19 Carrier Air Group as pilot in 825 Squadron 1947. (Selected for permanent commission) 1949. He served in HMCS Magnificent as Flight Deck Officer. Awarded Watchkeeping Certificate, 826 Squadron as Pilot (squadron renumbered as 881). He served in NDHQ as School Relations Officer (Ontario) 1952, (He served on Exchange with USN). He served as Pilot in VS-26 1953. He was appointed as a Lieutenant-Commander RCN (With seniority dated 28/09/1954). He served in NDHQ on Staff of Director Naval Aviation as Tracker Project Officer for Canadian Production 1955. He served in NDHQ on Staff of Deputy Director of Undersea Warfare as Staff Officer Requirements (Aircraft) (F)) 1957. He served in HMCS Assiniboine as Watchkeeper 1958. He served in HMCS Saguenay as Executive Officer 1959. He served in HMCS Jonquiere (In command) 1961. He served in RCAF Staff College 1963. He was appointed as a Commander RCN (With seniority dated 01/01/1964). He served in HMCS Naden for Fleet School as Director Operations and Weapons Division 1964. He served in NDHQ as Director Careers and Postings (Aviator and Deck Officers) 1966. He served as Chief of Staff to Canadian Commander Afloat (In HMCS Bonaventure). He served in HMCS Bonaventure as Commanding Officer VS-880 Squadron 1967. He served in HMCS Skeena (II) (In command) 1969. He served as Commander Third Canadian Escort Squadron 1969. He served as Senior Staff Officer Current Operations MARCOM. (He resigned 01/04/1972), (Transferred to Air Reserve Force 1973). He was appointed as a Lieutenant-Colonel (PLT) (With seniority dated 01/01/1964). He served in HMCS Shearwater for 420 Air Reserve Unit as Commanding Officer 1973. He was appointed as a Colonel (PLT) (With seniority dated 01/01/1979). He served in #4 Air Reserve Wing Edmonton as Commander 1979. He was appointed as a Brigadier General (AR) (With seniority dated 01/04/1980). He served as Commander Air Reserve Group and Senior Air Advisor Canadian Forces Reserves 1980. (He retired 03/08/1983.) (He was qualified as a pilot for naval aviation.) (He was qualified for Watch-keeping duties and qualified to command a frigate or destroyer. He established 420 (Reserve) Air Squadron at CFB Shearwater.) (He was the only Air Force General to have commanded a surface ship and holds a Merchant Master's Certificate of Competency (Foreign Going). He was the last naval officer flying in the Canadian Armed Forces with Second World War decorations. He served in nine aircraft carriers: 3 RN, 3 RCN and 3 USN. He was qualified as a clearance diver and was the co-author of Canada's Naval Aviators.))

Military Service

He was appointed as an Aircraftsman 2nd Class RCAF 1943. He served in RCAF Oshawa for Pilot Training 1943. He served in RCAF Uplands for Pilot Training 1943. He was Awarded Wings 1944. (CFR). He was appointed as a Pilot Officer RCAF 1944, (Transferred to RNFAA) 1945. He was appointed as an A/Sub-Lieutenant (A) (Temp.) RNVR (With seniority dated 01/01/1945). He served in H.M.S. Pretoria Castle for Carrier Familiarization 1945. He was appointed as a Sub-Lieutenant (Temp.) RNVR (With seniority dated 01/01/1945). He served in H.M.S. Theseus for 767 Squadron (Firefly) 1945, (Transferred to RCNR 01/09/1945). He was appointed as a Sub-Lieutenant RCN(R) (With seniority dated 01/01/1945). He served in H.M.S. Pretoria Castle 1945. He served in H.M.S. Implacable for 794 Squadron (Seafire) 1946, (Transferred to RCN through Short Service appointment commencing 30/04/1947). He was appointed as a Lieutenant (P) (SSA) RCN (With seniority dated 28/09/1946). He served in HMCS Warrior 1947. He served in HMCS Magificent for 19 Carrier Air Group as pilot in 825 Squadron 1947. (Selected for permanent commission) 1949. He served in HMCS Magnificent as Flight Deck Officer. Awarded Watchkeeping Certificate, 826 Squadron as Pilot (squadron renumbered as 881). He served in NDHQ as School Relations Officer (Ontario) 1952, (He served on Exchange with USN). He served as Pilot in VS-26 1953. He was appointed as a Lieutenant-Commander RCN (With seniority dated 28/09/1954). He served in NDHQ on Staff of Director Naval Aviation as Tracker Project Officer for Canadian Production 1955. He served in NDHQ on Staff of Deputy Director of Undersea Warfare as Staff Officer Requirements (Aircraft) (F)) 1957. He served in HMCS Assiniboine as Watchkeeper 1958. He served in HMCS Saguenay as Executive Officer 1959. He served in HMCS Jonquiere (In command) 1961. He served in RCAF Staff College 1963. He was appointed as a Commander RCN (With seniority dated 01/01/1964). He served in HMCS Naden for Fleet School as Director Operations and Weapons Division 1964. He served in NDHQ as Director Careers and Postings (Aviator and Deck Officers) 1966. He served as Chief of Staff to Canadian Commander Afloat (In HMCS Bonaventure). He served in HMCS Bonaventure as Commanding Officer VS-880 Squadron 1967. He served in HMCS Skeena (II) (In command) 1969. He served as Commander Third Canadian Escort Squadron 1969. He served as Senior Staff Officer Current Operations MARCOM. (He resigned 01/04/1972), (Transferred to Air Reserve Force 1973). He was appointed as a Lieutenant-Colonel (PLT) (With seniority dated 01/01/1964). He served in HMCS Shearwater for 420 Air Reserve Unit as Commanding Officer 1973. He was appointed as a Colonel (PLT) (With seniority dated 01/01/1979). He served in #4 Air Reserve Wing Edmonton as Commander 1979. He was appointed as a Brigadier General (AR) (With seniority dated 01/04/1980). He served as Commander Air Reserve Group and Senior Air Advisor Canadian Forces Reserves 1980. (He retired 03/08/1983.) (He was qualified as a pilot for naval aviation.) (He was qualified for Watch-keeping duties and qualified to command a frigate or destroyer. He established 420 (Reserve) Air Squadron at CFB Shearwater.) (He was the only Air Force General to have commanded a surface ship and holds a Merchant Master's Certificate of Competency (Foreign Going). He was the last naval officer flying in the Canadian Armed Forces with Second World War decorations. He served in nine aircraft carriers: 3 RN, 3 RCN and 3 USN. He was qualified as a clearance diver and was the co-author of Canada's Naval Aviators.))

Vessels Owned
Aircraft Flown	Service Aircraft Flown: Tiger Moth (wheels & skis), Harvard 2 & 5, Anson, Oxford, Stinson Reliant, Cessna L-19, Firefly T & 1 & 2 & 4 & 5 & 6, Avenger 3E & AS3M, Guppy, Sea Fury, S2F-1, S2F-2, CS2F-1, CS2F-3, C-45 Expeditor, SNB, Dakota C-47, T-7, Seafire 3 & 15, Twin Otter (wheels, skis, floats), Otter, T-33, Hercules, Chipmunk, HUP-1, HUP-3, Ho4S, HTL-4, Kiowa, HSS-2. Civilian Aircraft Flown: Cessna 150 & 152 & 182, Cessna Cardinal, Cessna Aerobat, Cessna 172 & 180 & 185 & 206 & 337 & 310 & 340 & 210 & 420, Luscombe, Fleet Canuck, PA-18 ski, Cherokee 180, Lake LA-4, Aztec, Navaho, Twin Islander, Helio Courier, Teal, C-45 float, MU-2M, Jet Commander.)
Named Features

Anecdotes
He was the author (with John MacFarlane) of Canada's Naval Aviators

References
Government of Canada The Canadian Navy List Ottawa ON; MacFarlane, John M. (1994); MacFarlane, John and Robbie Hughes (1997); Macpherson, Ken & Ron Barrie (2002); http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/timescolonist/obituary.aspx?n=robin-laughlin-hughes&pid=188392491;
Last update
2018-03-08 00:00:00

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Biographical Data

Hughes, Robin Laughlin