Air Commodore Arthur Henry (Harry) Cobby, CBE, DSO, DFC, GM

Discussion in 'World War 1' started by spidge, Feb 4, 2009.

  1. spidge

    spidge Active Member

    http://www.awm.gov.au/people/142.asp

    Air Commodore Arthur Henry (Harry) Cobby, CBE, DSO, DFC, GM

    Date of birth: 26 August 1894
    Place of birth: Prahran, VIC
    Date of death: 11 November 1955
    000811
    Arthur Henry (Harry) Cobby
    000811

    Harry Cobby was born in Prahran, Melbourne, on 26 August 1894. At the age of 18 Cobby received a commission in the 48th Infantry (Brighton Rifles) and when the First World War began he was quick to offer himself to the AIF. However, his employer, the Commonwealth Bank, refused to release him. Cobby finally enlisted in the Australian Flying Corps (AFC) in 1916 despite a self-confessed lack of interest in flying.

    In October 1916 Cobby was sent to Point Cook for flying instruction. There he became an original member of No. 4 Squadron, AFC. With no more than 30 minutes of flying instruction behind him, Cobby arrived in England with the squadron in March 1917. By December, having now learnt to fly Sopwith Camels, the squadron was in France. Although their training had ended, Cobby - who had only flown solo for 12 hours - noted the squadron was made up of novices.

    In February 1918 he made the first of his 29 kills, the highest score by a member of the AFC. By May, Cobby was an experienced combat airman, having flown against enemy aircraft and participated in low-level attacks against German troops during their March offensive. The latter, which subjected an aircraft to sustained ground fire, was a particularly dangerous undertaking. On 21 May Cobby shot down the first of 13 German observation balloons; like ground strafing, this brought a pilot dangerously close to ground fire. On 25 May 1918 Cobby was promoted to captain, having by now regularly led his flight on operations.

    In June 1918 he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross; less than a month later he received a bar to that decoration. On 16 August he led an attack on a German airfield at Harboudin, the largest bombing raid carried out by the Allies in France to that date. He led a similar raid the next day and was awarded the Distinguished Service Order. In September Cobby returned to England as an instructor; he was still trying to rejoin a combat unit when the war ended.

    Cobby led the AFC fly-past over London on ANZAC Day 1919. In 1921 he became a foundation member of the newly formed RAAF, resigning in 1936 with the rank of wing commander. When the Second World War began, Cobby returned to the RAAF. He served in a number of capacities and, as an air commodore, won the George Medal in 1943 for rescuing survivors of an air crash in which he had been involved as a passenger.

    In April 1945 as Air Officer Commanding, 1st Tactical Air Force on Morotai, Cobby was presented with the resignations of several high ranking personal who were annoyed at flying dangerous operations against what they considered "senseless unimportant ground targets". Known as the "Morotai Mutiny", the episode resulted in Cobby's sacking. He left the RAAF in 1946 and joined the Department of Civil Aviation, where he held senior appointments until his death on 11 November 1955.

    Related Links

    * Timeline
    * 4 Squadron AFC
    * Collection Items
    * First World War Nominal Roll (PDF file)
    * Roll of Honour
    * Second World War Nominal Roll (external website)
     
  2. spidge

    spidge Active Member

    Honours and awards (gazetted)
    Arthur Henry Cobby

    Arthur Henry Cobby was awarded the following honours:
    US Medal of Freedom

    Service
    RAAF
    Rank
    Air-Commodore
    Unit
    RAAF
    Conflict
    Second World War
    Date of Commonwealth of Australia Gazette
    15 April 1948, page 1899, position 19

    More information about a US Medal of Freedom (Wikipedia)
    Distinguished Flying Cross

    Service
    Army
    Rank
    Temporary Captain
    Unit
    4th Sqn AFC
    Conflict
    First World War
    Date of London Gazette
    2 July 1918, page 7746, position 1
    Date of Commonwealth of Australia Gazette
    27 November 1918, page 2260, position 30

    More information about a Distinguished Flying Cross (Wikipedia)
    2nd Bar to Distinguished Flying Cross

    Service
    Army
    Rank
    Temporary Captain
    Unit
    4th Sqn AFC
    Conflict
    First World War
    Date of London Gazette
    21 September 1918, page 11248, position 1
    Date of Commonwealth of Australia Gazette
    12 February 1919, page 262, position 15

    More information about a 2nd Bar to Distinguished Flying Cross (Wikipedia)
    Bar to Distinguished Flying Cross

    Service
    Army
    Rank
    Temporary Captain
    Unit
    4th Sqn AFC
    Conflict
    First World War
    Date of London Gazette
    21 September 1918, page 11248, position 2
    Date of Commonwealth of Australia Gazette
    12 February 1919, page 262, position 16

    More information about a Bar to Distinguished Flying Cross (Wikipedia)
    Distinguished Service Order

    Service
    Army
    Rank
    Temporary Captain
    Unit
    4th Sqn AFC
    Conflict
    First World War
    Date of London Gazette
    2 November 1918, page 12959, position 1
    Date of Commonwealth of Australia Gazette
    4 March 1919, page 371, position 1

    More information about a Distinguished Service Order (Wikipedia)
    Mention in Despatches

    Service
    Army
    Rank
    Temporary Captain
    Unit
    4th Sqn AFC
    Conflict
    First World War
    Date of London Gazette
    31 December 1918, page 15224, position 2
    Date of Commonwealth of Australia Gazette
    23 May 1919, page 880, position 48

    More information about a Mention in Despatches (Wikipedia)
    George Medal

    Service
    RAAF
    Rank
    Air-Commodore
    Unit
    RAAF
    Conflict
    Second World War
    Date of London Gazette
    10 March 1944, page 1165, position 6
    Date of Commonwealth of Australia Gazette
    16 March 1944, page 650, position 10

    More information about a George Medal (Wikipedia)
    Commander of the Order of the British Empire

    Service
    RAAF
    Rank
    Air-Commodore
    Unit
    NE Area HQ
    Conflict
    Second World War
    Date of London Gazette
    16 June 1944, page 2873, position 1
    Date of Commonwealth of Australia Gazette
    22 June 1944, page 1251, position 1

    More information about a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (Wikipedia)
     
  3. liverpool annie

    liverpool annie New Member

    If you scroll to page 45 .... ( it might be a little slow .... ! ) you'll find some interesting snippets of Cobby and a few others in the 1920's !!

    RAAF Base, Point Cook

    Air Commodore Arthur Henry (Harry)Cobby DSO (two bars), DFC, born in Melbourne, was a distinguished World War I pilot.
    Cobby engaged in a dog fight with Richtofen (the 'Red Baron') and was the top ace of theAustralian Flying Corps with 29air combat victories.
    Cobby was one of the original members of the RAAF and was a Commanding Officer of RAAF Richmond

    http://www.dha.gov.au/publications/victoria.pdf
     
  4. Dolphin

    Dolphin New Member

    AC Harry Cobby's autobiography High Adventure is worth reading. It was re-published in a deluxe illustrated version in 1981, ISBN 0 85880 044 6.

    Gareth
     
  5. Dolphin

    Dolphin New Member

    You'd expect someone writing in a government publication to at least be able to spell von Richthofen!

    Sigh

    Gareth
     
  6. liverpool annie

    liverpool annie New Member

    Oh boy Gareth !

    I'm just going to call him the " Red Baron " from now on !! :)
     
  7. liverpool annie

    liverpool annie New Member

    * Snippet ......

    The leading ace of the Australian Flying Corps was Arthur "Harry" Cobby. A brilliant tactician and courageous dogfighter, he finished the war in England training future Australian scout pilots for the Western Front. The Wing Fighting Instructors had mock combats with the cadet pilots. Cobby wrote later that it was more draining dogfighting a cadet than a German ace on the Western Front. German aces were skilled pilots, Cobby constantly had to watch out for the cadets flying into him.

    http://aviology.blogspot.com/
     

    Attached Files:

Share This Page