Graham Hulse
 

This pilot served with 122 Squadron and 81 Squadrons in 1942-1943, but in November 1943 81 Squadron was withdrawn to serve in the Far East. I think that this pilot transferred to 93 Squadron at this time. Duncan-Smith mentions a pilot called Sgt Hulse being shot down in the Spring of 1944 but evading, and the chance of two Sergeant-Pilots called Hulse being in that theatre at that time must be very slim.

Given that two of his "damaged" claims have subsequently been confirmed by records to have been destroyed, and that he made three confirmed claims in Korea when air combat was limited, did he make any claims with 93? In the period January-April 1944 his squadron (if indeed he did serve with 93) made 20 cliams. 11 of these can be attributed to Andrews (4) and Bunting (4) and Taylor (3), but who claimed the others?

TOE does give details but they are still quite slim, and it seems possible to me that he may have been even more successful in WW2.

Re: Graham Hulse
 

He claimed a damaged Bf 109 on 23 April 1945 near Zagreb as Flt/Lt in 213.Sqn. His oponent (Croat pilot) actually crash-landed near Velika Gorica and the plane was a write-of so this should be upgraded to confirmed.

Re: Graham Hulse
 

An interesting development. Hulse served in 94 Squadron from late 1944 until joining 213. According to the new Osprey source he made a damaged claim against a Bulgarian Bf109 in November 1944. Does anyone have details of this combat?

94 Squadron seem to have made a number of claims in 1944. Does anyone have a list of them?

Re: Graham Hulse
 

Keith

You need to do some searching on here or over at RAF Commands. I am pretty sure Chris Goss set off a lengthy thread on Hulse on one or other of these boards perhaps about 18 mths ago...

Steve

Re: Graham Hulse
 

Hi Keith,

S/L Russell Foskett (RAAF) made these claims whilst CO of 94 Sqn:

6/6/44: Ju 52

10/8/44: Bf 109 dam

At least one other RAAF pilot claimed with 94 during this period (summer '44); don't have the details on hand atm but pretty sure it was a 109.

Bruce

Re: Graham Hulse
 

Found a few more 94 Sqn claims, these by F/L Hugh McLachlan (RCAF):

31/5/44: Bf 109

8/7/44: Bf 109

Hulse's Bf 109 dam claim was made 12/11/44.

The unit's last combat was 31/3/45, when a 109 was shot down. This was thought to be Bulgarian and wasn't in fact claimed; it was shared by S/L John Slade, F/O Rodney Simmonds (Rhod), and two others. See FlyPast Jan 2010 for further details!

Bruce

Re: Graham Hulse
 

Cheers Bruce,

I read an old article recently about RAF pilots in Korea where Hulse is stated as having three 3 kills in WW2 and 3 in Korea. I assume the kills were the probables claimed on 28 April and 16 July 1943 with the third being the Croatian Me109 in 1945, and did not include the claim for 14 July 1943?

regards

Keith

Re: Graham Hulse
 

I am a bit confused. Was Hulse's claim on 12 Nov. 1944 made against a Bulgarian Bf 109?
And the shared one on 31 March 1945 was also against a Bulgarian Bf 109? Or rather a Croatian one?
Can someone shed a light on this detail?

I am actually looking for Bulgarian victories and losses, that's why the request.

Thanks,

Re: Graham Hulse
 

the victory in November was over a Bulgarian aircraft.

best regards


Keith

Re: Graham Hulse
 

Thank you. Is the location and time known?

Re: Graham Hulse
 

Keith

You initially claim that "your" Hulse was with 93 Sq (which was based in Italy at the time). Have you abandoned that theory or is there a possibillity of the existance of two Hulse after all?

Looking up Hulse in Shores' Those other Eagles, Hulse is not listed as serving with either 93 or 94 Sq. According to Shores, Hulse was promoted to F/Off on 29 Nov 1943 most probably still with 81 Sq. The damaged claim on 12 Nov 1944 is not listed in this work. Could be an oversight of course...

However with one possible Hulse in 93 Sq and another one in 94 Sq it worries me a bit about the possibillity of a mix up between the two, so is it possible to be 100 exact here?

Cheers
Stig

Re: Graham Hulse
 

It would be great if the details would be confirmed, as I would like to include the info in a book I am currently working on.

Any further info on Bulgarian victories/losses after 26 August 1944 would be welcome.

Thanks, again,

Re: Graham Hulse
 

Sorry, chum

Not much information I am afraid. The location is given as "over the Vardar Valley". Hope this helps.

best regards

Keith

Re: Graham Hulse
 

Sorry for the delay in replying to you Stig. Hulse isn't a common English name and therefore two Hulse's flying Spitfires in Italy in late 1943-early 1944 would be unusual but as you rightly say, not impossible. Plus both Duncan-Smith and a newspaper article mention that he evaded after being shot down, although the newspaper article doesn't state his unit at the time. As you know 81 Squadron went to the Far East in late 1943 and it would not seem likely that Hulse returned from there in 1944 to join 94 Squadron, so it seemed likely that given he was already long into his tour of operations he was transferred to another DAF unit. He isn't mentioned in any accounts of 81 Squadron in Burma.

He is definitely the pilot that joined 213 Squadron in April 1945, probably because 94 Squadron was in the process of disbanding.

cheers

Keith

Re: Graham Hulse
 

Found the article...

Flight Lieutenant Graham Hulse arrived at Kimpo in September 1952. He was on loan from the RAF to the USAF for two years to gain experience in the F-86 Sabre. During World War 2 Hulse was a Sgt Pilot in no. 122 and no. 81 Squadron in 1942-43, flying combat over Europe against the Luftwaffe, then transferred to no. 93 Squadron in the Far East. When he was shot down in Spring 1944, evading capture, he had 2 confirmed victories, plus a 3rd that he scored in April 1945 with no. 213 Squadron after being promoted to Flight Lieutenant. Houston Tuel - "A tall blonde, affable veteran of the Battle of Britain, he rapidly became one of our most admired and respected pilots. We listened intently to his accounts of his combat missions in defense of Britain, often told with self-deprecating humor. His skill as a story teller was legendary.

Sabre Jet Classics magazine

Re: Graham Hulse
 

Well Keith

We still have a problem!
First of all I don't understand why the article states Hulse was transferred to the Far East since only his unit went there. So I agree with you that he remained in Med area. But unfortunately it does not give us any final clue if he was with 93 Sq or 94 Sq

As mentioned before, Shores does not list him with either unit so I am unable to make any further comment about either his victory or shoot down.

But it would be nice if we can unite about which unit it was. Since he was involved with Bulgarian missions, I find it more likely he was with 94 than 93 Sq since the former went to Greece while 93 stayed in Italy. Or did he serve with both units? That would basically solve the problem....:)

Cheers
Stig

Re: Graham Hulse
 

Additionally, this claim should also be clarified. Was this one Bulgarian, too?

Re: Graham Hulse
 

He is mentioned specifically as Graham Hulse in "Barney Barnfather: life on Spitfire Squadron" as a Flying Officer in 94 Squadron in December 1944 and is still there in January 1945. In "Hornet Sting" by Frank Leeson he is reported as joining 213 a Flight Lieutenant from 94 Squadron

Re: Graham Hulse
 

....sorry, sent it prematurely :rolleyes:

His first tour of operations would probably have ended in 1944, given that he'd been on active service since the Summer of 1942. As I say I am pretty sure that the coincidence of Duncan Smith mentioning a Sergeant Hulse of 93 Squadron in May 1944 seems too close to avoid making a strong case for this being Graham Hulse. I know Chris Shores doesn't mention this is Hulse's biography but...

best regards


Keith

Re: Graham Hulse
 

Thanks Keith

I can see I have kept you busy...;)
Looks like a strong case then that he actually served in both Squadrons.

Appreciate your efforts!
Stig

Re: Graham Hulse
 

Always good fun. Hulse has given me a focus too look into the DAF in the Mediterranean and Balkans. Your questions allowed me to look through my books again to confirm my hypothesis and re-generate my research into this subject, so thanks to you too :-)

best regards


Keith

Re: Graham Hulse
 

More of Graham Hulse. I have recently read Hap Kennedy's autobiography and it seems 93 Squadron had been rebuilt in September 1943 after suffering heavy losses through both enemy action and other causes unspecified. It seems possible that Hulse was one of the replacements which would explain him not going to the Far East.

Although TOE implied that he was commissioned on 29 May 1943 that seems unlikely given than he had only been promoted FSgt sometime after 28 April 1943 and therefore 1944 is more likely, possibly as a result of his successful bale-out and evasion. He is still being recalled by Duncan-Smith as a Sergeant pilot in May 1944. Promotion to FO would then fall on 29 November 1944 which ties in with his mention in Barnfathers book as a FO with 94 Squadron on 8 December 1944 and on 4 January 1945.

Adjustment of his tally post war would indicate 3 destroyed, one probable and 3 damaged over German, Bulgarian and Croatian His subsequent victories in Korea make him a very interesting subject for research.

Re: Graham Hulse
 

Keith,

Have you consulted the London Gazette? Hulse was promoted from F/Sgt. to P/O on probation on 29 May 1943, to F/O on 29 Nov. 1943, and to F/L on 29 May 1945. In the field however, the news of promotions often lagged by weeks or months, particularly in combat zones away from the UK. Also it was not uncommon for pilots to receive promotion to acting F/L or S/L. Hulse was already an acting Flight Lt. in 213 Sqn. prior to his official promotion after the war in Europe was over.

Cheers,
Tom

Re: Graham Hulse
 

Cheers Tom, my bad - I hadn't seen that :) Pretty rapid promotion for Hulse given that he only joined his first squadron less than a year earlier.. however I suppose the fact that he had been in the RAF since he joined in 1937 as an apprentice may have weighed in.

regards

Keith